Using SHAPES to create INCREDIBLE Bass Lines (Noob to Badass)

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Not all bass lines are created equal! In this video, we’re going to explore the process of creating a great bass line. These aren’t exactly bass player secrets, but techniques that can be recycled and reimagined whenever you write your own riffs. We’ve also got note-for-note snippets of each idea so you can see exactly what we’re playing. You get the idea! So let’s get started…
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Video Breakdown:
00:00 - Introduction
01:00 - The Chord Sequence
02:00 - Ian’s Writing Process
06:09 - Shape #1 - The Box
06:45 - Shape #2 - The Not-Box
07:10 - Shape #3 - The Little L
08:20 - Utilising The Entire Fretboard
09:40 - Practice Tips
11:24 - Using ‘The Box’ In Practice
18:45 - Chromaticism
23:20 - Rhythm, Chord Tones & Chromatics
25:48 - Displacing The Chords
28:00 - Summary
===
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#bassguitarlessons #bassshapes #easybasslines

[@st-vo7xv]

I love when you guys work together like this. I feel like I’m in the shed with you. This is really good core teaching to help jump start people. It’s great to see you guys playing unedited so we can see your human too. You guys together are magic. Thank you! ❤

[@Monkeywrench92]

I wish my h.s. and college music theory classes were even a fraction as fun as these guys make it. Awesome video guys.

[@devinebass]

Cheers, appreciate that!

[@PAULMCMILLAN-wp4hc]

Fantastic. I’m a senior with mild arthritis in my hands, but with this technique, I feel I can be more creative without ending up with aching fingers.

[@axelmorisson]

well.. soft rounds and short scale bass is the doctor's prescription for your pain, sir.. whenever it is too much, apply one or all of these and it will get better. Seriously, the new active ukulele basses are also something else. I have an active slab body uke with.. rubber strings. It is 19"" scale and very light. Active, true- but the sound? Like a big angry full -sized P bass. There are some alternatives for every pocket out there, from the top of the line Kala to the lowest Harley Benton- they all can be made to sound good. Rubber ultra-short scale strings. So soft my cat can play them. So boomy they shake the room...

[@justinscoutmode]

Try a two week series of "Serrapeptase" You will likely realize the positive side effects. Not a Doctor, just saying.... ref: Health Benefits of Serrapeptase

[@SeraphineTheD6Queen]

I got my first bass 12 hours~ ago and these shapes levelled up my playing tenfold :3 can't wait to binge all the SBL content

[@devinebass]

Welcome to the world of Bass!!

[@thomaseast7699]

As a guitarist learning bass, this is the best lesson ive seen.

[@daveweed2765]

Man. As a bassist i follow your tone as a guitarist. Why are you learning bass? You wanna play basd? Bass is a lot harder than what you think if you play guitar. The frets are a lot bigger and your fingers are not so there is a lot of learning compensation there. Never think a short scale bass is a happy medium. Short scale basses sound like shit. As a guitarist you may think bass is easy. Its not. You have to know quite a bit of music theory. If you play guitar and play an open G then playing bass you have to know every note on that chord that your guitarist is playing. The root the thirds the fourths the fifths and the octaves. When I first started learning guitar i asked about bass and was told it mainly was scales. Bullshit. Bass is playing around the roots. If your guitarist is playing a power chord how are you gonna' work that in to your bassline in step with the drummer. A C pwer chord still is a C chord. As a bassist you can use the third forth and fifths of a C chord even though the guitar on a C power chorf is playing the root and fifth. You can play the octaves too. You teally have to kniw this playing bass. I played guitar for a long time and never really thought about chords. Open or two finger or three finger power chords. Example. I played the song Black Sabbath a lot on guitar. I knew what the dimished fifth was. On bass playing it? On the dimished fifth you have to slude up to the octave and back down and hit the G. You have to hit the octave on the D flat/Csharp on the 16th fret. You cant just slide up and down willy nilly. Honestly playing both guitar and bass? Bass is more difficult than guitar. You have to know a lot of music theory and understand it. Then you have to play in tune with your guitarist/ guitarists and be in time with your drummer and honestly? You may lock in with the drummer and then switch to the guitar riffs for the choruses and then lock back in with the drummer. Bass as simple as it seems is probably one of the hardest instruments to play in a band. You go four bars banging on one note and all of a sudden the "and" after 3 you need to shift with the guitar to another note all the while locking in with the kick drum. If you screw up everyone notices. It just dont sound right. You definatly have to know how to count. And it is a lot harder than guitar. Even the most simple bass lines are not as easy as it seems. You really have to listen to everyone to get your cues. But all the little patterns? Forget them. Chase the root and play on the thirds, fourths, fifths and octaves. And should know that on guitar playing chords on guitar. You can do walk ups and walk downs. But play with it. Rule of thumb though. Walk ups sound good from the root third diminished fifth and fifth. Walk downs to the same root note sounds good ftom the fifth, diminished fifth fourth and root. The octave. The fourth from the octave snd then the fourth from the root. If that makes srnse?

