Jamerson's Stupidly Simple Exercise (for Killer Bass Lines)
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- Опубліковано 17 лис 2023
- 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/jamerson
James Jamerson used THIS exercise as a cheat code to create hit after hit bass line - lemme show you how to use it to write your own bangin’ bass lines in ANY style of music.
Free PDF with the exercise in every key - www.bassbuzz.com/go/jamerson-...
Bonus video with full exercise playthrough - • Jamerson's Stupidly Si...
Learn more about roots and fifths - • Bass Lines *Any Style*...
YOU have heard James Jamerson whether you know it or not - he was a legendary bassist who played on nearly every Motown record, and influenced every modern electric bassist who came later, from Paul McCartney to Robert DeLeo to Geddy Lee.
But Jamerson wasn’t flying blind - he developed an exercise to help him practice his “chromatic approach to bass playing”.
In this lesson, I’ll explain what the hell that means, and the three critical ingredients you need to take this from plain old finger workout to being a cheat code for legit bass lines in any style. You’ll learn how to:
- Make roots and fifths non-boring
- Use notes outside of the scale without creating chaos and destruction
- Play rhythms that sound more funky
- Identify which songs Jamerson played drunk
You read all the way through this video description… you must really like bass lessons. Subscribe so you don’t miss the next one - yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe
#JamesJamerson #BassBuzz
What’s your favorite James Jamerson bass line?
I can’t get enough of “For Once in My Life,” plus trying to play it with one finger like Jamerson did is an insane speed workout.
That one and "Darling Dear" by The Jackson 5.
There are so many, I like You Can't Hurry Love.
Signed sealed delivered. Wait a minute. Did Bob Babbitt play this track !!
Nothing like the real thing
They're all great! I like Gladys Knight's "Heard it through the Grapevine"
Ain't no Mountain High Enough (Diana Ross's version) and What's Going On.
Good lesson! I’d just add one thing. I was actually the touring bassist for The Miracles for some time and actually had Jamerson’s old chair. All of us old timer jazz bassists understood we have the entire chromatic scale available to us at any time over any chord used correctly. But what separated Jamerson indeed was his ability to intertwine his bass line with the melody. His musicality was off the charts. He was also blessed to have drummers like Benny Benjamin and Uriel Jones who gave him the space to play busier bass lines.
Thank you so much for this insight! And that's an important point about the drummers I hadn't considered.
You should have your own channel
This is awesome and gives me some ideas for writing some new material. Thank you!
Thanks for this!
I can so identify. My band leaders have given me such goofy face when I quietly tell them their favorite drummer is really not all that. It has only recently come to me how to work 'around' a drifting or tempo challenged drummer. I used to just ignore them and focus on my lead looking to support them and completely ignore the folly of the guy with the sticks. Now, I also consider what my wildman friend is doing to his skins while supporting my lead. I once, in my early career, had the pleasure of working with a former Motown drummer in the twilight of his career. He'd layback when I was pushing it and lead on when I was laying back. We had such harmony in our delivery of the rhythms. It was at my beginning and gave me such a great send-off into my musical venture....Thanks Ricky.
The amount of work put into one video is so admirable. If only five people care, count me in. Thank you
I'm in. this is great
Actually, he said 5 people, and then 20%... So that one person, my friend, is you!
I'm a carer too 😂
Awesome video and part of what makes it so great is your charm and humor. Keep it up.
nice backhand you did there lol
No matter what key he was playing in, Jamerson always managed to play open strings, most often in the fills. Ya gotta admire that!
He was a double bass player before using electric bass, I think that's where it came from
Bass teacher in college was adamant about being comfortable doing this instead of just getting stuck in boxed positions.
If you look at the Ron Carter approach to double bass you will see how he uses open strings in scale positions way up the neck, when they aren't at all necessary. It's a good little hack as it's a way to keep your intonation in check relative to the open strings.
I'm certain Jameson had a similar approach.
That's the one reason why I started playing motown songs, I needed to learn how to use open strings which was hard for me to learn when playing that type of music...
I'm self-taught and use open strings as much as possible...before I'd heard of Mr. Jamerson. I'm a native Detroiter and grew up on Motown so I'm sure it leaked into my style. Thanks, Mr. J!
One of the best teachers I've had the good fortune and pleasure to learn from in my lifetime. I recommend you to guitarists, pianists, and anyone interested in creating music. You've got a real talent for explaining concepts in such a way that the information isn't dumbed down or truncated, while making it easily understood by someone without prior musical knowledge or very little. What's more, you educate without an ego, being condescending, and root your lessons by putting everything in context and if needed exposition; while still being entertaining and compelling.
Respect 👊🏼
Thanks dude!
