GerBear362
Verified buyer
03/13/26
Nice Grooves
I like courses that have more instruction, rather than simply a groove for you to play
50 R&B Bass Grooves You MUST Know
Learn 50 rhythm, funk, and soul bass grooves you must know
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About this course
Professor Otto Lidenbrock took you on a journey to the center of the Earth in Jules Verne’s classic science fiction novel back in 1864. Wild ride that was but bass players would consider that a walk in the park compared to the fretboard journey that our own Professor of Groove, Andrew Ford has mapped out for you in 50 R&B, Soul, and Funk Bass Grooves You MUST Know. All aboard Andrew’s guided tour to the epicenter of groove...
If it gets your feet tapping, your head nodding and your body swaying, then the music you’re listening to is genetically tied to the renaissance of groove that was sparked back in the 60’s and 70’s with R&B, Soul and Funk music. If you’re familiar with that music then you can clearly recognize its influence on virtually every style of popular music today, from rock to jazz to hip hop to contemporary R&B.
Make no mistake about it; while Andrew does examine these timeless grooves, this is no history course. Andrew presents the material and connects the dots in such a way that you’ll be able to apply the underlying techniques, rhythms and bass grooves in whatever style of music you play today. Consider these 50 bass lessons as your personal rite of passage to the land of groove.
Along your journey, Andrew will pass on the fretboard genius of master bass players like Louis Johnson, Rocco Prestia, Tommy Cogbill, David Hood, Verdine White, Kenny Burke, Bobby Watson, Bernard Edwards, David Shields, Marcus Miller, Duck Dunn, Rusty Allen, James Jamerson, Willie Weeks, Larry Graham, Leroy Hodges, Anthony Jackson, Rod Temperton, Chuck Rainey and many other giants of groove.
Andrew generously shares essential bass lines and grooves inspired by the music of James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone, Marvin Gaye, The Brothers Johnson, Chic, Bill Withers, Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder, Jackson 5, Parliament, Earth Wind and Fire, Cameo, Prince, Tower of Power, Kool & the Gang, Wilson Pickett, Chaka Khan, Rick James, The Meters, Barry White, Ashford & Simpson, Ohio Players, Staple Singers, King Curtis, Average White Band, Donny Hathaway, Michael Jackson and many other chart-topping artists.
All of the grooves are presented over a rhythm track and then broken down note-by-note, technique-by-technique. Everything is tabbed and notated, plus you get all of the rhythm tracks to practice with by yourself.
Grab your bass and buckle up -- the journey begins now!
If it gets your feet tapping, your head nodding and your body swaying, then the music you’re listening to is genetically tied to the renaissance of groove that was sparked back in the 60’s and 70’s with R&B, Soul and Funk music. If you’re familiar with that music then you can clearly recognize its influence on virtually every style of popular music today, from rock to jazz to hip hop to contemporary R&B.
Make no mistake about it; while Andrew does examine these timeless grooves, this is no history course. Andrew presents the material and connects the dots in such a way that you’ll be able to apply the underlying techniques, rhythms and bass grooves in whatever style of music you play today. Consider these 50 bass lessons as your personal rite of passage to the land of groove.
Along your journey, Andrew will pass on the fretboard genius of master bass players like Louis Johnson, Rocco Prestia, Tommy Cogbill, David Hood, Verdine White, Kenny Burke, Bobby Watson, Bernard Edwards, David Shields, Marcus Miller, Duck Dunn, Rusty Allen, James Jamerson, Willie Weeks, Larry Graham, Leroy Hodges, Anthony Jackson, Rod Temperton, Chuck Rainey and many other giants of groove.
Andrew generously shares essential bass lines and grooves inspired by the music of James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone, Marvin Gaye, The Brothers Johnson, Chic, Bill Withers, Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder, Jackson 5, Parliament, Earth Wind and Fire, Cameo, Prince, Tower of Power, Kool & the Gang, Wilson Pickett, Chaka Khan, Rick James, The Meters, Barry White, Ashford & Simpson, Ohio Players, Staple Singers, King Curtis, Average White Band, Donny Hathaway, Michael Jackson and many other chart-topping artists.
All of the grooves are presented over a rhythm track and then broken down note-by-note, technique-by-technique. Everything is tabbed and notated, plus you get all of the rhythm tracks to practice with by yourself.
Grab your bass and buckle up -- the journey begins now!
What you'll learn
- Execute thumb hammer-ons with clarity and even volume
- Play slap bass lines that are normally played fingerstyle
- Use ghost notes strategically to propel the groove
- Create melodic slap lines that don't sound choppy or draw excessive attention
- Maintain groove and vibe while using percussive slap technique
Release date: 08/02/2013 • 3h 16m runtime
Sample lessons
Funky Main Street
Groove 6
The Brothers Funk
Groove 20
Slys Time
Groove 34
Philly Sound
Groove 42
What's included
52 lessons • 50 charts • 50 Jam Tracks
50 R&B Bass Grooves
Welcome to 50 R&B, Soul, and Funk Bass Grooves You MUST Know! You’ll learn 50 of my favorite grooves based on classic songs by legendary artists such as James Brown, the godfather of soul, Sly and the Family Stone, Marvin Gaye, The Brothers Johnson, Chuck Brown, Chic, Bill Withers, Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder, Parliament, Earth Wind and Fire, Cameo, Prince, Tower of Power and many others. Demonstrating styles by bass players Louis Johnson, Rocco Prestia, Tommy Cogbill, David Hood, Kenny Burke and more. These grooves are based on classic riffs that can be applied to many other styles. Many of them are 1 or 2 chord grooves over major, minor or dominant 7 chords that can be transposed or inserted in songs or solos. Funk, soul, and R&B are related styles with subtle differences that sometimes overlap, learning these grooves will help you seamlessly weave in and out of these styles while maintaining that deep groove which is most important if you want to keep the band happy. Also, R&B, soul, and funk grooves influence a lot of pop, hip hop, country, jazz, rock, and various other genres.
