This piece has a heavier feel to it and was written as a resource for practising sixteenth note-based slap grooves at slow tempos. When playing slapped parts at higher tempos, the fretting hand tends to share the burden, but when playing slower, it’s more common for the thumb to handle the bulk of the work. […]

This two-handed tapping study is an unusual piece of music in that it is played over an almost completely static tonality and doesn’t have a top line in the traditional sense. The bass is used in a highly rhythmic fashion, creating a continuous sixteenth note pulse. Don’t forget to hit the Download Resources button above […]

This slow tempo two-handed tapping study is a solo piece that features simple melodic ideas integrated with accompaniment parts. It’s also a great example of how chords and arpeggio-based ideas can be performed using the technique. As you’ll hear, this can be very effective. Don’t forget to hit the Download Resources button above in order […]

This study piece was written as a resource for playing sixteenth note-based fingerstyle grooves at slow tempos. It’s also a great work-out for tightening up your fretting hand fingerings and strengthening any fingers that might be weaker. Don’t forget to hit the Download Resources button above in order to download the PDF transcription and audio […]

This challenging study piece was written as a resource for working on up-tempo fingerstyle funk grooves similar to those played by bassists such as Jaco Pastorius and Rocco Prestia. In addition to these complex fingerstyle lines, the piece also includes unison sections and chordal parts. Don’t forget to hit the Download Resources button above in […]

This piece was originally written to represent Rocco Prestia (Tower of Power) in Giants of Bass, a book which celebrated the contributions of 26 of the world’s most influential bass players. This is a very challenging piece to play as it is built around a series of bass grooves that consist of continuous sixteenth notes. […]

This study piece was written as a resource for developing the use of harmonics on the bass. Throughout this piece, we’ll be playing lines that combine open strings with natural harmonics, as well as melody lines that include combinations of fretted bass notes and harmonics. We’ll also be looking at some ways in which we […]

This study piece is a funk rock track written in the style of bands such as Extreme, Aerosmith and The Electric Boys. It was composed as a resource for working on more complex rock bass picking lines, where the bass plays a more active role, often doubling tricky lines with the guitar in addition to […]

This plectrum study illustrates how a pick can be used to play funk and R&B lines, as popularised by bassists such as Carol Kaye and Bobby Vega. This piece was written as a practice resource for working on sixteenth note-based funk lines and strummed chordal parts and is great fun to play. Don’t forget to […]

This piece was originally written to represent legendary session bassist Carol Kaye in Giants of Bass, a book which celebrated the contributions of 26 of the world’s most influential bass players. This study is a great workout for your plectrum technique: the bassline for is based on a continuous sixteenth note feel, which is something […]