jankyjomo
Verified buyer
12/20/25
lessons progress too rapidly
Essentials: Blues Bass
Performance Studies & Analysis for Blues Bass Guitar
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Stu Hamm
Educator
Genres
About this course
Essentials: Blues Bass Grooves
Blues is the basis for all popular music and every working bassist has to have a general knowledge of a variety of blues styles and approaches. In this Blues Bass Grooves edition of Essentials, Stu Hamm shows you how to play bass lines over 10 of the most commonly encountered blues styles to prepare you for whatever song the band leader calls at your local jam.
"We’ll work on shuffles, slow minor-key blues, an up-tempo rockabilly, and even some riff-based British blues-rock grooves. As we work through each of the 10 performance studies, I’ll show you different strategies for fingerings, and when and where to play fills to create a melodic bass line.“
For each of the 10 Blues Bass Performance Studies, Stu will first overview the bass line and blues feel, then perform the bass line over a backing track followed by a breakdown video lesson emphasizing the approaches and techniques in play.
Stu will explain and demonstrate all of the key concepts and approaches along the way. You’ll get standard notation and tabs for each of the performances. Plus, Stu includes all of the backing tracks for you to work with on your own. In addition, you’ll be able to loop or slow down any of the videos so that you can work with the lessons at your own pace.
Grab your bass and let’s play the blues with Stu Hamm!
Blues is the basis for all popular music and every working bassist has to have a general knowledge of a variety of blues styles and approaches. In this Blues Bass Grooves edition of Essentials, Stu Hamm shows you how to play bass lines over 10 of the most commonly encountered blues styles to prepare you for whatever song the band leader calls at your local jam.
"We’ll work on shuffles, slow minor-key blues, an up-tempo rockabilly, and even some riff-based British blues-rock grooves. As we work through each of the 10 performance studies, I’ll show you different strategies for fingerings, and when and where to play fills to create a melodic bass line.“
For each of the 10 Blues Bass Performance Studies, Stu will first overview the bass line and blues feel, then perform the bass line over a backing track followed by a breakdown video lesson emphasizing the approaches and techniques in play.
Stu will explain and demonstrate all of the key concepts and approaches along the way. You’ll get standard notation and tabs for each of the performances. Plus, Stu includes all of the backing tracks for you to work with on your own. In addition, you’ll be able to loop or slow down any of the videos so that you can work with the lessons at your own pace.
Grab your bass and let’s play the blues with Stu Hamm!
What you'll learn
- Play bass lines using both open strings and fully fretted positions
- Navigate chromatic walk-downs in a jazz blues context
- Use chromatic approach notes to telegraph musical changes
- Outline chord changes using arpeggios and scale tones
- Outline major and minor arpeggios in a blues context
Release date: 04/04/2019 • 1h 50m runtime
Sample lessons
Slow Walking Blues
Overview
Slow Walking Blues
Performance
Slow Walking Blues
Breakdown
Jumpin' Jive
Overview
What's included
33 lessons • 10 charts • 9 Jam Tracks
Essentials: Blues Bass
Hi, I'm Stuart Hamm. Welcome to Essentials: Blues Bass!
Blues is the basis for all popular music and every working bassist has to have a general knowledge of a variety of blues styles and approaches. In this edition of Essentials, I'll show you how to play bass lines over 10 commonly used blues styles to prepare you for whatever song the band leader calls at your local jam. We'll work on shuffles, slow minor-key blues, an up-tempo rockabilly, and even some riff based British blues rock grooves.
As we work through each of the 10 performance studies, I'll show you different strategies for fingerings, and when and where to play fills to create a melodic bass line. I'll first perform the bassline over a backing track, and then I'll break it down slowly for you, measure by measure.
Everything is tabbed and notated and you'll have all the backing tracks to work with on your own. You can loop and slow down the videos to work with the lessons at your own pace.
Grab your bass and let's get started!
Blues is the basis for all popular music and every working bassist has to have a general knowledge of a variety of blues styles and approaches. In this edition of Essentials, I'll show you how to play bass lines over 10 commonly used blues styles to prepare you for whatever song the band leader calls at your local jam. We'll work on shuffles, slow minor-key blues, an up-tempo rockabilly, and even some riff based British blues rock grooves.
As we work through each of the 10 performance studies, I'll show you different strategies for fingerings, and when and where to play fills to create a melodic bass line. I'll first perform the bassline over a backing track, and then I'll break it down slowly for you, measure by measure.
Everything is tabbed and notated and you'll have all the backing tracks to work with on your own. You can loop and slow down the videos to work with the lessons at your own pace.
Grab your bass and let's get started!
"Bassic" Blues Form
Let's start with the most basic blues from in the key of A. I'll teach you what the phrase "1-4-5" means and show you some different fingers for this simple blues pattern!
"Bassic" Blues Form
When you're playing this song, remember to let the notes ring out as long as possible...pay attention to the TONE! Remember, it's MUSIC and the most important thing is for it to SOUND GOOD!
"Bassic" Blues Form
When you're using the open note fingering, you're going to have to find a way to keep the other strings from sounding. This will be a little easier in the second half when you're fretting the notes.
Walking Blues
Using the same backing track as the first example, we're going to not only play the root notes of the chords, but also add other chord tones to outline the chords being played and create basslines with more motion.
Walking Blues
See how easy this can be? You use the same fingering starting on the open A, D and low E strings to play this recognizable blues bassline. Then with a slight variation, starting on a fretted note, you can now play a blues in any key!
Walking Blues
One trick that will help you in learning these hand positions that outline the chords is to really stretch your hand and fingers out, and to think ahead to the next notes that you will be playing.
+ 26 more lessons
Reviews
10 results
coffell
Verified buyer
12/14/25
It's ok
macis
Verified buyer
07/09/23
A great course from Stu
I have completed Stu's basic course and are working through the 2nd one. I bought this for further learning and look forward to start it when I have completed the 2nd, It looks a great course and I really like Stu's teaching style.
Badabim65
Verified buyer
08/26/21
Great teacher!
The learning curve is progressive, all info is clear and fun, Stu is the coolest cat!
gregdeB
Verified buyer
08/02/20
Essentials: Blues Bass
As Always, Stu proves to be the consummate educator and Musician. He quickly gets to the heart of the material and effortlessly imparts that to the student. I believe that both Bass players and Guitar players can really benefit from this course.
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