Blues Crash Course for Bass 12 Easy Steps to Playing the Blues

8/20/2019 Blues Crash Course for Bass 12 Easy Steps to Playing the Blues

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*For a greater explanation of these PDF’s (and

a load of other stuff) visit the MARK MARXON

YOUtube channel for a full video tutorial.



TAB

4

4

Bass Guitar

Bass Guitar

œ œ œ œ

0 0 0 0

œ œ œ œ

0 0 0 0

œ œ œ œ

0 0 0 0

œ œ œ œ

0 0 0 0

Bass

Bass

5

œ œ œ œ

0 0 0 0

œ œ œ œ

0 0 0 0

œ œ œ œ

0 0 0 0

œ œ œ œ

0 0 0 0

Bass

Bass

9

œ œ œ œ

2 2 2 2

œ œ œ œ

0 0 0 0

œ œ œ œ

0 0 0 0

œ œ œ œ

2 2 2 2

Blues Crash Course

Mark Marx

©2015

Exercise #1 - Basic 12 bar blues in E (root notes only)

E7

A7 E7

B7 A7 E7 B7



TAB

4

4

Bass Guitar

Bass Guitar

œ

œ

œ

œ

0 42

4

œ

œ

œ

œ

0 42

4

œ

œ

œ

œ

0 42

4

œ

œ

œ

œ

0 42

4

Bass

Bass

5

œ

œ

œ

œ

0 42

4

œ

œ

œ

œ

0 42

4

œ

œ

œ

œ

0 42

4

œ

œ

œ

œ

0 42

4

Bass

Bass

9

œ œ œ œ

21 4 1

œ œ œ œ

0 42

4

œ

œ

œ

œ

0 42

4

œ œ œ œ

21 4 1

Blues Crash Course

Mark Marx

©2015

Exercise #2 - Basic 12 bar blues in E (triads only)

E7

A7 E7

B7 A7 E7 B7

(I)

(IV) (I)

(V) (IV) (I) (V)

*Numbering Chords*

Notes in E major

E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#, E

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

orI, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, vii, I



TAB

4

4

Bass Guitar

Bass Guitar

œ

œ

œ

œ

0 42

0

œ

œ

œ

œ

2 02

4

œ

œ

œ

œ

0 42

0

œ

œ

œ

œ

2 02

4

Bass

Bass

5

œ

œ

œ œ

0 42

0

œ œ œ

œ

2 02

4

œ

œ

œ

œ

0 42

0

œ œ

œ

œ

2 02

4

Bass

Bass

9

œ œ œ œ

21 4 1

œ œ œ œ

0 42

4

œ

œ

œ

œ

0 42

4

œ œ œ œ

21 4 1

Blues Crash Course

Mark Marx

©2015

Exercise #3 - Basic 12 bar blues in E (Chord Tones)

E7

A7 E7

B7 A7 E7 B7

(I)

(IV) (I)

(V) (IV) (I) (V)

*Numbering Chords*

Notes in E major

E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#, E

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8




TAB

4

4

Bass Guitar

Bass Guitar

œ

œ

œ

œ

0 42

0

œ

œ

œ

œ

2 02

4

œ

œ

œ

œ

0 42

4

œ

œ

œ œ

0 2 3 4

Bass

Bass

5

œ

œ

œ œ

54 7

5

œ

œ

œ œ

74 5 6

œ

œ

œ

œ

0 42

4

œ

œ

œ œ

0 4 5 6

Bass

Bass

9

œ œ œ œ

76 9 6

œ œ œ œ

54 5 6

œ

œ

œ œ

74 5 6

œ œ œ œ

74 5 6

Blues Crash Course

Mark Marx

©2015

Exercise #4 - Basic 12 bar blues in E (Walking up to the next chord)

E7

A7 E7

B7 A7 E7 B7

(I)

(IV) (I)

(V) (IV) (I) (V)

*Numbering Chords*

Notes in E major

E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#, E

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8


*or adding chromatics*



TAB

4

Bass Guitar

Bass Guitar

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

q q q e

3

=


0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

œ œ

œ œ œ œ œ œ

0 0 2 2 3 3 4 4

Bass

Bass

5


5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5


5 52 2 3 3 4 4


0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


0 0 4 4 5 5 6 6

Bass

Bass

9


7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7


5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5


0 0 4 4 5 5 6 6


7 74 4 5 5 6 6

Blues Crash Course

Mark Marx

©2015

Exercise #5 - Basic 12 bar blues in A (Shuffle using root notes)

