Constant Bass Style

Lesson 4/71 | Study Time: 5 Min

Course: Beginner Fingerpicking Guitar

Constant Bass Style

In Blues fingerpicking, bass notes are often repeated on each beat. This is called a constant bass line. The easiest key to apply this style to is the key of A, because the root bass note of each of the three primary chords in the key of A (A, D and E) can be played as an open string.

Now try applying the constant bass notes above to a 12 bar Blues progression.

A Minor Pentatonic Scale
(Open Position)

A Blues Scale
(Open Position)

The constant bass line is used in conjunction with notes from the following A scales.

The next example combines the constant bass line whilst ascending and descending the Blues scale shown above. The recommended fingering should only be used as a guide.

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Class Sessions

1- INTRODUCTION 2- Sharps and Flats 3- Three Four Time Signature 4- Picking Notes Together 5- More About Major Scales 6- The Major Scale 7- Scale Tone Chords 8- Fingerpicking Pattern 1 9- Fingerpicking Pattern 5 10- Minor Keys and Scales 11- LESSON TWELVE 12- Chords 13- Simple and Compound Time 14- Add Nine Chords 15- Fingerpicking 16- Right Thumb and Fingers Together 17- The Hammer-On 18- Blues Fingerpicking 19- The Shuffle Bass 20- Slash Chords 21- Adding Scale Tones to Chords 22- Natural Minor Scale 23- Clawhammer Style 24- Major Key Chord Pattern 25- The Pull-Off 26- Keys and Key Signatures 27- Twelve Bar Blues Progression 28- Adding Extra Bass Notes 29- Using the Compact Discs 30- Right Hand Finger Names 31- C Major Scale in Open Position 32- Alternating Bass Notes 33- The Chromatic Scale 34- C Major Chord 35- Picking with Your Right Hand Fingers 36- The Harmonic Minor Scale 37- Chord Chart 38- Fingering Numbers in Traditional Notation 39- Dropped D Tuning 40- Constant Bass Style 41- Transposing 42- Electronic Tuning 43- Putting it All Together 44- Sharp Key Signatures 45- Key of C Major 46- Bass Runs 47- The Slide 48- Harmonic Minor Scale Tone Chords 49- Tuning Your Guitar 50- Moveable Chord Shapes 51- Picking with Your Thumb 52- Fingerpicking Accompaniment 53- Flat Key Signatures 54- The Melodic Minor Scale 55- Primary Chords 56- Arpeggios 57- Melodic Minor Scale Tone Chords 58- Constant Bass and Melody 59- Harmonizing Melodies 60- Acoustic Guitars 61- Chord Progressions 62- Minor Key Scale Tone Triads 63- Strings 64- Common Progressions 65- Minor Arpeggios 66- Augmented and Diminished Chords 67- How to Read Music 68- Chord Diagrams 69- Music Notation 70- Note and Rest Values 71- Practice Position

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Constant Bass Style