How to Use Hip Hop Techniques for Bass Guitar

Hip hop is a popular style of music related to rap and other types of urban music. Its distinct grooves have spread so that different hip hop styles exist on each coast, in addition to the South. The bass lines provide the basic rhythm important to the hip hop sound.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Adjust your amp to get the sound that you want. Notice that many hip hop songs have a low bass sound that you can get by boosting the low control on your amp.

2. Listen to the sound patterns of hip hop music. It's less about where you put your fingers, because you often play bass note patterns repeatedly. Instead, recognize the sound patterns.

3. Find clear tones without accidental buzzing or other noises.

4. Notice swing in the groove of a song. Swing is a difficult thing to communicate through written music. It's more about the subtle differences in rhythm that come from how individual bass players interpret a sound.

5. Recognize rhythm patterns in hip hop. For example, if the groove includes eighth and sixteenth notes, only the sixteenth notes swing.

6. Jam with other musicians, and come up with your own bass lines. You might come up with a great sound if you're willing to experiment.

7. Relax while playing. Tensing up makes it difficult to play hip hop bass. Practice helps you discover your own "bass voice."

Tips & Warnings

• Find more information about playing bass guitar for hip hop in the book, "Hip-Hop Bass: 101 Grooves, Riffs, Loops, and Beats" by Josquin des Prés.