Using Simple Shapes to Create Bass Lines - Lesson with Scott Devine (L#70)

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[@trentonwhitfill1710]

This is probably the most helpful bass video I've ever seen

[@donnaandgerry2480]

Great lesson thanks Scott

[@sololobo739]

Agreed, the shape of run seems to make a lot more sense than anything else.

[@itsnopez]

same

[@LaziestBassist]

I absolutely agree.

[@v12cat]

I agree. I know a reasonable amount of music theory from my piano playing days but I'm completely new to fretted instruments. I've been taking note of the shapes different chords and progressions seem to make so it's good to know experienced players do this!!

[@babbodebabbis]

This guy is a fantastic teacher!!!!

[@inesvassallo]

le lezioni continuano

[@RameUkulele]

This is fantastic. I started playing bass at 15 nearly 30 years ago and struggled with learning scales etc.. a friend's dad who was in a local band told me "just play the boxes and let one lead to the next, you'll always have the root, 3rd and 5th". Was the best advice I ever had and this video sums it up perfectly.

[@pavelplaysbass]

No joke, but this is one of the best ways to see the fretboard as a bassist. Thanks you master for share your experience!

[@jayverkuilen5535]

It's true for guitar as well. The whole geometry of the fretboard is how it works!

[@rantanen1]

applies for a guitar as well

[@jrothra]

Would this box shape/pattern work with major chords? For example, if the song is in the key of A? I ask because Scott seems to love minor chords. ;)

[@capiseric]

I'm glad to know that great bass players still think simplistically. What a great teacher!

[@Taeronai]

(though I guess Yngwie Malmsteen wouldn´t agree... but then, I don´t consider him very great anyway :P )

[@justinr420]

@@Taeronai did he bass

[@Taeronai]

@@justinr420 he did not

[@PierreLunaire]

You are a living legend man. THANK YOU!

[@TheSantabro]

scotty devine,you are the man..as a 59 year old novice on the bass, i have learned more from you in a couple of your lessons that all of the others put together.scotty you are defined by your distinct individualism.so scotty keep up the great work.pay no attention to you know who.he could not teach a dog how to piss.

[@richardtenhave4897]

Still 2 weeks to go before I get my Bass (Squire Jazz Bass) delivered, but man... I am rearing to go!!! What a GREAT tutorial, Scott! Thank you! *said the almost 61-year old.... 😀

[@wabiebrae7815]

thank you so much Scott these free lessons you put up save me so much money and are of the best quality. I just picked up bass this past June and you have helped me out quite a bit and saved my drummer from quitting on me lol.

[@BassJournal]

where can i find the other shapes? any sheet or something? i found this video extremely useful

[@annielee6428]

just look up scales

[@pdubs2k10]

wow, Scott! I thought I was strange for using the "boxes" when I was teaching myself how to play in the 80's. I've never learned my scales, the names of the scales, or even how to really read music! I had no idea that with the boxes I used, I was actually playing pentatonic scales! I'm so thankful for this video, and all of your videos, brother! Keep up the great work, sir!

[@JODAHmirasol]

this is great dude!! even non-bass players like me can understand LOL I am playing guitar and this encouraged me to widen my passion though, as a start, I am practicing this with a guitar. :D thanks! :)

[@mr.nibbz90]

can you do maybe more lessons like this in different keys.. A, B, C....etc?

[@anthonynavarro2811]

To play in other keys you just need to move the shape over slightly. It'll be the same basic boxes but on another fret. Just figure out where the root will be. Look up the minor pentatonic scale and there should be pics. When I was first learning I found a site with 5 different shapes across the fretboard and just kept practicing. Once you learn the shapes you can play them in any key. Just move the root note. Like when you play in A, put the root note on any A on the fretboard and just adjust the shapes. After some time you don't even think about it. I just played with backing tracks and improv myself. You learn fast and start to understand the context in which bass lines are written. Hope that helps a bit. I'm not much of a teacher so if it's confusing disregard.

[@ThePoopFeast69]

Anthony Navarro do you happen to have the link for this said website?

[@mr.nibbz90]

Anthony Navarro dude thank you honestly that was a perfect description and completely made sense, i think i am just going to start with shapes in A and just work my way down, brilliant. thanks mate.

