RSK200052 Bass 2018 G1 DIGITAL 11oct2021

Bass Grade 1
Performance pieces, technical exercises and in-depth guidance

for Rockschool examinations
All accompanying and supporting audio can be downloaded from: www.rslawards.com/downloads
Input the following code when prompted: LAB6TJF94D
For more information, turn to page 4
www.rslawards.com
Acknowledgements
Published by Rockschool Ltd. © 2012 & 2018

Catalogue Number: RSK200052
ISBN: 978-1-912352-88-3
11 Oct 2021 | Errata details can be found at www.rslawards.com/errata
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Bass Grade 1
2
Table of Contents
Introductions & Information
1 Title Page
2 Acknowledgements
3 Table of Contents
4 Welcome to Rockschool Bass Grade 1
Hit Tunes
5 The Supremes.................................................. ‘Ain’t Too Proud To Beg’

9 Otis Redding. . ........................... ‘(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay’
13 Gnarls Barkley................................................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ‘Crazy’
17 The Cult............................................................... . . . . . . . . ‘She Sells Sanctuary’
21 Mary J Blige........................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ‘Family Affair’
25 Talking Heads................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ‘Psycho Killer’
Rockschool Originals
29 ‘Crosstown Link’
33 ‘Night Ride’

37 ‘Reluctant Hero’
41 ‘Krauss Country’
45 ‘The Open Air’
49 ‘Inside The Box’
Technical Exercises
53 Scales, Arpeggios & Riff
Supporting Tests
56 Sight Reading
57 Improvisation & Interpretation
58 Ear Tests
59 General Musicianship Questions
Additional Information
60 Entering Rockschool Exams

61 Marking Schemes
62 Bass Guitar Notation Explained
63 Mechanical Copyright Information
64 Rockschool Popular Music Theory
Bass Grade 1
3
Welcome to Rockschool Bass Grade 1
Welcome to Bass Grade 1

Welcome to the Rockschool 2018 Bass syllabus. This book and the accompanying downloadable audio contain everything
you need to play bass at this grade. In the book you will find the exam scores in both standard bass notation and TAB,
as well as Fact Files and Walkthroughs for each song.
The downloadable audio includes:
■ full stereo mixes of 6 Rockschool compositions and 6 arrangements of classic and contemporary hits
■ backing tracks (minus the assessed bass part)
■ all necessary audio for the complete range of supporting tests
Bass Exams
For each grade you have the option of taking one of two different types of examination:
■ Grade Exam: a Grade Exam is a mixture of music performances, technical work and tests. You prepare three pieces
(two of which may be Free Choice Pieces) and the contents of the Technical Exercise section. This accounts for 75%
of the exam marks. The other 25% consists of: either a Sight Reading or an Improvisation & Interpretation test (10%),
a pair of instrument specific Ear Tests (10%), and finally you will be asked five General Musicianship Questions (5%).
The pass mark is 60%.
■ Performance Certificate: in a Performance Certificate you play five pieces. Up to three of these can be Free Choice
Pieces. Each song is marked out of 20 and the pass mark is 60%.
Book Contents

The book is divided into a number of sections:
■ Exam Pieces: in this book you will find six specially commissioned pieces of Grade 1 standard. Each of these is preceded
by a Fact File, and each single Fact File contains a summary of the song, its style, tempo, key and technical features,
along with a list of the musicians who played on it. The song itself is printed on two pages and immediately after each
song is a Walkthrough. This covers the whole song from a performance perspective, focusing on the technical issues
you will encounter along the way. Each song comes with a full mix version and a backing track. Both versions have
spoken count-ins at the beginning. Please note that any solos played on the full mix versions are indicative only.
■ Technical Exercises: you should prepare the exercises set in this grade as indicated. There is also a Riff test that should
be practised and played to the backing track.
■ Supporting Tests and General Musicianship Questions: in Bass Grade 1 there are three supporting tests. You can
choose either a Sight Reading test or an Improvisation & Interpretation test (please choose only one of those), which is
then followed by the two mandatory Ear Tests and a set of General Musicianship Questions (GMQs). Examples of the
types of tests likely to appear in the exam are printed in this book, while additional examples of both types of tests and
the GMQs can be found in the Rockschool Bass Companion Guide.
■ Additional Information: finally, you will find information on exam procedures and marking schemes.
Audio
Audio is provided in the form of backing tracks (minus bass) and examples (including bass) for the pieces and the
supporting tests where applicable. Audio files are supplied in MP3 format to enable playback on a wide range of compatible
devices. Digital versions of the book include audio files in the download. Download audio for hardcopy books from RSL
directly at www.rslawards.com/downloads — you will need to input this code when prompted: LAB6TJF94D
Syllabus Guide
All candidates should read the accompanying syllabus guide when using this grade book. This can be downloaded from the
RSL website: www.rslawards.com
Bass Grade 1
Errata
Updates and changes to Rockschool books are documented online. Candidates should check for errata periodically while
studying for any examination. Further details can be found on the RSL website: www.rslawards.com/errata
4
The Supremes
SONG TITLE: AIN’T TOO PROUD TO BEG

ALBUM: GETTIN’ READY
LABEL: GORDY
GENRE: SOUL R&B c 120 Motown
WRITTEN BY: NORMAN WHITFIELD ? 44 ∑
AND EDDIE HOLLAND
PRODUCED BY: NORMAN WHITFIELD
[Drums]
UK CHART PEAK: N/A

T
A
B
Chorus
œ œ œ
F

? œ œ
A C
BACKGROUND INFO
‘Ain’t Too Proud To Beg’ was released in May 1966. The song also had horn arrangements reminiscent
The Temptations were a Motown act and had enjoyed of James Brown. These elements were a departure
great success in the US. Motown Record’s policy was from the original sound of The Temptations. Ruffin
0 making it 2
to assign producers who had the biggest hit with sang the melody at the top of his range,
3
one artist as their ongoing producer. That role was T 2
a difficult song for him to perform. This resulted
A
given to Smokey Robinson as far as The Temptations B in3an exceptional performance that lends the song
were concerned following the success of ‘My Girl’. its signature sound. This stylistic concept was used
The label had a number of producers on their books [3] by Whitfield on other records by The Temptations,
and Norman Whitfield was amongst them. He had such as ‘Beauty Is Only Skin Deep’ and ‘(I Know) I’m
had some success with Marvin Gaye and was keen Losing You’. He later used the same idea on Marvin
œ
to try his luck with The Temptations. Motown held Gaye’s ‘I Heard it Through The Grapevine’ to great
œ œ
F
? œ œ
Friday morning meetings during which the creative C and the song achieved huge success.
effect
team vetted singles for potential release. After
three attempts with different vocal performances ‘Ain’t Too Proud To Beg’ reached the number 1
Berry Gordy (Motown’s Head) acknowledged the spot on the R&B Charts and number 13 on the
song was good and worth considering for release. Billboard Pop Charts.
He eventually promised Whitfield that if The
Temptations’ album Gettin’ Ready failed to reach The Temptations, in hand with Norman Whitfield,
number 20 on the Billboard Pop charts he was going are credited with pioneering Psychedelic0 Soul. 2
to release the single. T 2 of records and added3
They went on to sell millions
A significant
3 repertoire to the legacy of Motown
Gettin’ Ready reached the number 1 spot on the B Records. They later embraced Funk and Disco
R&B charts and the number 29 spot on the Billboard [5] and achieved great commercial success and
Pop charts. Gordy honoured his promise and the song critical acclaim.
was released featuring David Ruffin on lead vocals,
Bass Grade 1
œ
singing a blues inspired melody. The original Motown recording features the
œ œ
legendary Funk Brothers as the backing band. F
? œ œ
C
5
Ain’t Too Proud To Beg
The Supremes
Words & Music by Eddie Holland
& Norman Whitfield
c 120 Motown
? 44 œ œ œ
∑ Ó
[Drums]
T 2 0
A 2
B
Chorus
? œ œ œ œ j j j
C F C F
œ
A
‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ œ œ
œ
T 0 2
A 2 3
B 3 3 3 3 0 0
3
[3]
? œ œ œ œ j j j
C F C F

‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ
T 0 2
A 2 3
B 3 3 3 3 0 0
3
[5]
? œ œ œ œ j j j
C F C F
œ ‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ œ œ
œ
T 0 2
A 2 3
B 3 3 3 3 0 0
3
[7]
? œ œ œ œ j j j
C F C F
œ ‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ œ œ
œ
T 0 2
A 2 3
B 3 3 3 3 0 0
3
[9]
Verse
? œ
B C
Œ Ó ∑
Bass Grade 1
T
A 3
B
[11]
6 © Copyright 1966 (Renewed 1994) Stone Agate Music.
EMI Music Publishing Limited.
All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.
? œ Œ Ó ∑
T
A 3
B
[13]
? œ Œ Ó ∑
T
A 3
B
[15]
? œ Œ Ó œ œ œ œ œ œ
G
T 0 0 0 0 0
A 3
B
[17]

? œ œ œ œ j j j
C F C F
œ
C
‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ œ œ
œ
T 0 2
A 2 3
B 3 3 3 3 0 0
3
[19]
? œ œ œ œ j j j
C F C F
œ ‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ
T 0 2
A 2 3
B 3 3 3 3 0 0
3
[21]
? œ œ œ œ j j j
C F C F
œ ‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ œ œ
œ
T 0 2
A 2 3
B 3 3 3 3 0 0
3
[23]
? œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
C F G C
œ Œ œ Œ Ó
Bass Grade 1
T 0 2 0 0 0 0 0
A 2 3
B 3 3
[25]
7
Walkthrough
Intro (Bars 1–2) B Section (Bars 11–18)

The opening bar is a drum pattern intro with the bass The first beat of the bar is defined with a C root note with
picking up the hook to the main theme at the end of bar 2. the fifth degree of the key played in bar 18
Bars 1–2 | Eighth and quarter notes Bars 11–12 | Quarter notes and rests
The bass line enters on beat 3 of the second bar with two A quarter note is played on the first beat of the bar followed
eighth notes and one quarter note. Using the ‘1 & 2 &’ by three full beats of rest. Try to give the rests their full value
counting method will really help in placing these first by making sure the played note doesn’t last longer than
few notes. beat 1. There is a whole-note rest in bar 12.
Bars 13–14 | Repeated phrases

A Section (Bars 3–10) Bars 11–12 are repeated exactly here. Make sure to listen
The bass line features a two bar pattern, which is played a and count to the backing so you are not ahead or behind
total of four times in this section. in bar 13.
Bar 3 | Eighth notes and rests Bars 15–16 | Repeated phrases

The chords are highlighted strongly in the bass line with Bars 11–12 are repeated again here.
combinations of the root, third and fifth notes. The root note
is played on beat 1 of the bar and the third and fifth degrees Bars 17–18 | Quarter notes and eighth note ties
played on beat 2 and the ‘&’ of beat 2. The F major chord is Bar 17 is played exactly the same as bar 15. Bar 18 features
defined with the root and third notes of the chord played on a combination of eighth notes with a tie and quarter notes
beat 3 and the ‘&’ of beat 3. Watch out for the eighth-note on beats 3 and 4. The tied note is from the ‘&’ of beat 1 and

rest on beat 4 and the C note on the ‘&’ of beat 4. lasts until beat 2. This means the eighth note on beat 2 is not
played but sustained from the previous note, creating a full
Bar 4 | Eighth notes and rests quarter note. However, the eighth note on the ‘&’ of beat 2 is
Using the ‘1 & 2 &’ counting method will help to place the played before playing the two quarter notes.
first two notes in this bar. There are rests on the downbeats
of beat 1 and 2 and the root note of the C chord is played on
the ‘&’ of each beat. The third degree of the F major scale is C Section (Bars 19–27)
used on beat 3, often referred to as ‘first inversion’ when the The bass line in bars 19–24 is a repeat of the A section.
major third is played instead of the root note of the chord. Bar 25 is a repeat of bar 23 with bar 26 played the same
There are two eighth notes on beat 4 which are the second as bar 18 and a quarter note to finish the piece.
and third notes of F major, but also the fifth and sixth notes
of C major. These two notes help to create the ‘loop’ back to
the main bass line.

