A minimalist approach can help the commercial bassist play simple but fresh and interesting bass lines. Minimalism is a form of music that stresses chordal or melodic repetiton and a less-is-more approach. By using very slight variation, minimalist music can evolve but only within very limited parameters. In a modern context, dance/electronica, funk, and hip-hop have been greatly influenced by this reconception of what a melody is. For the bassist, it's important to become comfortable with, and inspired by, the mere simplicity and parsimony of a bass line; this can be a superb complement to technical expertise and virtuosity.

Figure 14-1 gives you a glimpse of what minimalism is all about. Notice the two-note bass line in the verse that uses syncopation to achieve a funky feel. In the chorus, there is only one note used to underpin several different

Figure 14-1.

Verse and chorus using a minimalist approach

chords. This is not an uncommon bass line in modern commercial music. These repetitive figures could also be thought of as ostinatos. Additionally, the chorus bass line employs a pedal effect.

Although Figure 14-1 uses a funk rock example, these minimalist techniques are also used to varying degrees in all forms of modern bass line construction. Another interesting technique that you can use — one that augments the possibilities of pop genres — is the use of alternate bass notes. This was also employed in Figure 14-1. Although bassists usually play only the root note of the chord for extended periods, a thoughtful bassist can also experiment with emphasizing different notes pulled out of the given chord. For instance, instead of hanging on the root note of a C chord, try playing the major third, or E. Even a simple progression can be made more interesting through the use of alternate roots. Figure 14-2 illustrates this where I and IV chords are used. Notice how by selecting just the right mix of alternate and regular chord roots you can create an ascending line that really adds to the drama of an otherwise very predictable and drab chord progression.

Try mixing up these techniques with some of the bass line concepts you learned in previous chapters to see how far you have come in your understanding of modern pop bass styles. First, learn the written line in Figure 14-3, then experiment with your own bass lines using all that you've learned so far in this book!

Figure 14-2.

Alternate bass notes on a I-IV progression

At this point you should be feeling pretty good about using the tools you've learned throughout this book to compose your own professional sounding bass lines. Dig deep and never give up on trying to do something new and original. As long as it sounds good, and your intuition tells you you're on the right track, you're making progress.