Theory
Yesterday you learned to cut sound off with muting, so today you lay that skill on top of movement. A real bass line doesn't sit on one root — it keeps moving. Today's goal is to shift seats from root to root without a break — moving smoothly between the three roots E, A, and G.
Here are today's three roots. E is the 4th string open, A is the 3rd string open, G is the 4th string 3rd fret (ring finger). Two open strings and one fretted note mixed together. The key to the move is yesterday's muting — put the previous note to sleep just before you fret the next, so the two notes don't overlap and smear. That way the sound splits clearly every time the root changes. The root has to split clearly so the beat locks with the drums and the whole band's floor doesn't wobble.
Don't swing your hand wide when you move. Cross only your fingertip, not your whole hand, over to the neighboring string, and move your right thumb along with the low strings to cover the ones you're not playing. Especially when going from G (4th string, fret 3) to A (3rd string open), you have to put the left hand to sleep while your right thumb covers the E string at the same time to keep it clean. The more you spare your hand, the less the beat pushes back when you speed up, so build the habit of moving small from now.
These three roots are fretted at the exact same spots on a 4- or 5-string. E and G are on the 4th string, A on the 3rd, so the hand shape is completely identical. On a 5-string you have to move with the low B covered by your thumb, so just mind that the B doesn't leak even during the move. If you can connect these three roots crisply today, half of tomorrow's finished riff is already in your hand.
See it
Today you move between the three roots E, A, and G. First move slowly, one per beat, then connect them in pairs of two. Each example is laid out in a 4-string and a 5-string version.
Example 1 — root move (quarter notes). E (4th string open) → A (3rd string open) → G (4th string fret 3) → E. One per beat, putting the previous note to sleep each time the root changes.
▶ BPM 60, 4-string. Connect the three blue roots crisply. Fret G (4th string, fret 3) with your ring finger, and put the previous note to sleep as you move to the next so there's no smear.
▶ BPM 60, 5-string. The fretting spots are identical to the 4-string. Keep the low B covered with your thumb throughout the move so the B doesn't leak even as you change strings.
Example 2 — moving in pairs (eighth notes). E twice, A twice, G twice, E twice. Press each root twice to learn the move with a little more room.
▶ BPM 65, 4-string. Each root twice. Once the second note ends, put it right to sleep so the seam into the next root stays clean.
▶ BPM 65, 5-string. The notes and positions are identical to the 4-string. On a 5-string, keep the low B covered with your thumb and move the thumb along each time the root shifts.
Today's practice
0–7 min · Warm-up Loosen up again with yesterday's play-and-put-to-sleep (muting) at BPM 60. Revive the feel of cutting sound off, then add movement.
7–17 min · Today's skill Repeat Example 1 (root move) very slowly. Focus only on whether the previous note is cleanly put to sleep at the seam where the root changes. Do the G→A move especially, several times.
17–27 min · Applying it Repeat Example 2 (moving in pairs) four times at BPM 60 → once the seams are smooth, raise it one step to BPM 65 for four more. If it smears, go back to Example 1.
27–30 min · Check Write down the BPM you reached, and record 30 seconds to hear whether the notes split clearly without overlapping each time the root changes.
Done when: you can connect the three roots E·A·G with two fingers at 60–70, crisply and without smear, by putting each previous note to sleep.
- Not putting the previous note to sleep. If the previous note keeps ringing after you fret the next root, the two overlap and get messy. Always cut the previous note right before you move.
- Swinging the hand wide. Move your arm a lot and the beat pushes back. Crossing just your fingertip to the neighboring string is enough.
- Leaving the thumb behind. Change strings but leave the thumb, and the strings you don't play ring along. Move the thumb along the low strings.
- Rushing at G. Rush past the fretted G because it's harder than an open string and you'll buzz. Fret G on its own several times first, then connect.