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Articles by Ryan Madora - Page 4


Keep It Groovy: Learn How To Play “Taxman” by The Beatles
Keep It Groovy

Keep It Groovy: Learn How To Play “Taxman” by The Beatles

In this Keep It Groovy lesson, Ryan Madora discusses one of the coolest (and easiest) Paul McCartney bass lines: “Taxman.” This groove integrates a bit of theory and a touch of technique, and it’s a great technical workout.

Keep It Groovy: How To Jam In A Rhythm Section Jam: B Minor Blues
Keep It Groovy

Keep It Groovy: How To Jam In A Rhythm Section Jam: B Minor Blues

In this “Keep It Groovy” lesson, Ryan Madora references a popular minor blues groove similar to the B.B. King classic, “The Thrill Is Gone,” and uses it as inspiration for a new groove.

Keep It Groovy: Learn The E Minor Pentatonic And Apply It To A Blues
Keep It Groovy

Keep It Groovy: Learn The E Minor Pentatonic And Apply It To A Blues

In this “Keep It Groovy” lesson, Ryan Madora shows how to play the E minor pentatonic scale across two octaves, both ascending and descending. Then, she adds a bit of rhythm to the scale to create a simple yet effective bass groove.

Keep It Groovy: How To Control Dead Notes
Keep It Groovy

Keep It Groovy: How To Control Dead Notes

In this new “Keep It Groovy” lesson, Ryan Madora breaks down the use of dead notes and why they’re such an effective method for adding funk to your bass grooves.

Keep It Groovy: Create A Funky Groove Using Just Two Notes
Keep It Groovy

Keep It Groovy: Create A Funky Groove Using Just Two Notes

In this “Keep It Groovy” lesson, Ryan Madora discuss how to improvise a simple groove with just two notes. By playing a note multiple times, adding in dead notes, or creating a “note sandwich,” we can start simple and slowly add in the funk.

Keep It Groovy: Building A Groove With Minor Triads
Keep It Groovy

Keep It Groovy: Building A Groove With Minor Triads

In this Keep It Groovy lesson, Ryan Madora covers how to create a simple bass line using minor triads. Taking inspiration from the drum groove, we can find a rhythm that works, apply the arpeggio, and create a simple yet effective groove!

Keep It Groovy: All About That Bass
Keep It Groovy

Keep It Groovy: All About That Bass

We’re all about that bass, and Ryan Madora’s latest “Keep It Groovy” breaks down the song in this lesson. Not only is this a fun tune to play, but it outlines a classic chord progression, the “ii-V-I.”

Keep It Groovy: Fast, Box Shuffle a la “I’m Tore Down”
Keep It Groovy

Keep It Groovy: Fast, Box Shuffle a la “I’m Tore Down”

In this bass lesson, Ryan Madora keeps it groovy with a fast-paced shuffle pattern that takes advantage of the “blues box.”

Keep It Groovy: “The Joker” by Steve Miller Band
Keep It Groovy

Keep It Groovy: “The Joker” by Steve Miller Band

In this new “Keep It Groovy” bass lesson, Ryan Madora covers a quick and easy bass line to add to your repertoire – Steve Miller Band’s classic tune, “The Joker.” This line perfectly outlines a 1-4-5 chord progression in the context of a rock song.

Keep It Groovy: Blues Endings, Part 2
Keep It Groovy

Keep It Groovy: Blues Endings, Part 2

Here’s Part 2 of Ryan Madora’s “Blues Endings” bass lesson series. Here are a few more options that you can use when listening to, learning, or jamming a blues.

Keep It Groovy: Blues Endings, Part 1
Keep It Groovy

Keep It Groovy: Blues Endings, Part 1

Ryan Madora kicks off a new two-part “Keep It Groovy” lesson series today, focusing on a handful of common blues endings to help you tie up the loose ends and land on the one with the rest of the band.

Keep It Groovy: How To Play The Bass Line To Lady Marmalade
Keep It Groovy

Keep It Groovy: How To Play The Bass Line To Lady Marmalade

Today we’re keeping it groovy by learning the classic funk bass line to LaBelle’s “Lady Marmalade.” Ryan Madora walks us through a simple part that perfectly outlines the harmony and creates a particularly memorable and easy-to-play bass line.