A7

D7 A7

E7 D7 A7 E7

(I)

(IV) (I)

(V) (IV) (I) (V)

*Numbering Chords*

Notes in A major

A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#, A

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8


*Plus adding chromatics*

WUNG QUAVERS -



TAB

4

Bass Guitar

Bass Guitar

œ œ

œ œ œ œ œ œ

5 54 4 7 7

4 4

q q q e

3

=


5 5 4 47 7 4 4

œ œ

œ œ œ œ œ œ

5 54 4 7 7

4 4


5 5 4 47 7 4 4

Bass

Bass

5


5 54 4 7 7

4 4


5 5 4 47 7 4 4


5 54 4 7 7

4 4


7 74 4 5 5 6 6

Bass

Bass

9


7 74 4 7 7

7 7


5 52 2 3 3 4 4


5 54 4 5 5 6 6


7 74 4 5 5 6 6

Blues Crash Course

Mark Marx

©2015

Exercise #6 - Basic 12 bar blues in A (Shuffle+ playing chords tones + 6)

A7

D7 A7

E7 D7 A7 E7

(I)

(IV) (I)

(V) (IV) (I) (V)

*Numbering Chords*

Notes in A major

A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#, A

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8


*Plus adding chromatics*

WUNG QUAVERS -



TAB

4

Bass Guitar

Bass Guitar

w

1

q q q e

3

=

w

1

w

1

w

1

Bass

Bass

5

w

1

w

1

w

1

w

5

Bass

Bass

9

w

3

w

3

˙ ˙

15

˙ ˙

33

Blues Crash Course

Mark Marx

©2015

Exercise #7 - Jazz blues in F (getting the form)

F7

Bb7 F7

C7 C7F7 Gm

(I)

(IV) (I)

(V) (vi)(I) (V)

*Numbering Chords*

Notes in F major

F, gm, am, Bb, C7, dm, emb5, F1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

or

I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, vii, I

WUNG QUAVERS -(IV)

Bb7

(I)

F7

(vi)

Dm

(ii)

Gm

(ii)Dm



TAB

4

Bass Guitar

Bass Guitar

œ

œ

œ

œ

10 3 0

q q q e

3

=

œ œ œ œ

10 1 2

œ œ œ

œ

3 13 0

œ

œ

œ œ

10 3 2

Bass

Bass

5

œ œ œ œ

10 3

1

œ œ œ œ

30 1 2

œ œ œ œ

30 3 4

œ œ œ œ

53

2 1

Bass

Bass

9

œ œ œ œ

03

5 2

œ œ œ œ

32 5 2

œ œ œ œ

3 35 5

œ œ œ œ

5 53 3

Blues Crash Course

Mark Marx

©2015

Exercise #8 - Jazz blues in F (Chord tones and leading notes)

F7

Bb7 F7

C7 C7F7 Gm

(I)

(IV) (I)

(V) (vi)(I) (V)

*Numbering Chords*

Notes in F major

F, gm, am, Bb, C7, dm, emb5, F1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

or


WUNG QUAVERS -(IV)

Bb7

(I)

F7

(vi)

Dm

(ii)Gm

(ii)Dm



TAB

4

Bass Guitar

Bass Guitar

œ

œ

œ

œ

10 3 0

q q q e

3

=

œ œ œ œ

10 1 2

œ œ œ

œ

3 13 0

œ

œ

œ œ

10 3 2

Bass

Bass

5

œ œ œ œ

10 3 0

œ œ œ œ

20 3

1

œ œ œ œ

23

3 4

œ œ œ œ

53

2 1

Bass

Bass

9

œ œ œ œ

03

5 2

œ œ œ œ

32 5 2

œ œ œ œ

34 5

4

œ œ œ œ

52 3

2

Blues Crash Course

Mark Marx

©2015

Exercise #9 - Jazz blues in F (playing the "turnaround" and #IV dim chord

F7

Bb7 F7

C7 C7F7 Gm

(I)

(IV) (I)

(V) (vi)(I) (V)

*Numbering Chords*

Notes in F major

F, gm, am, Bb, C7, dm, emb5, F1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

or


WUNG QUAVERS -(IV)

Bb7

(I)

F7

(vi)

