Learning objectives - Electric bass

The electric bass is a young instrument. It was invented in the fourth decade of the last century but became commonly used around the 1950s. The electric bass is indispensable in rock, pop, and blues music but is also used in jazz music.

National curriculum for music schools: electric bass

Level 1

Range: E – bes

All scales in one file

Scales

Range One octave
Tempo M.M = 88, scales played in quarter notes
Scales (Choose two out of four) B-flat major, F major, A minor, G minor, Chromatic (type of minor is optional)
Triads In all the above keys
Chromatic E-B (optional) (free fingering)
Hand position 1/2 Position
Fingering system 1st, 2nd, 4th finger
Note chords Play root notes following note chords

Works and exercises

Piece ,

(or a similar piece)
Practice no. 22 in Bass for Beginners,

Exercise No. 2, page 42 from AoA Book I,

(or another similar exercise)
Option
  1. Improvise from a given start, chord sequence, or melody
  2. Play an original piece or own arrangement
  3. Play a short folk song or national song by ear

    Length should be about 8 bars

Sight reading Play a song from music you've not seen before
Study material
  • Borgar Þór Magnason's Electric Bass Textbook 1
  • Bass Method 1
  • Bass for Beginners

Level 2

Range: E – c’

All scales in one file

Scales

Range One octave
Tempo M.M = 100, scales played in quarter notes
Scales B-flat major, F major, C major, G major, A minor, G minor, E minor, Chromatic (type of minor is optional)
Triads In all the above keys
Chromatic scale E-e (optional) (free fingering)
Hand position 1/2 Position
Fingering system 1st, 2nd, 4th finger
Note chords Play root notes and fifths by letter sounds,

Works and exercises

Piece ,

(or a similar piece)
Practice number 65 in Bass for Beginners.

(or another similar exercise)
Option
  1. Improvise from a given start, chord sequence, or melody

    12 bar blues, 1x melody line (e.g., original), 1x solo

  2. Play an original piece or own arrangement

    Length should be about 12 – 16 bars, range wider than a fifth

  3. Play a short folk song or national song by ear

    Length should be about 12 – 16 bars, range wider than a fifth

  4. Compose blues lines

    Length should be about 12 – 16 bars, range wider than a fifth

Sight reading Play a song from music you've not seen before
Study material
  • Borgar Þór Magnason's Electric Bass Textbook 1
  • Bass Method 2
  • Note Reading Studies for Bass by Arnold Evans
  • Sönglögin hans Jón Aðalsteins (Jón Aðalsteins’ Songbook)

3. þrep

Range: E – d’

All scales in one file

Scales

Range One octave
Tempo M.M = 60, scales played in eighth notes
Scales
 B-flat major, F major, C major, G major, A minor, G minor, E minor, D minor, Chromatic

(type of minor scale is optional)
Triads In all the above keys
Chromatic E – h (optional) (four-finger system)
Hand position The addition of the four-finger system
Note chords Play root note, fifth, and octave by letter sounds

Works and exercises

Piece Old Days, number 84 in Bass Method 2,

Go On, number 89 in Bass Method 2,

(or a similar piece)
Practice number 72 in Bass Method 2,

(or another similar exercise)
Option
  1. Improvise from a given start, chord sequence, or melody

    Criteria: 16 bars

  2. Play an original piece or own arrangement

    Length should be about 16 bars, range about an octave.

  3. Play a short folk song or national song by ear

    Length should be about 16 bars, range about an octave

Sight reading Play a song from music you've not seen before
Study material
  • Rafbassinn (The Electric Bass) by Ólafur Þór Kristjánsson, published by Tónsalir. (The songs)
  • Bass Method 2
  • Note Reading Studies for Bass by Arnold Evans
  • Sönglögin hans Jón Aðalsteins (Jón Aðalsteins’ Songbook)

Level 4

Range: E – e’

Basic level

All scales in one file

Scales

Range One or two octaves, within the range
Tempo M.M = 66, scales played in eighth notes
Scales
 B-flat major, F major, C major, G major, D major, A minor, G minor, E minor, D minor, B minor, Chromatic

(minor is melodic)
Triads In all the above keys
Chromatic E – e’ (optional)
Hand position Four-finger system, but higher on the neck
Note chords Play root note, third, fifth, and octave by letter sounds

Works and exercises

Piece Turkish March, from Standard of Excellence,

(or a similar piece)
Practice Just Like My Girl, number 57 in Bass Method 3,

(or another similar exercise)
Option
  1. Improvise from a given start, chord sequence, or melody

    Criteria: 16 bars

  2. Play an original piece or own arrangement

    Length should be about 16 bars, range about an octave.

  3. Play a short folk song or national song by ear

    Length should be about 16 bars, range about an octave

Sight reading Play a song from music you've not seen before
Study material
  • Jazz Conceptions-Melody line book
  • Bass line book-Groove Blues and Amen
  • Bass Method 3
  • Standing in the Shadow of Motown
  • Sönglögin hans Jón Aðalsteins (Jón Aðalsteins’ Songbook)