Bars 5–10 are divided into two bar phrases and are exactly
the same as bars 3–4. Aim for consistency in tone and
volume across the strings. Although the eighth note values
are short, make sure to give them their value and don’t
let the fretted notes run over. Using the fretting hand to
dampen strings will help control the open strings.
Bass Grade 1
8
Otis Redding
SONG TITLE: (SITTIN’ ON) THE DOCK

OF THE BAY
ALBUM: THE DOCK OF THE BAY
c 104 Soul Ballad
LABEL: VOLT LABEL / STAX
? # 44 j œ
A G
GENRE: R&B SOUL
WRITTEN BY: OTIS REDDING œ. œ

AND STEVE CROPPER
PRODUCED BY: STEVE CROPPER
T
A 5
UK CHART PEAK: 1
B 3 3
?# œ
B G
œ œ

BACKGROUND INFO œ œ
‘(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay’ is one of the On December 10th 1967 his chartered plane
most critically successful songs of all time. It was crashed into Lake Monona, outside Madison,
released in January 1968, shortly after Otis Redding’s T Wisconsin, killing him and six other passengers. Four
untimely death in a plane crash. The record was the A B
5
were members of the Bar-Kays, with whom Redding
3 0
first posthumous release to reach the number one 3
was touring, and the other two victims were the
spot in the UK and US charts. [3] plane’s pilot and the band’s valet. There was only one
survivor, Ben Cauley, also a band member.
Redding had written and recorded the song
together with Steve Cropper, who was the guitarist Steve Cropper mixed the song at Stax and added
?# œ œ
C of seagulls and waves Redding had wished
œ b
with Booker T. & the MG’s as well as a Stax Records the sound
œ
producer. Redding had started writing the song to include. The song was released and became the
whilst staying in a houseboat in San Francisco instant classic. The recording features the legendary
Bay where he was performing. He completed the Al Jackson Jr. on drums and Donald ‘Duck’ Dunn on
lyrics in collaboration with Cropper and recorded bass. Dunn was initially concerned, along with many
it in November 1967 at Stax Studios in Memphis, at the Stax label, that the sound was not suitable for
Tennessee. Redding wanted the song to signal a the catalogue.
departure from his usual style. He also planned to T 5
record a rap at the end of it but upon forgetting the A Otis 3Redding was a hugely successful artist and 3 2
content he whistled the haunting and now iconic B entrepreneur during his time. In 1967 he sold
melody. Redding wanted to add a recording of more records than Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin
[5]
seagulls and waves crashing, reminiscent of the combined. He is considered the voice of Memphis
sounds he heard whilst staying on the houseboat. Soul. His list of classics include ‘My Girl’, ‘Respect’,
‘Knock On Wood’, ‘Security’, ‘Hard To Handle’ and
versions of the Rolling Stones’ ‘Satisfaction’ and The
?# œ
G
œ
Beatles’ ‘Day Tripper’. His legacy remains significant
Bass Grade 1
œ œ
and undiminished to this day.
9
T 0
(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay
Otis Redding
Words & Music by Otis Redding
& Steve Cropper
c 104 Soul Ballad
? # 44
G
j j
A
œ. œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ
T
A 5 5 5 5
B 3 3 3 3
?# œ œ œ
B G B
œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ
T 4 4
A 5 2 2 2
B 3 3 0 3
[3]
?# œ œ
C A

œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ
T 5
A 3 3 2 1 0 0
B 0 0
[5]
?# œ œ œ
G B
œ œ œ œ bœ nœ œ œ œ
T 4 4
A 5 0 1 2 2 2
B 3 3
[7]
?# œ œ
C A
œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ
T 5
A 3 3 2 1 0 0
B 0 0 2 0
[9]
G E
?# œ w
C
œ Œ œ œ œ
Bass Grade 1
T 0 2
A 2
B 3 3
[11]
10 © Copyright 1967 Cotillion Music Incorporated/Irving Music Corporation.
Rondor International Incorporated/Warner/Chappell North America Limited.
G E
?# Œ œ œ œ w
œ œ
T 0 2
A 2
B 3 3
[13]
?# j œ œ j œ œ
G A
œ. œ œ. œ
T 2 2
A 5 5 0 0
B 3 3
[15]
?# j œ œ w
G E
œ. œ

T 2
A 5 5
B 3 3
[17]
?# œ œ œ
D G B
œ œ œ œ bœ nœ œ œ œ
T 4 4
A 5 0 1 2 2 2
B 3 3
[19]
?# œ œ
C A
œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ
œ œ
T 5
A 3 3 2 1 0 0
B 0 0 2
[21]
?# œ œ ˙
j œ œ œ. œ Ó
G E G
œ. œ J
Bass Grade 1
T 4 4 0
A 2 2
B 5 5
3 3
[23]
11
Walkthrough
A Section (Bars 1–2) D Section (Bars 19–25)

Bars 1–2 | The basic elements Bars 19–25 | More combinations
This section acts as the intro to the song and features an The verse and the intro blend in this section, adding further
ascending 5th in bars 1 and 2. This interval is a significant interest and effectively ‘wrap up’ the arrangement. The line
component of the bassline throughout the song. Make sure will require playing across the four strings of the bass so it
the dotted quarter notes are well timed and smooth. is important to place the plucking hand correctly to avoid
timing errors or drastic dynamic changes.
B Section (Bars 3–10) The bass line is an excellent example of the right
Bars 3–10 | Adding ties and rhythmic and harmonic interest combination of harmonic support, rhythmic interest and
The B section is the verse of the song, and features a number melodic approach. A smooth and even delivery is required
of significant elements. Eighth notes are added in beats to make it feel relaxed and supportive, and to allow the
3 and 4 of every bar, with the exception of bar 6 (which melody to come through without interference.
contains quarter notes throughout). These are alternatively
placed on the last quaver of the bar, in bars 3, 5, 7, and 9,
thus pushing the harmonic rhythm, and on the first beat of
the bar in bars 5, 7 and 9. This alternation lends an element
of variety and surprise to the line. It is important to ensure
these notes (the root of each chord) at the end of every run
are delivered smoothly. Feeling and subdividing the eighth
notes will be helped by listening to the hi-hat in the drums
and counting them in your head. Make sure the tied notes

ring for their full duration.
Bars 5, 7 and 9 introduce chromatic passing notes, thus

breaking the diatonic pattern established in bars 3 and 4.
Note how these passing notes are descending in bar 5 and
ascending in bar 7. Regular and organised fingering patterns
will help deliver these runs smoothly.
C Section (Bars 11–18)

Bars 11–18 | Combining elements
This section, the chorus of the song, blends a variation of
the syncopation established in the verse with the intro bars
feature. It is important to ensure that the quarter-note rests
in bars 11 and 13 are well measured by stopping the G on
the first beat of the bar from ringing over its length. The
harmonic push established in the verse is also featured here
in bars 11 and 13 by placing the E (tonic of the next chord)
on the last eighth note of the bar. Make sure the delivery is
timely and avoid rushing.
Bass Grade 1
12
Gnarls Barkley
SONG TITLE: CRAZY

ALBUM: ST. ELSEWHERE
c 112 RnB/Pop
LABEL: DOWNTOWN/WARNER A
GENRE: GARAGE/NEO-SOUL/ Cm
? bb 44 œ œ œ œ œ
ELECTRONICA
WRITTEN BY: BRIAN BURTON, b

THOMAS CALLAWAY, GIAN
FRANCO REVERBERI AND
GIAN PIERO REVERBERI T
A 3 3 3 3
PRODUCED BY: DANGER MOUSE 3
B
UK CHART PEAK: 1
E b maj 7
? bb œ œ œ œ

BACKGROUND INFO
b
‘Crazy’ was the debut single from American soul ‘Crazy’ won a Grammy Award for Best Urban/
duo Gnarls Barkley. It was taken from their 2006 debut Alternative Performance in 2007. To date it has sold
1 1 1
album St. Elsewhere. ‘Crazy’ was a chart topper in manyT over 5 million
1 copies worldwide.
countries, including the UK, where it reached number A B
1 on the strength of its digital downloads alone. ‘Crazy’ has been used in various adverts and
[4] most notably as the trailer for the film Birdman by
‘Crazy’ was inspired by the sound of Spaghetti Alejandro G Iñárritu, the film won 4 Oscars out of
Westerns, particularly the song ‘Last Man Standing’ 9 nominations. It has also been covered by Violent
b
by Gian Piero and Gian Franco Reverberi. ‘Crazy’ Femmes, The Kooks, Nelly Furtado, The Zutons and
? bb
contains samples from the song and borrows some A add 9 and has also been remixed officially
Ray LaMontagne
b Barkley released Theœ

œ œ 2008. œ
of its melody and chord sequence, as a result the and unofficially by many remixers and producers.
Reverberi’s are credited as songwriters.
Gnarls Odd Couple in
The lyrics stem from a conversation producer The record was well received but did not match the
Danger Mouse and singer CeeLo were having about early commercial success of their debut from 2006.
how many people will not take artists seriously CeeLo Green has released a number of successful
unless they thought they were insane or crazy. CeeLo T solo albums.
captured the essence of the conversation and wrote A
the lyrics about it. The vocals were allegedly recorded B 4 4 4
4
in one take.
[6]
The song’s dance undertone blended with CeeLo’s
soulful vocals and the Reverberi brothers’ climatic
harmonies make it into a contemporary classic. Its G sus 4
? bb
commercial success was matched by worldwide
œ
Bass Grade 1
b œ œ œ
critical acclaim.
13
T
Crazy
Gnarls Barkley
Words & Music by Thomas Callaway, Brian Burton,
Gianfranco Reverberi & Gian Piero Reverberi
c 112 RnB/Pop A
? b b 44 œ
Cm
b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
T
A 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
B
E b maj 7
? bb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
b
T 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
A
B
[4]
A b add 9 Ab
? b

bb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
T
A
B 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
[6]
G sus 4
? bb
G Cm
b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
T
A 3
B 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
[8]
? b œ
B Cm
bb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
T
A 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
B
[10]
E b maj 7
b
Bass Grade 1
T 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
A
B
[12]
14 © Copyright 2006 Universal Music Publishing Ricordi SRL.
Atmosphere Music Limited/Warner/Chappell Music Publishing Limited/Chrysalis Music Limited, a BMG Company.
A b add 9 Ab
? bb
T
A
B 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
[14]
? bb
G sus 4 G
T
A
B 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
[16]
? b œ
C C
bb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

T
A 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
B
[18]
A b add 9 Ab
? bb
T
A
B 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
[20]
E b maj 7
b
T 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
A
B
[22]
? bb
G sus 4 Cm
b œ ˙ Ó
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Bass Grade 1
T
A 3
B 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
[24]
15
Walkthrough
A Section (Bars 2–9) Overall Approach

Bars 2–9 | Listening and subdividing This tune will require you to know the rhythmic pattern
The song opens with a pick-up bar that will require you to and chord sequence well. For the best results, practice each
be on your guard from the onset in order to play the four sequence following the chart until it is embedded in your
opening quarter-notes evenly in length and intensity. ears and eyes. Once you are confident this is the case you
The rhythmic pattern featured in bar 2 will run through can make the rhythmic pattern ‘travel’ confidently across the
to the end of the arrangement and will require a steady arrangement knowing what to expect. As suggested above
pulse and even note values in order to establish a clear and experimenting with different plucking hand techniques will
constant difference between quarter-notes and eighth-notes. help you find the optimum delivery style.
In terms of tone it would be interesting to experiment with

fingers, thumb and plectrum in order to see which technique
helps you deliver the line more efficiently. The ‘clickiness’ of
the original recording is achieved by using a plectrum. There’s
a quirk on the last quarter note of bar 9 – the harmonic
rhythm is anticipated by placing a C on beat 4. This adds
tension and immediate release very effectively.
B Section (Bars 10–17)

Bars 10–17 | Harmonic repetition over varying melodic content
By the time you reach this section the rhythmic pattern is

well established and will repeat what was featured in the
A section, this time without the pushed C on the fourth beat
of the 8th bar of the cycle. Bar 17 will be played all on G.

Bars 18–26 | Harmonic variation over constant rhythmic pattern
In this section you are required to keep the rhythmic pattern
whilst making it ‘travel’ through different chord changes.
The difficulty in this section is that the chords are almost
the same as in the previous section but their order of
appearance varies slightly. The opening chord of the section,
C, is major rather than minor, and the Ab (add 9) and Ab
will appear before the Ebmaj7 rather than after it. This can
confuse you to begin with but if you keep your ears open it
is easily negotiated.
The movement in the line is all within the key of Cm so it

is advisable to establish coherent and consistent fingering
patterns. This will allow you to perform it without having
to move your fretting hand too much. This will give greater
precision to your delivery.
Bass Grade 1
16
The Cult
SONG TITLE: SHE SELLS SANCTUARY

ALBUM: LOVE
LABEL: BEGGARS BANQUET c 120 Pop/Rock
GENRE: GOTHIC ROCK / POST PUNK
? # 44
A Intro
WRITTEN BY: IAN ASTBURY
AND BILLY DUFFY
PRODUCED BY: STEVE BROWN
[Guitar Intro]
UK CHART PEAK: 15 T
A
B
?# œ œ œ œ œ œ
D