Dm

(ii)Gm

(ii)Dm

(#IVdim)Bdim



TAB

4

Bass Guitar

Bass Guitar

˙ ˙

10

q q q e

3

=

˙ ˙

14

˙ ˙

1

3

˙ ˙

13

Bass

Bass

5

˙ ˙

14

˙ ˙

13

˙ ˙

10

˙ ˙

55

Bass

Bass

9

˙ ˙

31

˙

˙

32

˙

˙

35

˙

˙

53

Blues Crash Course

Mark Marx

©2015

Exercise #10 - Jazz blues in Bb (Walking two to the bar)

Bb7

Eb7 Bb7

F7 F7Bb7 Cm

(I)

(IV) (I)

(V) (vi)(I) (V)

*Numbering Chords*

Notes in Bb major

Bb, cm, dm, Eb, F7, gm, ab5, Bb1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

or


WUNG QUAVERS -(IV)

Eb7

(I)

Bb7

(vi)

Gm

(ii)Cm

(ii)Gm



TAB

4

Bass Guitar

Bass Guitar

œ œ œ œ

12 3 2

q q q e

3

=

œ œ œ œ

1 30 2

œ œ œ œ

3 13 0

œ œ œ œ

10 3 2

Bass

Bass

5

œ œ œ œ

1 30 3

œ

œ

œ œ

6 8 69

œ œ œ œ

8 8 7 6

œ œ œ œ

55

6 7

Bass

Bass

9

œ œ œ œ

8

0 1 2

œ œ œ œ

3 13 2

œ œ œ œ

14 3

1

œ œ œ œ

3 1 01

Blues Crash Course

Mark Marx

©2015

Exercise #11 - Jazz blues in Bb (Chord tone, leading tone)

Bb7

Eb7 Bb7

F7 F7Bb7 Cm

(I)

(IV) (I)

(V) (vi)(I) (V)

*Numbering Chords*

Notes in Bb major

Bb, cm, dm, Eb, F7, gm, ab5, Bb1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

or


WUNG QUAVERS -(IV)Eb7

(I)

Bb7

(vi)

Gm

(ii)Cm

(ii)Gm



TAB

4

Bass Guitar

Bass Guitar

˙ ˙

01

q q q e

3

=

˙ ˙

0 3

˙ ˙

1 7

˙ ˙

3 0

Bass

Bass

5

˙ ˙

45

˙

˙

6 12

˙

˙

1312

˙ ˙

88

Bass

Bass

9

˙ ˙

66

˙ ˙

53

˙ ˙

0 3

˙ ˙

13

Blues Crash Course

Mark Marx

©2015

Exercise #12 - Soloing (3rds and 7ths used as target notes Exercise)

Bb7

Eb7

Bb7

F7 F7Bb7 Cm

(I)

(IV)

(I)

(V) (vi)(I) (V)

*Numbering Chords*

Notes in Bb major

Bb, cm, dm, Eb, F7, gm, ab5, Bb

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

or


WUNG QUAVERS - (IV)Eb7

(I)Bb7

(vi)Gm

(ii)Cm

(ii)Gm

REMEMBER!!

*One BLUES scale per 12 bar*

*If the blues is in E use an E blues scale over any of the changes*

*The theory behind a good solo is THE SAME AS A WALKING BASSLINE*

*Spell out the chords, use chromatics to arrive at target chord tones* *only the phrasing is now more like a horn player*

*Put some grease on it! FEEL IT!! The blues is about expression!! Not the "right notes"*

*some 5ths aswell*



About the author

Mark Marxon has completed a bachelor of music at Newcastle University. He

also studied under Steve Hunter (Chic Corea/Kim Lawson Trio/AIM). You can

find tutorials from Mark as a guest teacher on the PLAYBASSNOW.COM

website. He is a contributor to Bass Musician Magazine as an educator and has

also been a guest teacher for Bass Players United. He enjoys being a sought

after session player in NSW, Australia both live and in the studio. 2014 saw

Mark touring the East Coast of Australia in the Steve Edmonds band. In 2015

The Mark Marxon band will be debuting with Mark as the band leader. Mark

endorses FENDER gear. For SKYPE lessons contact [email protected].

mailto:[email protected]




Blues Crash Course for Bass 12 Easy Steps to Playing the Blues

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Transcript of Blues Crash Course for Bass 12 Easy Steps to Playing the Blues