Advanced Bass: Crackin’ the Slonimsky Code

Using concepts derived from classical music, Joe delves into demystifying diminished patterns commonly used by jazz musicians, such as John Coltrane, Pat Martino, Jaco Pastorius and countless others.

Follow along with this lesson’s notation (PDF) and video.

London based bass player Joe Hubbard’s professional background is represented by a collective body of experience that spans over more than three decades as an internationally acclaimed bass guitarist, teacher/clinician and contemporary jazz fusion recording artist. For more, visit www.joehubbardbassvideos.com.

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Leave a Reply to Jakub Cancel reply

  1. Jakub

    Great lessons Joe ! But unfortunately I play on 4 string standard tuning bass with 21 frets so some notes are unavailable to play on my instrument. But anyway great stuff and I love to check out the next ones. Best, Jakub.

  2. Hi Jakub

    All of the notes in both exercises are available for you to play on your bass with the exception of the low C as the last note in exercise 2. Learn to be creative with altering a few notes here and there if needed, but with what I have presented here, nothing should hold you back.

    All the Bass

    Joe

  3. Great stuff! I’d love a PDF of it to see it laid out. The symmetrical diminished stuff gets confusing to explain and you did it wonderfully!

  4. Steevo

    Great stuff. Very clearly laid out. That is a beautiful bass too, what is it?

    • Joe Hubbard

      Thank you Steevo! The bass I’m playing is the new Fodera Emperor Standard Special 5-string. Unbelievable instrument with unparalleled playability!

  5. Great lesson Joe! I can’t wait to use this! It’ll make my solos much more melodically interesting!

  6. Mike Pepe

    that was TREMENDOUS! so creative, and so thoroughly explained. thanks joe!!!

    • Joe Hubbard

      Thanks Mike- more great content headed your way next month, so watch this space!

  7. Always fun taking lessons like this and throwing them into a hard rock situation and waiting for that look from the guitarist…..goid stuff Joe

  8. david c

    These lessons are amazing. So many concepts- approach notes and chromaticism,Scale tones, passing tones and superimposition as well as tritone and altered harmony. You’ve got the tritone concepts as well as the dmaj over cmajor to get the sharp 11 as well as being a great example o chord tone approaches. Also penta positional approaches. This is the kind of intelligent lesson that the bass community is missing but will be missed by the great unwashed that prefer the easy option of licks and techniques – this is a treasure trove of information.Great Joe