Focus On: Latin Bass

Latin bass styles are extremely varied. There are many regions from where Latin bass has evolved and continues to evolve. I believe the study of Latin bass should begin with African and Cuban music and continue with research into Salsa Music as well as Latin Jazz, which originated in New York City.

History of Latin Bass and bass players to listen to:

1. Israel "Cachao" Lopez
2. Andy Gonzalez
3. Bobby Valentine
4. Orlando Cachaito Lopez ( Cachao's nephew)
5. Juan Formell
6. Bobby Rodriguez
7. Carlos del Puerto
8. Al McKibbon
9. Oscar Stagnaro
10. Carles Benavent

1. Ray Barretto
2. Tito Puente
3. Fania All Stars
4. Buena Vista Social Club
5. Los Van Van
6. Celia Cruz
7. Orchestra Cubana De Música Moderna
8. Conjunto Rumbavana
9. Paquito D’Rivera
10. Irakere

I play Music Man "Stingray" basses with DR Flatwound strings and Hartke bass amps, which allows me to simulate an acoustic bass or an Ampeg Baby Bass sound. Many Latin bass players use the aforementioned Ampeg Baby Bass, which is an electric upright bass. A South American Company named Sendel makes a version of an electric upright bass that is commonly used as well. Some Latin bass players play a traditional acoustic bass also referred to as a double bass, upright bass, or acoustic bass, while many Latin bass players opt to play modern electric bass guitars.

In this section there will be 10 specific studies that, when combined, will give you an understanding of how to play Latin Bass.

1. Latin Chord Changes
2. Arpeggios
3. Scales and Modes
4. Approach Tones
5. Combining Arpeggios and Scales
6. Articulation
7. Percussive Devices
8. Dotted Rhythms and Anticipation
9. Straight Rhythms and Anticipation
10. Rests

The chords in many of the following lessons are A minor, D minor, and E major (or E7). In any minor key, the three primary chords are the one minor, the four minor and the five major or five dominant seventh. There are 8 notes or "degrees" in the A harmonic minor scale. The 8th note of the scale is the same as the 1st note except for the fact that it is an octave higher. The 1st and 8th notes are referred to as the tonic, so A is the tonic of the A harmonic scale! The notes in the A harmonic minor scale are A B C D E F G# and the octave A, also referred to by "degree" as: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 and 8 or A is the first degree, B is the 2nd degree etc...

The one chord, A minor, is built from the 1st note of the scale by skipping every other note of the scale. The chord D minor is built from the 4th note of the scale, D, by skipping every other note of the scale, and the chord E major (or E7) is built from the 5th note of the scale, or the 5th "degree" of the scale by skipping every other note. Therefore the notes in an A minor chord are A, C and E. The notes in a D minor Chord are D, F and A. The notes in an E major chord are E, G# and B, and the notes in an E7 chord are E, G#, B and D.

An arpeggio is a group of notes within a chord which are played one after the other, either going up (ascending) or going down (descending). An arpeggio is sometimes referred to as a broken chord. Executing an arpeggio requires the bass player to play the notes of the chord individually in order to differentiate them. The notes in the arpeggio all belong to that particular chord. The chord may be a simple chord which might consist of the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes or "degrees" of the scale, or it may extend further into a more complex arpeggio consisting of the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, or even the 9th, 11th or 13th degrees of the scale.

The simple chord is called a triad. Starting on the first note of the C scale (or tonic), and building an arpeggio from that first scale degree, an arpeggio of this three note type of chord, or triad, would be C, E, and G. It is arrived at by skipping every other note of the C major scale. It can also be referred to as 1, 3, and 5 of the C major scale, for the first, third and fifth degrees of the scale. This also holds true for all minor chords and their respective scales.