Free online courseMusic theory for Bass Guitar

Course Description

If you're a bass guitarist looking to deepen your understanding of music theory, the "Music Theory for Bass Guitar" course stands as an indispensable resource. Spanning a comprehensive duration of 15 hours and 35 minutes, this detailed program delves deep into the critical theoretical concepts every serious bassist should grasp.

Belonging to the category of Instruments and Vocal, and more specifically to the subcategory of Bass, this course covers an extensive range of subjects tailored to the needs of bassists seeking a robust theoretical foundation.

The journey begins with an in-depth exploration of intervals, with content segmented into three parts to ensure thorough comprehension. As the course progresses, you'll uncover the mysteries of scale degrees, key signatures, and both major and minor scales. Understanding these building blocks is crucial, as they underpin many of the more complex topics you will encounter later in the curriculum.

Emphasizing practical application, the course immerses you in the fascinating world of chord arpeggios for bass. From cool ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth chords to the intricacies of jazz altered chord arpeggios, you'll build a versatile chordal vocabulary. The course also provides unique insights into added sixths, suspended, and slash chords, ensuring you can navigate complex harmonic landscapes with confidence.

As you continue, you'll delve into the harmonies present in major and minor keys, along with a thorough examination of harmonic minor scales and chromatic scales. The topic of chord construction is demystified, covering minor, augmented, diminished, and seventh chords, arming you with the tools necessary to craft compelling bass lines.

The course's progression includes an exploration of major scale modes and their deeper extensions, ensuring a nuanced understanding of modal playing. Chord tones are dissected alongside scales and chromatics, offering both theoretical knowledge and practical exercises to enhance your technique.

Interspersed throughout are engaging lessons aimed at specific skill-building. You'll learn to play killer funky riffs, master triad arpeggios, and tackle exercises designed to challenge your assumptions and proficiency. Notably, topics such as secondary dominant chords, interval recognition, and arpeggio mastery are treated with a keen focus on practical application.

Live sessions on harmony essentials, practical exercises, and special topics like the cycle of fourths and minor scales, lend an interactive dimension to the program. Specialist discussions, including concepts like tritone substitutions and the intricacies of chord voicing, add advanced layers to your theoretical understanding.

Finally, the course doesn’t shy away from challenging prevailing theories, offering fresh perspectives on topics like the existence of 30 keys in music, and insights into teachings from renowned bassists such as Victor Wooten. For any bass player committed to mastering the instrument's theoretical aspects, this course proves indispensable, blending rigorous academic content with practical, real-world applications.