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How to Play Bass Guitar

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  1. Bass Guitar Lesson: The Parts of a Bass Guitar
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: The Parts of a Bass Guitar

  2. Bass Guitar Lesson: Buying a Bass Guitar
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Buying a Bass Guitar

  3. Bass Guitar Lesson: Strapping on and Playing Bass Guitar While Standing
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Strapping on and Playing Bass Guitar While Standing

  4. Bass Guitar Lesson: Holding Your Bass Guitar Properly While Sitting
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Holding Your Bass Guitar Properly While Sitting

  5. Bass Guitar Lesson: Positioning Your Right Hand on the Bass Guitar
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Positioning Your Right Hand on the Bass Guitar

  6. Bass Guitar Lesson: Positioning Your Left Hand on the Bass Guitar
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Positioning Your Left Hand on the Bass Guitar

  7. Bass Guitar Lesson: Preparing Your Hands to Play
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Preparing Your Hands to Play

  8. Bass Guitar Lesson: Right-Hand Warm-Ups
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Right-Hand Warm-Ups

  9. Bass Guitar Lesson: Coordinating Your Right Hand with Your Left Hand
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Coordinating Your Right Hand with Your Left Hand

  10. Bass Guitar Lesson: How to String a Bass Guitar and Stretch Bass Strings
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: How to String a Bass Guitar and Stretch Bass Strings

  11. Bass Guitar Lesson: Tuning a Bass Guitar and Understanding Pitch
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Tuning a Bass Guitar and Understanding Pitch

  12. Bass Guitar Lesson: Basic Bass Plucking Technique
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Basic Bass Plucking Technique

  13. Bass Guitar Lesson: Bass Plucking Exercises
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Bass Plucking Exercises

  14. Bass Guitar Lesson: Basic Bass Fretting Technique
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Basic Bass Fretting Technique

  15. Bass Guitar Lesson: Understanding the Fretboard or Fingerboard
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Understanding the Fretboard or Fingerboard

  16. Bass Guitar Lesson: Basic Note Patterns
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Basic Note Patterns

  17. Bass Guitar Lesson: Playing Notes: The Basics
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Playing Notes: The Basics

  18. Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Play Note A
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Play Note A

  19. Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Play Note A Sharp/B Flat
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Play Note A Sharp/B Flat

  20. Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Play Note B
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Play Note B

  21. Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Play Note C
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Play Note C

  22. Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Play Note C Sharp/D Flat
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Play Note C Sharp/D Flat

  23. Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Play Note D
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Play Note D

  24. Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Play Note D Sharp/E Flat
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Play Note D Sharp/E Flat

  25. Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Play Note E
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Play Note E

  26. Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Play Note F
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Play Note F

  27. Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Play Note F Sharp/G Flat
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Play Note F Sharp/G Flat

  28. Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Play Note G
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Play Note G

  29. Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Play Note G Sharp/A Flat
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Play Note G Sharp/A Flat

  30. Bass Guitar Lesson: Roots and Fifths
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Roots and Fifths

  31. Bass Guitar Lesson: Roots and Fifths Exercises
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Roots and Fifths Exercises

  32. Bass Guitar Lesson: Root Fifth Flat Seventh
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Root Fifth Flat Seventh

  33. Bass Guitar Lesson: Understanding Octaves
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Understanding Octaves

  34. Bass Scales: Playing One-Octave Scales
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    Bass Scales: Playing One-Octave Scales

  35. Bass Scales: Playing Scales
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    Bass Scales: Playing Scales

  36. Bass Scales: The Chromatic Scale
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    Bass Scales: The Chromatic Scale

  37. Bass Scales: The Major Scale
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    Bass Scales: The Major Scale

  38. Bass Scales: How to Play the A Major Scale
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    Bass Scales: How to Play the A Major Scale

  39. Bass Scales: How to Play the A Sharp/B Flat Major Scale
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    Bass Scales: How to Play the A Sharp/B Flat Major Scale

  40. Bass Scales: How to Play the B Major Scale
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    Bass Scales: How to Play the B Major Scale

  41. Bass Scales: How to Play the C Major Scale
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    Bass Scales: How to Play the C Major Scale

  42. Bass Scales: How to Play the C Sharp/D Flat Major Scale
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    Bass Scales: How to Play the C Sharp/D Flat Major Scale

  43. Bass Scales: How to Play the D Major Scale
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    Bass Scales: How to Play the D Major Scale

  44. Bass Scales: How to Play the E Major Scale
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    Bass Scales: How to Play the E Major Scale

  45. Bass Scales: How to Play the D Sharp/E Flat Major Scale
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    Bass Scales: How to Play the D Sharp/E Flat Major Scale

  46. Bass Scales: How to Play the F Major Scale
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    Bass Scales: How to Play the F Major Scale

  47. Bass Scales: How to Play the F Sharp/G Flat Major Scale
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    Bass Scales: How to Play the F Sharp/G Flat Major Scale

