All Posts by Jonathan Boettcher

6 Basic Bass Root Playing

In this lesson we will be looking at using root notes of chords to construct bass lines. This is a beginners lesson, but you will need to know how the notes are laid out on the fretboard.

7 Strumming Patterns for Triplet and Shuffle

Adding some triplet and shuffle patterns to your rhythm is a great way to spice up your guitar playing and break away from more regular and even strumming patterns. It will be important to starting counting these rhythms correctly from the start.

4 Essential Techniques: Pinch Harmonics

Pinch harmonics are one of the trickiest guitar techniques to master, even for many advanced players. This will require very accurate timing for the fingers on both hands.

5 How To Solo On The Bass (Composing)

In the second of our two-part lesson on bass soloing, we will see how we can start composing bass lines and phrases using the scales we looked at in the first video.

Related Videos:

• How To Solo On The Bass (Scales)

0 How To Solo On The Bass (Scales)

In the first of our two-part lesson on how to solo on the bass, we are going to start off by looking at some important scale positions and key notes.

Related Videos:

• How To Solo On The Bass (Composing)

3 Advanced Triad Theory – Creating New Open-Chord Voicings

Learn how to construct your own open-chord voicings.

Related Videos:

• I IV V: Relative Major and Minor
• Relative Major and Minor: Scales and Chords
• Tetrachords – The Four Note Lesson

9 Three Common Chromatic Passing Notes: Add Spice To Your Solos!

Chromatic notes are great for spicing up solos or melodies and for breaking away from the more predictable notes in a key. There are normally used as passing notes/ tones between two notes of the key’s scale. Be sure to also watch the written version of this lesson as well, which you can find here.

5 Turnarounds and Endings

In this lesson we’ll be looking at different turnarounds and endings to add to a blues/ rock chord progression. These moves can be used in many different situations, so it will be well worth adding them to your collection of guitar licks.

4 Roots, Pedalling, and Basic Rhythms

Getting to know your roots and fundamental rhythms on the bass will be a must if you want to make any progress. Here we will look at several popular techniques and rhythm styles that are used in a range of genres.

15 Tuning the Guitar

One of the first things you will have to get to grips with when you are learning the guitar is how to tune the strings to the correct pitch. This will require a bit of patience at first, but you will save a lot of time learning the right approach.

2 Bass Guitar Triads / Chord Scale

Here is a handy lesson for working out bass guitar chords on a scale. You will need to know the layout of the notes, but the chord shapes won’t be too hard to figure out.

Related Videos:

• A Better Understanding of the Fingerboard
• Chord Construction
• Using Triads on the Bass

1 Essential Techniques: Palm Muting

In this guitar lesson we are going to look at the popular technique of palm muting, which is used widely for both solo and rhythm styles.

9 E Diatonic Major Scale (Open Position)

Here we’ll have a look at the E major scale in the open position. It is a real advantage knowing these scale patterns at this end of the fretboard, as you can play around the regular chord shapes and utilize the open strings.

Other Lessons on Open Scales:

• E Pentatonic Minor – Open Scale
• E Pentatonic Minor – Two Positions (Open)

Here’s the tab for the E Diatonic Major scale in the open one position:

6 Advanced Triad Integration into Solos

Here is a lesson on incorporating triads into solos.

Related Videos:

• Using Inverted Thirds in Your Solos
• First Inversion Triads
• Phrasing Guitar Solos

0 Why Do We Use Scales?

If you ever wondered why we use bass scales, this lesson will be a great place to start finding out.

3 A Better Understanding of the Fingerboard

Here’s a really important lesson for new bass players, on understanding the fingerboard of your instrument. We’ll cover tones and semitones from a bit of a different perspective than the Level 1 lesson, as well as some basic interval patterns, and how to quickly find your notes on the fingerboard. We’ll also look at accidentals, ie flats and sharps.

2 Open Tunings: D Major & E Major

If you ever find yourself getting a little bored with the status quo on your guitar (how COULD you!?!), may we humbly suggest simply cranking those old tuning pegs in a way you’re not accustomed to, and see what comes out.