Also the cuts and links are very slick. This stuff takes time to get right, so hope OP realises other educators can see the work that's been put in - esp as so few others bother.
The "Hook" comes from the fact he played with One finger from his upright bass days. Dude was a BEAST.
And never changed strings.....
@@jasfan8247 lol why in the world would you ever change your strings if you don’t play w a pick. I’m 51 and I think I’ve bought maybe five sets of bass strings lmao
@@shanetrimble5179Haha, that's a lot! Sometimes cooking the strings is worth it instead of new after the trouble of taking off.
@@jasfan8247 I have never cooked any ever. I just play them and never change them lol
Next time leave "the fact" out. "Came from his past playing of upright bass". 🙏🏾
This content is great. I picked up a good amount of this approach over the years learning stuff from RatM, STP, Zeppelin, Cream, Beatles, Rush and probably more than a few of songs the man himself played. I appreciate getting the history and concept and not just an exercise. After 17 years playing, a lot of covers learned and gigs played it’s a joy to be able to open up YT and have new ways to think about music handed to me
Josh is always providing killer content! I'm waiting on the intermediate level for his course! That would be amazing
Josh, Gotta say you’re by far the best bass instructor on UA-cam. Informative, entertaining, humorous, great production, and most importantly, to the point and without any blathering. I look forward to all your videos, but I’m saving this one at the top of my bass favorites. Keep up the good work.
“For once in my life” is a symphony in itself from the absolute biggest influence to my playing. Well done for choosing it and recognising the pure genius of it. Subbed!
I've always been amazed by Jamerson's playing. Thanks for breaking down his formula!
Drawing a line between Jamerson's stuff and Plush is helping me understand my taste better than I did previously. Thanks for wrinkling my brain.
I have to thank you, Josh, for MAKING IT FUN and so much more.
Your friendliness and camaraderie inspire trust, and the little “CUT to HUMOR” breaks for just long enough after a moment of deep information are exactly what a brain needs in order to stay alert, (not glaze over in overwhelm), REST a moment, REFRESH and properly absorb that information. Superlearning, optimally paced, moving right along and leaving one brightened and encouraged with an appetite for more.
I have only once or twice experienced a teacher like you. Perfect content, but most important of all, perfect delivery. Five stars, subscribed, liked and looking forward to more.
Again, my deepest thanks for your thoughtful, diligent work.
I'm obsessed with Jamerson! What a genius. It's amazing he only used "the hook", index finger, most of the time. Your videos are outstanding. Your teaching style rocks, man. Seriously. Thanks for including the charts for the exercise.
Thank you for this lesson. I am a beginner bass player and found this very useful. In fact, the majority of my recent bass lessons are from your videos. I appreciate the fact that you do not bombard your site with contents just for the sake of content.
You are an amazing teacher! I love how you explain everything with help from simple props, effects and edits!! It really helps me focus and understand
Thank you for paying homage to Jamie Jamerson! He had the perfect blend of feel/instinct and melody. I grew up with the Motown sound on the radio as a kid, and even after different journeys with different bands, I always come back to Jamie's Bass lines... Truly a Master. Thank you for explaining and elucidation.
Jamerson was a GENIUS who transferred his prowess on upright bass and changed the way the electric bass was played, recorded, and mixed, and is EASILY one of the most influential and legendary bassists in history!!! Thank you for another great and informative video!!!
Josh man I wish I had your vids when I started to play bass 30 years ago. You are a Godsend for all new bass players. Great job
I just wanted to say thanks for all these lessons and for giving us materials in a pdf format as well. Your comedic and sincere approach makes these vids fun, resourceful and very entertaining. I have been playing for years, but I am still always learning something from watching you. Thanks again!
James was the man! Loved his use of open string notes in his runs. Great lesson!!!
Man josh helped me so much trhough these 2 years ive progressed so far, started from not being able to play the first lesson video to playing anesthesia note for note live on stage at a year and a half of playing, no i didnt buy the beginner to badass course the youtube vids are just so good, im now in a band composing my own music and ive already played a bass session for a kinda atmospheric trap kinda single, man music is so fun
Thanks for all the great videos Josh! I really appreciate everything you've done to help my bass progress in rhe past year. From the B2B course and all your youtube videos (including your older stuff on your other channel), it's really made me take off and start on the right foot 😀
Looking forward to this, I love BassBuzz so much we’re so lucky to have so great teachers like this and talking bass ❤️❤️❤️
Josh, your videos are among my favourite instructional videos on YT. I love what you are doing. Keep up the great work!
