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
As usual Jon, a great lesson. When I switched from guitar to bass, way back when, this was the route I took. Can’t go wrong with roots or roots and fifths. Colin
Thanks, Colin!
What if I want that for a background already pre-recorded? Like a worship music pad? Is there a way I could get those? Currently our bass player can’t play and we don’t have a backup.
Hey, Keren. A lot of our members are in a similar situation. My backing tracks library is very popular. You can check it out here. Hit me up here if you have any more questions. Thanks for asking!