Music Lesson: Right Hand Technique & Note Practice

Welcome Back

In this lesson, we're going to learn a very specific right-hand technique associated with two very famous players. We'll also cover the notes from the double dot (twelfth fret) all the way up to the seventeenth fret.

Warm-Up Exercise

Let's start with a warm-up. This warm-up will prepare us for what's to come.

• Warm-Up Technique:
  Take your power chord from a few lessons back and add one note on top, creating a root-five octave.
  • Picking Pattern: Pick each note twice.
  • Note Values: We'll work with quarters, eighths, and sixteenths.
  • Starting Tempo: Quarter note equals 60.

1, 2, 3, 4.

Now you can work it up to speed anywhere on the neck. Remember, my pattern is root-five-octave.

Notes from the 12th to the 15th Fret

Now, let's learn the notes from the 12th to the 15th fret.

• First Position Reference:
  When we reach the double dot, we start over again with the notes in the first position:

  • G, G# (G sharp), A, A# (A sharp), B, C.

• 12th Fret Notes:
  At the 12th fret, the notes are:

  • G, G#, A, A#, B, C.

Remember, the first position repeats itself at the 12th fret.

• Walking Across the Notes:
  I'll do a couple of left-hand shifts to cover that fret range.

1, 2, 3, 4.

Right Hand Technique

Now, let's talk more about the right-hand technique. Essentially, I will perform quick sixteenth notes with my index and middle fingers, often referred to as "finger funk" or "finger style funk."

• Hand Placement:
  • If I try doing this higher up, the strings feel floppy due to lesser tension.
  • Moving back will provide better string tension and recovery.

Left Hand Muting

Next, let's discuss left-hand muting.

• Warm-Up with Muting: I'll demonstrate the warm-up exercise with and without left-hand muting.

Here's with left-hand muting. 
Here's without left-hand muting.

Without left-hand muting, everything starts to blur together. To achieve left-hand muting, release a bit of pressure during the second note in the series.

Famous Technique: Jaco Pastorius

One of the most famous bass players utilizing this technique was the legendary Jaco Pastorius. Let's look at a typical lick in his style.

• Standard Note Choice:
  This line follows the conventional boogie-woogie pattern: Root, 3, 5, 6, flat 7.
• Unique Order:
  Jaco changed the order of the notes.

Lick Breakdown

1. Starting Notes: Start with the root of the chord, move to the fifth, then play two sevenths, two sixths, and finally go to the third, incorporating passing tones.

3 passing, passing 5.

Playing the Lick in Different Tempos

Let's practice this at three tempos: 60, 80, and 100 beats per minute.

• Tempo 60:

1, 2, 3, 4.

• Tempo 80:

1, 2, 3, 4.

• Tempo 100:

1, 2, 3, 4.

Transposing the Lick

You can transpose this shape around just like we did with the major scales.

• To F:

1, 2, 3, 4.

Second Lick Overview

The second Jaco lick is common during solos. Let's discuss the technical and theoretical elements:

1, 2, 3, 4.

• Chord Sound: F7 (F, A, C, E flat).
• Technical Execution: Starts on the third, walks down to the root, then to the seven, marking an approach tone.

Practice Transposition

If we want to perform this lick in D:

• Pitch Numbers:

  F#(3), E(2), F#(3), Go down to D(1).
  

Now play at different tempos (60, 80, and 100 beats per minute) just like before.

Combining Licks in a Tune

Let's combine all the licks we've worked on into a tune called "Florida Groove," named after Jaco Pastorius's home state.

• Practice Together:
  Let's play this together at 60 beats per minute.

1, 2, 3, 4.

Advanced Technique: Popcorn Popper

Next, we'll work on another tune in the style of Tower of Power called "Popcorn Popper." Notice that we'll be playing up to the 17th fret.

Final Tips

• Stretching and Flexibility: Remember to pull back on the fingers while stretching. Avoid forearm curls that can limit flexibility.

Looking Ahead

In our next session, we will finish learning all the notes on a 20-fret bass guitar and explore double-stop chords, inspired by bassists like Roscoe Beck and Chuck Rainey.

See you soon!