BACKGROUND INFO
‘She Sells Sanctuary’ was released in May 1985 and At the turn of the 80s Ian Astbury (lead singer) and
propelled The Cult into the mainstream. The song Billy Duffy (lead guitarist) moved to LA where they
0 0 by some 0 0
quickly became a radio and club classic in part due to T remain to 0
0 this day. Astbury is acknowledged
the 12” extended releases the band put out at the time. A B as a unique rock singer.
The song’s now iconic, heavily effected opening guitar
riff was almost left out of the recording. It is allegedly [5] ‘She Sells Sanctuary’ had a second life in the
the result of having all effects on after experiments advertising world, having been used in campaigns
playing the middle section of the song with a violin by Nissan, Labatt’s beer, Fernet-Branca and Ford
bow in the style of Jimmy Page. Mustang. It is also featured in the opening credits
?# œ œ
for BuffyCthe Vampire Slayer and in a number of
The song’s lyrics refer to finding solitude in a
woman’s arms and to the power of matriarchal energy,
either physically or spiritually. They also refer to the
œ œ œ
films, including Layer Cake and Singles. Butch Vig,
Nirvana’s producer, remixed the song to great acclaim
in 1994. Flo Rida mashed it with ‘Good Feeling’ for
œ
cosmos as a female rather than male energy. the Budweiser Eternal Optimism Super Bowl ad.
Additionally, the song is featured in video games,
The Cult started life as Death Cult in 1983. By including Gran Turismo 3, Grand Theft Auto and
1984 they had changed their name to The Cult and T Guitar Hero, amongst others.
released two very well received albums in the Post- 3 3 3 3
A 3 3
Punk/Goth vein – Dreamtime and Love. ‘She Sells B The Cult continue touring, although primarily
Sanctuary’ was the main single taken from Love and in the US.
[7]
saw the band move up the charts in a significant way.
After relentless touring and some line-up changes
the band released Electric in 1987. It was produced
œ
by Rick Rubin and saw the band experimenting with
?# œ œ œ œ œ
a polished sound much closer to classic rock. This D
Bass Grade 1
record helped them break the American market.
17
T 0 0 0 0
0 0
She Sells Sanctuary
The Cult
Words & Music by Ian Astbury
& William Duffy
c 120 Pop/Rock
? # 44
A Intro
[Guitar Intro]
T
A
B
?# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
D
T 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
A
B
[5]
?# œ
C G
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
T
A 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
B 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
[7]
D
T 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
A
B
[9]
?# œ
C G
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
T
A 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
B 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
[11]
Verse
?# œ
B
œ ‰ œ ˙ œ œ ‰ œ ˙
D
J J
Bass Grade 1
T 0 0 0 0 0 0
A
B
[13]
18 © Copyright 1985 Tayminster Limited/Screenchoice Limited.
Chappell Music Limited.
?# œ j j
C G/B G
œ ‰ œ ˙ œ œ ‰
œ ˙
T
A 3 3 3 2 2
B 3
[15]
?# œ œ ‰ œ ˙ œ œ ‰ œ ˙
D
J J
T 0 0 0 0 0 0
A
B
[17]
?# œ j j
C G/B G
œ ‰ œ ˙ œ œ ‰
œ ˙
T
A 3 3 3 2 2
B 3
[19]

Chorus
?# œ
C
œ ‰ œ œ œ Œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ Œ
D
J J
T 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
A
B
[21]
?# œ j
C G
œ ‰ œ œ œ Œ ‰ j Œ
œ œ œ œ œ
T
A 3 3 3 3 3
B 3 3 3 3 3
[23]
D
T 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
A
B
[25]
?# œ
C G D
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ w
Bass Grade 1
T 0
A 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
B 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
[27]
19
Walkthrough
A Section (Bars 1–12) C Section (Bars 21–29)

Bars 1–4 | whole rests Bars 21–24 | Eighth notes and rests
The first four bars have whole rests in the bass, giving space The rhythm of the first bar is repeated in bars 22–24, with
for a guitar intro. the first two eighth notes played on an open D string. This
is followed by an eighth-note rest then three more eighth
Bar 5–6 | Eighth notes notes. A quarter-note rest completes the phrase with bar
The bass enters at bar 5 with eighth notes played throughout. 22 repeated exactly. The chord movement is unchanged
The two bars are identical with the open D string played from the previous sections with a C played on fret 3 of the
here. Alternating the first and second fingers of the picking A string in bar 23 and a G played on fret 3 of the E string in
hand will help maintain consistency. bar 24.
Bars 7–8 | Eighth notes Bars 25–28 | Repeated phrases

The solid eighth notes continue but this time moving to a C The pattern here will be familiar as it is an exact repeat of
on the third fret of the A string, and in the fourth bar a G is bars 5–8. Using the same alternating picking technique of
played on the third fret of the E string. Try using the fretting the first and second fingers will help re-establish these solid
hand to dampen the open D string when moving to bar 7. eighth notes.
Bars 9–12 | Repeated phrases Bar 29 | Whole notes

Bars 5–8 are repeated exactly in bars 9–12. Aim for The piece finishes with a whole note played on the
consistency when playing the eighth notes by alternating the open D string.
first and second fingers in the picking hand.

Bars 13–14 | Eighth notes with ties and eighth note-rests
There are two eighth-notes played on beat 1 of bar 13 on
the open D string, followed by an eighth-note rest. Another
eighth note is played on the ‘&’ of beat 2 with a tie to the half
note on beat 3. Try to dampen the second eighth-note of the
bar so the rest is given full value here. Bar 14 is a repeat of
bar 13. Use the ‘1 & 2 &’ counting method to really lock in
with the track.
Bars 15–16 | Repeated rhythm

The rhythm of bars 13–14 is repeated but the note played
in bar 13 is a C on the third fret of the A string in bar 15.
The C is moved to a B in bar 16 for the first two eighth-
notes. A common technique for bass players is to play the
third degree of the scale under the chord. The root note G is
played on the ‘&’ of beat 2 to complete the line.
Bass Grade 1
20
Mary J Blige
SONG TITLE: FAMILY AFFAIR

ALBUM: NO MORE DRAMA c 90 RnB
LABEL: MCA
Intro
C#m
GENRE: DANCE POP / HIP-HOP /
? # ## # 44 œ Œ Œ
R&B A
WRITTEN BY: MARY J. BLIGE, ANDRE

YOUNG, BRUCE MILLER,
CAMARA KAMBON,
MICHAEL ELIZONDO T
PRODUCED BY: DR. DRE A 4
B
UK CHART PEAK: 8

#
? # ## # Œ
BACKGROUND INFO
Œ
George Michael
G m by recording ‘As’ by Stevie Wonder
– this was huge commercial and critical success. She
œ
‘Family Affair’ was originally written by Dr. Dre, also duetted with Barbra Streisand, Jessie J, Emeli
who recorded its initial instrumental version in Sandé, Sam Smith, Sting and Chaka Khan, earning
September 2000. He sent the track to Mary J. Blige her first Grammy Award for her work with the latter.
who recorded her vocals using lyrics written by her She has been awarded two Grammy Awards to date.
brother, Bruce Miller, in collaboration with Camara
Kambon and Michael Elizondo. The song was Mary J. Blige has also been a very active film
T
originally titled ‘Fragile’. Dr.Dre suggested adding A actor, with parts in Prison Dog, I Can Do Bad All
a bridge to the song and Blige did so, for which she B By Myself, Rock
4 Of Ages, Black Nativity, Mudbound
penned her own lyrics. and Sherlock Holmes. She has also had many TV
[3]
appearances as actress, guest and judge. She is an
The song’s pumping dance-pop sound incorporated entrepreneur with her own record label, production
elements of Hip-Hop and R&B. This is a mix that company, in addition to her successful perfume and
is characteristic of Mary J. Blige’s music and an area sunglasses collections.
of genre crossover in which she has been highly
influential. It became the blueprint for much of Mary J. Blige issa vocal supporter of the Democratic
Choru
90s Hip-Hop and R&B. ‘Family Affair’ topped the
#
Party and an example of entrepreneurship to many.
? # ## # œ Œ
Billboard Hot 100 charts for six weeks. It is amongst B She has been
C ma leading figure in popular music for the
Œ
the biggest selling songs in the Billboard Hot 100 best part of two decades.
All-Time Songs. Blige performed the song at the final
night of the Democratic National Convention in 2012.
Mary J. Blige’s career has seen her work with a

who’s who of the R&B and Pop worlds. She has been
touring since 1997. Amongst her collaborators in R&B
and Hip-Hop are Dr. Dre, Will.i.am, Raphael Saadiq, T
Bass Grade 1
A 4
LL Cool J, Jimmy Jam, R. Kelly, Puff Daddy and Kanye B
West. In the Pop world she has collaborated with
[5]
21
Family Affair
Mary J Blige
c 90 RnB
Words & Music by Mary J. Blige, Bruce Miller,
Andre Young, Melvin Bradford, Mike Elizondo,
Intro Camara Kambon, Asiah Louis & Luchana Lodge
C#m
? # # # # 44 œ œ
A
Œ Œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ
T 2 1
A 4 2 2 4 4
B
G#m
? #### Œ Œ Œ ‰ j
T
A 2 2
B 4 2 2 4 4
[3]

Chorus
C#m
? #### œ œ
B
T 2 1
A 4 2 2 4 4
B
[5]
G#m
? #### Œ Œ Œ œ ‰ œ
j
œ œ œ œ œ
T
A 2 2
B 4 2 2 4 4
[7]
C#m
? #### œ Œ Œ œ Œ œ œ œ
œ œ
Bass Grade 1
T 2 1
A 4 2 2 4 4
B
[9]
22 © Copyright 2001 Mary J Blige Music/Five Card Music/Elvis Mambo Music/Hard Working Black Folks Incorporated/Colorscapes Publishing/Universal Tunes/Spirit One Music/
W B Music Corp/Universal Music Corporation/Music Of Windswept/Ain’t Nothing But Funkin’ Music/Melvin Bradford Music/CWAB.
Warner/Chappell Music Limited/Kobalt Music Publishing Limited/Universal/MCA Music Limited/Spirit Music Publishing Limited/BMG Rights Management (US) LLC.
G#m
? #### Œ Œ Œ œ ‰ œ
j
œ œ œ œ œ
T
A 2 2
B 4 2 2 4 4
[11]
Verse/Breakdown
C#m
? #### ˙ .
C
œ ˙.
œ
T
A 4 2 4
B 2
[13]
G#m
? #### Œ ‰ j
˙. œ œ œ œ œ

T
A 2 2
B 4 2 4 4
[15]
Chorus
C#m
? #### œ œ
D
T 2 1
A 4 2 2 4 4
B
[17]
G#m
? #### Œ Œ Œ œ ‰ œ
j
œ œ œ œ œ
T
A 2 2
B 4 2 2 4 4
[19]
C#m
? #### œ Œ Œ œ œ œ Œ Ó
Bass Grade 1
T
A 4 2 2 4
B
[21]
23
Walkthrough
A Section (Bars 1–4) D Section (Bars 17–22)

The first four bars define the theme of the piece and, Bars 17–20 | Repeated phrases
although there is little variation in the pattern throughout, The main riff comes back in at the start of bar 17 with the
it is characteristic of modern R’n’B to play the same loop in phrasing repeated from the A section. Aim to keep the
unison with other instruments solidly and consistently. consistency as established earlier on in the piece by making
use of all the fingers in the fretting hand.
Bar 1 | Quarter notes, eighth notes & rests
The first bar starts with a strong quarter note on the first Bars 21–22 | Repeated phrase and ending
beat of the bar. Two quarter-note rests follow so make sure Bar 21 is an exact repeat of bar 17, with a quarter note on C#
to dampen the fretted note. There are two eighth notes on of beat 1 in bar 22 to define the final accent of the piece.
beat 4 so use the ‘1 & 2 &’ counting method to lock in with
the track early on.
Bar 2 | Quarter notes and eighth notes

Another strong quarter note on the downbeat of the bar. It is
wise to start this bar with the fourth finger so the second and
first fingers can be used on the second and first frets of the D
string on the ‘&’ of beat 3 and the quarter note on beat 4.
Bar 3 | Repeated rhythm

The rhythm of this bar is the same as in bar 1 although now
on the E string. Try to stay on the fourth finger here as it will

help to set up the phrase in the following bar.
Bar 4 | Quarter and eighth notes with rests

A quarter-note rest appears again on beat 2 of the bar,
followed by two eighth notes. Watch the G# note on the E
string isn’t held down when playing the B on the A string.
There is an eighth-note rest on beat 4 to be aware of, with
the ‘&’ of beat 4 played to set up the main pattern once again.

This section is an exact repeat of the A section but played
twice giving eight bars in total. Try to keep a consistent tone
and lock in with the backing, as the majority of the bass line
is in unison with the strings.

The chords remain the same as in previous sections although
the bass line changes to some longer notes to help define the
section change.
Bars 13–15 | Dotted half notes and quarter notes

The rhythmic pattern in bar 13 is repeated in bars 14 & 15.
A dotted half note starts on the first beat of the bar with a
quarter note on beat 4. Try to give the dotted half notes their
full value but be careful not to let the note ring into other
notes when changing strings.
Bass Grade 1
Bar 16 | Repeated phrases

The bass line from the main section is re-established here
with a repeat of bar 4.
24
Talking Heads
SONG TITLE: PSYCHO KILLER

ALBUM: 77
LABEL: SIRE c 120 Rock
GENRE: GARAGE/NEO-SOUL/ Intro
? 44
ELECTRONICA A N.C .
WRITTEN BY: DAVID BYRNE, œ. œ. œ. œ.

