Theory
Now that the 16th grid is up, today you set a bounce root line on it. Rather than packing notes in, a neo-soul bass bounces by tossing one root and leaving room after it. Today's material is just one thing: the open E root.
The key is room. Over the 16th grid you pick only a few cells for the root and leave the rest empty as rests. You need the empty spots so the played ones bounce out more clearly. Even while the hand rests, keep counting "one-e-and-a" in your head.
Lay swing-16 on top and the line starts to settle. Take the roots you placed on the grid and delay only the ones sitting on a back cell. The moment a stiff root line settles back, neo-soul's signature stickiness appears. Same notes, only the timing changes.
Learn two lines at BPM 65. One is a simple bounce that tosses a root on every beat; the other is a more neo-soul line that lives on its room. When the root bounces with room around it, today is a win. The fingering is the same on 4- or 5-string.
See it
Today's visuals are two. First learn the room with a simple bounce that tosses a root each beat, then move to a neo-soul root line that lives on more room. Each example comes in a 4- and a 5-string version.
First, the simple bounce root. Toss the open E as an eighth "boom" on each beat and leave the other half-beat empty as a rest.
▶ BPM 65, swing-16. One root per beat, then room. Keep counting inside through the resting half-beat. On a 5-string rest the low B.
▶ 5-string. Same notes and spots as the 4-string. Cover the low B with the thumb.
Now the neo-soul root line that lives on more room. Mix sixteenths and rests so the root bounces slightly off the front and back.
▶ BPM 65, swing-16. Mix sixteenth roots and rests for stickiness. Delay the notes sitting on a back cell. On a 5-string keep muting the low B.
▶ 5-string. Same notes and spots as the 4-string. Cover the low B with the thumb.
Today's practice
0–10 min · Warm-up Toss the open E root as eighths "boom-boom" and loosen up. Relax and check one note rings clean.
10–20 min · Brain training Keep counting "one-e-and-a" through the rests too. Check that the played spots and empty spots split clearly.
20–40 min · Real play Alternate the simple bounce root and the neo-soul root line at BPM 65. Learn it on the 4-string, then confirm on the 5-string.
40–50 min · Record Record the neo-soul root line and listen back. Check the room stays alive and the root bounces.
Done when: you can make a swing-16 bounce root line with room over the 16th grid, and confirm it on both 4- and 5-string.
- Can't stand the room. Fill the empty cells with notes and the bounce disappears. A rest is part of the rhythm too.
- Losing the beat while resting. The hand rests, but the count must not stop. Keep counting inside.
- Pulling the back cell early. Swing-16 delays. Lay the notes on a back cell slightly back.
- Neglecting low B (5-string). Cover the unused low B with the thumb through the whole bar.