What's New At The IIB!

The IIB's NEW Online Bass Course
Contemporary Techniques - The Basics And Beyond For Bass Guitar
June 10, 2013

Contemporary Techniques is the definitive guide to technique for bass guitar. Regardless of your current playing level, prior experience, or the genres of music you prefer to play, this comprehensive course will solidify the foundation required to become a proficient bassist and save you countless hours of frustration by learning how to do it right the first time. Featuring curriculum designed to increase your accuracy, speed, and endurance along with transcriptions of classic to modern tracks from the bass repertoire, the techniques demonstrated throughout this course can be applied to any fretted or fretless bass guitar. Following a step-by-step methodology and analysis of fundamental technique considerations, the course begins by examining the most essential principles involved in playing bass guitar including economy of motion, posture, strap length, tone production, hand position, alternating fingers, the floating thumb, one-finger-per-fret, finger placement, finger pressure, supportive fingering, string crossing, string skipping, shifting, and articulations before proceeding to more advanced concepts such as slapping, plucking, and two-handed tapping techniques. Subsequent lessons in this 12-week course introduce the practical study and application of contemporary performance techniques which go beyond the traditional role of the bass guitar by exploring new sonorities through chords, harmonics, and altered tunings. By the completion of this course, you will have developed the proper mechanics, finger independence, dexterity, and range of motion required to execute bass lines and solos in the styles of Michael Manring, Brian Bromberg, Marcus Miller, Stuart Hamm, Alain Caron, Victor Wooten, John Patitucci, Gary Willis, Jaco Pastorius, and Rocco Prestia. Whether you are a beginner with no formal training, a self-taught bassist who is seeking to resolve bad habits that have inadvertently formed over the years, or a seasoned professional looking to add new vocabulary to your playing, Contemporary Techniques will equip you with all the tools you need to cover any musical environment and provide you with an indispensable archive of techniques that you can continue to review for years to come. ... Enroll Today!

The Next Sessions Of The IIB's Online Bass Courses Begin July 1 - Enroll Today!
June 10, 2013

Music Theory For Bass is a beginner to intermediate level course that examines the essential elements of music. For beginners, this course will provide an introduction to the theory and practice of harmony as it pertains to bassists in contemporary music. More seasoned bassists will gain insight from this course as concepts already obtained from past musical experiences will be reinforced to expand the depth of their musical awareness. ... Enroll Today!

Sight Reading For Bass Guitar & Acoustic Bass is a beginner to intermediate level course that explores all aspects of reading and writing music notation for bassists. The ability to not only read but also write music notation is essential for any bass player who prepares music to be performed by other musicians. Following a clear analytical approach that begins by connecting the notes on the fingerboard to the notes on the staff, you will be presented with the standard guidelines of music notation, common note and rest values, articulation markings, intervals, triads, chords, and scales before moving onto more advanced rhythm studies. You will learn how to decipher key signatures, time signatures, and chord symbols as well as navigate lead sheets and chord charts. ... Enroll Today!

Jazz Bass Lines is a beginner to intermediate level course that examines all of the fundamental components of walking bass line construction. During this comprehensive 12-week course, you will study the techniques and bass lines of the most prominent jazz bassists. Following a systematic and guided approach of analysis, Jazz Bass Lines reviews the key elements of walking bass line creation. This course begins by concentrating on the basic building blocks of bass parts including intervals, triads, seventh chords, and scales. As the course progresses, you will be introduced to concepts such as walking bass line cells, rhythmic embellishments, the two feel, and the utilization of those components in practical application. ... Enroll Today!

Soloing Techniques For Bass Guitar & Acoustic Bass is an intermediate to advanced level course that explores all of the fundamental elements required to improvise effective solos. Featuring classic bebop to modern era techniques, you will be presented with a wide array of improvisation concepts and learn how to create your own horn-like solos in the jazz idiom. Following a step-by-step analysis, this course begins by examining basic theoretical principles including the construction of intervals, triads, seventh chords, tensions, and scales. ... Enroll Today!

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Featured Bass Lesson Of The Week
Tensions
June 10, 2013 - *Subscriber's Area*

In harmonically-dense music, you will often hear the sounds of 9th, 11th, and 13th chords. Like triads and seventh chords, these extended chords are also built in thirds. The compound intervals contained within 9th, 11th, and 13th chords are frequently referred to as tensions, upper structures, upper partials, or secondaries. By adding tensions to seventh chords, you can create more complex-sounding chord types. ... Subscribe Today & Read More!

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Bass Lessons - Jazz Bass Lines - "Giant Steps"
June 10, 2013 - *Subscriber's Area*

To demonstrate the development of walking bass lines in jazz music, I have composed many sample bass lines featuring intervals, triads, seventh chords, scales, and non-diatonic notes over several choruses of "Giant Steps." Play-along track included. ... Subscribe Today & Read More!

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Jazz Improvisation For Bass Guitar & Acoustic Bass

Jazz Improvisation is a comprehensive 20-lesson course that will help you acquire the essential skills which are necessary to connect your ears to the fingerboard, develop ideas, and communicate more fluently through the language of improvisation. Featuring dozens of fretboard diagrams and play-along tracks with exercises written in standard notation and tablature, topics covered include practice techniques, ear training, scales, modes, chords, passing notes, approach note techniques, and chord tone soloing. After completing this course, you will have expanded your fretboard familiarity, broadened your knowledge of chord/scale theory, increased your technical proficiency on the instrument, and become more productive in your practice sessions. You will possess the fundamental tools that are required to improvise great bass lines and solos on any chord type, chord progression, or song form in the jazz repertoire. ... Subscribe Today!