[@wojski1]

Im a beginner, so question if im understanding correctly, lets say i move to the key of A, is the shape pattern the same or does it change for the notes associated with the pentatonic scale in the key of A?

[@shroomer3867]

If you maintain the shape it will still be the same as long as you make sure the tonic notes of the key are in the same place. This is because every note on bass occupies roughly a similar amount of space without differentiating between sharps/flats, in contrary to the piano where the sharps and flats are the black keys.

[@wojski1]

Ok cool thank you.

[@Dewingo]

Actually they are special gloves to stop your bass from melting down when you play awesome licks and your fingers are on fire!

[@JohnHartemusic]

Great lesson! The crazy thing about this is that I've been playing guitar for probably 30 years now, and this is the way I learned to visualized things while soloing or improvising over progressions. Over the years I've played with professionally trained guitarists who can read sheet music and play classical music and such, yet they could hardly improvise and when asked how I come up with solos I was always ashamed to explain that I use shapes and patterns and that I didn't always think about the notes or theory. I feel justified in seeing such a great musician as you using the same technique. Thanks for the Videos!

[@RenoLaringo]

exactly the same situation !

[@WormholeDreams]

This is the best lesson of this kind that I've seen.

[@klaasbil8459]

This is a quick way to create bass lines that sound OK. But after a while it gets kind of dull to be stuck in the pentatonic scale. So don't forget to think "out of the box" for more creative and colourful bass lines.

[@Defmusicman1]

Great video! The visuals really help a lot as I'm a deaf bassist. Thanks for all the lessons!

[@flyingpooter537]

After learning these simple shapes, my bass playing has improved. Most importantly is my bass no longer hates me anymore.Thanks Scott for reuniting us. :)

[@devinebass]

Yeah... definitely going to expand on it!

[@hilarytoussaint3359]

❤😂❤😂❤ HOLY SHIT ❤😂❤😂❤ THAT SO FUNKY NO BRAIN WORK JUST SPICY GROOVY MUSIC.😅😅😅😅

[@elliotjg]

One of the most helpful bass lessons on KZbin, this will help me improve my improv playing so much!

[@Conkreet908]

I am a beginner at playing bass. I can say that your videos are the best for me to understand. This is similar to how I play bass but I rely on muscle memory. I really need to learn my notes though lol

[@Romaluii]

Andy Rivera iii

[@liquidsan8846]

Listen to the Song "My Lovely Man" by Red Hot Chili Peppers... I guess Flea is using these "boxes" in the song too.

[@trueslice2003]

Stumbled upon this channel. Glad I did.

[@robertocantu6655]

Just bumped into this guy's channel, and I'm loving his lessons, great approach to teaching! Can anyone tell me why is he wearing a glove? I read something from the comments below, but I would really like to know why he uses it.

[@robertocantu6655]

***** Thank you very much! I was looking for a deeper answer than "He's got a medical condition". Now knowing his background I respect this man even more, I hope he can be able to perform and teach for many years.

[@Subparanon]

I remember playing flute in junior high and looking at the guitar players like they were wizards because guitar was really hard right? 20 years later I take up the trumpet and after 3 miserable days of practice I LONG for my bass, or drums or anything that doesn't involve my fat useless lips. It's funny how you change to accomidate your instrument to the point that no other way makes sense. "Play notes with your lips? What witchcraft is this? You must pluck notes!!"

[@LaziestBassist]

This was the singular video that took my bass playing to the next level. I can’t thank you enough man.

[@Subparanon]

His website explains it. He has some nerve problems that he can 'trick' the nerves into behaving more normally by the feel of the glove. String and neck on skin messes him up because of it, but the glove coming in between changes the sensation or something and it lets him play. Bonus, it's stylish and keeps your hands warm. :)

[@Mr.Schitzengigglez]

I thank you, but moreover, my neighbors will thank you. I've never played Bass, but I just bought one, and a Peavey 112 amp.

[@Imhalfamazing]

KZbin needs to separate the thumbs up and down a little further apart. 14 people clicked thumbs down by accident !

[@ronhammant7309]

Perhaps if you knew the reason for the glove, your comment might be somewhat different, do a little research on the reason why. "What you don't understand, is your fault"

[@LawrenceKennard]

What a lesson! Scotty! Transporter room. Beam me to Scotty's house!!!

