Articulations for walking style, pull offs, ghost (dead) notes, double pull offs
Lesson time: (4min 5sec)
Bruce explains how to execute pull-offs, ghost notes and double pull-offs.
Course preview
This lesson is part of the course Contemporary Bass Guitar Grooves
Watch a preview of the full course below.
Lesson transcript:
Articulations in Walking Bass Style
Alright, now let's talk about some articulations with walking bass style.
Pull Off
The first articulation is the pull off. A pull off is when you pull the note with your finger; it could be any finger, index, second, third, or fourth.
- It works best on the G string, although you could do it on the D string too.
How to Execute a Pull Off
The usual way it's done is in a triplet rhythm:
- Play the G.
- Hit it again.
- Pull it off and hit G again.
- Then maybe walk down the scale: One, two, three, four.
Example:
- G, open A, pull it off, hit the G again, then walk down.
Now, continue to practice:
- Keep pulling off and hitting it again.
- Use the D string in between.
You can even hit another note, like a B, and so on.
Muting Technique
Next, there's a muting technique where you play notes on the G string (or another string) and hit a dead note on the string below.
Example of Muting
It would sound something like this.
Other Articulations
There are all kinds of articulations you can explore:
- Dead notes
- Pull offs
- Double pull offs
- Hammer ons
- Pull offs
There's a lot of fancy stuff you can do!
Final Tip:
Just sit down with your instrument and try some different things. You'll come up with some great ideas!
About the instructor
Bruce Gertz is an award-winning bassist (acoustic and electric), composer, educator, and author. He is a professor of bass at Berklee College of Music, where he has taught since 1976. Bruce is the recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Performance Award Grant, the Massachusetts Cultural Council Musical Composition Award, and numerous outstanding bassist awards from the Boston Music Awards, A.S.C.A.P. Plus Popular Awards, and multiple recognition awards from the International Association of Jazz Educators and the Jazz Education Network. Bruce also serves on the board of directors of the International Society of Bassists. He has performed and recorded with such artists as Gary Burton, Jerry Bergonzi, John Abercrombie, Joey Calderazzo, Kenny Werner, Mick Goodrick, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Billy Hart, George Garzone, Mike Stern, Larry Coryell, Joe Lovano, Cab Calloway, and Count Basie, among many others. In Contemporary Bass Guitar Grooves, Bruce puts all of that experience to work for you. You'll learn to build solid, swinging bass lines and lock into authentic grooves across funk, jazz, and fusion, so you can hold down the bottom end and walk into any band situation with confidence. His extensive discography and additional information can be found at www.brucegertz.com. read more