  48. Bass Scales: How to Play the G Major Scale
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    Bass Scales: How to Play the G Major Scale

  49. Bass Scales: How to Play the G Sharp/A Flat Major Scale
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    Bass Scales: How to Play the G Sharp/A Flat Major Scale

  50. Bass Scales: The Major Pentatonic Scale
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    Bass Scales: The Major Pentatonic Scale

  51. Bass Scales: The Minor Pentatonic Scale
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    Bass Scales: The Minor Pentatonic Scale

  52. Bass Scales: Pentatonic Scale Exercises
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    Bass Scales: Pentatonic Scale Exercises

  53. Bass Scales: How to Play the A Minor Scale
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    Bass Scales: How to Play the A Minor Scale

  54. Bass Scales: How to Play the A Sharp/B Flat Minor Scale
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    Bass Scales: How to Play the A Sharp/B Flat Minor Scale

  55. Bass Scales: How to Play the B Minor Scale
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    Bass Scales: How to Play the B Minor Scale

  56. Bass Scales: How to Play the C Minor Scale
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    Bass Scales: How to Play the C Minor Scale

  57. Bass Scales: How to Play the C Sharp/D Flat Minor Scale
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    Bass Scales: How to Play the C Sharp/D Flat Minor Scale

  58. Bass Scales: How to Play the D Minor Scale
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    Bass Scales: How to Play the D Minor Scale

  59. Bass Scales: How to Play the D Sharp/E Flat Minor Scale
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    Bass Scales: How to Play the D Sharp/E Flat Minor Scale

  60. Bass Scales: How to Play the E Minor Scale
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    Bass Scales: How to Play the E Minor Scale

  61. Bass Scales: How to Play the F Minor Scale
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    Bass Scales: How to Play the F Minor Scale

  62. Bass Scales: How to Play the F Sharp/G Flat Minor Scale
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    Bass Scales: How to Play the F Sharp/G Flat Minor Scale

  63. Bass Scales: How to Play the G Minor Scale
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    Bass Scales: How to Play the G Minor Scale

  64. Bass Scales: How to Play the G Sharp/A Flat Minor Scale
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    Bass Scales: How to Play the G Sharp/A Flat Minor Scale

  65. Bass Scales: Blues Scale / Pattern 1
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    Bass Scales: Blues Scale / Pattern 1

  66. Bass Scales: Blues Scale / Pattern 2
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    Bass Scales: Blues Scale / Pattern 2

  67. Bass Scales: Blues Scale / 12-Bar Blues
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    Bass Scales: Blues Scale / 12-Bar Blues

  68. Bass Scales: How to Practice Scales
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    Bass Scales: How to Practice Scales

  69. Bass Scales: The Mixolydian Mode or Dominant Scale
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    Bass Scales: The Mixolydian Mode or Dominant Scale

  70. Bass Chords: Understanding Bass Chord Patterns
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    Bass Chords: Understanding Bass Chord Patterns

  71. Bass Chords: How to Play Double Stops and Triple Stops
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    Bass Chords: How to Play Double Stops and Triple Stops

  72. Bass Chords: How to Play a Major 7th Chord
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    Bass Chords: How to Play a Major 7th Chord

  73. Bass Chords: How to Play a Dominant 7th Chord
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    Bass Chords: How to Play a Dominant 7th Chord

  74. Bass Chords: How to Play a Minor 7th Chord
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    Bass Chords: How to Play a Minor 7th Chord

  75. Bass Chords: How to Play a Minor 7 Flat 5 or Half-Diminished Chord
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    Bass Chords: How to Play a Minor 7 Flat 5 or Half-Diminished Chord

  76. Bass Chords: How to Play a Diminished 7th Chord
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    Bass Chords: How to Play a Diminished 7th Chord

  77. Bass Chords: Power Chords
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    Bass Chords: Power Chords

  78. Bass Chords: Major Triads
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    Bass Chords: Major Triads

  79. Bass Chords: How to Play an A Major Triad
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    Bass Chords: How to Play an A Major Triad

  80. Bass Chords: How to Play an A Sharp/B Flat Major Triad
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    Bass Chords: How to Play an A Sharp/B Flat Major Triad

  81. Bass Chords: How to Play a B Major Triad
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    Bass Chords: How to Play a B Major Triad

  82. Bass Chords: How to Play a C Major Triad
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    Bass Chords: How to Play a C Major Triad

  83. Bass Chords: How to Play a C Sharp/D Flat Major Triad
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    Bass Chords: How to Play a C Sharp/D Flat Major Triad

  84. Bass Chords: How to Play a D Major Triad
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    Bass Chords: How to Play a D Major Triad

  85. Bass Chords: How to Play a D Sharp/E Flat Major Triad
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    Bass Chords: How to Play a D Sharp/E Flat Major Triad

  86. Bass Chords: How to Play an E Major Triad
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    Bass Chords: How to Play an E Major Triad

  87. Bass Chords: How to Play an F Major Triad
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    Bass Chords: How to Play an F Major Triad

