How to Play Blues Bass (in 5 Levels)

👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/blues-bass
Wanna get started with blues bass? These stupidly simple exercises will take you from basic fundamentals to off-the-cuff improv mastery.
Get the free PDF with blues song suggestions + more - www.bassbuzz.com/go/blues-levels
All the blues riffs played in the video - www.noteflight.com/scores/vie...
Bass-free backing track - / bfzfgiw9typwddjn9
If you're fixin' to get your dancin' fingers on that blues bass, you've come to the right place. This here video's gonna take you on a journey through five layers of true-blue, down-home bass lines.
We'll start at level 1, where we'll getcha to lay down the groundwork o’ dem fundamentals, and we'll climb all the way up to level 5, where you'll be strummin' and thumbin' your way through free-wheelin' improvisations…
clears throat
Oh sorry, Josh here, possessed by Willie Dixon. What I meant to say was…
Blues bass f**king rules. In this video, you’ll learn:
- The fundamentals of blues bass.
- The I-IV-V progression.
- How to use chromaticism to add spice.
- How blues inspired a trillion famous “rock” songs.
- How practicing blues bass can help you learn music theory.
- How to play real blues songs.
- How to break out of the “blues box”
- How Tommy Shannon’s playing set a rock solid foundation for Stevie Ray Vaughn
- How to impress old dads at the local blues jam.
You read all the way through this video description… you must really like bass lessons. Subscribe so you don’t miss the next one - yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe
#BluesBassLesson #BassBuzz

[@BassBuzz]

Who’s your favorite blues bassist? 🎸 🕶

[@exoticalpha5894]

Jimi Hendrix

[@AlessandroCassano]

Donald Dunn!

[@KRUX71]

JJ Burnell. AMAZING

[@kimmorgan379]

John McVie from Fleetwood Mac

[@acebrawler]

Carl Radle

[@Tragic_TV]

I thought you would like to know that I won best bassist at battle of the bands yesterday. Thanks for everything Josh!

[@BassBuzz]

Congrats!

[@RealEstateChris56]

Cool!

[@billyjeffersoniv4344]

So awesome!

[@ElDami]

Just wanted to say that Beginner to Badass is an amazing course, and Josh is an incredible teacher. Thanks man

[@DropsofDiamond]

I'm planning to get it next month! So excited to learn bass from him

[@ElDami]

@@DropsofDiamond Tons of fun and learning ahead!

[@DahcipheR]

Totally agree. His course, combined with Rocksmith, changed my damn life. It's so accessible and really gives you a sense of direction.

[@robertfuller2196]

You ain't lyin'

[@randomgdyoutuber6538]

It is a good day when Josh uploads

[@Fortnite87463]

Your videos are unreal. I have learnt bass so quickly. You are a master teacher. Thank you

[@scottstanley4378]

I have to say that your video quality has gone way up over the years. I dig that you provide genuinely free resources for practicing what your videos cover. Thanks for existing and helping to promote bass learning!

[@TPT1126]

The Blues is THE reason I picked up the bass. Fortunately, I know enough theory to understand what you were saying! This is a great condensed version of exactly what I want to learn...sent along a little $ because I do love all the BassBuzz free stuff and this video especially deserves support! THANKS!!!❤

[@YWHsDaughter]

A beginner at 50+ and this is just what I needed to help me understand. Thank you!

[@Gregor9043]

I like Donald Dunn, not a pure blues player but his lines are blues style bass lines. Solid, solid, solid.

[@ArleyMcBlain]

the perfect sounding use of a Squier bass makes your stuff so accessible. when i was getting started twenty years ago everyone was using high end gear always. great stuff.

[@Andronicus2007]

Fender U.S.A: assembled in the U.S, with Chinese hardware. Fender Mexico: Assembled in Mexico with Chinese hardware. Squire: Assembled in Indonesia with Chinese hardware.

[@allgems]

This is a solid way to learn a lot of the concepts of being a good blues Bass player.

[@phelinephrenzy2358]

Haha! The drunk lady inching closer to the stage!! That's so real. 😂

[@christimko9296]

Started playing around with the bass when I was 23… bought a couple beginner books, learned all by ear, which is good as long as you play every day… flash forward I’m 59 now and decided try and learn correctly! Thank you for the inspiration, this video is perfect, I will memorize it front and back!!!✌️❤️🤙

[@suesaraswati]

Thanks again to Josh for the Beginner to Badass Course. I went from complete newbie to playing in the pub, in 3 months. You are a great teacher Josh, I can't wait for your next course.

[@coloaten6682]

That's great, well done!!!

