james027
Verified buyer
07/05/25
one of the unique course out there. learn how to play busy while still maintaining the groove. learn ways how to play increase the intensity as the song progress.
Progressive Bass Playbook
Improvising Basslines And Fills To Support Soloists
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About this course
When supporting a soloist, bass players have the very challenging responsibility of staying locked into the rhythm section, while also improvising basslines and fills to give the soloist ample creative freedom to take their solo wherever they wish.
In Kurt Morgan’s Progressive Bass Playbook, you’ll learn key techniques and a wide palette of rhythmic, harmonic and melodic devices for supporting a soloist and adapting to wherever the music takes you.
We can’t imagine anyone better suited than Kurt to pass on these essential skills to you. Kurt has played with a “who’s who” list of top artists ranging from jazz legend Clark Terry to Hilary Duff to Tom Morello. Over the past 10 years, he’s also played bass for Dweezil Zappa, performing the music of his legendary father, Frank Zappa whose music contains intricately composed instrumental sections, along with extended improvised solos.
“It’s important to know your role as a bass player — and to understand how that role changes in different musical settings,” says Kurt. “The idea of my Playbook is to give you a collection of ideas for improvising parts in a big range of musical situations.”
When other musicians are soloing, we have to improvise our bass-lines and fills to support the soloist, while staying locked in with the rhythm section to maintain the groove.
I’ve designed this curriculum to cover a variety of musical situations, styles, tempos and harmonies. We’ll work on driving the downbeats on a blues, swinging a slow 3/4 waltz, attitude and attack on a rock vamp, finding the foundation on a progressive funk in 7/4, a rock-funk-fusion groove in 11/8, and we’ll examine how we blur the lines between solo and support in a power trio setting.”
You’ll have all of TrueFire’s advanced learning tools at your finger tips to personalize your workspace and learn at your own pace. All of the tab and notation is synced to the video lessons. You can loop or slow down any section, and you’ll have all of the backing tracks to work with on your own.
Grab your bass, and let’s dig in with Kurt Morgan!
In Kurt Morgan’s Progressive Bass Playbook, you’ll learn key techniques and a wide palette of rhythmic, harmonic and melodic devices for supporting a soloist and adapting to wherever the music takes you.
We can’t imagine anyone better suited than Kurt to pass on these essential skills to you. Kurt has played with a “who’s who” list of top artists ranging from jazz legend Clark Terry to Hilary Duff to Tom Morello. Over the past 10 years, he’s also played bass for Dweezil Zappa, performing the music of his legendary father, Frank Zappa whose music contains intricately composed instrumental sections, along with extended improvised solos.
“It’s important to know your role as a bass player — and to understand how that role changes in different musical settings,” says Kurt. “The idea of my Playbook is to give you a collection of ideas for improvising parts in a big range of musical situations.”
When other musicians are soloing, we have to improvise our bass-lines and fills to support the soloist, while staying locked in with the rhythm section to maintain the groove.
I’ve designed this curriculum to cover a variety of musical situations, styles, tempos and harmonies. We’ll work on driving the downbeats on a blues, swinging a slow 3/4 waltz, attitude and attack on a rock vamp, finding the foundation on a progressive funk in 7/4, a rock-funk-fusion groove in 11/8, and we’ll examine how we blur the lines between solo and support in a power trio setting.”
You’ll have all of TrueFire’s advanced learning tools at your finger tips to personalize your workspace and learn at your own pace. All of the tab and notation is synced to the video lessons. You can loop or slow down any section, and you’ll have all of the backing tracks to work with on your own.
Grab your bass, and let’s dig in with Kurt Morgan!
What you'll learn
- Apply E Dorian scale in improvisation context
- Integrate open strings for simplicity in complex time signatures
- Play and improvise in 11/8 time signature
- Use repetition to build compelling musical phrases
- Develop conversational phrasing in solos
Release date: 12/20/2022 • 3h 19m runtime
Sample lessons
Space Junk Blues
Overview
The Feel & The Form
Demonstration
Chords & Scales
Demonstration
Musical Approach & Dynamics
Demonstration
What's included
39 lessons • 21 charts • 13 Jam Tracks
Progressive Bass Playbook
Hey I’m Kurt Morgan. Over the past 10 years, I’ve played bass for Dweezil Zappa, performing the music of his legendary father, Frank Zappa.
