Discover how easy it is to create powerful bass lines with just one note

Jon Liebman
August 28, 2025

Ever feel like you’ve got to play a lot of notes in order to play a real bass line?
Truth is, you can sound surprisingly powerful with just one note.

In this week’s Essence of Groove video, I’ll show you how to take a single pitch and make it work in all kinds of different feels — rock, shuffle, reggae, funk… or whatever your favorite style is. See how each groove totally transforms the line, even though the note never changes.

And here’s the best part: you can take the same approach all the way through a song. Just play the roots of the chords, and it’ll sound like real music. No tricks, no clutter — just strong, feel-good bass lines.

But here’s the thing…
It’s not about how many notes you play. It’s about the groove you put into them.

Watch the video, then leave a comment below with your takeaways.

Let’s play bass!
—Jon