Little Stevies Wish
This two bar pattern is a simple 2-5 progression in the key of C which is Dm7 the 2 chord in the key of C, to G7, the 5, and is patterned after one of the most recognizable bass lines in R&B, Stevie Wonders "I Wish". The groove consists of almost all 8th notes which you normally might find in a double time gospel style walking bass line. The only non 8th note is a 16th rhythm at the beginning of bar 2. The 8th notes are played straight, not swung. I play them slightly muted to produce the groove I am looking for. There are four small hand position shifts as notated, keep your hand close to the fretboard to help make those shifts smooth and seamless. The notes in this line are similar to that of a walking jazz bass line, using the notes of the dorian mode over the Dm7 chord and of the mixolydian mode over the G7 and of course some half and whole step chromatic intervals to connect the notes.
J Five
The Jackson 5 were a big part of the Motown sound and R&B music and this groove based on one of their biggest hits is very catchy. It is basically built on the descending A major scale except that before it resolves to the root it goes to the 5, E then back to the root to start the next phrase. A couple things of particular interest are the short and long note phrases in bar 1, for example the G# is long then the F# and E phrase is more staccato then the D and C# are longer, and secondly the 16th note phrase starting on beat 3 of the 2nd bar has a nice pattern that walks up from B diatonically in the key of A to C#, then D, chromatically up to D# then E before going down to open E then continuing up the scale to F#, G#, and back to A to start the pattern over. This pattern seems to be easier to finger using all four fingers in the left hand for this phrase at least. You need to quickly slide up the second note in bar 1, E to keep the transition smooth in starting the phrase over.
Ladies Day
This is another groove that focuses on simplicity. It is in the style of "Ladies Night" by Kool and the Gang. The band had a lot of funkier songs than this one but this was one of their most popular songs and basslines. We have a simple quarter note walking groove in bar 1 that simply outlines the Dm7 chord, the quarter note is anticipated adding some contrast. Now the second bar answers the first with a shorter phrase, a 1 to 5 movement that leads to the G chord change on beat 3 of the 2nd bar. Bass players often get in trouble on these seemingly easy bass parts because they do not focus on the length of the notes, articulation, sound, timing, all the things that make it groove, even when it is simple.
Bass Work
Here is a slightly different type of slap bass groove. It is in the style of Prince who is very funky on bass. One of the ways it is different than the typical slap bass line is that there are many more thumb slaps than plucks. Using the thumb in this way gives the bass line a different feel. Also, I am slapping the root and plucking the 5th, normally the octave is plucked. The note choice in this line also gives it a different feel, I use the minor 7th and the major 6th in bar 1 and in bar 2 I start on the 2, slur into the 3rd and down to lower octave 2. I then go on to play the 6, 3rd, b7, 4 and b7 again, never playing the actual root. Unusual sound but effective.
Get Far Away
This funky Earth Wind and Fire groove starts with an 8th note pick up that starts the pattern which has a combination of sparse notes and legato phrases. The groove never lands on one, it is always pushed. It alternates groove bars and fill bars. The 8th note push proceeds the groove bars and the 16th note push leads into the fill bars. It has the typical Earth Wind and Fire groove with the dotted 8th rest in the groove bars and has a couple fills also reminiscent of what Verdine White might play, in particular the high Cs in bar 4. The quarter notes do not get their full value which keeps it bouncy.
Funky Main Street
Souful Wilson Pickett groove that is busy but melodic ala Tommy Cogbill's bass line on Funky Broadway. It is a one chord groove in E with a lot of movement. It starts just hanging on the E. I usually would play this E on the A string but to execute the pattern easier I am choosing to use the E on the 2nd fret of the D string, this helps me keep everything in one position. Notice the contrast between the 16th note syncopated rhythm in bar 1 and the straight 8th note rhythm in bar 2. They are kind of a yin and yang, a question and answer. I again use the minor 3rd as a bluesy note which is not in the E or E7 chord or scale. This type of soul line also routinely makes use of the 6th implying major pentatonic. That 6 is featured in both bars as is the minor 3rd which sets up the major 3rd in bar 2. I play slightly muted here emulating the flat wound string, rear Fender P Basses of that era.
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Reviews
15 results
AlbeS
Verified buyer
11/15/25
Funny and useful!
Good lesson. Well explained and clear in the content.
emsonast
Verified buyer
12/12/22
Great insights into R&B bass
A great variety of R&B bass lines with clear information about each. Well presented by a capable and knowledgeable instructor.
mfunkyview
Verified buyer
11/14/22
Great collection of riffs. Improve my technique since first example. Nice grooves!
Osokin
Verified buyer
05/31/21
Improve Your Bass Groove!
Andrew Ford is a monster bass player, and has put together a great course demonstrating 50 bass grooves in the style of many of the masters of R&B, Soul and Funk. Brilliant for beginners and more experienced players alike.
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