[@iduncanw]

Impressive, nice work 😎

[@StevenClubb-uw6zl]

Thanks so much for putting these out. Only been playing four months and your videos are such a great help.

[@nextabe1]

Love the SRV shirt. Not a bassist but a blues legend.

[@phelinephrenzy2358]

Damn! I tried playing with a blues band about 35 years ago. I bored myself to death and went back to metal and rock. Had I known what you are teaching in this video, I may have tried with another band. I also found blues bass players had to stay in the shadows and let the egos of the lead guitarist and vocalist shine. Especially if you're a female bass player. I hated that! Thank you for this video. It's inspirational and gives creative encouragement. Plus, now I have some patterns that can be added to my freestyle rock and metal. You really are a Bass God!! 🖤🤘🤘🤘🤘🖤

[@Andronicus2007]

Well, unless you're Jaco Pastorius!

[@neilmeadowcroft7569]

Wow, i did not expect to see a Father Ted reference here! Down with this sort of thing.

[@frololal6142]

I've been waiting for this!

[@JustRob96]

I know it's not strictly blues, but if you want to practise the chord triad shapes, as well as practise in ancitipating a chord change, I'd highly recommend practising with the song "I'd Rather Go Blind" by Etta James. The whole song is a simple back and forth between the I and the ii. If you get lost you can immediately come home, giving you the freedom to try new things. You have both a major and a minor chord to practise with. And while you can use the triads shown in this video, you also have the recorded bassline to learn the inverted shapes for those triads too. It's pretty great!

[@jonhillman871]

josh is so good at breaking things down into understandable chunks. i wish he could have my high school and university math classes.

[@bozzerwolf1595]

Perfect! Exactly what I was looking for to exercise more, thank you Josh. I've started B2B in November and now I'm in Modul 12, My Sharona. 👌🤘

[@Legomanfred]

Great video Josh! Comprehensive and thorough. Always a pleasure. Thanks for this. 👍❤️💪

[@larikoproduzimentos4501]

That's gorgeous, awesome work

[@user-wz1nf3sj3i]

Thanks!

[@BassBuzz]

Thanks for the support, rock on! 🤘

[@Bassman1964]

Just want to say thank you for everything you do & teach 👏🏼👏🏼 , been playing Bass for 40 something years now and wish there was someone like you to each, inspire and breakdown what you do… I’m sure would have cleared up a bunch of stumbling blocks as I learned, you are one of the best instructors I’ve seen online as you truly make everything you plain, simple, fun & to understandable I still pick up many tips and tricks from you that help inspire me to continue learning and evolving. I truly believe you can never learn enough.. any young players who watch and learn from you channel are extremely lucky to have you, a far cry from say watching “Stu Hamm’s” Slap, Pop Bass instructional video and after watching wondering why you are even rying to play Bass 😳😂🤣 seriously just a thank you and keep up the amazing work

[@barrysrcdump3557]

How did you know what I was looking for yesterday? Thanks dude. 🤝🤝

[@dsharton]

Thank you Josh! Great lesson and humor as usual

[@davidwood351]

Excellent lesson. It’s good to reinforce the basics, especially for newbies to this channel.

[@brenofig]

Thanks for teaching us with so much talent and fun!

[@dylanaird4437]

Huge helpful tips as I’m going to my first Blues jam this week! Thanks!

[@hanelmarte8249]

Thanks, Josh, you've helped me out a TON!

[@owenconant]

How serendipitous. I just was looking into blues bass a couple days ago.

[@user-lg2xe5er7f]

As always…amazing video. I always learn so much.

[@blackswandominiscis7715]

Absolutely great video. Thanks a lot for putting everything in the same place. I will spend several month on this one !

[@thomasfioriglio]

Another fantastic lesson Josh. Some really great ideas here that you can plug and play and get started with the blues. And I like your advice about really spending time with these. Thanks for sharing!

[@dejancela]

love your tone

[@CL_Audio_Tuning]

Awesome video as always sir!! Thanks for making learning the bass fun! :D

[@rogers8085]

These are very useful Josh, thanks man!

[@hydroman99]

Great vid, as always Josh.

[@jimjamjul]

Thanks for another great vid Josh! Also, i love the jazz bass you use

[@swconnexion]

Thank you a lot Josh !

[@stefanroth4458]

Thank's a lot! Great Video.

[@CotalCosta]

No kidding, tomorrow I'm going to pick my first bass cause I want to understand blues better (I'm a harmonica player). You're a blessing!

[@caios.dosanjos7148]

I love how you teaches us like we are a bunch os apes. Amazing!

