A good bassist, will have alot of Riffs that they have 
learned that they can recall in playing live or studio 
situations, when writing and creating a new song, or used 
for a basic format when improvising while playing live.
This lesson will tend to lean more twoard giving you an 
idea of how to alternate riffs when playing. Lets begin 
by learning the new riff for this lesson.

Riff 1


G :------------------------------------------------------
D :--------7--5------------------------------------------
A :--------------7--5------------------------------------
E :--5--5--------------8---------------------------------

Warm up on this Riff and play it a few times, as well as 
playing the Riff we reviewed in the beginning of this lesson.
By comparing the 2 Riffs, you can see how both Riffs were 
taken from the Pentatonic Scale, and look similar, but yet 
are different in sound.This is a simple, however , very 
effective tool for the seasoned Bass Guitarist. I'm going 
to keep this lesson short and to the point. Next I will show 
you how you can alternate the 2 Riffs, as an opening line for 
a song.

These are blues bassed riffs, which are commonly known among
most experienced bassist.
___________________________________________________

ALTERNATING RIFFS

I think this next part will be self explanatory after you 
give these riffs a few trys.Also, keep in mind the old saying
that " Rome was not built in a day" so if your still in the
early stages of learning, you should know it's ok to re-read,
and rehearse these Riffs several times, before you may start
to see the entire picture.

Lets move on to the Alternating Riffs.Beginning the first riff 
from lesson 1, alternating to riff 1 from this lesson (lesson 2)

Example 1

G :------------------------------------------------------
D :-----7--5---5--7--------7--5--------------------------
A :----------7------------------7--5---------------------
E :-5-5-----------------5-5-----------8------------------


G :------------------------------------------------------
D :-----7--5---5--7---------7--5-------------------------
A :----------7-------------------7--5--------------------
E :-5-5-----------------5--5----------8------------------
_____________________________________________________

Now that you have the basic idea, This next part I will use
the 3 scale progression from lesson 1, which we used for Riff
Building, along with todays Alternating Riff, to provide you
with an entire picture of how to begin alternating Riffs.If
you have a printer, it would be a good idea, to print out both
lessons, and begin a folder, to organize, compare and review
your lessons.
The next part of this lesson, will use the alternating riffs,
as a bassist would play during the course of an entire song.
Let's begin.

    A
G :------------------------------------------------------
D :-----7--5---5--7-----7--5--------------7--5---5--7----
A :----------7---------------7--5--------------7---------
E :-5-5--------------5-5----------8---5-5----------------

                     D
G :----------------------7--5---5--7-----7--5------------
D :-----7--5------------------7---------------7--5-------
A :----------7--5----5-5-------------5-5-----------8-----
E :-5-5-----------8--------------------------------------

    A                                 E
G :---------------------------------------9--7---7--9----
D :------7--5---5--7-----7--5------------------9---------
A :-----------7---------------7--5-----7-7---------------
E :-5-5---------------5-5----------8-------------------


    D                A
G :-----7--5---------------------------------------------
D :----------7--5---------7--5---5--7-----7--5-----------
A :-5-5-----------8------------7---------------7--5------
E :-------------------5-5--------------5-5----------8----
                     Start Over or End
 


The Fretboard FormulaFor Bass Guitar



Guitar In 60 SecondsLead Guitar Bootcamp
Click here! to play
Lesson 1 - Santana Style Video

Click here! to play
Lesson 2 - Lead Guitar Phrasing Sequences




Top 7 Vocal

Exercise Bundle




Bass Guitar DVD Lesson

Bass Lesson Product Reviews

Learn & Master Blues Guitar

Learn & Master Guitar Set-Up & Repair

Learn & Master Drums

Play Music By Ear

The Ultimate Metronome



Looking for Hard to Find Tickets?Find Tickets at Ticketmaster.com

Free Online Bass Tab * Tabs * Tablature * Free Bass Guitar Lessons
Free Slap Bass Lessons * Learn Bass Guitar Solos * Bass Guitar Posters
How To Play Bass * Bass Guitar Books * Bass Videos * Bass Guitar DVD Lessons