[@IvanTerzieff]

@@daveweed2765 Sound fantastic .Can You do video please ?

[@mv9787]

I started with a guitar, but always liked the bass.

[@thomaseast7699]

@daveweed2765 Thanks. I've been playing guitar nearly 40 yrs, so have a good knowledge of theory and bass isn't alien to me. Anyway, I play for the fun of it, I'm interested, nice change to the guitar. I'll work it out, normally do.

[@kenster865]

@@daveweed2765 I'm another guitarist (jazz trained but largely a blues cat) of many, many years that has suddenly, at 73, taken up bass to play in my church group every Sunday. I've dabbled in bass for jams over the years but not taken the instrument seriously until now. Your advice is spot on, I might add. Working around the root/3rds/4ths/5ths/octaves is EXACTLY what I've been doing. I've added two full 34" basses recently and now looking to add a 5-string. Haven't actually played one yet but hope to do that very soon. I may be an old fart but I can still have fun - and I am!! 😁😁

[@JoolsParker]

This demystifies what you see some YT Bass players doing when they're doing a cover or something. Their fingers are doing things that you can't work out, but I'm guessing a lot of it will be along these lines - using shapes on the fretboard, and then adding different types of complexities on top. Nice work boys, I liked this one a lot.

[@devinebass]

🧡🧡🧡

[@jhc82681]

This is definately one of the most insightful amd useful videos that I have seen that I can start putting to use right away. I am constantly overthinking my playing and struggle making scales sound interesting. More of this please!!

[@alancarlton7647]

I love how all this teaching ties together. Been through the fretboard accelerator class in the last couple of years and this just confirms a lot of what I've been doing since. Thanks so much you two! Last thing. Somewhere in your text, you should (at least from time to time) tell the audience what you're playing and maybe even more about your rig. It looks like Scott is playing an F bass there (absolutely too gorgeous to be legal!!) but what model. Doesn't need to be a bunch of words, but something would be awesome. Thanks again!! SBL student for life.

[@scottsbasslessons]

Hey Alan, BN5 Fbass 🙌

[@GrahamSharpe-y9v]

I just learned more about playing bass in half an hour than I have in years. Thank you.

[@Jake123557]

More like this, please! Great stuff!

[@devinebass]

More to come!

[@fostervalle2483]

The basses sounds particularly great in this video! The mixing is the best I’ve heard in a SBL podcast episode!!

[@devinebass]

Wow, thanks!

[@pronerone]

I’ve just started playing bass. So everything that you do seems so logical and clear yet feels like magic 💖🙃

[@glaucocarminucci129]

I've always wondered how great bass players can cut through different lines without dispelling the vibe. Those look like functional and enjoyable exercises to add to my daily routine! Thank you so much; I love this kind of content.