[@MartyWilson100]

As always, a great video. I joined a blues jam earlier today before watching this video

[@tark126]

After a month i took my guitar and opened youtube to search literally "blues bass" and before searching i just saw this in my homepage uploaded just now and i think it happened a couple of times before with this channel only. Are u a wizard sir?

[@jstnxprsn]

No, but KZbin's algorithm is. LOLOL

[@mohamedabdul1544]

❤u r a good teacher thanks I have learn a lot from u

[@1234drums]

I especially enjoyed this one, let's see what's next ❤❤❤❤

[@ruthespiritu502]

The “Shuffle” is actually a bass rhythm in Taiko (Japanese drums). Which makes sense. The person who popularised modern taiko playing is a Jazz musician :)

[@markbass354]

AWESOME JOSH

[@AlexMusicOvery]

Cool lesson thanks :)

[@Ontelmonkeundkylo]

Finally!!!

[@aletnieuwoudt2717]

Thank you 🤘👌

[@ZaryaMain]

Quality content as always.

[@ZaryaMain]

I'd love for you to do a series of this for various styles. Ska, jazz, rock, metal etc.

[@kushking420]

I have to learn/play a lot more. I've been playing my drums about 4 hours a day, on my days off. I'm just so tired after work to pick up my bass. I feel like I'm playing my drums so much because I've been playing for so long, it's second nature to me. I have a Fender jazz bass (MIM) and really love it for my first bass, was playing for hours, the first few months, and then just stopped out of nowhere

[@BlackJackLopez]

Great video! And great timing, too; I'm about to sub for a cool bassist of local lore, and the band plays covers from Deep Purple and Status Quo, heavlly based on blues, so this one comes in handy! Let's be frank, blues bass is one of the first things you actually learn when you're self-thought and just passed the point of mere 'copy phase' (the first songs you learn), but somehow that makes you underestimate its importance. I think one of the best songs to 'catch the blues vibe' is "The thrill is gone" by B. B. King, it really let's you get creative when you get it, but also teaches you when to do it, not overplay and where to let the vocals and the guitar solos do their thing without 'getting in the way'.

[@regislourenso]

You summed up Duff's carrer on Guns N' Roses. On 12 minutes! Thanks, Josh. 😂

[@johnnyharperscoutstable5386]

Favorite blues lately. Black keys🐸🍺🔪🔥

[@brianermovick5944]

Josh's videos are awesome, as always (as is his course!). I just always seem to get stuck with putting it all together. So frustrating - like there's some secret trick everyone else knows that I can't grasp 😆

[@karccrn]

Loved this lesson! I have played guitar for 40 years but now find myself as the bass player in the band. It would be cool if you did a lesson on mistakes guitar players make when playing bass. Also, I am also lead singer and there are some songs that I just cannot sing and play bass at the same time. Frustrating. Any tips for singers who play bass? You are awesome and I love your style. Now I am going to go pursue your videos and do a marathon! Thanks!

[@marcyotei]

Hi teacher! I'm enjoying the course, I haven't reached the end yet, but I hope you are thinking about a second part, from Badass to hyper super mega badass. Thanks.

[@NelsonMontana1234]

Tommy Shanon seems to be the only guy who is specifically a blues bass guitarist and is a cut above the rest. Beyond that, any good bass player can play a decent blues. Or should be able to.

[@kwb402]

I love it, Josh speaks to all of the kids that ask for tabs! 😂 I have to get back on my bass buzz account

[@stevenpetranyi2902]

I'm starting a four-piece Blues band I've just bought a bass guitar and amp but I'll be playing rhythm guitar and vocals

[@leonangel6020]

Grazie Genio

[@Bassplayer18]

It would be nice if we had a bass collection video

[@Roberto-nn6kb]

8:32 DUTCH VAN DER LIENDE MENTIONED🗣🗣🗣

[@m.s.8489]

Please make a video on how to get rid of focal dystonia in a bass player.

[@aibluefox4309]

Where were you in 1978 when I started, LoL? Another great video, Josh. After decades of playing parrot fashion, I'm finally learning to actually play.

[@michalkbass]

Is Josh's voice deeper? A great video as always!

[@Matt-is8qj]

8:15 Fathed Ted in action! If I wasn't already subscribed you'd have gained one more believer with this one.

[@coloaten6682]

You really are such a great teacher because you cut out all the fluffy cr*p. Those patterns are so helpful - I use similar on guitar. It's really frustrating that music is often taught from a scales perspective because people then get 'scared' to use the chromatic notes UNTIL someone teaches them Chromaticism! 🤣🤣. Well done Josh. :)

[@joeg2132]

This is a great video but I feel like it could evolve into more exercises for practice!

