The “Superstition” Bass Line and Mastering Note Length /// Scott’s Bass Lessons
Lesson Overview:
Around 3 months ago I released a program called “The Groove Formula”… it was an 8 week long intensive course in which we were focusing on rhythm and groove, and how to really take your bass playing to the next level by focusing on some of the fundamental building blocks you must have in place to really be a great bass player.
Long story short, it was the most popular course I’ve ever released. Almost a thousand bass players enrolled, and the feedback was phenomenal.
The crazy bit is – the feedback was so good, that many of the students who enrolled within the Groove Formula program started to ask me to add this course into the Academy course library as they found it was such a game changer for their bass playing – it needed to be in there.
Initially I hesitated – but then I began to listen more and more…
So without further a do… I’m over the moon to announce that I’ve decided to add the full 8 week long Groove Formula program into the Academy course library… in fact, it was added yesterday!
So now when you become an Academy member you get full access to the course library, the weekly live seminars, the lesson workbooks, the play-along library and everything else in there… but now, you also get full access to the groove formula program too!
When I first released the Groove Formula it was $147 to enroll – but now you get it thrown in as part of your Academy membership.
In fact, this lesson is taken directly from the course… I’m discussing “note length”, the importance of it, and also giving you some great exercises you can start using immediately to start getting your groove chops together…
As always, see you in the shed…
Scott 🙂
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Originally posted by UCWTj3vCqkQIsrTGSm4kM34g at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDML4lAHe90
Drummer here. I love watching your channel as part of what I call my 360 when learning a new song with my band. I don't research my part until I know the history of the song, what it's really about, then watch a tutorial for each instrument. Only then do I focus on the drum part. Works for me. Anyway, thank you for covering such an important topic. Note length isn't flashy or attention grabbing, so is often overlooked by players. Those who put the effort in however, really do stand out as far more 'on it', classier players. It's funny how musicians of any specific instrument often get distracted by traits that are valued by their fellow musicians, whereas musicians who play other instruments and audiences often value things that just aren't as exciting. Those who don't overlook the fundamentals however, usually get the gig, leaving many players scratching their heads saying, 'how come they chose him/her, they just played it boring and simple…?'
It's not an E NOTE. It is an E FLAT. THE SONG IS IN E FLAT. LIKE D SHARP. A HALF STEP DOWN . …….. HELLO MUSIC.
WTH? 17 minutes of simplistic nothing, and you never actually played the bass line at all? What am I missing?
Scott ought to be using markers that are at least as fat as his bass tone.
This video is the unwitting precursor to the Groove Trainer ????
Is that a fender jazz bass your playing?
It’s an e flat for the love of god
Thanks. I'm just thought it was qtr notes for much of the song. I had no idea about the nuance of the note length.
New subscriber here and this channel has been a great find. Catch me up to speed anyone, why does he don the glove?
as much as I need and wanted to hear more clearly, a mobile phone's (my 70 USD phone) brings nothing but the high end of the drummer's cymbals.
if I pay can I see the red or green pen marks?
Thank You Scott.
Quiet as it's kept, note length and touch (dynamics) is the "groove and pocket"
worst video about lessons… I spend time with you…
I can only read the black marker! Excellent lesson otherwise!
Good stuff…I tell beginners that knowing when to stop a note is just as important as when to start it. Depending on the song, I will start notes just slightly before so the sound getting to the audience is coordinated. It will sound as if I'm playing right on the beat. I love slightly delayed starts for certain songs, or a quick gliss up to the note. Ya gotta have a feel drummer to respond to. The old shuffle beats …very cool places you can push and pull. Occasionally I will try some thirds or offbeat syncopation to confuse my bandmates????
Can't hear you playing.
I love when Scott makes jokes and he always apologizes for his bad humor. And that in itself makes it good humor to me.
These three things might not make you a pro bass/guitar player: 1. Left hand muting, 2. Playing notes of proper length, 3. Accent on the backbeat. However, without these skills you will never become even a moderately good amateur. I know many guitarists and bassists who totally ignore these three holy commandments or even become aggressive if you mention it to them ;P
Stevie cut this with the Moog Bass Synth….
Just when I'm about to start bobbing my head to the signature riff
Scott: "So I'm just gonna stop it there"
The progression speed on this video seems to be perfect for people who only play bass. The rest of us are bored out of our minds.
Ga ding dung doo
"Got too adventurous and now my blue pen died- now it won't be able to fulfill its blue pen destiny" haha I finally joined the Academy after 2 years lurking. He never fails to makes me laugh while learning, even on my roughest days. Love how he can groove, even on one note.
Are all these supposed to be for a song in the same time signature and song tempo?
I wait invane 17 minutes hooping soon or late this guy shows the line of this song… Maiby he does'nt know… Just crazy
Dude I skipped through minute segments and never heard anything that’s like superstition you’re just playing the same note wtf?
Another great minimal bass track to listen to is "Footsteps In The Dark" by the Isley Brothers and that is played by an actual bass player on an actual bass guitar.
Very good lesson and excellent practice exercises. I wish Scott used regular music notation. A dotted half and quarter note rest would be so much easier to read. A lot of us were in band in school. Learning bass for the first time, but we can read music.