CHRIS FRANTZ
AND TINA WEYMOUTH
T
A 0 0 0
PRODUCED BY: TOM BONGIOVI AND 0
B
LANCE QUINN
UK CHART PEAK: NOT CHARTED

?
BACKGROUND INFO The Knack and The Cars amongst many others.
œ by aœnumberœ
‘Psycho Killer’œhas been sampled
œ.
Talking Heads disbanded in 1991.
œ
.of artists .
‘Psycho Killer’ started life as a ballad written by
David Byrne, Talking Heads’ lead singer. The band
adapted the song, and were performing it live as early including Selena Gomez. Rapper Ice-T
as 1975, but they only released it in December 1977. claims the song was a significant influence on his
The song gradually became popular amongst the controversial hit ‘Cop Killer’. The song has been
band’s growing following. By the early 80s Talking covered by Velvet Revolver, featuring Duff McKagan,
T 0
Heads were a very well known ‘underground success’. A bassist from Guns 0 n’ Roses. 0
0 0 3
B
The style of the song features elements of Funk All band members are active musicians. Drummer
[4]
and No Wave, a kind of art rock very significant in Chris Frantz and bassist Tina Weymouth formed
Talking Heads’ sound. The simple yet prominent bass Tom-Tom Club and ‘Psycho Killer’ is still part of
line is played by Tina Weymouth. The song was also their set, with Weymouth in charge of the vocals and
included in the soundtrack for Stop Making Sense, bass. Singer David Byrne has been involved in art
a film featuring the band playing live. There is a installations, cinema soundtracks and film direction.
famous live version from 1978 included in an official He has received many awards, including an Oscar
compilation of The Old Grey Whistle Test. The vocal and Grammy Award, and has also written a number
?RollTalking
delivery style blends an almost spoken word with more of books.
œ.
Am
œ œ.
melodic elements. This is a style that David Byrne
œ œ
.
and.performed ‘Psycho Killer’. .
used throughout the band’s career to great effect. Heads were inducted into the Rock and
Hall of Fame in 2002. They reunited for the event
Talking Heads gained significant popularity in the
late 70s and early 80s in the US and UK. They were
amongst a number of groups whose varied styles were
marketed as New Wave to begin with. These included
The Velvet Underground, The New York Dolls, Tom T 0
Bass Grade 1
A 0 0 0
Petty And The Heartbreakers, Joe Jackson, Elvis 0
B
Costello and The Attractions, Blondie, The Police,
[7]
25
Psycho Killer
Talking Heads
Words & Music by David Byrne,
c 120 Rock Chris Frantz & Tina Weymouth
Intro
? 44
A
N.C. A 11
œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ œ œ œ. œ. œ. œ.
T
A 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
B 0 3
?
œ. œ. œ œ œ œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ œ œ
T
A 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
B 0 3 0 3
[4]

?
Am D 7/A Am
œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ œ œ œ. œ. œ. œ.
T
A 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
B 0 3
[7]
B Verse
?
D 7/A A7
T
A 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
B 0 3 0 3
[10]
?
œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ œ œ œ. œ. œ. œ.
Bass Grade 1
T
A 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
B 0 3
[13]
26 © Copyright 1977 Index Music Incorporated/W B Music Corporation.
Warner/Chappell North America Limited.
?
T
A 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
B 0 3 0 3
[16]
Chorus
C F G N.C.
œ œ œ. œ œ œ. œ œ
T 0 0
A 3 0 3 0 2 0 2 0
B 3 3 0 0 0 0
3 3
[19]

F G
œ. œ œ œ. œ. œ œ
T 0 0
A 3 0 3 0 2 0 2 0
B 0 0 0 0 3 3
3
[22]
? œ œ œ
C F
. œ œ œ. œ œ œ. œ œ œ. œ. œ œ œ œ
T 3 0 3 0
A 3 3 2 3 3 2 3 3 2 3 3 3 3
B
[25]
? œ œ œ œ œ œ
G Am
œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ œ œ w
Bass Grade 1
T 0 0
A 2 0 2 0
B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 3
[28]
27
Walkthrough
A Section (Bars 1–10) Bar 20 | Quarter and eighth notes

The opening two bars define the main theme of the piece The rhythm of this bar is the same as in bar 19, although a
with this same two-bar pattern featured throughout Sections slight change in note choice. The bar starts with an open G
A and B. string and moves to an E played on the second fret of the
D string. Another open D string is played on the following
Bar 1 | Quarter notes eighth note, with beats 3 and 4 of the bar played exactly as
The first bar features four quarter notes, all played on the beats 1 and 2.
open A string. The bass is alone in this bar so really try to
lock the tempo early on by using the ‘1 & 2 &’ counting Bar 21 | More quarter and eighth notes
method. The pattern moves back to the open A string here with the
quarter–eighth note rhythm movement mirrored from the
Bar 2 | Quarter and eighth notes previous bar. Use the fretting hand to dampen the open
This bar features two quarter-notes on beats 1 and 2 of the strings when playing G on the E string.
bar, followed by two eighth-notes on beat 3 and another
quarter note on beat 4. Beat 3 features movement from the Bar 22 |
open A string to the open E string, so make sure to dampen Almost identical to the previous bar, although beats 3 and 4
the first note so the clarity of the E can be heard. The final are played as two quarter notes on the open A string. Keep
note in the bar is a G played on the third fret of the E string. an eye on those open strings and try not to let them ring
longer than their notated duration.
The guitar and kick drum join in at bar 3 with the first two Bars 23–24 | Repeated phrases
bars repeated twice more. An exact repeat of bars 19 and 20 here. Try to keep the

consistency when repeating phrasing.
The established two bar bass line is repeated again in these Bars 25–26 | Repeated rhythm
four bars with a slight change to the guitar line. Make sure The rhythm of these two bars is the same as in bars 21–22,
the open A string isn’t held into the open E string when although the note choice changes. The movement here is
playing these phrases. between a C and B played on the A string on the third and
second frets. Using the second and first fingers to play this
phrasing will help set up the bars that follow.
The opening two bar phrases are repeated for a total of eight Bars 27–31 | Repeated phrases
bars in this section. Keep the line as consistent as possible The final five bars will be familiar from earlier on in the
through these bars. piece, with a whole note on the open A to finish.

This is the chorus section of the piece and so a change in
chords and bass line
Bar 19 | Quarter and eighth notes

The first bar of this section has a quarter note and two
eighth notes, with the same pattern repeated on beats 3 and
4. The first note of the bar is an F and is played on the third
fret of the D string. This is followed by an eighth note on the
open D string and another eighth note on the third fret of
the A string. Make sure the open string isn’t held down while
playing the following fretted note. This phrase is repeated on
beats 3 and 4.
Bass Grade 1
28
Crosstown Link
SONG TITLE: CROSSTOWN LINK

GENRE: BLUES ROCK
TEMPO: 90 BPM
Bb
KEY: E MINOR
q= 90 Blues Rock
A7
? # 44 Œ
A B7
TECH FEATURES: EIGHTH-NOTE LINES

RESTS
œ bœ œ
DOTTED QUARTER NOTES
COMPOSER: ALISON RAYNER T

A 2 1 0
B
PERSONNEL: STUART RYAN (GTR)
HENRY THOMAS (BASS)
NOAM LEDERMAN (DRUMS)
© PHOTOGRAPHER | ARCHIVE

#9
? # Blues rock developed in Britain and Americaœ œ œ
OVERVIEW THE
E 7BIGGER PICTURE
‘Crosstown Link’ is a blues rock track created in

the style of artists such as legendary guitarist Jimi .
during the 1960s. It beganœas the blues played with
œ.edge then evolved as musicians experimented a
Hendrix, and popular rock bands of the 1960s-1970s harder
including Cream (featuring Jack Bruce on bass) and by adding new chords and extra sections to the
Led Zeppelin (with bassist and keyboard player John traditional 12–bar structure. Improvisations in the
Paul Jones). This period in rock history is considered T style were originally centred on jazz lines before
a golden age for guitar heroes, but it was a creative A moving towards heavier, riff driven ideas based2on 2
time for bass players too. You will notice how the B pentatonic 0
0 scales. It was during this time that many of
bassline featured in ‘Crosstown Link’ is an active one, [3] today’s well known guitarists, including Eric Clapton,
comprised of a strong groove peppered with a variety Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page and John Mayall, made
of fills throughout. their mark. Bass icons emerged too, including the
aforementioned Jack Bruce and John Paul Jones, as
well as Noel Redding (The Jimi Hendrix Experience),
STYLE FOCUS John Entwistle (The Who) and Andy Fraser (Free).
Blues rock is still popular today and has been carried
# 9 and Them Crooked Vultures.

Essentially, the blues rock style is based on blues on by the likes of Joe Bonamassa, John Mayer, The
?#
B White 7Stripes
œ
chord progressions played with a hard rock edge.
œ.
E
The guitar is the focal point here, and it was during
œ. œ
the mid 1960s that Hendrix popularized the use of
feedback and wildly overdriven guitars. This style of RECOMMENDED LISTENING
blues rock was extravagant and essentially enabled
bass players to move away from the more traditional Classic Hendrix tracks ‘Fire’, ‘Crosstown Traffic’
walking basslines and indulge in riffs, fills and and ‘Purple Haze’ are great starting points. The John
improvised lines. A common blues rock bassline T Mayall album ‘Blues Breakers With Eric Clapton’
will feature riff based groove sections, chromatic A (1966), also known as the ‘Beano album’ (the cover2 2
Bass Grade 1
lines (which involve connecting chords and adding 0 of the Beano) is a

B pictured0Clapton reading a copy
tension), plus improvised fills. great example, as is Cream’s Wheels Of Fire (1968).
[5]
29
Crosstown Link
Alison Rayner
q = 90 Blues Rock
Bb Ab
? # 44 Œ
A B7 A7 A7 G7
œ bœ œ Œ Œ œ bœ Œ
œ
T
A
B 2 1 0
5 4 3
#
?# œ œ
E7 9
œ. œ œ. œ
œ. œ œ œ bœ nœ
T
A 0 2
B 2 2 0 1 2
0 0 0 0 3
[3]

#
?# œ
B
œ
E7 9
œ. œ œ. œ
œ. œ œ œ bœ nœ
T
A 0 2
B 2 2 0 1 2
0 0 0 0 3
[5]
?# œ. œ œ œ œ
œ. œ œ. œ œ œ œ
T
A 0 2
B 2 2 2 0
0 0 0 0 3 0
[7]
?#
A7
œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ. œ œ. œ
Bass Grade 1
T 0 2 0
A 2 2 2 2 0
B 0 0 0 0
30
[9]
© Copyright 2012 Rock School Ltd. This music is copyright. Photocopying is illegal.
#
?# œ œ
E7 9
œ. œ œ. œ
œ. œ œ #œ œ bœ
T
A 0 2
B 2 2 0 1
0 0 0 0 3 4
[11]
Bb
? # nœ.
B7
j A7
j œ bœ nœ
œ œ bœ œ. œ œ
T
A 0 1 2
B 2 2 2 1 0 0 0
[13]

#
?# œ œ
E7 9
œ. œ œ. œ
œ. œ œ œ œ œ
T
A 0 2
B 2 2 2 0
0 0 0 0 3 0
[15]
Bb Ab
?# Œ
C
Œ Œ Œ
B7 A7 A7 G7
œ bœ œ œ bœ œ
T
A
B 2 1 0
5 4 3
[17]
#
F#7
?#
F7 E7 9
œ œ œ. j
˙ n˙ œ. œ œ. œ ˙
Bass Grade 1
T
A
B 2 0
2 1 0 0 3 0 0
31
[19]
Walkthrough
A Section (Bars 1–4) your fret hand after playing it to prevent it from ringing on
The first four bars of ‘Crosstown Link’ feature the use into the next beat.
of quarter-note rests on the first beat of the bar, plus the
introduction of the main riff. Bars 13–14 | Dotted quarter-notes
In these bars you will discover dotted quarter-notes. Dotted
Bars 1–21 | Staccato Notes notes extend the value of a note by 50 per cent. This means
There are many staccato notes (marked with a dot) in that each dotted quarter-note will last for a beat and a half,
‘Crosstown Link’. These should be articulated by releasing instead of the usual single beat. To accomplish this, play the
pressure on the string. Don’t take the finger all the way first B on beat 1 and the second on the ‘&’ of beat 2. Make
off the string, this will slow you down and may produce sure that the first note rings until the second one is played.
unwanted string noise, just stop pressing.
Bars 1–2 | Quarter-note rests C Section (Bars 17–21)

In the first two bars of this section, rests are used for the first This final section is similar to the intro and contains the
beat of the bar. You should take care not to play on beat 1, same chromatic figures that start on the second beat.
which is tempting after a “1–2–3–4” count-in (Fig. 1).
Bar 19 | Half notes
Bars 1–2 | Chromatic notes In this bar, two half notes are played. You will need to play
Both of these two bars contain a three note descending the first note on beat 1 and play the second on beat 3.
chromatic line (to move chromatically means to move
directly to the next fret). Any time there is chromatic Bar 21 | Use of a tie
movement in a song, there will be accidentals in the notation In the final bar, the dotted quarter-note rhythm appears
– you can see a B b in the first bar and an A b in the second.

