BASS
Jason Raso is a professional bass player and instructor from Guelph , ON . His latest book , Soloing on Electric Bass : A Chord Tone Approach , is available from MusicBooksPlus . com . Jason proudly endorses Aguilar amplification and D ’ Addario strings . www . jasonrasomusic . com .
By Jason Raso
Power Play Pentatonics
The pentatonic scale is a staple of modern music .
Rock , jazz , funk , country , blues , pop , and other styles all make regular use of this five-note cluster !
EX . 1
Ex . 1 shows the A minor pentatonic scale . Many players fall into the trap of only practicing the scale straight up and down .
Ex . 2 uses a four-note sequence to create a more interesting ascending and descending pattern .
EX . 2
Ex . 3 takes this sequence a step further by using rhythmic displacement . Simply place an 1 / 8 th note rest between each group of four notes .
Ex . 4 picks up the pace by adding 1 / 16 th notes to the mix and places the scale in the context of the groove . ( I played this groove at 90 bpm .)
EX . 3
It ’ s easy to fall into predictable lines and patterns within the pentatonic scale . Keep your practice by following this concept :
• Practice a scale pattern
• Re-sequence the notes
• Add a rhythmic variation
• Create a bass line
Feel free to try this concept with any scale and , as always , remember to practice in every key . I also encourage you to try different styles and tempos . I would love to hear your grooves . Post your lines on Instagram and tag me @ jasonrasomusic !
EX . 4
To learn more about the pentatonic scale , check out Jason ’ s new ebook , Power-Play Pentatonics : Shapes , Sequences & Exercises for Electric Bass . Choose your own price at www . jasonrasomusic . com .
Ð CANADIAN MUSICIAN 27