[@andyletissier6466]

Gents this has to be one of the best videos of this type .... would love to see more of this

[@wsellers]

"GROOVE IS IN THE HEART!" ....in the fingers too! --- Great video folks! :)

[@AndreHodgesFurniture]

Loved this content, so organic and really useful tips for us who would return a blank stare at the band member suggesting augmented seventh chords in the next jam.

[@shanealleman9097]

I've been following SBL for a couple years now and learned so much from both you guys. I enjoyed this teaching a lot. Nothing like good simple basics that many bass players today skip entirely. I appreciate you guys and what you do.

[@devinebass]

We appreciate the warm words!

[@emmiejonesmusic8666]

LOVED this video. YES, please, more of this.

[@harshgupta9052]

Scott my man 🔥🔥🔥 that chromatics section was so tight. Playing all the wrong notes and sounding all the more right. Much Love

[@devinebass]

Cheers, dude! 🙌

[@markmyers195]

My bass comes in in a couple of days giving me a week to practice before my grandson gets his birthday present and first lesson. 20 years ago people would have paid good money for this lesson. This was so informative and well presented. Man! Thank you both big time.

[@jamiewalters9916]

This video, is the best bass lesson ever. We need more like this....excellent.

[@devinebass]

Glad you found this one useful!!

[@andrewjeffries8721]

Thank you Scott & Ian! You fellas truly rock!! I appreciate you both for giving me ideas about writing basslines. And thanks for helping me bust out of the I-III-V habit for note sequence!!!!!

[@rossinisilva1302]

You guys cleared my eyesight and my way of thinking with the bass in hand. I think I'm on a plateau,(first one after being a total beginner) always thinking scales, trying to navigate several notes, never repeating a note or chord tones during the duration of a bar, never sounding any good, no groove at all. I'll definitely work on that, trying to think chord tones and chromatics, locking with the drums, the beats, roots on different beats,. This is the way up to the plateau above 😀

[@sandermeulen9136]

Best content!!! Love this!!! the groove trainer downloaded!!! You guys should do this every month. Thanks guys

[@samtraviusedwards9962]

I love how knowledgeable you guys are on what you do. My only critique would be I wished you each played more and talk through your process while playing instead of just talking.

[@bigronmas3113]

One of the BEST ever 🎉👏 thank you ✨️

[@yaredhailemariam8047]

Thank you 🙏🏾! That was Crucial 🇨🇬🎶✨

[@Capt.Easy1969]

Great video for people trying to figure out what's important to learn 1st to get to the "not sucking" part of creating basslines. Getting triads down before scales makes sense! Thanks for the lesson! More please!

[@brettnugentpt313]

holy hell....yes i start dozing off on scale lessons lol im 52, but this just made simple shapes (stakes) fun!...root notes....shapes...chromatic runs....displaced rhythm......i am making sounds i would never even think of but i can see them with my eyes! you guys are awesome

[@Christaffo]

I love this type of content from you guys, this is what drew me in and what made me keep watching 👍 The passion, nerdiness, and great vibes ✨

[@devinebass]

🧡🧡🧡

[@caddelworth]

Definitely loved this video, and I have another tip for everyone; which I call "contrasting pitches." I've found it especially useful when you're in a small group like a trio or even duo. Very simple, really: if the melody is heading upward, you go *down* and _vice versa._ Likewise, if the band are playing way up high, you go low; and if low, you play high. You don't want to do this all the time, of course (!), but if you pop this in now and again, it often gives just the "right" flavour to the overall band sound, and it's good to try throwing the occasional "contrasting pitch" in when you're creating a bass line for a new-to-you tune as well. As the guys said: "explore, explore, explore!" And this is just a little technique I seem to have picked up over the years, and which I haven't seen discussed anywhere in YT (cue barrage of comments telling me which SBL episode it's mentioned in LOL!).

