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Slap Bass – Introducing Tenths

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Tenths are a very popular musical device for bass players to use as they help to clearly define harmony. Tenths are by no means limited to slap bass, and you’ll find a use for them in all areas of your playing. When playing slap bass grooves, tenths are often used in place of octaves. This course covers tenth intervals in detail and examines how they can be applied when using the slap bass technique. This course will cover both fretted and open string tenths.

If you require additional help with any of the techniques used in this piece, the following courses (all included in the monthly subscription cost) should prove useful:

Don’t forget to hit the Download Resources button above to get the PDF worksheet and audio files for this piece (available to subscribers only). The worksheet is available with TAB and without, for those who wish to give their reading skills a workout.

This course is 35 MINUTES long and contains the following videos, each of which can be selected from the video player above:

1. Introducing Tenths

This video explains the basic music theory behind tenth intervals and highlights how effective they can be when used in place of octaves.

2. Exercise #2

This simple exercise is based on a string of implied major chords. The tonality of each chord is reflected in the bassline through the use of major tenth intervals.

3. Exercise #3

This exercise uses tenths to reinforce the chord progression. Tenths are also used to move back to the root chord at the end of the second and fourth bars.

4. Open String Tenths

This video covers the open string tenths that can be played on a 4-string bass. Open string tenths are often strummed or plucked with the thumb and first finger.

5. Exercise #4

This exercise puts open string tenths to good use. This line was written in the style of bassists such as Stanley Clarke and Mark King.

6. Exercise #5

This exercise moves between two chords: D minor and A minor. Both chords provide opportunities for you to play open string tenths.

7. Exercise #6

This is a complicated exercise which makes use of sliding tenth intervals, a melodic device employed by Mark King on the classic Level 42 track '43'.

8. Exercise #7

This exercise is in the key of E minor and features both open string and fretted tenths. These make the implied chord progression very clear.