again. The second note is played on the upbeat (or ‘&’)
Even though these notes do not occur naturally in the key, of beat 2, and in the notation you discover how this is
they add plenty of weight when used between the notes that connected to the final half note with a tie. This means that
do belong to the key. when you play the note on the upbeat of beat 2, you should
allow it to ring for the duration of the note it is tied to
Bar 3 | The main riff without re-playing it.
The main ‘Crosstown Link’ riff is introduced in the third
bar (Fig. 2), and consists of two quarter notes on the low E
string, followed by four eighth notes on the last two beats.
Bb
? # 44 Œ
Count these eighth notes evenly to ensure they are of the B7 A7
same length.
œ bœ œ Œ
B Section (Bars 5–16) T

The B section of this song follows the standard 12-bar blues A
B 2 1 0
structure and is based around the riff introduced during the Count: (1) 2 & 3 (4)
final two bars of the A section.
Fig. 1: Quarter-note rests
Bar 6 | Riff variation
In this bar you will see a variation of the main riff that is
used at several points within the piece. After playing the two
quarter note E notes, the group of four eighth notes starts
on the G at the third fret of the E string before ascending #
chromatically from the open A to the B b and finally to the B. ?# œ œ
E7 9
To play this cleanly, fret the G with your third finger and the
œ. œ œ. œ
B b and B with your first and second fingers.
Bars 9–10 | Moving the riff T

A 0 2
2 2
In these bars the main riff is moved onto the A string. Bar B
Bass Grade 1
0 0
10 contains a variation on this riff: after the first eighth note
E, an open G is played followed by E and D notes on the D Fig. 2: The main riff
string. When playing this, take care to mute the open G with
32
Night Ride
SONG TITLE: NIGHT RIDE

GENRE: ROCK
TEMPO: 120 BPM
q =120 Rock
j
KEY: A MAJOR
? # ## 44
A A
TECH FEATURES: EIGHTH-NOTE GROOVES
RESTS œ. œ œ.
OPEN STRINGS
COMPOSER: SIMON TROUP T

A 0 0
0
B
HENRY THOMAS (BASS)

# music
? # #Rock œ . first emerged œin Britainœand. America œJ œ
OVERVIEW THE DBIGGER
maj 7 PICTURE
in the 1960s and was initiallyJ

Kings Of Leon, The Script, Foo Fighters and
Stereophonics are renowned for their dynamic rock a mixture of blues and
songs, and ‘Night Ride’ takes its cue from them. The rock ’n’ roll. In the following two decades rock divided
bassline begins in a simple manner using root notes into numerous sub-genres: blues rock, punk rock,
and basic rhythms to underpin the chords. As the indie rock, progressive rock and more. All of these
song progresses, the bassline gradually evolves with T were dominated by a focus on0the electric
0 guitar 0 0
0
more fills and rhythmic elements being introduced. A and commonly used a basic format of bass, drums,
As with most rock songs, ‘Night Ride’ can be played B guitar and vocals. Keyboards and piano were also
either with a pick or with the fingers. It is important [3] used, especially in progressive rock. Most rock songs
to remember to play the line with consistency. followed a basic verse-chorus structure, typically
incorporating a guitar solo in the second half of the
song. Rock is still a dominant force in the charts
STYLE FOCUS and contemporary bands such as Kings of Leon and
Foo Fighters, to name just two, are playing sold out
Rock is a wide ranging term that encompasses stadium tours, headlining major festivals and releasing
j
many other musical genres. The focus is usually on world-beating albums under the rock banner.
? # ## j œ ‰ œ
the guitar and vocals, with bass guitar and drums
œ
playing supportive roles. Rock basslines vary
œ. œ
enormously, with some bands favouring repetitive RECOMMENDED LISTENING
eighth-note based lines with others opting for a more
melodic walking bass approach. Technical proficiency We have already mentioned Kings of Leon – check
is valued highly in rock music, which is in contrast out their album Only By The Night (2008), and Foo
to some other styles, punk being a good example. Fighters The Colour And The Shape (1997), but
However, by far the most important aspect of playing T rock forefathers AC/DC also have a thrilling back
rock bass is to ensure the bassline supports the song A catalogue, especially Back In Black (1980).
0 0 2
Bass Grade 1
without dominating it. B 2 2

[6]
33
Night Ride
Simon Troup
q =120 Rock
? # # # 44 j j j œ œ œ
A
‰
A
œ. œ œ. œ œ. œ J
T
A 2 2 2
B 0 0 0 0 0 0
F # m7
? ### œ . œ œ. œ œ. œ ‰ j j j
D maj 7
J J J œ œ œ œ. œ œ. œ
T
A 0 0 0 0 0 0
B 0 0 0
2 2 2 2
[3]

? ### j ‰ j j j j ‰ j
E
œ. œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ. œ œ. œ œ œ œ
T
A
B 0 0 2 2 2 2
2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
[6]
? ### j j j
œ œ ‰ œ œ œ ‰ œJ
B
œ. œ œ. œ
A D maj 7
œ. œ œ. œ J J
T
A 2 2 2 0 0 0 0
B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
[9]
? ### œ . œ œ œ œ nœ
F # m7
#œ. œ œ œ ‰ œ œ. œ œ. œ
J J J J J
Bass Grade 1
T 2 2 2
A 0 0 0 2 2 3 4 4 4 4 4 4
B
34
[12]
? ### œ . œ œ. œ œ œ ‰ œ œ.
j
E
J J J œ
T 1 1
A 2 2 2 2 2
B 2 2
[15]
F # m7 G # m7
? ### j ‰ j ‰ j ‰
D maj 7
j j j
C
œ œ œ œ nœ #œ ‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ œ
J J J
T
A 0 0 0 0 0
B
2 2 2 2 3 4 4 4 4
[17]
C # m7 F # m7 G # m7
? # # # œj ‰ œ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j j j
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ #œ ‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ

T
A
B 4 4 4 2 0
4 2 2 2 2 3 4 4 4 4
[20]
C # m7
? ### j j j j
B m7
œ ‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ nœ #œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ
T
A
B 2 2 2 2 3 4 4 4 2 0
4
[23]
F # m7
? ###
D A D maj 7
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ
T
A 0 0
B 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 2
2 2 2 2 2 2
[25]
? ### œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ w
Bass Grade 1
T
A 0 0 0 0 0
B 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 2
35
[28]
Walkthrough

The song starts with an eight bar verse, and the bassline is a A different feel is used for this section, and the bassline
simple part using root notes to outline the chords. contains a lot of rests as well as some melodic passages that
connect the chords.
Bars 1–40 | Locking in with the drums
Listen closely to the kick drum and snare hits and try to Bar 17 | Eighth-note rests
match your part to the rhythm track. You won’t always be As the chorus section arrives, the bass plays a different
playing on the same beats as the drums, but the two parts rhythmic idea. One eighth note is played on each beat, but
should fit together in a complementary way. because each is an eighth note followed by an eighth-note
rest they should be kept short.
Bar 1 | Dotted quarter notes and eighth notes
The basic rhythm for this verse section is a dotted quarter Bar 20 | Melodic bass fill
note followed by an eighth note. This rhythm is used twice There is another melodic bass fill in this bar, linking the
here. To play this rhythm, play the first note on the first beat C # m7 and F # m7 chords (Fig. 2). Here the bass walks
and the next note on the upbeat or ‘&’ of the second beat. downwards from the C # through notes that belong to the
key, arriving neatly at the F # at the beginning of the next bar.
Bars 1–4 | Counting rhythms
You should find most of the rhythms in this section quite
easy to pick up aurally. If you struggle with any of them, try D Section (Bars 25–30)
counting the bar in eighth notes (“1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &”) and The final section of this song features a busy quarter note
work out where each note falls. Practise the phrase slowly, and eighth note bassline involving string crossing.
gradually increasing speed as you become more comfortable.

Bars 27–29 | Muting
In these three identical bars, you are required to play the
B Section (Bars 9–16) open D string followed by the open A string. Make sure that
The second verse follows the same chord progression as the you mute the open D with your fretting hand fingers as you
first, but here the bassline is busier. move to the A string.
Bar 10 | Using the fifth

In this bar, the bass moves up to the fifth of the A chord
F # m7
? ### œ . œ œ. œ œ.
rather than remaining on the root note. The fifth (an E note) E
is a great note choice for bass players in all styles of music.
Here it works for two reasons: it is a strong note in the A
J J
chord and it leads nicely to the D chord in the following bar.
T 2 2 2 1
Bar 12 | Melodic link A
B
4
There is a melodic link on the third and fourth beats of this

Notes: F# A G#
bar. Rather than staying on the root note D the bass moves
up to the E and is followed by an F n, which makes for a great
root minor 3rd major 3rd
transition into the next bar. Fig. 1: Using the minor third
Bar 14 | Using the minor third

Now the bass moves from the root note of the F # m 7 chord
up to the minor third, which is an A at the 2nd fret of the G
C # m7
string (Fig. 1). This note gives the chord its ‘minor’ quality,
and leads directly to the G # in the following bar.
? # # # œj ‰ œ œ œ œ œ
Bar 15 | Using the major third
The minor third (A) played in the previous bar leads directly
to the G # in this bar. The G # is the major third of the E chord T
A
played by the guitar and is the note that gives the chord its 4 4 4 2 0
Bass Grade 1
B
4
major quality. The idea of using major and minor thirds in
the bassline is a popular one, but the third does not sound as Fig. 2: Melodic bass fill
strong as the root and fifth so it is not used as often.
36
Reluctant Hero
SONG TITLE: RELUCTANT HERO

GENRE: GRUNGE
TEMPO: 115 BPM
KEY: E MINOR q =115 Grunge
? # 44
A
œ
N.C .
œ œ > œ
TECH FEATURES: EIGHTH NOTE GROOVES
RESTS
STRING CROSSING
COMPOSER: JAMES UINGS T

A 3
B 0 0
0
HENRY THOMAS (BASS)

OVERVIEW THE BIGGER PICTURE
‘Reluctant Hero’ is a grunge track written in the Grunge is a sub genre of rock music that developed
style of the bands Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice In in the local punk scene in and around the American
Chains and Pearl Jam. It features rests and string city of Seattle during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
crossing among its techniques. A common motif in It emerged partly as a reaction to the overblown
?# œ
grunge is that the bass doubles the guitar on chorus theatrical rock music of the 1980s and defined itself
œ œ
sections and big riffs, then holds down an eighth- more through song dynamics and lyrical content
œ œ >
note based groove during the verse sections. As with than technical guitar playing or extravagant shows.
any style of music it is important to be solid and Grunge bands adopted an entirely different look to
supportive here, but you should also play with a sense conventional rock bands and spiked the interest of
of authority in order to capture the grunge sound in youths disconnected from mainstream music. Grunge
its true form. became a phenomenon thanks largely to the release of
T two albums in 1991: Nevermind by Nirvana and Ten
A by Pearl Jam. 3 0
B 0 0
STYLE FOCUS 0
[3]
Grunge has never been about technical ability or RECOMMENDED LISTENING
complexity. Instead it is a style of music based on
simple ideas performed with feeling and to a high Nevermind is the quintessential grunge album,
standard. Grunge tracks often feature an obvious use containing ‘Lithium’, ‘Come As You Are’ and ‘Smells
of dynamics, with the idea of ‘quiet verse, loud chorus’ Like Teen Spirit’. Ten, Pearl Jam’s debut, yielded the
being a common template. Grunge basslines are often instant classics ‘Alive’, ‘Jeremy’ and ‘Even Flow’. During
simple, but timing and accuracy are just as important the grunge movement that sprang off the back of
here as in any other style of music. A typical grunge Nirvana and Pearl Jam’s success, Soundgarden (listen
bassline can be played either with the fingers or a to ‘Spoonman’ and ‘Black Hole Sun’) and Alice in
plectrum, but a thick, meaty tone is essential in order Chains (‘Them Bones’ and ‘Down in a Hole’) opened
Bass Grade 1
to anchor the piece throughout both the big riffs and the floodgates for more obscure bands to emerge
the more subdued sections. through the definitive grunge record label Subpop.
?#
B N
Em
37
Reluctant Hero
James Uings
q =115 Grunge
? # 44
A
œ œ
N.C.
œ œ > œ œ œ œ œ > œ œ œ nœ
>
T
A
B 3 3
0 0 0 0 3 0 0 2 3 2 1
?# œ œ
œ œ > œ œ œ œ œ > œ œ œ nœ
>

T
A
B 3 3
0 0 0 0 3 0 0 2 3 2 1
[3]
?# j œ œ ‰ œj j
B
‰ œ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ œ œ
Em N.C.
w œ œ œ
T
A
B 3 3 2 2 3 2
0 0 0 0 3 3 3
[5]
?# j j
j œ œ ‰ œj j œ œ ‰ œj
Em G
‰ œ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ œ ‰
œ œ œ œ œ œ
Bass Grade 1
T
A 0
B 3 3 2 3
0 0 0 3 3 3 0 0 0 3 3 3
38
[8]
? # œ œ ‰ œj ‰ œ œ œ j œ œ ‰ œj j
œ œ ‰ œ ‰ œj œ
C B C Em G C B G
‰
œ œ œ
T
A
B 3 3 2 2 3 2 3 3 2 2
0 0 0 3 3 3 3
[11]
?#
C Em C G B5 E C G B5 A5
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
T
A
B 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 2 0
0 0 0 0 3 3 3 3 0 0 0 0 3 3 3 3
[14]

