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BASS LINES BY JAIME VAZQUEZ: THE

SIXTEENTH-NOTE GROOVE PART V – GARYWILLIS’ STYLE

BASS LINES BY JAIME VAZQUEZ: THESIXTEENTH-NOTE GROOVE PART V – GARY 

 WILLIS’ STYLE…Hello bass pl ayers an d fan sof bass pl aying ! This is Part v! Dedicated tothe American bass player, composer,instructor, author of amazing books for the

 bas s guitar an d BMM colleag ue, “Gar y Wil lis!”

Kno wn for his work with Tr ibalTech, Garsed/Helmerich, Allan Holdsworth,Denn is Chambers, Wayne Sho rter, and hispowerful so lo pro jects. I would r ecommendto study his breathtak ing technique and hisapproach for solo ing and g rooving! For me,it’s a gr eat ho no r to sh ow some of Gar y Willis’sixteenth -note gr oo ves. Remember! Will isuses 5 str ing basses, so I have adapted some

 bas s lines fo r a 4 str ing bass using standard,Drop D and Low B tunin gs. Let’s groove with Will is! For more info rmation about Gar y 

 Wil lis you may visit garywillis.com.

Fig. 1 - Black Cherry Listen to Black Cherry

Standard Tuning (E-A-D-G)

Th is is a gr oo ve with a ballad feel fo r the guitar so lo . Notice the use of double stopsusing the octaves and the muted notes(very common techniques used by Will is). Also,there are hammer-ons, pull- offs an d rests.

Fig. 2 - Dense Dance Listen to Dense Dance 

Standard Tuning (E-A-D-G)

 An adapted one chord vamp(Cm) groove for a 4 str in g bas s. Th is is a g ood example of alinear g roo ve using the roo t. There are a l ot of muted no tes for a percussive sound and

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some rests for space.

Fig. 3 - Slidin’ Into Charlisa Listen to Sliding Into Charlisa 

Drop D Tuning (D-A-D-G)

The funky g roo ve for the guitar s olo is a 3/4 time signature with a triplet dotted 16th.Check o ut the palm muting (P.M.) in the bass fill . Th is is a trademark on Willis’ playing.Th ere are muted notes, tied notes an d rests.

Fig. 4 - CanineListen to Canine 

Drop D (D-A-D-G)

 A ver y co ol intr o pl ayed in a triplet dotted 16th feel . Th e g roove is ful l of muted n otes,rests an d some tied notes. It sounds tig ht!

Fig. 5 - Face First 

Low B (B-E-A-D)

Th e main g ro ove for the keyboard so lo section. Here we have an example of a lin earg ro ove over a on e chord vamp(Am7). Also , we have muted notes, tied notes and rests.

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