[@isaiasrivera9302]

I'm a bass player and you are right!!! It's my way to work the fingerboard. Exelent class exelent teacher God bless you!!!

[@vertesrichardson2811]

Selma's Vertes juniors

[@matthewferre6369]

I swear, you look like Corey Stoll. :(

[@bartholomewblack33]

This is fantastic YOU have transformed my understanding of things and my playing , (I’m a newby but I’m a pattern maker lol)

[@MangaMarjan]

I was like "That's just the pentatonic scale, isn't it?" the whole time and then he finally said it

[@devinebass]

Lol... nah, it's my real name. I get asked that a lot though!

[@nikolasrodriguez2888]

Thanks for the lesson! I have been a drummer, for 10 years and I have just began to start learning the bass. The lesson was very simple, thanks again!

[@rosacobos]

geniaaaaaallllllll...I had learnt about them...the pentatonic scales and hey worked for me...ut this "simplistic way to learn them" is genial, ,to visualize! yes this is gret Scott...from now on I WIill jamm muselfmin under this wonderful concept.....musical and visual ocks! thanksalot Rosa

[@Bassarie]

I started playing bass without any knowledge of the actual notes I was playing. I only played shapes and figures, when I tried to copy the basslines I heard on the records I was playing along with. It helped me to quickly learn a bassline and play it by ear. The downside to that is that I now have some trouble finding the notes on the fretboard, reading music.

[@0tt0kruegar]

hi scott can you teach i am a begginer i want to play billy sheehan tappety stuff all over tha bass my local country band arthur dead and the shoe gazers are having an audition i want to join them i dont want to learn scales and arppegi stuff that stuff is for nerds.......thnx.

[@steveachelis]

This will probably get lost in the 664+ comments, but it looks to me (a beginner) that shapes 2 and 3 are the same (i.e., they have the same notes, R-4-5-b7, just starting with the root on a different string/fret) whereas shape 1 has different notes (i.e., R-3b-4-7b). For my noggin, it's much easier to remember these as two shapes rather than three and know where the root is within the shape. Also, I'm curious why you'd use one of the two shapes over the other.

[@FurboFar]

First of all great video... not over complicating things.. BUT; and not sure if it’s already hidden in the comments, I do find your tiny error of numbering the frets wrong funny.. 😁😁 stay safe... 😷

[@norvegicusbass]

Scott you say in the video you have three or so"patterns" for every chord how do you work these shapes out? If someone you were jamming with was to call out chord changes could you just click into the shapes and come up with a consistent bassline? Is this how jazz musicians jam? I often thought listening to someone like Jamerson that his little fills had more to do with variations on a particular pattern with a few approach notes thrown in and had the feel of improvisation.

[@freeurmind2]

sweet Jaysus! Shapes, who would have thought? You are a genius man! Thank you a million times for this tip. I got rid of the brain gymnastics altogether.

[@seattlesnook]

I love this approach, but I spent the whole video wishing you'd flip the whiteboard over so it matches the fretboard in your hand from the camera's POV. Thanks again for posting!

[@silvioxilla7657]

ola Scott, eu sou um jovem brasileiro que tem muita vontade de ir ter aulas de Baixo elétrico com você. Eu gostaria que você me adiciona se no skype para que eu e você pudéssemos conversar. Você topa? Eu sou um grande fã e admirador do seu trabalho. Parabéns e forte abraço!

[@redname111]

hi, just a qn. you did mention about major chords in your video. I just want to know whether i can use the idea in your video by using the relative minor eg a G chord but i'm using your idea over a Em. or shld i be using the pentatonic shape of a G chord? although the notes are the same but i know it can sound different

[@jdb123ize]

Scott, I know people that hate you, its these guys charging 40 dollars a half-hour to people wanting lessons. I've always said"what about just helping someone" I've started many out playing Bass and have helped them along and its a good feeling. And you are doing that MY Friend. Oh, and they hate me also

[@davidrivera6017]

What if you are soloing and you have to change chords within the key? For example, If I’m playing in the key of C major and want to play the V (G major) or the vi (A minor) of that key. Do those theory rules also apply when playing pentatonic scales?

