Play along — add a bassline

Same chord loops as Guitar / Ukulele Play along — but here the job is writing and hearing a bass part. Climb the styles in order; do not jump to walking first.

Progressions only (no song melodies). Pair with a friend on Guitar play along or Ukulele play along, or use Click only and invent your line. Or hear drums + guitar + piano without bass: Tools · Backing band (minus bass). Method twin: Write grooves.

1 · Lab — pick a chart, pick a bassline

Four-chord song
I – V – vi – IV in G

TAB · play this for the loop


        

        
Ready

      

      

        
Choose a progression (shared with fretted play-along rooms):

        
    
      
    
    
    

    
    
      
    2 · How to add a bassline (climb this ladder)
    
      
    
        
    A chord chart tells you harmony. A bassline chooses which chord tones,
          when, and how dense. Always start thin.
    
      
    
      
    
        
    
          
    Step 1 — Roots on 1
    
          
    One note per chord, on beat 1. If this does not lock with the singer, denser lines will not save you.
    
        
    
        
    
          
    Step 2 — Roots on 1 & 3
    
          
    Still only roots. Doubles the pulse without inventing harmony. Waltz: land on beat 1 (and optionally 3).
    
        
    
        
    
          
    Step 3 — Four-on-floor
    
          
    Root every beat. Great for punk/dance; mute between so it punches. Not for every ballad.
    
        
    
        
    
          
    Step 4 — Root–fifth
    
          
    Root on 1, fifth mid-bar. The classic rock “power” pocket without thirds (thirds fight vocals).
    
        
    
        
    
          
    Step 5 — R–5–8–5
    
          
    Add the octave when the chord lasts a full bar. Skip on 2-beat changes — stay on root/fifth.
    
        
    
        
    
          
    Step 6 — Ghosts
    
          
    Keep the right hand moving: pitched roots on beats, dead notes on &s. See Muting.
    
        
    
        
    
          
    Step 7 — Walk seed
    
          
    1–2–3–5 (major) or 1–b3–5–6 (minor) inside the bar. Aim toward the next root. Deep dive: Walking.
    
        
    
        
    
          
    Step 8 — Anticipation
    
          
    Play the next chord’s root on the & of the last beat. Push without rushing the bar.
    
        
    
      
    
    
    

    
    
      
    3 · Worked example — Four-chord song (G · D · Em · C)
    
      
    
        
    Same chart as Guitar/Ukulele “Four-chord song.” Invented bass ideas — not a quoted arrangement.
    
        
    Verse (step 1)
    

    G|----------------
D|----------------
A|--------5-------
E|-3--------------
   G      D       Em(wait) … C on next 1
    
        
    Roots on 1 only. Leave air. Load the lab → Roots on 1 → Play.
    
        
    Chorus (step 4)
    

    G|----------------
D|----------------
A|-----5-5-----3-3
E|-3-3-----0-0----
   G  G    D  D    Em…
    
        
    Root–fifth cell under each chord. Lab → Root–fifth.
    
        
    Bridge push (step 8)
    
        
    Keep step 2 for three bars, then anticipate the return to G on the & of 4 before the last bar.
          Lab → Anticipation.
    
      
    
    
    

    
    
      
    4 · Practical tips over these loops
    
      
    
        
      
          
    • G–D–Em–C / G–Em–C–D — stay mostly on E and A strings; C root sits nicely on A string fret 3.
      • 
          
    • Am–F–C–G — F is fret 1 on E; do not let the open E ring under F.
      • 
          
    • G–Am–D folk — short loop; root–fifth is enough. Walking can feel busy.
      • 
          
    • 12-bar blues — try four-on-floor for a chorus, then walk seed on the V–IV–I turnaround only.
      • 
          
    • Waltz — weight on beat 1; avoid filling all three beats unless the arrangement asks.
      • 
          
    • 2-beat four-chord — prefer roots-only or root–fifth; skip full R–5–8–5.
      • 
        
    
        
    After you can match the lab track, switch to Click only and play the same style yourself.
          Then change one variable (style or BPM) and keep the chart fixed.
    
      
    
    
    

    
    
      
    5 · Duet with guitar or ukulele
    
      
    
        
      
          
    1. Agree on the same loop title and BPM.
      2. 
          
    2. Guitar/uke plays open shapes from their Play along page.
      3. 
          
    3. You start on Roots on 1 for a full pass.
      4. 
          
    4. Second pass: climb one style step. Third pass: Click only on your side.
      5. 
        
    
        
    
          Guitar · Play along ·
          Ukulele · Play along ·
          Piano · Play along ·
          Backing band (minus bass)
        
    
      
    
    
    

    
    
      
    Next
    
      
    
        
    Write grooves ·
          Practice gym ·
          Walking ·
          Pocket
    
      
    
    
    

    
    Text twin: songs.md