It helps a lot to have a good metronome that subdivides the beat. You can learn to feel the ands easier. I've been practicing Scott's exercise. I'm slowly improving.
So why do you wear the glove? Just kidding! yet another great video 🙂
Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" is similar to Robin Trower's "I'm Gonna Be More Suspicious".
Don't know about the bass parts, tho!
One song that came to mind during this lesson on note durations for bass was Daft Punk – Around the World.
gotta love Scott, inspiring!!!
I appreciate your time, effort and approach to sharing your talents and encouragement.
First item: tuning and register
Something I hope you could please include: You are playing low E note on a 4-string bass in standard concert tuning, which incidentally sounds nice and substantial. How do you adjust to play this in Stevie's original key of E flat and not have it result in a thinned-out sound? I am not necessarily endorsing use of 5-string instrument, 'D'-tuning or octave-dividing device, but what is a good alternate method of dealing with it?
Second item: playing in the 'pocket' – this concept may seem advanced, but the sooner players take this into consideration the more proficient their playing will sound
– some performers play: on top of the beat, ahead, or on the back.
To sound tight as a rhythm section you need to be aware of this and decide where you are going to play – on or around the beat. Some aggressive thrash players are way up front; some Reggae players are laid back, dance bands usually want to be on the beat. Signature sound of some Rhythm&Blues of Wilson Pickett and Booker T. and The MG's was how Don (Duck) Dunn played slightly behind the bass drum so you hear the bass drum head slap followed by a tone.
How you pluck your strings is important since there can be a lag from when you move the string to when the sound speaks. Also, pay attention to differing reaction from a thumb slap or a fingertip. Coordinate so you can get your ax to arrive 'in time'.
Well O.K. Dude! NOTE DURATION absolutely goeth the other way too. I teach music too, most of my grommets want to be “LEAD GUITARISTS” with the vixens fawning all over them, the dope is free, Rolls-Royces and Gulfstreams ONLY, plz. Oddly, many of them are the offspring of people I used to play with in some context. Ain't a one got Gulfstreams or Rolls?. Trying to teach your OWN kid is, well; ahem. My own self, past few years I've mostly been playing 10-string non-pedal steel guitar; Because, my arms, particularly the portside one, are kinda fried. (Non-pedal and non-COUNTRY steel).
There's like NO Miles Davis tune that can't be played on steel!~ it still SUCKS, 12 degrees of suckitude but that ain't the song's fault; nor is it the steel's fault. WAAAH!!! I need my lucky socks. I still do the rare backup giggidude for singer/songwritery types. And over the decades I've been PAID to play bass mostly. Henceforth the note duration lecture.
If you want ONE-STOP KILL POWER, the best, easy, blatentest song is “Already Gone” by them Beagles guys. Mebbe the EAGLES? (I admit, I got massively, monstrously. Uhhh, INTERGALACTICALLY burnt out on the Eagles…)
When we were just li'l grommets frying our minds out on 1st-Edition YES, the first edition Mahavishnu, Dixie Dregs etc, we agreed that the epitome of ennui would be playing Eagles songs in a Holiday Inn. Hmm. Guess what?!? AIEEEEEEEE!!!!
Regardless, what's SO-OO teachable within that song – the guitar players play the same semi-muted careful chords all along, at least to the very end. However, when you get to the “alllll-read-y gone”, listen – the song achieves liftoff because4 the bass player starts to swing on full-value notes. Early on it's a very staccato, kinda reggae bass part. But when Schmidt hits the chorus he LETS the notes RIDE on out. Don de'Drum-Monkey Henley spruces up the beat a bit, but it's absolutely the bass that pushes into and out of a straight quarter->STRAIGHT- EIGHT's to A DOTTED EIGHTSY swing time. It's insanely simple, but at least 90% of casual listeners can't explain or teach the part. ONLY YOUR BASS PLAYER KNOWS FOR SURE….. heh heh.
Cissy Strut… gees I've not even had a drink!! I was meant to be drawing the comparison with 'Cissy Strut' and Paul Simon's 'Afterlife' … which was, on my computer, the forerunner to this video… is there an echo here, d'you think?
I'm thinking Chicken Strut … not superstitious!
Is it me or is Paul Simon's 'Afterlife' a tip of the hat in this direction?
How about the difference between the monster double bass line on the Everly Brothers “Lucille” using single notes on the riff- compared to the typical English/Merseybeat/Saw her standing There
use of double notes on the riffattempting to get extra funky and infact achieving the opposite?Nice marketing ploy, with the teaser and all. I got the trial, was wanting to get back into it, maybe even back to a band and, gigging again. But in that few days I had it, I had the chance to watch one video. Which told me my life is too busy right now to benefit vs cost of a full membership.
Wtf is this? 18min and you played nothing…with a f… glove on.jesus
Why does this jabroni play with a glove on his fret hand?
Dull, dull. Can't even heat the guitar when you do bother to play
That's Good
too much talking, go to the lesson please !!
this is an excellent video for timing. ty scott 🙂
Great Lesson.!This is the kind of explanations that make me come back to Scott because there is really meat in the issue.Understand basic concepts is always the best way to follow great lessons with value.Detailed graphics help a lot. ( does not matter the color of the marker…. please make donations ! )