Frank’s music contains intricately composed instrumental sections along with extended improvised solos.
When other musicians are soloing, I have to improvise my bass-lines and fills to support the soloist, while staying locked in with the rhythm section to maintain the groove.
In this course, we’ll play through a collection of musical examples, each covering a unique musical situation that varies in style, tempo, and harmony.
I’ll share a palette of rhythmic, harmonic and melodic devices that will help you improvise your own basslines and fills in similar musical situations.
Grab your bass, and let’s go!
Frank’s music contains intricately composed instrumental sections along with extended improvised solos.
When other musicians are soloing, I have to improvise my bass-lines and fills to support the soloist, while staying locked in with the rhythm section to maintain the groove.
In this course, we’ll play through a collection of musical examples, each covering a unique musical situation that varies in style, tempo, and harmony.
I’ll share a palette of rhythmic, harmonic and melodic devices that will help you improvise your own basslines and fills in similar musical situations.
Grab your bass, and let’s go!
Space Junk Blues
In this lesson series segment we're going to be tackling blues on a track I like to call Space Junk Blues. We'll start things of working on the feel and form of the style and then we'll get into the chords and scales of it all. Next, we'll talk about the musical approach of the dynamics of the tune following up with a performance and a detailed breakdown. Let's dive in!
The Feel & The Form
In this lesson series segment we're going to be tackling blues on a track I like to call Space Junk Blues. We'll start things of working on the feel and form of the style and then we'll get into the chords and scales of it all. Next, we'll talk about the musical approach of the dynamics of the tune following up with a performance and a detailed breakdown. Let's dive in!
Chords & Scales
In this lesson series segment we're going to be tackling blues on a track I like to call Space Junk Blues. We'll start things of working on the feel and form of the style and then we'll get into the chords and scales of it all. Next, we'll talk about the musical approach of the dynamics of the tune following up with a performance and a detailed breakdown. Let's dive in!
Musical Approach & Dynamics
In this lesson series segment we're going to be tackling blues on a track I like to call Space Junk Blues. We'll start things of working on the feel and form of the style and then we'll get into the chords and scales of it all. Next, we'll talk about the musical approach of the dynamics of the tune following up with a performance and a detailed breakdown. Let's dive in!
Space Junk Blues
In this lesson series segment we're going to be tackling blues on a track I like to call Space Junk Blues. We'll start things of working on the feel and form of the style and then we'll get into the chords and scales of it all. Next, we'll talk about the musical approach of the dynamics of the tune following up with a performance and a detailed breakdown. Let's dive in!
Space Junk Blues
In this lesson series segment we're going to be tackling blues on a track I like to call Space Junk Blues. We'll start things of working on the feel and form of the style and then we'll get into the chords and scales of it all. Next, we'll talk about the musical approach of the dynamics of the tune following up with a performance and a detailed breakdown. Let's dive in!
+ 32 more lessons
Reviews
4 results
drshealy
Verified buyer
04/27/25
I just started so cant say
I’ve only worked through the first two or three lessons, but they seem pretty solid. I was just looking to spice up my bass playing a little bit. I didn’t need to learn bossa nova or master 1000 beat per minute slap and pop riffsand all of the other things that a lot of the other classes wanna teach you. This one is just sort of teaching you how to spice up your basic rock ‘n’ roll basslines and that’s exactly what I want.
IamBenjamin
Verified buyer
01/31/23
Progressive Bass Playbook
Great teacher and well constructed course!
Owenrogers
Verified buyer
01/05/23
Must watch
This is a must watch course for any bass player at any level. As I'm going through it, it's making me re-examine my approach and what I can do to compliment other musicians and what it means to be a great bassist. Kurt has been one of my favorite musicians for a while now, as well as a humble/funny guy. Thank you Kurt!
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