Thanks so much for this! I knew about the chromatic walking to root, but now adding in the 5th and your excellent graphic showing how 1, 5, and 1 really dominate and create the framework, I'm pretty sure I can learn to do this and play around all the chord progressions, eventually.
thank you for your caring attention to detail and the free content! 🙏🏾
Welcome back Josh! I picked up your online courses start of the pandemic back in 2020 and thanks to you I found my passion playing bass and it has become one of my fav hobbies. Please keep the videos coming!@
This is one of the best bass lessons I've ever come across. It's a lot to digest, but thorough and well explained.
Your videos have taken me from being a complete beginner without being able to pluck properly to someone who can play and write his own basslines in 2 month. I am currently working on keeping locked in with the drummer, learning the fret notes and working on this exercise now aswell. Thank you. Without you I would be nothing. (sounds like a line from a romance but... Maybe it is)
How.... I've been UA-cam learning for years and I still feel like I'm stuck a step one...
@@HCivicFg2 I started with the basics. Making sure that I understand the instrument (not learning songs, instead learning techniques and theory) and then tried to write basic basslines. I then studied formulas and the such. I will reccomend you deliberately learn with a structure "today I will find videos that help me learn a funk formula - I will then write my own song using this funk formula" and so on. For example if you practice 3 times a week find a 5 minute practice routine video (watch a few and make your own) and then use that. UA-cam learning is not easy but I think you need to make it your own.
@@HCivicFg2 start with basics. Josh has a few good ordered beginner lessons. Then think "what I want to learn today". Don't forget to learn theory. Theory is important - learn your scales and how songs fit into scales - learn many different scales - the bluestone bass man is good for this- and then just practice
I like your teaching but you talk too much in your videos
@@richmondoffei4689 ??
This was amazing, Josh. Jamerson was incredible (probably my favorite bass player), but even so, he, like most great musicians I know or know of, clearly had his own sort of personal bag of tricks that he would rely on again and gain. Thanks for putting the spotlight on some of these things.
I just started guitar last year and have now picked up a bass and am so in love. Thank you for all your hard work and generosity. ❤❤❤❤❤❤
Your lessons are so well thought out and presented! This is massively helpful! Thank you!
This information is great and all (more than appreciated), but can we appreciate the work that went into this video’s editing? The presentation is so satisfying.
Killer video! “You’re all I need to get by” was my first Jamerson bass line that I learned. Good use of open strings and syncopation. My favorite bass line has to be “what’s going on”. Thanks Josh
Really high quality video man. Great to see how far youve come from the early days!
Some of his ol drummers probably talked about his style. What a legendary Bass player whose time unfortunately was cut short.
Ty great lesson ❤
This is fantastic Josh, wonderful of you to breakdown and share, thank you!
My bass journey with Josh has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life - and I've lived a pretty exciting life :)
I know Syncopation from my drum exercises. But all the stuff you just have said in this video covers my latest bass lessons, it is all so clear now. Thanks!
🙏 Thank you Josh! I'm so happy you provided this etude in 12 keys! Just last night I was scouring the interweb for bass etudes. This one looks great!
God Bless You Josh ! You give soo much and make it seem easy !!
One of the best video lesson i ever seen in my life. Thank you.
I must listen to Jamerson every week. He’s awesome.
You did it again. Great lesson. Thank you!
You really nailed it on this one Josh, thank you.
Another great video. Thanks so much for your time and knowledge.
I am self taught and I never could get my head around what I called the "Jamerson Funk" I had most of the ingredients but you put it all together in a way I can grasp. The exercise is worth its weight in funk. Thanks brother man.
Josh, thank you very much for the PDF ❤
I am a singer who just so happens to play the piano and I was looking to tighten up my soul, funk bass hand on the keys and I’m starting bass soon. This is perfect thanks your vids are doing good in the world.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR JAMERSON STYLE VIDEO!!!!
Great video. Covers the important elements of Jamerson’s work
just realized what a bless your videos are to my playing. wtf! thanks! and you don't even want my email for the pdfs. I love you
Probably one of the most useful and informative tutorials out there. Also very entertaining as always. Great hair by the way.
Excellent video as always!!! Let me add my voice to the many asking you to release a follow up new bass course to your great Beginner to Badass course!!!
Excelente: bien explicado y divertido. Un James Jamerson Básico para que lo entienda todo el mundo.
Amazing lesson. Thank you!
Love these type of videos, I learn so much from them! Thanks
Wow, so much fantastic, applicable content! This is like a one-video masterclass … thank you, thank you!
great content & thank you for the PDF too
I bought the Standing In The Shadows Of MoTown book because of this vid and it's a great addition to my extensive guitar/bass music book collection. There's not one transposition in *TAB* but that just forces us to not be lazy! I love it!
Great video as always! Thank you for the PDFs they are really being useful to practise! And hoping for some black friday deals on Beginner to Badass!