[@KeithJameskingjamesfalyfe]

OMG brilliant I have ran from being a learned muscian because all the thinking makes my head hurt trying to learn scales, arpeggios. You are a genius and master teacher. I play with shapes all the time but to connect them to explaining scales????????? I love you mann. Big thanx.

[@QuarkToo]

Exactly! Scott does not get paid to do this online, he has to earn a living feeding crocodiles at the London zoo. This is how he got the nickname "Slow hand Scott"... You can't see it on the video, but he also lost his left foot to a Tiger and his man junk in the piranha tank. Poor bastard...

[@davidbarlow431]

Oh My God! I though I was the only person on the planet who used shapes and kept it a shameful secret LMAO! Cool Vids Scott - I am a 'born again' bass player of 48, wasn't bad in my 20's but had a long, long break. Do you do lessons and where are you located?

[@mrjackcck]

Hey thanks for giving a lesson to all bass player! I am very enjoy on your video and learn much on that. I got a question to ask. Is that mean all 'scale' can apply in this method to make me play easily? I'm just a beginner and hope can do some special things in different part of a song. thanks!

[@mhanley7]

Thanks scott! All I see is patterns. I've got that part right. Now I just need to figure out what I'm playing. I can find the right tones, once I've used a pattern, but don't ask me to tell you what it is! HELP! LoL! Is the root always in the same spot or does it move with each shape?

[@RenoLaringo]

This is exacltly what I've been doing for 30+yrs on the guitar. I'm a tenor sax player and also first shot reader BUT I was never able to read chords (only monophonic partitions) so instead of trying to learn all the chords and the harmony (which would have been a lot useful but would have taken me too much time to master) I memorized "shapes" on my neck and always played by ear, most of the time without even knowing in which tonality the band was playing. Kinda weird in fact.... Now I really want to learn the bass more seriously and hope I will be able to understand harmony and all the scales a little better...

[@bassguitarmalta]

Scott, as always, leaving a positive comment/like to this video. very helpful stuff. I am learning a lot following you. Let me know if you do Skype lessons. Would be interested.

[@stanlee24]

ur a genius scott... im a keyboard player but i play bass and this lesson of shapes is my little secret that most people dont know.... its all about the shapes and keep grooving :)))

[@eds6889]

Nice lesson but I question why you would draw the neck opposite of your neck. From a learning perspective it would be more beneficial if they weren’t 180° opposite with the E on the top, regardless of how tab is written.

[@MrHestichs]

I wanna play more songs, but i cant think of any songs to play, anybody got suggestions. My music taste is progressive rock, fusion, funk, Jaco Pastorius (feels like he is his own category). Rock is cool too.

[@rockjerry1]

Hi Scott, i will like you to also work on the DEMO riff that comes before your tutorials on this video, i love it and will like you to hit on that for me, i love this lesson and im working on it now, thanks

[@hoymusic3]

Hey !! I just can say ...that you're guy that I want to learn from!! thanks for the videos!!!

[@Olivia.hubble]

Think about like you're looking down at the bass like when you're playing it. Also, when music is written the lowest notes are at the bottom. Hope that helped.

[@MichalRobertPiatek]

Just for us "brain athletes (amateure level)" is there any sort of explanation why the A, the fourth, a note that is not contained in the original Em7 chord is the connection between box 1 and 2?

[@freewaybullit]

Great lesson ... subbed and liked ... any chance of getting the backing track to jam along with? 👍

[@Ponder_lust]

thanks man, neat lesson. I already knew about 'playing within the pattern'. But its really cool, the amount of fills u could do w those 3 boxes. Most of em I never thought of

[@pecavallo]

Great exercise. I have experienced that by restricting to a couple of notes tends to give better results than trying to fit a full fingerboard filled with notes in a single line or bar.

[@lrock1000]

thank you for doing this lesson, , im 57, only playing 2 years,this is exactly how ive been putting together bass lines!! but all this time i felt i was cheating and taking a shortcut, lol! and i was missing that top box , the A and B on the E string.

[@MidLevelException]

Really needed this key to unlock the door to solo'ing and musicality to my Bass playing. I am a beginner and have always thought shapes helped me but never put it together like this...Thank you so much...have you done a Major chord shape video as well?