You’ll be surprised how the sound of your guitar can change so much simply by altering the tuning you’re using.

This lesson covers tuning your guitar in D major and E major, two closely related alternate tunings that you’re sure to enjoy.

14 Introducing the Slide

This lesson will give you an introduction to playing slide guitar.

Related Videos:

• Why the Blues?
• 12 Bar Blues
• Putting It All Together (Ultimate Blues Chords)
• The Ultimate Blues Chord

0 Pentatonic Minor Riffs for the Bass

Now that you’ve learned the pentatonic minor scale, it’s time to learn some bass riffs out of that scale!

3 Essential Techniques: Hybrid Picking on Electric Guitar

There are many different ways of picking, and no way is right or wrong, per se. It all depends on what effect you’re trying to accomplish, and which way suits your style and aptitude best.

That said, this lesson will cover hybrid picking more specifically, which is probably one of the more versatile approaches as it still lets you use your pick for speed, and your fingers for extra strings.

0 Diatonic Major Scale Riffs

Now that you’ve learned the major scale pattern, here are a few bass riffs that you can use directly out of that major scale.

27 E Pentatonic Minor Scale (Two Position, Open)

E pentatonic minor is one of the most important scales you can learn, because it is used so often. This lesson talks about how to use it in the two position. Before watching this lesson, please checkout the previous one on E Pentatonic Minor Open.

Here’s the tab for the E Pentatonic Minor scale, two position open:

0 Right Hand Techniques

In this lesson Colin addresses some different right hand techniques that bass players can use. It is helpful to know more than one technique, because they can be used in different types of songs.

For any technique you can find, there will be a champion of that technique, and others who say it is the only way. However there is no single way to play the bass, the best thing is to try a few different approaches and figure out which one works best for you.

We’ll take a look at using a pick, using your fingers, thumb slapping, hybrid styles (picks and fingers combined), as well as right and left hand muting.

Which style will you choose? If you’re like us, you’ll want to add a bit of each of these styles to your repertoire.

13 Finger Exercises for Dexterity and Speed

This lesson covers some warm up techniques, and some exercises that will really help you improve your finger dexterity and speed. This will help in all aspects of your guitar playing, from chords to scales and over course, solos.

15 Famous Chord Progressions

Here’s a lesson on some famous chord progressions – perhaps you recognize some, and perhaps you don’t, but regardless, all of these progressions have been used in multiple hit songs.

16 What Are Thirds? (Part 2: Applied to the Guitar)

What are thirds, and how can you use them on the guitar? Grab your guitar and get ready, because that’s what we’re talking about for the next 20 minutes.

Before going through this lesson though, you should have a basic understanding of the previous lesson that this one follows on from. Check it out here. In that lesson, Colin explains the theory behind thirds. In this one, he’s explaining how it applies to your guitar, and how you can use them.

Related Videos:

Using Inverted Thirds in Your Solos

1 Using Scales To Follow A Chord Progression

One of the more advanced ways to play the bass is to actually follow the chord progressions by changing scales with the chord changes.

4 The Patterns System For The Bass

There are different ways of relating to your bass. It is very important to understand theory, and that is one way of relating to it; however another is to relate to it using patterns. Patterns are simple, and lock in perfectly with your theory.

Essentially, learning the patterns will get you going quickly, and then learning the theory will make you more versatile. The I IV V Perfect Harmony Box is a super important and useful one to know on the bass.

One of the most important things you really need to understand, regardless of how you approach the bass, is tones and semitones. Make sure you’re familiar with that lesson before diving into this one.

26 Triads (Part 2): First Inversion Triads

In this lesson Colin takes his other lesson on triads a bit further, so that you can start applying it on the guitar.

Make sure you’re familiar with the previous lesson here before diving into this one! As Colin says, it is better to know a few things very well than to know many things poorly. So take the time and get to know this stuff really well!

Once you’ve got your triads down, take things a step further with Tetrachords.

0 Tetrachords – The Four Note Lesson

This lesson is on tetrachords. Tetrachords are chords that have four notes in them, as opposed to triads, which have three. Before going through this lesson, make sure you understand triads, as well as the concepts in this lesson.