Disco and Funk Bass Method

The time has come to take your first steps in disco bass, one of the most important genres of the 20th century.

It's no exaggeration to say that music wouldn't be what we know today without the arrival of disco. In the same way, the bass wouldn't be what it is now without disco bass and its techniques.

So let's walk you through what disco is, and we'll also let you freely download one of the most complete disco and funk bass methods out there.  

What is disco? 

Disco is the next evolutionary step from rhythm and blues, funk, and soul. This musical genre managed to work its way deep into musical culture and became firmly established, surviving right through to the present day. 

Some of disco's defining characteristics are: 

• It is built on a binary 4/4 time signature.
• The drums stand out because they are driven by the hi-hat. 
• The bass is characterized by free, syncopated grooves. 
• The tempo usually falls between 110 and 140 BPM.
• One of the most iconic songs is Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes' “The Love I Lost.”
• The most essential instruments for performing disco are drums, synthesizer, guitar, brass instruments, and electric bass. 

The greatest disco bassists

The world of disco bass has been full of great names, and some of the most important are the following: 

• James Jamerson.
• Larry Graham.
• Bernard Edwards.
• Verdine White.
• Gail Ann Dorsey.
• Michael Henderson.

Thanks to the contribution these musicians have made to the development of disco bass, as well as to other genres, we get to enjoy everything the bass has to offer. 

The importance of the bass in disco

Disco music wouldn't have been what it was, and wouldn't be what it is today, without the electric bass. This instrument managed to push the sound forward and give disco a personality all its own. 

That's why disco bass is essential study material if you want to develop a strong musical, technical, theoretical, and interpretive level. 

With that in mind, disco bass is important for the following reasons: 

• Balance: a composition is nothing without sonic balance, and disco bass provides exactly this, allowing every instrument involved to be clearly distinguished. 
• Personality: disco bass is unmistakable, and that very essence is what it brings to the genre. In other words, you can recognize disco music anywhere thanks to the sound of its electric bass.
• Movement: it's impossible to imagine what disco would be without its signature groove. That's why you can tell disco apart from any other genre, something that can be quite hard to do between certain soul and funk compositions. 

Disco and Funk Bass Method

Once again, the Hal Leonard publishing house offers the most complete method for beginning your study of disco bass. 

This method was written by none other than Josquin des Prés, a French bassist known for his electric bass methods. 

Now then, here's what you'll find in this disco and funk bass method: 

• Mute.
• Finger pop.
• Slap disco.
• Disco patterns.
• 101 patterns.

Among many other important lessons you'll find in the PDF file of this method. You can download it and round out your study of disco bass.