Using triads to embellish your bass lines

By Jon Liebman
August 1, 2024

Has this ever happened to you?

You’re given a chord chart. You do your best to come up with a bass line that sounds good and feels good. Problem is, you’re not sure quite what to do. So you stumble along, playing the roots, and maybe a little more.

Sometimes, that’s all you need to do to serve the song. Other times, the music needs more from the bass player — you.

In this 2-part lesson, you’ll learn to understand the basics of chord structure and how you can use that knowledge to come up with your own bass lines that not only help the song, but are a lot more interesting than just playing the roots. 

Having a general grasp of basic harmony will take you a long way toward becoming a better bass player. You’ll make everyone happier too, including yourself.

Watch this week’s video and give some of my ideas a try. Be sure to leave a comment and share your experience. I’d love to know your take.

Let’s play bass!

Jon