Why Disco Bass Lines Are SOO Good To Practice!

Disco bass lines are absolutely fantastic and are essential practice for any bass player no matter what music styles you’re into.

The bass riffs can be technically challenging, they require a tight articulation in the picking hand, they require accurate rhythm due to the syncopated 16th notes and they can often be seen as short melodic etudes.

And The Beat Goes On

Today, we’ll be looking at And The Beat Goes On by The Whispers. This bass riff was played by Leon Sylvers and we can use it as a great example of all the great practice elements of the disco style.

Picking Hand

The first thing you need to be mindful of when playing Disco style is your picking hand articulation.

You need a tighter technique to get that punchy tone. In order to get this, angle your picking hand over and point your fingers inwards while picking closer to the bridge. This will give you that tighter feel and tone to really make those syncopated lines pop!

Note Duration

Pay special attention to your note control, this makes a huge difference to the overall groove of the line so do be sure to spend some time on this aspect of your playing.

Rhythmic Breakdown

One of the best practices when learning disco lines is the rhythm. Spending time on this aspect really helps you develop your rhythmic accuracy and independence.

Harmony Breakdown

This bass line outlines the chord progression of Bm7, F#m7 and Gm7. The whole thing uses the arpeggios of the chord progression so once you know them, then you’ve got this covered!