[@aportman58]

I have played for over 40 years and after watching this video it hit me that without really thinking or being aware of it I have learned and played mostly using the visualizing shape method! Some of the songs moved so rapidly I would always crumble trying to read and play millisecond occurring notes so I would visualize shape and path on the fretboard to accomplish playing complex music! It really works!

[@anastasiarobbins1731]

I'm in a band with my sister and her friend William!!!!!! I'm so excited to use and play a bass!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@sigmaalphamudeltazeta7984]

All I have to say is WOW! You are a GREAT player and teacher. Subscribing for sure.

[@lrock1000]

one more thing, ive been experimenting with starting lines, or extending lines starting with the 3rd fret up from the chord's rootnote. do you have any lessons on that??

[@imcalledcateyes]

fantastic way of presenting the topic. you're an awesome instructor. i subbed your website, i just don't have access to my main email right now. thanks for your effort.

[@Rwjudy48]

Scott, great video for a beginner like me. Thank you. One question, is there a download of the backing track available?

[@mohitmorris]

Thanks so much for this .... its not hard ... its impossible to find someone to teach the bass in my part of India. This is so helpful

[@andrewjeffries8721]

I loved this lesson! Thank you Scott! So, an Em chord is EGB and the included A is the 4th and the D is th 7th. I dig this!

[@Andy-qy5hd]

fuck.... like seriously? i just took my bass and start playing the boxes and it sounds good haha, you are totally right when sometimes you see all this chord shapes and its overwhelming, amazing bass lesson!

[@rillloudmother]

I play guitar and this is what I do for chords and single note lines. Thinking of the note names or numbers while playing would be too much processing for me.

[@Bassarie]

Great video! Did you realise you still numbered the 5th en 7th fret wrong? It doesn't affect the point you are making here though...

[@beatweezl]

06:28 You counted the frets correctly the first time. You changed it to be wrong by counting the spaces BETWEEN the frets. And then you drew the fret dot AFTER the fret instead of before it!

[@Pudsy440]

u rule.

[@Ketnip23Kombativ]

To get a cleaner sound, you wont hear the string against the freds as much as without the glove, some bassist prefer the sound of playing with one.

[@poneleacomediante5766]

The videos are great!!... i love the way you explain yourself... i have a question, How i download the backing track?? In which part of your webpage?

[@iconic558]

great video Scott....I'm bit puzzled, I didn't think F# was an E minor Pentatonic note, E then G the minor third? That 2nd sure sounds good though.....

[@manudauphin175]

wow! so it's all just shapes and patterns! mind blowing! Thanks

[@Johnjgalarza]

SCOTT do have any videos explaining the modes and what there used for?...if you dont can you please make a video explaining modes...THANXX SCOTT

[@erikmattson8629]

You are the absolute best, Scott. As a guitar player turned bass enthusiast, I've been using these "boxes" and other shapes for years, but the way you present the concept, I just enjoy the reinforcement. Fan for life. Thank you.

[@DiegoVansante]

Im a beginner base player, ....Very nice. Shapes...Thats it, im already playing faster and more smooth. Thanks for this insight. I am able to improvise so much easier. geeesh. Thanks. Best site ever.

[@mongofan1]

Great lesson, Scott! Your sense of feel and rhythm is just fantastic! Thanks, Alex

[@rebeccatalbert8524]

This will make it a lot simpler to learn the bass. Thank you very much and I will sign up at your web site an tell all my friends.

[@mikesaganor]

Thank u for the lesson,It is a pity I dont have the amount of time i would like,so i can practice, But i will try to keep with them.

[@pobesnelizmaj]

those are special gloves that make you a pro bass player when you put them on. you can get it on ebay for 99.9, i sell them for 50.

[@taytyty7444]

Why can't you think of the notes you want to play? Sure you shouldn't and it's easier to access the sound you are thinking through shapes.. But don't knowing the notes for the lick you play make you a better player? Guitarist here trying to be better Bet

[@jesusjacome838]

I just subscribed and gave you my like, I hope you can explain how to make a slap line, and how to keep with the drummer and play notes on his Grove bits moments

[@leighstephenson6164]

Scott you are a brilliant teacher. the information, tips etc you are giving here is invaluable. thank you so much. 😊