[@thomaslefree2464]

The guitarist doesn't like it when I do this. But I do. Bass-on, my friends 😉

[@caddelworth]

@thomaslefree2464 Get your guitarist to search "contrary motion" online. 😉 The very stuff of harmony since before Bach, and definitely a standard technique used by arrangers for big bands and jazz trios alike! I just realised one day that I was doing it by instinct, as it were LOL!

[@joannalewis5279]

Those 4 chromatics were amazing!

[@davetay44]

Love all your videos, but this has been one of the best for a while. Just really well constructed educational vid, slowly getting more and more complex with the lines but making it logical and simple to follow. Really helped me out and thoroughly enjoyable. Thanks chaps!

[@mvail-BSU]

I can't thank you guys enough for this lesson. Even as a total noob, I feel like I just got magical music-making POWERRRRR. :)

[@Macna333]

Love this and I want more and more of it. Thank you as always for giving us immediatley applicable advice.

[@devinebass]

More to come!

[@Keychain-]

"old school SBL" i like the sound of that and beyond the sound, i like the concept lol More info nuggets like this please! This will be fun to mess with and practice with.

[@scottpitner4298]

4 minutes in and love this already! Thank you lads

[@devinebass]

All good, glad you're enjoying this one!

[@RakeShuvoAndGuitars]

Just installed the trainer app!! It's amazing & free(I hope it stays that way 😅)!! Thank you❤❤❤

[@Jibblyjab]

Love the enthusiasm you both have and even with all that experience looking to learn and expand. Would love to see you take a track with a well known bass line and give a complete alternative, demonstrating how the bass line can truly give a different feel.

[@devinebass]

Great suggestion!

[@1234drums]

I'll never get tired of you, guys... you're just awesome ❤

[@devinebass]

🧡🧡🧡

[@waden404]

This was an outstanding vid. Love the fact that we were told to just start with the rots and add as u see fit/or comfortable. Love this channel.

[@nerigarcia7116]

I feel better about how I play yet discouraged at the same time. 😂 I'm self-taught, never had any lessons but I am pleased to see that this is the same exact approach I take to working on stuff. I play the tune as basic as possible to set the foundation, then I just play with adding notes and the spacing. So, it makes me feel like I know a little something, but then you guys make it look so easy that it's also discouraging. 😉 I can't wait to get home from work and play now.

[@BillyTalentguitar1]

I absolutely loved this video! I‘m a guitarist who just started out on bass and this is really helping me find my way into this new role. And tbh your enthusiasm just makes it so much more fun to watch! :)

[@laktoze_]

absolutely amazing playing here!

[@Aipsaefulrohman]

very good and immediately opened my way of improvising thinking thank you

[@philiphack1]

Great lesson! I love to see how simple you guys make something that's pretty complicated sounding. I'm off to the shed to try this out for a while! This is such a good teaching video. I'm a total noob, but was able to follow this (not play it , yet) easily. You guys made it so clear.

[@devinebass]

🧡🧡🧡

[@Billtuba]

Love this format.

[@chrisjordan6498]

I love the Carol Kaye shoutout. Thinking chord tones has really helped me out. And the leading chromatics is super cool!

[@devinebass]

Glad you liked it!

[@lennythunderhoops]

Oh yes, Carol Kaye should get much more recognition for all the amazing bass lines she created.

[@craigbachman5765]

i think this is the best lesson you guys have done. thank you

[@devinebass]

👍👍👍

[@ravengoodman4444]

This was well worth the watch!! Nothing like teaching foundation. Thanks guys!!!

[@stevenkendall1002]

Thank you guys. Fun & Awesome stuff

[@PerfidiousAlbion1815]

Love this episode, very instructive…❤

[@devinebass]

Thank you!

[@nicholashaggkvist]

Thanks! I’m excited to work on this 😁

[@alfredoruano1611]

Beautiful and practical information! 🎶 🎵

[@kentzullo]

Hi Guys, loved this! I have been playing a verry long time, but you always take me back to a place where I re-see something I missed! It is so helpful to rediscover thing I may already be doing, but see it in a brand new way!! verry cool!! Thanks Guys!! kent😃

[@djaxupjazz]

this was a hugely fun and great lesson!

