Now that we've had some time to digest 8th note syncopation, let's use the same foot-tap system for 16th notes. Most beginning bassists look at 16th notes and assume that they are: (A) hard to play and (B) fast. They may be neither. In this exercise I've taken the exact same rhythm and bass line studies from last month's 8th note column and replayed them as 16th note patterns.
The Carol Kaye approach to counting these rhythms is to tap your foot in 8/8 time. That way the 8th notes are alternating down and up beats instead of 1-e-&-a which can be confusing to beginning readers. With the 8/8 time signature, your notes are either going to occur when your foot is down on the ground or up in the air, they won't be in-between. By the way, I've found that you should tap the foot that's opposite to your picking hand for best results, including not bouncing your bass up and down while your tapping if you're sitting down!
The mp3 file shows the metronome at quarter note-100, but since it's clicking in eighth notes, it's at 200 bpm. If this is too fast, try practicing it on your own with the metronome you bought after last month's column (hint, hint).
A metronome is a great tool for chops-building and developing a sense of time. You can usually find inexpensive ones at most music stores or drum shops for around $20 or so. Trust me, the investment will pay itself back many times over.
Peace and Low Notes,
Roy C. Vogt
Teach Me Bass Guitar
MP3 File
20100301 0730 BL