[@willwalters8391]

Now one for jazz

[@Fyshmc]

can you PLEASE do a video tutorial for the bass line for "Notion" by The Rare Occasions?

[@Swindrim.]

That little blues acepella at the end lol

[@natespringer9934]

Hey I absolutely love your videos and was wondering if you’d be willing to do a video either covering fretless bass or on Jaco Pastorius. I’ve heard a lot of people recommend them to me but I could never quite understand his music. Similarly, I don’t get why anyone would play a fretless or what tonal differences there are with a fretless.

[@salty_3k506]

what about the music do you not understand? and a fretless bass doesn't have frets so you have an infinite amount of notes, like on a violin. you have a lot more options to slide around, play around the pitches, etc

[@325spoon]

To play a fretless bass you have to be deadly accurate on where you press to get your note. Whereas on a fretted bass you can get away with not being smack dead on the note and it’ll still be in tune. Another notable thing about fretless bass is the tone is very different since there’s 1) no metal frets vibrating against the string 2) typically fretless players use different chord variations given there’s more “freedom” albeit this is subjective to the player. Overall it’s just a different feel, style, and sound. Jaco understood his instrument better than most but to a lot of people it just kinda sounds like a jumbled mess, music is subjective, sound is subjective- go to your local guitar shop and try one out yourself to really get an understanding of the tonal differences and feel

[@JerzeiBalowski]

Nobody leaves this place without signing the blues.

[@54bluesbass15]

It looks like your Blues Box is the 1-4-5-7 (8 octave) of the Blues Scale [Minor Pentatonic with a diminshed 5th].

[@alexclementi5111]

Hi Josh, any new course coming? Beginner2Badass was great!

[@BoobToobJohnny]

Hi Josh. Love your videos! I'm off to a good start playing bass using a few of them. Would you be willing to share what software you use and/or how you add all the graphics to your videos? Wondering if it takes you 20 minutes or 2 weeks to produce one.

[@SirDude555]

Hey Josh, I just started the VERY first step in becoming a bassist, that's clicking the Subscribe button! More serious, what's your pick for a "Blues" bass? (budget friendly) You have a number of videos about bass guitars in different price ranges, and even cover the ones for playing metal and rock, but what if a beginner is mostly interested in playing the Blues. Thanks!

[@Upsetkiller456]

Hey! I have been using your stuff for a while now as I think you are a great teacher and I have a potentially weird question about finger plucking. I have been playing bass for a long time now and I can play quick enough but is it normal for my Index finger to not fully "curl" when I am plucking with it? It is not entirely straight of course but I wonder if it that is that cause of my index/middle finger accent differences when playing besides finger strength. Cheers~!

[@justhalog3318]

Do you have any videos on reggae bass lines?

[@IanTaylor-np7xy]

How did this get to me just now also hi

[@John-yn2wt]

Hey man could you do me a massive favor and make a video just like the 5 levels of smells like teen spirit, but could you play American idiot by green day. If you could make that video that would help me out so much, i have a gig in a week and i don’t have time to pool hours into learning it. i learned smells like teen spirit in 20 minutes after you made that 5 levels video.

[@johncondon4081]

9:04 Led Zeppelin are the most epic art thieves for sure.

[@hpk4917]

Hello, great video. i can watch your channel for huors. Some videos with a bass ukulele would be nice ;) greetings from austria 👋

[@SATXbassplayer]

Josh: the orange J-Bass you're playing... What is it??? Fender? Squire? Something else?

[@Minionman2166]

Wait, the blues box makes cmon girl by rhcp?

[@aleksgtonchev3955]

Bass

[@Bustin762]

Mr bass please do one on reggae bass😫😫😫😩😩

[@thedarksiderebel]

I see Bishop Brennan in there ;)

[@JobGreer]

What's going on bro I dig the show.🤘' I'm gonna buy a bass soon. I'm going buying the Yamaha TRBX304, and I really need to know to Does Bass string matters matter???? 🤔

[@k1lcone]

do you wana teach you how to play chalga?

[@scottkretsch4887]

This may be a dumb question, but are most, if not all, blues songs in a minor key? I’m thinking no because I’m guessing it’s the structure and shuffle feel that makes it more bluesy than actually being in a minor key.

[@mv9787]

So that’s why they say blues is played in bars

[@user-fb6wv5zj8t]

Can you tell please why my bass rattle at open stirngs but when I touch strings (even behind the nut) or unplug second pickup - rattling disappears? Is it some electricity problem of cheap guitar?

[@AlexLoptrsson]

so i get that your editor is irish.. I went from practicing to rewatching father ted episodes :'D