Lesson: Two Bar Bass Run in E minor

Here’s a new bass lick lesson for you.

This time around, we’ll work up a fill in E minor, using the B minor pentatonic to start, then adding the E minor Dorian scale with some chromatic notes thrown in.

This is handy for those one bar fills you’ll want to incorporate in your playing, including your solos.

The first part of the video demonstrates the lick at full tempo. The second part is at a reduced tempo so you can break it down.

For you gear heads out there, I’m playing a 1975 Fender Jazz bass, strung with Dunlop nickel strings (gauge 45-105) and using just the bridge pickup for a Jaco-like sound.

Let me know how it goes!

For more great bass lessons from Thomas "MarloweDK" Risell, visit PlayBassNow.com.

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Share your thoughts

  1. Great. Now my fingers are all tied up in knots…….. ;-)

  2. Nice approach to untilzing the Dorian scale in E-minor. And the B-Minor in the pentatonic scale to start. Cool funk groove.

  3. when I’m playing and listening to it fast I feel like its strait 16th but its not quite working out for me with my drum machine. when I listen to you play it slow, I hear a triplet (I think) right before the little trill (on the 3 of the 1st measure)…. can anyone help?