How to Play Eighth, Triplet Eighth and Sixteenth Notes on the Bass

Scott Giambusso: Its Scott Giambusso here, the bass doctor. We are continuing on our lesson on the right hand technique. We have covered the whole notes, half notes and quarter notes. Now, we are going to go on to eighth notes, triplet eighth notes and sixteenth notes and beyond. There are these other subdivisions of five and seven, and nine, we are not going to deal with them now we are going to get the fundamentals together. Also I am want to point out I am playing the five-string base which you can buy it from any fine guitar centre. I would recommend if you call me up. Now, this bass, the five-string base the strings are numbered, the high string and I mean the high pitch string is the first string, is a G string, the next string is the D string, it is the two string, the second string, the third is the A string, the fourth string is the E string and on my bass, I have a low-B which I love very much because I get five extra notes. So, on to one of the eighth notes; we are going to do eighth notes with the metronome at 60 beats per minute. Remember my friend the metronome. Now, I am going to start on the E string, these are eighth notes, I am playing one and two, and three and four. Now, I am going to switch strings, you should be switching strings, I play in one major on each string and I am trying to accent the up-beats. Now, I am going to play the low E string and the A string. Now, I am going to go back to the E string through right hand and then I am going to go to the D string now the second string and I missed it almost when I switch fingers. Now, back to the E string, accenting the up and downs, up to the G string, you have to prepare your finger, back to the E string and just for you guys Ill play the low-B, but the accent is going to settle you into a pocket and there is your eighth notes, alright? Now, the triplet eighth notes for every beat instead of two notes, I am going to play three notes very evenly. You can accent the middle one, okay, where is the eighth note, hear is the triplets. This time, I am going to go back to the E string and now the D string, back to the E string, up to the G string, you have to prepare your hand, you notice my thumb is resting on the other strings, so it is muting them and I am getting this going and here we go and I will go to the E string just to wrap it up pom pom pompompompompom.

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. pom, okay this is right hand exclusive technique. Now, next is -- that was triplet eighth note, and now we are going to go on to sixteenth note, so we are going to play four notes in the time of one beat. So, it is going to be 1 E, 2 E, 3 E, 4 E and switch, had to lean little forward and ascending all the up-beats, its kind of keeping me in the pocket. Now, we can mix it up a little bit, I am going to change on every beat, I am going to change strings so it is 1 E.

. and those were 16th notes.