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Fingerstyle Basics Alternating Bass by Lessons - Guitar
Fingerstyle Basics Alternating Bass
Tuning: D A D G B E
Key: D
CHORDS
The techniques described in this lesson are for guitarists who have a knowledge of triads, inversions, and
their varrying position on the fret-board. the techniques described are common in the Blues(country/acoustic)
and Folk idioms. Once mastered, these techniques promote and facilitate musicality that far surpases that of
simply strumming "Cowboy chords"...
Start by tuning the 6th (E/lowest string) down a whole step to D. To test that you've done this corrctly, fret
the 7th fret on the E/D(lowest) string and strike the A/5th string(2nd to lowest). If both pitches sound the
same (unison), you have succesfully tuned the low E string to D. Another way to check this for more advanced
guitarists would be to strick the natural harmonic at the 12th fret of your low E string and then strike the
4th (D) string and adjust the pitch acordingly.
[Alternating Bass]
1 e @ a 2 e @ a 3 e @ a 4 e @ a 1 e @ a 2 e @ a 3 e @ a 4 e @ a 1 e @ a 2...
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0--|
Using the thumb of the right hand, pluck the open 6th (low D) and open 4th (higher d) strings on the beat
(1 2 3 4)and the "and" of the beat (@ @ @ @). The 6th string should sound on the beat, and the 4th string
should sound on the "and" creating an 8th note (1 @ 2 @ 3 @ 4) pattern that alternates between the two D
notes. By mastering the ability to play this pattern with only the thumb, you enable yourself to play
independent melody lines and chords with the pointer (1st), middle (2nd), and ring (3rd) fingers while
acompanying said melodies/chord progessions with a bass line. Once you've mastered the alternating bass, move
on to using just the thumb to play other aimple bass patterns...
1 e @ a 2 e @ a 3 e @ a 4 e @ a 1 e @ a 2 e @ a 3 e @ a 4 e @ a 1 e @ a 2...
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|0------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0---|
1 e @ a 2 e @ a 3 e @ a 4 e @ a 1 e @ a 2 e @ a 3 e @ a 4 e @ a 1 e @ a 2...
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|--------0-----------0-------0-----------0-----------0-------0-----------0--|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|0---0-------0---0-------0-------0---0-------0---0-------0-------0---0------|
1 e @ a 2 e @ a 3 e @ a 4 e @ a 1 e @ a 2 e @ a 3 e @ a 4 e @ a 1 e @ a 2...
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0------|
A|--------0---------------0---------------0---------------0---------------0--|
D|0---------------0---------------0---------------0---------------0----------|
1 e @ a 2 e @ a 3 e @ a 4 e @ a 1 e @ a 2 e @ a 3 e @ a 4 e @ a 1 e @ a 2...
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|----0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0------|
D|0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0--|
Once the ability to play different patterns using only the thumb has been developed,practice altering your
bass lines by mixing patterns and adding different notes periodically...
1 e @ a 2 e @ a 3 e @ a 4 e @ a 1 e @ a 2 e @ a 3 e @ a 4 e @ a 1 e @ a 2...
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|------------------------------------0-------0-------0-------0--------------|
A|----------------------------------------3p0-------------3b-----------------|
D|0-------0-------0-------0-------0---------------0---------------3b------0--|
Once playing bass notes with the right thumb has become natural and can be sustained while playing in time,
progess to utilizing the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd fingers to play the 1st (high e), 2nd (b), and 3rd (g) strings.
Start by using all 3 at the same time to play a D chord on beat 1.
D major & minor
e|---2--- --1--
B|---3--- --3--
G|---2--- --2--
D|---0--- --0--
A|---0--- --0--
D|---0--- --0--
1 e @ a 2 e @ a 3 e @ a 4 e @ a 1 e @ a 2 e @ a 3 e @ a 4 e @ a 1 e @ a 2...
e|2-------------------------------2-------------------------------2----------|
B|3-------------------------------3-------------------------------3----------|
G|2-------------------------------2-------------------------------2----------|
D|----0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0--|
Practice all of this until it becomes natural and easy play in time before progressing to the next lesson.
| p Pull-off
| b Bend
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