Not only is this content great, but it’s so entertaining.
Your videos are well crafted. Really enjoy the deep dives.
I'm glad to finally have a name for my playing style. Lots of my bass influences come from Jazz and Ska, I love walking the bass. I didn't know he was the inventory of the style. That's awesome!
Excellent lesson keep up the good work. Much appreciated 👌
Good list. Anyone of the 17 could be (and should be) a full lesson, but as you present it, it's a great reality check.
that was very helpful...pulled a lot together for me...thank you
It did take some effort to become fluid with this exercise at tempo and through all the keys *AS WRITTEN* but wow - it has integrated into my playing pretty much immediately! I find myself using this chromatic approach in almost all my lines now, one way or another, subtle to inyoface - and turning stuff I've been doing for years into newly-KILLER BASS LINES, as advertised. Bravo!!
Well done! Lots of great information in this video.
Thank you for doing all 12 keys in the way you think Jameson would. Epic video mate. Keep up the awesome work
Awesome! Love the way you show how to apply the stuff in music. Not just technique. Great teaching.
First helpful video I've seen on Jamerson's work and his influences! Good sense of humor and it hardly gets in the way. Thank you! [Yes, I've read the book - gave it to my son, a bass player (I play guitar) back when the book came with two cassettes - no doubt it comes with a CD now. Great book!]
My favourite has got to be What's Going On... It's so intrinsic to the song, owns it without getting in the way... it's just beautiful, thank you James!
I was about to go to sleep and your great video woke me up and make me take notice.
This was really great! Thanks for making this.
Absolutely amazing video, thank you so much!
SUPER info, Bro! I appreciate this WAY beyond words! TY, TY, TY!!! I have been in love with these Motown bass lines for my ENTIRE life! Mr. Jamerson’s bass lines are extremely catchy & leave you no choice but to be captivated by them as they PUSH the song along and give the listener such a sense of satisfaction with every resolve! They are a quintessential part of the rhythm section without being the least bit overbearing & are no doubt a HUGE contribution to making all these songs timeless, classic, SMASH Hits!!! TY again!!! :-)
I am the ____ % 59 year old bassist who has been playing since I was 14 who really appreciates this video and the effort you put into making the pdf available.
This validates so much of my own approach to playing that I did not know the technical terms for.
You’re an amazing teacher. You’re hilarious. Thank you 😂 I love the inner dialogue spoken out loud, Josh! 🥰 bonus video with 12 keys thank you 🙏
Unapologetic Professional Jamerson Copycat here. Thank you SO MUCH all of this! 10/10 fricheks
First time I’ve seen your videos. And now subbed. Great content.
Fantastic and insightful lesson!
Nice little production. Thanks.
Keep up the work bro!!
I Was Made To Love Her - Stevie Wonder
This is the video I have been waiting for you to make... thanks so much!
Random video on my timeline yet i watched the full 17 hours and 72 seconds of it!
I got thrown into playing bass waay back in the 1900’s when we were covering some Ska like The Specials.
Easy to fall into that groove and so fun. Never heard of Jameson, but i’m feeling that i got his influence indirectly now. 🤙
this lesson should be compulsory viewing for any aspiring bassist. Thank you.
Great vid & lesson. Jamerson is still probably the most 'musical' pop music bassist ever. You can get more technical but you can't get any more dead-on groovy.
“For once in my Life” might be my favorite as well. Fantastic record, but when I think of it, I always think of the bass part first. “Darling Dear” is great, too, and so many others.
This was actually the first thing I ever figured out on my own starting out. I got a cheap teach yourself bass book with my first bass. The first thing was a major scale and I was messing around and just sort of found this. I immediately knew the bass was my instrument.
Great video, very clear ! Thanks a lot - Merci beaucoup
Thank you Brother for the Inspiration. Cheers
This is an incredibly helpful video, thank you so much. Also my first video of yours.
you're so fantastic for this. Thank You!
Fascinating and informative.
Nice video.
I might be preaching to the choir, and full disclosure. I am someone who was born with two left ears, but that all changed last year when I bought a piano. I quit learning seventh chords and jazz improv cuz I suck, and haven't learned my triads. I'm studying a lot of baroque, and they use figured bass...which seems to be in your wheelhouse. And James seems to have tapped into something old, that has worked for centuries.
My left hand applauds this video, leaving my right hand free to hit the like button.
Ok this blows my mind. Jameson wrote all these bass lines using power chords.
Fine production, pace and humor. Five Stars ☆☆☆☆☆
This is such a great video. I haven’t played since my son was born, 12 years ago ha ha it’s things like this video that want me to really pick up the bass again.
What a great sense of humor! And lesson.