  88. Bass Chords: How to Play an F Sharp/G Flat Major Triad
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    Bass Chords: How to Play an F Sharp/G Flat Major Triad

  89. Bass Chords: How to Play a G Major Triad
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    Bass Chords: How to Play a G Major Triad

  90. Bass Chords: How to Play a G Sharp/A Flat Major Triad
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    Bass Chords: How to Play a G Sharp/A Flat Major Triad

  91. Bass Chords: Minor Triad vs. Major Triad
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    Bass Chords: Minor Triad vs. Major Triad

  92. Bass Chords: How to Play an A Minor Triad
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    Bass Chords: How to Play an A Minor Triad

  93. Bass Chords: How to Play an A Sharp/B Flat Minor Triad
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    Bass Chords: How to Play an A Sharp/B Flat Minor Triad

  94. Bass Chords: How to Play a B Minor Triad
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    Bass Chords: How to Play a B Minor Triad

  95. Bass Chords: How to Play a C Minor Triad
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    Bass Chords: How to Play a C Minor Triad

  96. Bass Chords: How to Play a C Sharp/D Flat Minor Triad
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    Bass Chords: How to Play a C Sharp/D Flat Minor Triad

  97. Bass Chords: How to Play a D Minor Triad
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    Bass Chords: How to Play a D Minor Triad

  98. Bass Chords: How to Play a D Sharp/E Flat Minor Triad
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    Bass Chords: How to Play a D Sharp/E Flat Minor Triad

  99. Bass Chords: How to Play an E Minor Triad
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    Bass Chords: How to Play an E Minor Triad

  100. Bass Chords: How to Play an F Minor Triad
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    Bass Chords: How to Play an F Minor Triad

  101. Bass Chords: How to Play an F Sharp/G Flat Minor Triad
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    Bass Chords: How to Play an F Sharp/G Flat Minor Triad

  102. Bass Chords: How to Play a G Minor Triad
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    Bass Chords: How to Play a G Minor Triad

  103. Bass Chords: How to Play a G Sharp/A Flat Minor Triad
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    Bass Chords: How to Play a G Sharp/A Flat Minor Triad

  104. Bass Chords: How to Play a Diminished Triad
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    Bass Chords: How to Play a Diminished Triad

  105. Bass Guitar Lesson: Understanding and Counting Rhythm
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Understanding and Counting Rhythm

  106. Bass Guitar Lesson: Understanding Intervals
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Understanding Intervals

  107. Bass Guitar Lesson: Understanding How Beats Are Divided
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Understanding How Beats Are Divided

  108. Bass Guitar Lesson: Understanding the Eighth Note Triplet Rhythm
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Understanding the Eighth Note Triplet Rhythm

  109. Bass Guitar Lesson: Playing Shuffle and Swing Rhythm
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Playing Shuffle and Swing Rhythm

  110. Bass Guitar Lesson: Popping and Slapping
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Popping and Slapping

  111. Bass Guitar Lesson: Keeping a Steady Beat
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Keeping a Steady Beat

  112. Bass Guitar Lesson: String Crossing Technique
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: String Crossing Technique

  113. Bass Guitar Lesson: The Circle of Fifths Diagram
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: The Circle of Fifths Diagram

  114. Bass Guitar Lesson: Blues Basics
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Blues Basics

  115. Bass Guitar Lesson: Writing a Bass Line
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Writing a Bass Line

  116. Bass Guitar Lesson: Reading Music Notation for Bass
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Reading Music Notation for Bass

  117. Bass Guitar Lesson: Good Bass Guitar Songs for Beginners
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Good Bass Guitar Songs for Beginners

  118. Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Read Bass Guitar Tabs
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: How to Read Bass Guitar Tabs

  119. Bass Guitar Lesson: Teaching Yourself to Play a Song You Heard
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Teaching Yourself to Play a Song You Heard

  120. Bass Guitar Lesson: Muting
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Muting

  121. Bass Guitar Lesson: Rock Basics
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Rock Basics

  122. Bass Guitar Lesson: Jazz Basics
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Jazz Basics

  123. Bass Guitar Lesson: Bass Fretting Exercises
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    Bass Guitar Lesson: Bass Fretting Exercises

  124. How to Play Bass Guitar with John Sutton
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    How to Play Bass Guitar with John Sutton

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  • John Sutton

    Chicago native John Sutton is a graduate of the music conservatory at Lawrence University ('04), and a graduate of Western Michigan University, earning a M.M. in Jazz Performance ('07). Sutton is also a classroom leader for Chicago Jazz Philharmonic’s Jazz Alive! and Discover Music, Discover Life programs. John has played bass alongside internationally recognized jazz artists like Stefon Harris, Fred Hersch and Billy Hart. He has performed on some of the best stages across North and Central America and Europe, including Avery Fischer Hall in Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and D.C.’s Kennedy Center. He currently lives in Chicago and New York City, working as a bassist, composer, educator, and songwriter.