?#
D
œ œ œ
N.C.
œ œ > œ œ >œ œ œ > œ œ œ nœ œ œ > œ œ >œ

T
A
B 3 3 3
0 0 0 0 3 0 0 2 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 3
[18]
Bb5
?# j ‰
E5 F5 G5
œ j ‰ œ œ bœ œ œ œ
œ œ > œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ
T
A
B 3 1 1 1 1
0 0 2 3 2 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 3 3 3
[21]
Bb5
?# j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰
E5 F5 G5
Œ Ó
Em
œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ b œ œ œ œ
Bass Grade 1
T
A
B 1 1
0 0 0 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 0 0
39
[24]
Walkthrough

The opening four bars of ‘Reluctant Hero’ feature a powerful This section is a continuous eighth-note line used to build
riff played in unison with the guitar which is reused later in excitement as the track approaches the big D section.
the song as the second half of the D section.
Bars 14–16 | Continuous eighth notes
Bar 1 | Quarter notes and eighth notes Throughout this section you will be playing continuous
This part of the song is built on two different rhythms of eighth notes. In order for this to sound authentic, play with
quarter notes and eighth notes. The first and third beats an even attack and lock in closely with the drums. To lock
of bar 1 have two eighth notes (both played on the open E in tightly, listen carefully to the placement of the kick and
string) followed by a quarter note C on the second beat and snare drums.
a quarter note G on the fourth. This rhythm emphasises the
second and fourth beats, thus adding weight and power to
the riff (Fig. 1). D Section (Bars 18–26)
This is the biggest, most powerful section of the tune. The
Bar 2 | Accidentals first four bars are the same as the A section, while the second
In this bar you will see a natural sign next to the F in the four bars act as the closing section to the song.
notation. This is used because the key signature dictates that all
Fs should be played as F #. Due to the F natural being needed Bar 23 | Accidentals
here, the natural sign is used. This note is part of a chromatic In this bar you will come across another accidental in the
descending riff, which is a popular device in grunge music. notation called a B b. Accidentals are notes that occur outside
the key of the song and can be highly effective at creating
Bars 1–4 | Playing in unison tension in riffs such as this one.

These bars are played in unison with the rhythm guitar, so
listen carefully and try to match your part closely. Bars 22–26 | Riffing with the guitar
This is an exciting section where you will once again double
the guitar riff. This part is loud and powerful, so don’t be
B Section (Bars 5–13) afraid to dig in. While doing so, remember to lock in your
The B section of this song features a shift in dynamic so part precisely with the guitar to avoid rushing.
it is quieter and leaves space for a vocal line. The first bar
contains a whole note that helps to establish the new section,
and this is followed by eight bars of an eighth-note groove.
?#4 œ
N.C.
4 œ
Bar 5 | Whole note
In bar 5 you will play a whole note lasting for four beats.
œ œ > œ œ >
Make sure that you play this note with enough attack for it to
T
last the full duration. A
3
B
0 0 0 0 3
Count: 1 & 2 3 & 4
Bars 6–13 | Eighth-note groove
This section of the song features an eighth-note groove with
Fig. 1: Quarter notes and eighth notes
rests on the beginning of the second and fourth beats
(Fig. 2). Take time to master this rhythm because it is used
in many styles of music. To begin, try playing continuous
eighth notes through the section at first then leave out the
first note on the second and fourth beats, playing only on
?# ‰ j ‰ j
N.C.
the offbeat. You should find that this enhances the feel of the
œ œ œ œ œ œ
line. It is important that the rests are observed here.
Bars 6–13 | String crossing

The eighth-note line used in this section is played on both T
A
the E and A strings. Switching between strings is one of the B
0 0 0 3 3 3
hardest things to do accurately on the bass, so approach
Bass Grade 1
Count: 1 & (2) & 3 & (4) &

this line carefully. You can use either of your hands to mute
strings as you switch, but you really need to ensure that Fig. 2: Eighth note groove
neither string continues to ring as you switch to the next.
40
Krauss Country
SONG TITLE: KRAUSS COUNTRY

GENRE: COUNTRY
TEMPO: 88 BPM
q = 88 Country
j
KEY: D MAJOR A
? # # 44 œ œ
D
‰
A
TECH FEATURES: STRING CROSSING

EIGHTH NOTE GROOVES
œ
RESTS
COMPOSER: DEIRDRE CARTWRIGHT T 0 0

A 0
B
HENRY THOMAS (BASS)

OVERVIEW European folk traditions merged into an acoustic style
known today as old timey or hillbilly. While country
‘Krauss Country’ is a gentle country bluegrass piece began as a form of local entertainment, the style
that brings to mind artists like Alison Krauss, Carrie enjoyed widespread popularity throughout the 20th
Underwood and Taylor Swift. The song also tips its Century with Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash enjoying
j
hat to classic bluegrass players Lester Flatt and Earl country hits in the 1960s. The genre A
continues Em
? ## œ j œ ‰
D
‰
Scruggs, Patty Loveless and Bill Monroe. The bass to be popular today with Taylor Swift and Carrie
œ œ œ
guitar plays an important role in all styles of country Underwood flying the flag and, in Swift’s case, adding
and often switches between the root note and the fifth a mainstream, chart friendly pop edge.
of the chord being played.
Bluegrass became popular towards the middle
of the last century and was a refined form of the
STYLE FOCUS old timey style. Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs did as
T much as anyone to raise its profile. Today the genre is
0 4 0
Many country songs use simple diatonic chord A exemplified by the band Union 0 Station. 0
progressions. A diatonic chord progression is one in B
which only the chords that occur naturally in the key [3]
are used. Although instrumentation varies greatly RECOMMENDED LISTENING
in country, it consists mainly of acoustic guitars,
bass, drums and vocals. However, harmonica, banjo, Artists such as Johnny Cash, Garth Brooks, Dolly
mandolin and fiddle are also popular. The bass plays Parton and Willie Nelson are all huge country music
a supportive role in country music, supplying a solid stars and have recorded tens of albums with a strong
foundation for the melody and vocals. country flavour. Taylor Swift and Alison Krauss
have also scored big with ‘Love Story’ and ‘Down To
The River To Pray’, respectively. Finally, ‘Reunion In
THE BIGGER PICTURE Heaven’ and ‘Same Old Day’ by Lester Flatt and Earl
Scruggs will educate you on the elements of bluegrass
Bass Grade 1
The roots of country music go back to the southern that can be heard in the piece which you will learn
states of America in the 19th Century, when various over the next few pages.
? ##
Em
œ
41
œ
Krauss Country
Deirdre Cartwright
q = 88 Country
? # # 44 œ j j
D A G
j
A
‰ œ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ
œ œ œ
T
A 0 0
B 0 0 0
3 3 3
? ## œ j j
D A Em A D A
‰ œ œ ‰ œ ˙ ˙ œ œ
œ œ

T
A 0 0
B 0 4 0 4 0
0 2 3
[3]
? ##
B m7
œ
Em G A
œ œ œ ˙ ˙ œ œ œ
œ
T
A 0
B 0 0 2 4 2
0 2 3 3
[6]
? ##
B
A B m7
œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ.
Bass Grade 1
T
A
B 0 0 2 2
0 0 2 2
42
[9]
A/C #
? ## œ œ. œ œ œ œ
. œ. œ.
T 2 0
A 2 4 2
B 4 0 4
[11]
? ## œ j j j
C
‰ œ ‰ ‰ œ ‰ œ œ ‰
D A G D A
J œ œ œ œ œ œ J œ
T
A 0 0 0 0
B 0 0 0 0 0
3 3 3
[13]

? ## œ œ œ
Em G D A Em
œ œ œ œ
T
A 0 0 2
B 0 0 4 0 0
0 2 3 0 2 3
[16]
? ## œ
B m7
œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ
G A G A
œ œ œ œ
T 0 2
A 0 2 0 0 0 2
B 0 2 4
3
[19]
A/C #
? ## œ œ œ j
B m7 D sus 2 E m7
œ œ œ
D
œ ‰ ‰ œ w
J
Bass Grade 1
T 4 2
A 4 2 0 0 2 0
B 0
43
[22]
Walkthrough
A Section (Bars 1–8) Bar 16 | Ascending line

The A section of ‘Krauss Country’ features a simple bassline An ascending quarter note bassline is employed here to
that utilises a variety of different rhythms. support the chords E minor and G. The notes on beats 1 and
3 are the root notes of these chords, while the notes on beats
Bars 1–3 | Quarter note and eighth-note line 2 and 4 are passing notes used to create a sense of movement
This bar features a line built on a quarter note and eighth in the line.
note figure, with a rest on the first part of the second beat
(Fig. 1). When tackling this, play the first D on beat 1 and Bar 17 | Quarter notes and eighth notes
the second D on the upbeat (the second half or “&” count) This bar contains a combination of quarter notes and eighth
of beat 2. The first part of beat 2 should be a rest. This notes. As you count through the bar, play one note on beats
rhythmic figure, used in a wide variety of genres, is then 1 and 3, and two evenly spaced notes on beats 2 and 4. You
repeated on an A note for the third and fourth beats. can practise this rhythm using one note to begin with before
adding the correct notes.
Bars 1–4 | String crossing
The first four bars contain a lot of string crossing and the Bars 21–22 | Two note sequences
use of open strings. When moving between open strings, it is There are two notes for each chord change here: the root and
important to mute them to stop them from ringing into one fifth. When playing these, remember that muting is required
another. You can do this by bringing in your fretting hand to while crossing strings in order for the line to sound clean.
mute the string or by using your picking hand fingers.
Bars 25–28 | Outro
Bars 5–8 | Relaxed feel This final passage brings the song to a close and features
While the whole of this piece should be played with a more root–fifth movement from the bass.

relaxed feel, this is particularly important in these bars. After
playing the half note and quarter notes in bar 5, be careful Bar 28 | Whole note
not to rush ahead of the beat when playing the ascending This piece ends with a whole note that lasts for four beats.
line in bar 6 (Fig. 2). You will need to play this note with sufficient attack for it to
ring clearly throughout the bar. Try not to cut the note off
too early and allow it to ring for the full four beats.
The verse section of this song features a different feel for
the first three bars. Longer note values are used here to
? ## 4 œ j j
D A
‰ œ œ ‰
create a different mood and you will discover some new
combinations of rests too. 4 œ
Bars 9–10 | Root and fifth
In these two bars, the bassline uses a common musical T
0 0
A
device of moving between the root note and the fifth of the B 0 0
chord. In this instance, the fifth is played below the root Count: 1 (2) & 3 (4) &
note. You can see this clearly in bar 10 where the B on the A
string is the root of the chord, while the F # on the E string is Fig. 1: Quarter note and eighth note line
the fifth of the chord.
Bar 12 | Descending line

The end of this section features an ascending bassline that
moves downwards from A, which is the root note, allowing
? ## ˙
D A Em
œ
the line to begin on a D in the next bar. This ascending
line brings the verse section to a close and creates a nice œ œ œ œ œ
transition into the chorus.
T
A 0
C Section (Bars 13–24) 4 0 0
Bass Grade 1
B
0 2 3
This section of the song reintroduces many elements that
featured earlier in the piece, but look out for the faster Fig. 2: Relaxed feel
rhythms that appear here.
44
The Open Air
SONG TITLE: THE OPEN AIR

GENRE: MODERN ROCK
TEMPO: 80 BPM q = 80 Modern Rock
KEY: F # MINOR
F# m C#m
? # ## 44 œ œ
A
œ œ
TECH FEATURES: STRING CROSSING
TIED NOTES
TIMING
COMPOSER: DAVE MARKS T

A 4
B 2
HENRY THOMAS (BASS)

OVERVIEW THE BIGGER PICTURE
As a step on from our previous rock tune ‘Night Modern rock generally refers to any rock music
Ride’, here we focus on bands including the power recorded from the late 1990s through to the present
# #
trios Biffy Clyro and Muse, as well as stadium day. It provides a contrast to classic rock, which
headliners The Killers, all of whom have added a mostly covers rock music recorded before C m this period
? # ## œ
F m
œ œ
modern slant to rock. ‘The Open Air’ is a piece in the (think Def Leppard and Van Halen). Modern rock
œ
style of all three bands and will give you a taster of can mix elements from progressive rock, funk, reggae,
œ
playing within a modern rock format. Modern rock punk and even classical music. These elements mean
has taken inspiration from many sub-genres of rock that the music is often more complex than classic
that have come before it and includes textures of other rock, with far more opportunities for the bassist to
styles of music too. As a result, it is not unusual for create interesting lines. Modern rock bassists Chris
the bassist to have an interesting role to play in the Wolstenholme (Muse), Mark Stoermer (The Killers),
band. Modern rock music often mixes huge riffs, odd T and James Johnston (Biffy Clyro) are examples of 0
time signatures and various effects, and can feature A bassists who create inventive, melodic lines.4
many idioms of bass playing from fingerstyle and pick B 2
playing to slapping and chord playing. [3]
RECOMMENDED LISTENING
STYLE FOCUS There are many modern rock bands worth listening
to, but some of the most desirable from a bassist’s
The role of the bass player in a modern rock point of view are the aforementioned as well as
group is far less predefined than in classic rock. This Queens Of The Stone Age. Muse songs ‘New Born’
means bassists have the freedom to play with more and ‘Plug In Baby’ showcase Chris Wolstenholme’s
unconventional techniques, experiment with an complex effects-led lines, while ‘Mr. Brightside’ and
extended range of instruments, such as five string bass ‘Somebody Told Me’ show off The Killers’ Mark
guitars, and explore different effects pedals. While Stoermer’s melodic playing. Biffy Clyro’s James
Bass Grade 1
modern rock basslines can certainly be simple, there Johnston should be heard in action on the top 10
is also scope for far more complex parts. chart hits ‘Mountains’ and ‘The Captain’.
? # ##
B
œ œ
A
œ œ œ œ
45
The Open Air
Dave Marks
q = 80 Modern Rock
F#m C#m C#m
? # # # 44 j
E
œ œ
A
œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ
œ œ
T
A 0 0 2
B 4 4 4
2
F#m C#m
? ###
D E
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ

T
A 0 0 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
B 4
2
[3]
F#m
? ###
B
A
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
T
A
B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 2 2 2 2 2 2
[5]
C#m
? ### œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
E
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Bass Grade 1
T
A 2 2 2 2 2
B 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 2
46
[7]
F#m
? ###
A
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
T
A
B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 2 2 2 2 2 0 2
[9]
C#m
? ### œ
E
T
A
B 4 4 2 4 4 2 4
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
[11]

F#m C#m C#m
? ### j
D E
œ œ
C
œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ
œ œ œ
T
A 0 0 2 2
B 4 2 4 4
2 2 2
[13]
F#m C#m
? ### w
E
œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ
T
A 0 0 2
B 4
2 2 2
[15]
F#m C#m C#m
? ### œ œ j
D E D
œ œ
D
œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ w
Bass Grade 1
T
A 4 0 0 2 0
B 4 4 4
47
[17]
Walkthrough
A Section (Bars 1–4) Bar 8 | Bass fill

The first four bars of this piece form the intro section, which In bar 8 there is a short bass fill. This consists of three
contains some unusual timings. descending notes used to enable a smooth transition from
the E in the eighth bar to the A at the beginning of the
Bar 1 | Tied notes ninth. As the bassline has been the same all the way through
The first bar features a quarter note and eighth note the verse up until this point, this simple fill provides some
rhythm that includes some tied notes. A tie connects two variety to the line.
notes together, meaning that only the first note is played,
but it then lasts for the duration of the first note and the C Section (Bars 13–16)
note it is tied to. Here you will find that the first note lasts This part of the song is similar to the intro but with more
for a quarter note and an eighth note. The second note is movement in the bassline.
therefore played on the upbeat of beat 2, with the third note
played on the upbeat of beat 3. The final note is played on Bar 13 | Added notes
beat 4. The bassline in this bar follows the same chord changes as
the first bar of the intro but with added notes. Here, three
Bars 1–3 | Timing F # ’s are played before the C # on the upbeat of bar 2. This
The use of ties in this bassline creates a slightly unusual note is then tied across to the third beat, and the D is played
rhythmic pattern that will require some practice in order on the upbeat of beat 3 and on beat 4.
for you to perform it correctly. The important thing to
remember when playing this line is that each beat can be
divided into two eighth notes. Try to count “1 & 2 & 3 & 4” D Section (Bars 17–19)
throughout the bar, keeping each note the same length The final section of ‘The Open Air’ is a variation of the first

(Fig. 1). You can then focus on the beats (or upbeats) where two bars of the piece and finishes with a D whole note.
the notes are played.
Bar 19 | Note lengths
Bars 1–19 | Fretting accuracy It can be tempting to let the final note ring on for longer
A combination of open strings and fretted notes is used than notated. Make sure you stop it after four beats.
throughout this piece. It is important that all of the notes
sound even and last for their full duration. When playing
fretted notes, be careful with the placement of your left-
F#m C#m
? # # # 44
hand finger. If it is too close to the fretwire, you are likely to
create fretbuzz.
œ œ œ œ
œ œ
B Section (Bars 5–12) T
This section of the song is eight bars long and based around A
4
0 0
B
an eighth note rhythm that uses tied notes. 2
Count: 1 (&) (2) & (3) & 4
Bars 5–12 | Playing evenly

Fig. 1: Tied notes
Throughout this section, you will be playing an almost
continuous eighth-note bassline (Fig. 2). When playing
lines such as this, it is crucial to play evenly. If you are
playing with your fingers as opposed to a pick, you should
concentrate on playing with the same part of each finger –
the soft pad on the fingertip – and keeping the volume and
? ###
A
attack the same from finger to finger. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

Bars 5–8 | Tied notes
A much simpler rhythm using ties is introduced in the verse T
A
section. Now you will play an almost continuous eighth-note B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
groove throughout the bar, making the fourth note last until
Bass Grade 1
Count: 1 & 2 & (3) & 4 &

the upbeat (or ‘&’) of the third beat. This is the note that is
tied in the notation. When playing this line, play a note on Fig. 2: Playing evenly
every beat and upbeat except for beat 3.
48
Inside The Box
SONG TITLE: INSIDE THE BOX

GENRE: SURF ROCK
TEMPO: 120 BPM Surf
Bb
q =120
KEY: C MAJOR
Bb Ab G
? 44 œ
A C
TECH FEATURES: STACCATO NOTES

ACCIDENTALS
bœ bœ œ œ œ
RESTS
COMPOSER: JOE BENNETT T

A 3 1 1
B 4 3 3
HENRY THOMAS (BASS)

OVERVIEW and later evolved into surf rock through artists such
as The Bel-Airs and Dick Dale. Dale is frequently
1960s surf rock groups such as Dick Dale and credited with pioneering the use of spring reverb in
The Del-Tones (also known as His Del-Tones), The the genre, as well as introducing fast tremolo picking
Surfaris and The Beach Boys have inspired ‘Inside The to add a Mexican meets Spanish flourish.
Box’. As with most styles of rock, surf rock focused
F
? resurgence œ
on the electric guitar. Even so, the bass player’s role in B
œ vocalœ groupsmanybecame
CDale’s hit song ‘Misirlou’ (which enjoyed a
˙ ˙
this genre is far from dull. You will often find yourself in popularity after its use in the movie
doubling guitar riffs, playing melodic walking lines Pulp Fiction) is a perfect example. While surf
and marking accents with the drums, all whilst rock songs were instrumental,
maintaining a solid foundation for the band. popular and scored the biggest hits during that
period. The Beach Boys were riding high with ‘Surfin’
Safari’ and ‘Surfin’ USA’, and were the only group to
STYLE FOCUS T outlast the surf rock craze and enjoy success with Pet
3
A Sounds
3 (1966) and other albums. 3
B 3 1
Surf rock evolved in the early 1960s as a form of
instrumental rock ’n’ roll. Lead guitar was often the [5]
dominant instrument, although saxophones were also RECOMMENDED LISTENING
popular. During this time the bass guitar was in its
infancy, and many surf rock bass parts were derived The key surf rock artists are Dick Dale and The
from the walking basslines found on early rock ’n’ roll Del-Tones, The Surfaris and The Beach Boys. Dick
records. Basic chord progressions were favoured in Dale tracks including ‘Misirlou’ and ‘King Of The
surf rock, often played at fast tempos. Surf Guitar’ will pique your interest in surf rock,
while ‘Wipe Out’ by The Surfaris is one of the most
famous genre instrumentals of all time. In addition
THE BIGGER PICTURE to those mentioned earlier, The Beach Boys’ classic ‘I
Get Around’, ‘California Girls’ and ‘Sloop John B’ will
Bass Grade 1
Instrumental rock was popular in the early 1960s provide you with an excellent insight into more vocal-
thanks to artists such as Duane Eddy and Link Wray, based surf rock.
?˙ œ
C
49
œ ˙
Inside The Box
Joe Bennett
q =120 Surf
Bb Ab Bb Bb Ab Bb
? 44 œ
C G C G
‰ j
A
bœ bœ œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ bœ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ. Œ
T
A
B 3 1 1 3 1 1
4 3 3 3 3 4 3 3 3 3 3
?˙
B C F C
œ œ œ Œ ˙ œ Œ ˙ ˙
˙

T
A
B 3 3 3 3 3
3 1 3 3
[5]
Bb
?˙
C F G
œ œ œ Œ b˙ œ œ ˙ œ nœ
˙
T
A
B 3 3 0 1 1 0 0 2
3 1 3
[9]
?˙ œ ˙ œ
C F C
œ Œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ Œ
Bass Grade 1
T
A 0 2 3 2 0
B 3 3 3
3 3
50
[13]
?˙
C F Am G
œ ˙ w ‰ œ
œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ
T
A
B 3 3 3 0
3 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
[17]
?œ
C C Am Dm G C Am Dm G
Œ œ Œ œ œ Œ œ Œ œ Œ œ œ Œ
œ œ
T
A 0 0
B 3 0 0 3 0 0
3 3
[21]

j
?œ
C Am Dm G Am
œ œ œ
D
Œ œ Œ œ œ Œ œ œ ‰ œ œ w
œ
T
A 0 2 0
B 3 0 0 0 3 3 0 0
3 3
[25]
Bb Ab Bb Bb Ab Bb
?œ j
C G C C
bœ bœ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ Œ œ bœ bœ œ œ œ œ œ Ó
Bass Grade 1
T
A
B 3 1 1 3 1 1 3 3 3 3
4 3 3 3 3 4
51
[29]
Walkthrough
A Section (Bars 1–4) Remember that the first note you play should fall on the
The first four bars of this piece are a unison riff played upbeat of the first beat.
on the guitar, and this particular riff features a firmly
established surf rock sound.
Bar 1 | Accidentals The C section consists of a repeating two bar figure before a
Three of the notes in the first bar, B b, A b and B b again, do final two bar tag leads the piece into the D section.
not belong to the key of this piece. Note how the second B b
does not need a flat symbol because the one used earlier lasts Bar 22 | Open strings
for the whole bar (Fig. 1). When playing these, fret the C on Two open strings used in this bar are played in a descending
the A string with your third finger, the B b on the same string order. Ensure you mute the open D string with your left
with your first finger, and the A b on the E string with your hand when moving to play the open A string.
fourth finger.
Bar 27 | Eighth-note line
Bar 2 | Eighth-note rest Aside from the rest on the first part of the second beat, this
In the second bar, an eighth-note rest is used on the first part is a full bar of eighth notes. After playing the first two notes,
of the second beat. After playing the two eighth notes on the play the next five notes starting on the ‘&’ of beat 2.
first beat, the third note you play should fall on the ‘&’ of the
second beat. Count “1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &” throughout the bar to
get a feel for how eighth notes should sound. D Section (Bars 25–32)
This section is a reprise of the A section with a small
Bar 4 | Staccato notes variation in the final bar.

This bar contains a quarter note marked with a staccato dot
beneath the notehead. This tells you to play the note short Bar 32 | Eighth notes
and detached rather than letting it ring for a full beat. When The final bar consists of four eighth notes. This rhythm was
playing the note, aim to shorten it by lifting your fretting also used in the intro, but as the root note (C) is used here
hand finger from the string slightly. there is a sense of finality to the piece.

