Music Instruction

"Comprehensive Study Guide" For Bass-Guitar

Level #1

Basic music rudiments are learned.

"Chromatic Scale" is learned and applied to the fretboard

("12 note patterns") "Sharps and Flats"

Technique development of (Right and left) hand starts with (Ascending and Descending) finger exercise.

(5) Right Hand Technique forms:

1. Down Picking

2. Alternate Picking

3. (3,2) Finger combination

4. (4,3) Finger combination

5. (4,2) Finger combination Basic note reading and playing of music begins.

Level #2

First (6) chromatic-notes are now individually memorized.

Technique development continues through:

1. (Ascending and Descending) exercise using faster speeds and (8th note) rhythms.
2. "Finger and "Pick" combinations are combined on each string to synthesize these "Technique" elements.
3. Reading and Playing in a limited range is developed through all four strings.

Level #3

Last (6) chromatic notes are now memorized.

Initial work in "Bass-Part" playing is started and developed Rhythm advancement is explored with the use of "Percussion-Drumbeat" tape in place of the metronome.

Position-playing is now developed utilizing Reading and Playing on the (whole) guitar neck.

Intermediate Level

Level #4

Reading exercise continues through Mel Bay "Popular Songbook" is started for synthesis of all musical elements in popular songs.

"Rock" music is dealt with from taped sources and taught in chart-form.

Level #5

Songbook continuation-Bass playing evolves with embellishing Root-Notes of chords with other "Cortones" of the chord. (Beginning of Bass-Runs)

Major scales are learned and memorized for their theoretical aspects.

Major and Minor chords are analyzed and memorized.

Basic 12-Bar Blues Progressions are learned in all keys.

Level #6

"Major scale forms are technically learned and developed.

"Cycle of 5ths" are explored through Broken chord exercise.

Songbook continuation: chromatics and bass chords now added.

Blues Progressions evolve adding more cortones.

Level #7

"Pure", "Harmonic", "Melodic" Scales are learned and developed

"Minor" Broken chord Exercise now developed.

Advanced Level

Level #8

Students start incorporating their own ideas for Bass lines into songs.

Transposing is learned and put into practice.

Level #9

Students develop their own ability, creating bass lines while sight-reading now.

Transposing by sight is also explored.

Songs begin to be played now integrating ideas on the whole-guitar neck (All positions fused together)

Level #10

Students knowledge, experience and use of all elements are continued and developed indefinitely…to students desired level of musicianship.

Note: Each level outlines new features added in lessons while also past features may still continue and develop.