[@benbsingh]

Simply Brilliant!!!

[@Deej-o8r]

This was perfect thank you

[@danymarcotte1900]

Thank you so much to both of you for that great and super useful lesson. You truly are passionate and dedicated to your instrument. A neverending source of inspiration for me.

[@devinebass]

Our pleasure!

[@kimhebert9905]

Great useful Video 🎶👍

[@widonaegele9465]

Interesting! Please more of it! Thank you!

[@samcarroll_yt]

This is a super helpful video that I know I'll come back to. Just downloaded the groove trainer too and it's awesome!

[@devinebass]

Glad you like the groove trainer!!

[@ArnfinnRian]

More of this, please! Great content!

[@devinebass]

More to come!!

[@tomhumes2457]

Good stuff fellas! This lesson has me playing along, feeling inspired. Grooving along is a big confidence booster, and lessons like this seem to make it easy. Just the kind of stuff I need to add some fun to practice, and to show off when I get to play with friends.

[@devinebass]

🧡🧡🧡

[@atoyarcs1581]

That red bass wow! I wish i can have like that before my life is over. ❤

[@SandyGennrich]

This was eye-opening. I've been looking for this kind of useful, applicable advice for quite some time. I'm looking forward to practicing it immediately. More please!

[@devinebass]

More to come!!

[@Tracks85]

Great content,Scott, i love the color on that guitar.

[@devinebass]

Right on!

[@aw-cv7ys]

hey Scott how bout using a bass that has fret markers when you're demonstrating basslines to us viewers. sure makes it easier to see where you're fretting rather than seeing a bunch of frets in a row with no way of identifying where you are without counting up the fretboard.

[@WCruttenden]

Scott is naming the notes at the beginning

[@aw-cv7ys]

@@WCruttenden i guess i learn visually better than audibly.

[@RunkStillRides]

@@aw-cv7ysyou’re right. By far the hardest thing for me starting out, was identifying what was being pressed even if they were naming them. I got a bass note fretboard decal set on Amazon and it made it 100x easier.

[@Fastvoice]

Would be also easier for us to spot when both would use a 4 string and not one with a 5 and one with a 4.

[@seanreiter]

Scott’s is grooving too hard for some beginners. If I can offer you a nickel’s worth of free advice, learn your fretboard before worrying about fancy’ing up your lines. Once you learn the patterns, you really can’t un-learn them. You will be rocking out in no time.

[@BradForeman-h4i]

Awesome sauce ! This kind of content is why I joined ! A Class 😎🤙

[@kotik_lit]

What a beautiful F bass. One of the most beautiful basses I ever seen!

[@devinebass]

They are stunning instruments!!

[@pineysf9716]

Thank you, You just leveled me up. This make so much sense to my beginner mind. Good by just playing roots all the time. Time to learn my chords!

[@image30p]

Amazing. I'll work on this. Thank you!

[@thierrylemetayer3371]

approche simple et génial !

[@sabinezelger.yoganatur7727]

Thats what i was Missing. Great. Thanks.😊

[@devinebass]

Glad you've found this one helpful!

[@mrbosh2601]

Thanks for this really made sense to me. Three notes in and I Immediately heard a track from Nightmares on wax. ! For anyone wanting to practice look up car boot soul by nightmares on wax. The track is ‘Morse’. For me bass is laying down a solid groove without too much twiddling and this is perfect practice for that. 🎉🎉🎉

[@btrapp37]

I usually refer to that first box shape as the "bowtie" shape to differentiate from more of a linear box pattern. SO MANY SONGS use a progression like that. Discovered it years ago while learning the bridge to Pretty Woman by Roy Orbison.

[@mv9787]

I use shapes a lot! They are easy to transpose, especially with a 5 string

[@kevinlander46]

Class! top notch lesson you 2 are brilliant and the SBL Groove Trainer is priceless, love more content like this Guys SBL Rocks!