Bb Ab Bb
? 44 œ
C
This is the longest section of the track and features a lead
guitar melody. You will hear how the bass guitar underpins bœ bœ œ
this melody with a simple quarter-note line built from notes
found in the chords.
T
Bars 5–19 | Half and quarter note lines A
B 3 1
4
1
Throughout this section the bass plays quarter notes with Notes: C Bb Ab Bb
rests occasionally used on the fourth beat. Although these
are simple to count, the key to making this line sound good Fig. 1: Accidentals
is to ensure that the rests are played as rests and that none of
the notes ring into them.
Bars 11–12 | Notation for accidentals

In bar 11, you will see that another accidental, a B b, is used.
?
G
nœ
As before, this applies to the entire bar. You can see that in
bar 12 a natural sign has been included before the B (Fig. 2). ˙ œ
Even though the flat from bar 11 only applies in that bar, a
natural sign is often used in the following bar as a reminder
that the note is played as a natural and not a flat. T
A
B 0 2
3
Bar 20 | Eighth-note build Bn
Bass Grade 1
Notes: G A
This bar consists of an eighth-note rest followed by seven
(natural)
eighth notes. Practise this bar by playing an entire bar of Fig. 2: More accidentals
eighth notes (two per beat), before leaving out the first one.
52
Technical Exercises
In this section the examiner will ask you to play a selection of exercises drawn from each of the three groups shown below.
Groups A and B contain examples of the scales and arpeggios you can use when playing the pieces. In Group C you will be
asked to prepare the bassline riff exercise and play it to the backing track in the exam. You do not need to memorise the
exercises (and can use the book in the exam) but the examiner will be looking for the speed of your response. The examiner
will also give credit for the level of your musicality.
Groups A and B should be prepared on the starting notes of E, A and G. Before you start the section you will be asked
whether you would like to play the exercises along with the click or hear a single bar of click before you commence the test.
The tempo is q = 70.
Group A: Scales
1. Major scale (A major scale shown)
? ### œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
T 1 2 1
A 0 2 4 4 2 0
B 0 2 4 4 2 0

2. Minor pentatonic scale (E minor pentatonic scale shown)
?# œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ
T 0 2 0
A 0 2 2 0
B 0 3 3 0
3. Natural minor scale (G natural minor scale shown)
? bb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
T 3 5 3
A 3 5 6 6 5 3
B 3 5 6 6 5 3
4. Major pentatonic scale (E major pentatonic scale shown)

? #### œ œ œ
T 2
A 2 4 4 2
B 0 2 4 4 2 0
Bass Grade 1
53
Technical Exercises
Group B: Arpeggios
One octave and should be played both ascending and descending
1. Major arpeggio (G major arpeggio shown)
?# œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ
T 5
A 2 5 5 2
B 3 3
2. Minor arpeggio (A minor arpeggio shown)
? œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ
T 7
A 7 7
B 5 8 8 5

Bass Grade 1
54
Technical Exercises
Group C: Riff
In the exam you will be asked to play the following riff to a backing track. The riff shown in bar 1 should be played in the
same shape in bars 2–4. The root note of the pattern to be played is shown in the music in each of the subsequent three bars.
The tempo is q = 70.
q = 70
?4
E A E A
4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
T
A 2 2 0 0
B 0 0 0 0 0

Bass Grade 1
55
Sight Reading
In this section you have a choice between either a Sight Reading test or an Improvisation & Interpretation test (see facing
page). You will be asked to prepare a Sight Reading test which will be given to you by the examiner. The test is a four bar
melody in the key of A minor. The examiner will allow you 90 seconds to prepare it and will set the tempo for you. The
tempo is q = 70.
q = 70
?4 œ œ œ ˙ œ ˙
4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
T 0 0
A 0 0 2 3 3 0 2 3 2 3 2 0
B

Bass Grade 1
56
Improvisation & Interpretation
You will be asked to play an improvised bassline to a backing track of four bars in the keys of either C major or A minor. You
have 30 seconds to prepare then you will be allowed to practise during the first playing of the backing track before playing it
to the examiner on the second playing of the backing track. This test is continuous with a one bar count-in at the beginning
and after the practice session. The tempo is q = 70–80.
q = 75 Rock
¿ ¿ ¿ ¿
? 4 .. ..
Am C Dm
4 ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’

Bass Grade 1
57
Ear Tests
There are two Ear Tests in this grade. The examiner will play each test to you twice. You will find one example of each type
of test printed below.
Test 1: Melodic Recall

The examiner will play you three notes in sequence. You will identify whether the notes are higher or lower (up or down) in
sequence. You will hear the test twice.
Each time the test is played it is preceded by a one bar vocal count-in. The tempo is q = 85.
q = 85
? 44 .. ˙ ..
w ˙
. .
. .
T
A 0 3
B 3
Candidate may answer either: “higher/lower” or “up/down”.
Test 2: Rhythmic Recall

The examiner will play you a two bar rhythm played to a drum backing on the E string. You will hear the test twice. You will
be asked to play the rhythm back. You will then be asked to identify the rhythm from two printed examples shown to you.
Each time the test is played it is preceded by a one bar count-in. There will be a short gap for you to practise. Next you will
hear a vocal count-in and you will then play the rhythm to the drum backing. The tempo is q = 90.
q = 90
? 44 .. Œ Œ ..
. .
. .
T
A
B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
q = 90
? 44 .. Œ Œ ..
. .
. .
T
A
B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Bass Grade 1
58
General Musicianship Questions
In this part of the exam you will be asked five questions. Four of these questions will be about general music knowledge and
the fifth question asked will be about your instrument.
Music Knowledge
The examiner will ask you four music knowledge questions based on a piece of music that you have played in the exam. You
will nominate the piece of music about which the questions will be asked.
In Grade 1, you will be asked to identify:
■ The bass clef
■ The time signature
■ Whole, half, quarter and eighth note values
■ The difference between a major and minor chord
Instrument Knowledge
The examiner will also ask you one question regarding your instrument.

In Grade 1 you will be asked to identify:
■ The following parts of your bass – neck, fretboard, body, tuning-pegs, pick-ups and bridge
■ One main bass make other than that of the bass you are playing
■ Names of the open strings
Further Information
Tips on how to approach this part of this exam can be found in the Syllabus Guide for bass, the Rockschool Bass Companion
Guide and on the Rockschool website: www.rslawards.com
Bass Grade 1
59
Entering Rockschool Exams
Entering a Rockschool exam is easy, just go online and follow our simple six step process. All details for entering online,
dates, fees, regulations and Free Choice pieces can be found at www.rslawards.com
■ All candidates should ensure they bring their own Grade syllabus book to the exam or have proof of digital purchase
ready to show the examiner.
■ All Grade 6–8 candidates must ensure that they bring valid photo ID to their exam.

Bass Grade 1
60
Marking Schemes
Grade Exams | Debut to Grade 5 *
ELEMENT PASS MERIT DISTINCTION
Performance Piece 1 12–14 out of 20 15–17 out of 20 18+ out of 20
Technical Exercises 9–10 out of 15 11–12 out of 15 13 + out of 15
Sight Reading
or 6 out of 10 7–8 out of 10 9 + out of 10
Improvisation & Interpretation
Ear Tests 6 out of 10 7–8 out of 10 9 + out of 10
General Musicianship Questions 3 out of 5 4 out of 5 5 out of 5
TOTAL MARKS 60%+ 74%+ 90%+

Grade Exams | Grades 6–8
Technical Exercises 9–10 out of 15 11–12 out of 15 13 + out of 15
Quick Study Piece 6 out of 10 7–8 out of 10 9 + out of 10
Ear Tests 6 out of 10 7–8 out of 10 9 + out of 10
General Musicianship Questions 3 out of 5 4 out of 5 5 out of 5
TOTAL MARKS 60%+ 74%+ 90%+
Performance Certificates | Debut to Grade 8 *

Bass Grade 1
TOTAL MARKS 60%+ 75%+ 90%+

61
* Note that there are no Debut Vocal exams.
Bass Guitar Notation Explained
Fmaj 7
w G9
?4 ww
4 ˙ Ó
Notes:
’ ’ ’ ’
THE MUSICAL STAVE
shows pitches and rhythms GA
and is divided by lines into E F
CDB
bars. Pitches are named after AG
the first seven letters of the
alphabet. Strings:
G
T 9
TABLATURE graphically D
A 7
represents the bass guitar
A
B 8
E 3
fingerboard. Each horizontal
line represents a string and Fourth string, 3rd fret Fmaj 7 chord in the 7 th position Solos and Cont. sim. sections
each number represents a fret. are shown in slash notation
Definitions For Special Bass Guitar Notation
HAMMER-ON: Pick the lower note PULL-OFF: Pick the higher note then SLIDE: Pick the first note and slide GLISSANDO: Slide off of a note at the
then sound the higher note by sound the lower note by lifting your to the next. If the line connects (as end of its rhythmic value. The note
fretting it without picking. finger without picking. below) the second note is not repicked. that follows is repicked.
? ? œ œ ? ? œ
œ œ œ œ

T T 3 2 T T
A 0 2 A A A 5
B B B 5 3 B
SLAP STYLE: Slap bass technique is TAPPING: Sound note by tapping the DEAD (GHOST) NOTES: Pick the NATURAL HARMONICS: Lightly touch
indicated through the letters T (thumb) string – circles denote a picking hand string while the note is muted by the string above the indicated fret then
and P (pull). tap, squares a fretting hand tap. your fretting hand. pick to sound a harmonic.
? œ ¿ ¿ œ ‚
P
? #œ ? bœ œ œ ?
T P T
œ œ ‚
œ #œ
NH
¿ ¿
T P T P
T T T 5 T 12
A 2 4 A A A 12
B B 6 3 5 B 3 B
0 2 4
>œ ■ Go back to the sign (%), then play until

D.%. al Coda the bar marked To Coda fi then skip to
the section marked fi Coda.
(accent) ■ Accentuate note (play it louder).
œ.
■ Go back to the beginning of the song and
(staccato) ■ Shorten time value of note. D.C. al Fine play until the bar marked Fine (end).
U ■ Fermata (Pause) .. .. ■ Repeat the bars between the repeat signs.

Bass Grade 1
.. ..
1. 2. ■ When a repeated section has different
endings, play the first ending only the first
time and the second ending only the
second time.
62
Mechanical Copyright Information
Ain’t Too Proud To Beg

(Holland/Whitfield)
EMI Music Publishing Limited
(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay

(Redding/Cropper)
Universal Music Publishing Limited/Warner/Chappell North America Limited
Crazy
(Callaway/Burton/Reverberi/Reverberi)
Universal Music Publishing Ricordi SRL/Atmosphere Music Limited/Warner/Chappell Music Publishing Limited/Chrysalis
Music Limited
She Sells Sanctuary

(Astbury/Duffy)
Chappell Music Limited
Family Affair
(Blige/Miller/Young/Bradford/Elizondo/Kambon/Louis/Lodge)
Warner/Chappell Music Limited/Kobalt Music Publishing Limited/Universal/MCA Music Limited/Spirit Music Publishing
Limited/BMG Rights Management (UK) Limited

Psycho Killer
(Byrne/Frantz/Weymouth)
Warner/Chappell North America Limited
Bass Grade 1
63
Introducing…
Rockschoo
new theorl’s
y
exams!
POPULAR
MUSIC THEORY

GRADES DEBUT–8
OUT NOW!
Discover more at
www.rslawards.com/theory
Enter online at
www.rslawards.com/enter-online

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Bass Grade 1

Performance pieces, technical exercises and in-depth guidance

All accompanying and supporting audio can be downloaded from: www.rslawards.com/downloads

Input the following code when prompted: LAB6TJF94D

For more information, turn to page 4

Published by Rockschool Ltd. © 2012 & 2018

RSL-324650116444 / 1 / Sonu Ahuja / [email protected]

Introductions & Information

5 The Supremes.................................................. ‘Ain’t Too Proud To Beg’

RSL-324650116444 / 1 / Sonu Ahuja / [email protected]

53 Scales, Arpeggios & Riff

60 Entering Rockschool Exams

Welcome to Bass Grade 1

RSL-324650116444 / 1 / Sonu Ahuja / [email protected]

SONG TITLE: AIN’T TOO PROUD TO BEG

UK CHART PEAK: N/A

RSL-324650116444 / 1 / Sonu Ahuja / [email protected]

RSL-324650116444 / 1 / Sonu Ahuja / [email protected]

RSL-324650116444 / 1 / Sonu Ahuja / [email protected]

Intro (Bars 1–2) B Section (Bars 11–18)

Bars 13–14 | Repeated phrases

Bar 3 | Eighth notes and rests Bars 15–16 | Repeated phrases

RSL-324650116444 / 1 / Sonu Ahuja / [email protected]

Bars 5–10 | Repeated phrases

SONG TITLE: (SITTIN’ ON) THE DOCK

WRITTEN BY: OTIS REDDING œ. œ

RSL-324650116444 / 1 / Sonu Ahuja / [email protected]

RSL-324650116444 / 1 / Sonu Ahuja / [email protected]

RSL-324650116444 / 1 / Sonu Ahuja / [email protected]

A Section (Bars 1–2) D Section (Bars 19–25)

RSL-324650116444 / 1 / Sonu Ahuja / [email protected]

Bars 5, 7 and 9 introduce chromatic passing notes, thus

C Section (Bars 11–18)

SONG TITLE: CRAZY

WRITTEN BY: BRIAN BURTON, b

RSL-324650116444 / 1 / Sonu Ahuja / [email protected]

b Barkley released Theœ

RSL-324650116444 / 1 / Sonu Ahuja / [email protected]

RSL-324650116444 / 1 / Sonu Ahuja / [email protected]

A Section (Bars 2–9) Overall Approach

In terms of tone it would be interesting to experiment with

B Section (Bars 10–17)

RSL-324650116444 / 1 / Sonu Ahuja / [email protected]

C Section (Bars 18–26)

The movement in the line is all within the key of Cm so it

SONG TITLE: SHE SELLS SANCTUARY

RSL-324650116444 / 1 / Sonu Ahuja / [email protected]

record helped them break the American market.

RSL-324650116444 / 1 / Sonu Ahuja / [email protected]

RSL-324650116444 / 1 / Sonu Ahuja / [email protected]

A Section (Bars 1–12) C Section (Bars 21–29)

Bars 7–8 | Eighth notes Bars 25–28 | Repeated phrases

Bars 9–12 | Repeated phrases Bar 29 | Whole notes

RSL-324650116444 / 1 / Sonu Ahuja / [email protected]

Bars 15–16 | Repeated rhythm

SONG TITLE: FAMILY AFFAIR

WRITTEN BY: MARY J. BLIGE, ANDRE

RSL-324650116444 / 1 / Sonu Ahuja / [email protected]

Mary J. Blige’s career has seen her work with a