Riff bass lines are particularly common rock and R&B styles. A bass riff is a repeated lick-that is, a short, melody-like figure. Walking bass lines are particularly common in jazz, boogie-woogie, and country styles. The steady quarter notes might be embellished with an occasional upbeat anticipation of just a third of a beat, to keep things moving. Beats 2 and be 4 are particularly likely to be points of tension, leading to resolution at beats 3 and beat 1 of the next measure. While beat 1 still usually has the chord root, there is a sense of motion and journeying for the line, as it strings together important tones of a chord progression. Beyond just chord tones, the diatonic scale may be used and supplemented with chromatic passing notes to help facilitate placing the intended target chord tone on the intended beat. When a bass вЂњwalks,вЂќ it plays time using a linear approach, moving primarily in even quarter notes, with a swing feel. Often, the term 'playing time' is used in jazz contexts, as the antithesis of 'stop time' (see below). Again, it tends to match the kick drum rhythms. This approach can take many forms, from repeated notes, to alternating roots and 5s, to walking bass lines.

When a bass player вЂњplays time,вЂќ every beat of the measure is articulated, rather than just playing long-duration notes. For a bass, there is no shame in simplicity. When the bass player pares down and focuses on вЂњmaking the changes,вЂќ they are honing in on the most fundamental level of harmonic outlining-pure backbone stuff. A variation of long-duration notes is to play a pedal point, or one note through various chord changes.ДЄ bass part does not need to be particularly linear or distinctive simply sounding the root at each chord вЂњchangeвЂќ is the core responsibility of the bass player, and thus, the most bassвЂ™s basic and critical function in a groove.

So, in 4/4 meter, usually the bass plays the root on beat 1, and often the root, 5, or octave on beat 3. Most simply, the bass plays steady long-duration notes (whole notes, half notes., etc.), sounding chord tones on the strong beats of a measure, often coinciding with the simple rhythms played by the kick drum. In pretty much any contemporary groove-based style, the bassвЂ™s priority is to вЂњmake the changes,вЂќ or ground the tuneвЂ™s harmonic structure.

Real rock riddim bass cover