[@devinebass]

Appreciate that, more to come!

[@harleybassplayer]

Excellent video guys, loving the content

[@devinebass]

Cheers, glad you're enjoying the videos!

[@lheggestad]

Awesome! I realized that adding the 3rd turns the box shape into a major pentatonic. Or, if you're thinking of the the box as a minor then you're adding the fifth. Either way, starting with those 4 notes makes it so much easier to understand pentatonics!

[@BYLRPhil]

My problem is when I’m trying to come up with something, all I can think of is the same derivative patterns. I can “feel” the timing, but that’s it. It’s almost like I’m emotionally dead when creating music, but I can copy lots of things.

[@isthefridge]

I've been purposely finding the wrong notes to create or find new patterns

[@frag4007]

Try limiting your options maybe one or two strings only a single finger plucking. Wtc

[@aminuabdullahi5922]

I felt this heavy but what I can say it’s what helping me is alsong as you know the root of the song and can get back to it just play anything. It’s hard as bass players cuz we’re wired to stay in key on time and too the roots of the groove

[@darryltolbert8950]

This was a great lesson. I really enjoyed it. Would love more of it. Would also like to see your approaches to Jazz and maybe your approaches to rock or country.

[@urkosh]

It's incredibly cool and useful for the beginners. I watched it once and will have to revisit because it's pretty amazing. Thank you!

[@devinebass]

cheers!!

[@udenichisamson9083]

Awesome break down

[@GeneBrodeJr]

Love Scott's bass!

[@mistyb884]

I love this!! Thank you!!!

[@devinebass]

Glad you found this one useful!

[@miguelmunozmunilla]

Thanks for groove trainer!

[@devinebass]

👍👍👍

[@bassiclogic]

Great lesson!

[@devinebass]

Cheers!

[@richardlatham3771]

awesome job guys

[@rscottsandberg9303]

Good Stuff!!! Love it

[@RobvanDutch]

Excellent! Thanks gents

[@gregorypapa4405]

This is what I'm talking about... much more of this you guys rock

[@nyeghoshal3394]

Yeah more stuff like this pleaseeee!!!

[@devinebass]

More to come!!

[@JAK0449]

great vid!! honestly at my level nothing very new exept maybe the awarness of some details! but it's a very good reminder and mind opener to some other creativity..it is very understanble i think and fun!very great kind of content thanks

[@devinebass]

Glad it was helpful!

[@samuelemeryjiujitsu]

this was unreal. thanks guys.

[@MightyGodlikeG]

Awesome video. I've been asking myself for quite some time what i'm doing with the info of "yeah the song is in e/g A minor"

[@Groovedoc111]

Tight. Love it. Conceptional tasty. thanks

[@rome8180]

I definitely tend to use scales mixed with chromaticism. I come at it from a walking bass line perspective, where it's all about leading from one chord to the other. So for example, to get from C to A, I could go C, B, A, G and back up A. Or if I wanted to throw in some chromaticism, I could go C, B, G, G#, A. Or I could walk upward with something like C, D, E, G, A. Or I could go C, E, G, G#, A. Really it's about using some mix of chord tones, chromaticism AND scales. And I'm always trying to approach the new chord using an adjacent note in a way that lands me on the root on beat one. Also, if the new chord has an unusual or out of key note, I would try to hit that. For example, in that A7 chord, there's no way I wouldn't play the C# that's part of that A chord at some point. I always want to really hammer home any non-diatonic changes. Part of what makes that C to A7 to Dm sound cool is the chromatic movement within the chords. You have C to C# to D happening, so I'd want to at least acknowledge that a few times.

[@cyrilleelomtossah8841]

Great great great. This is golden

[@devinebass]

🧡🧡🧡

[@thomaswalker8790]

Super cool stuff

[@prdbygala124]

Amazing bass woooow