Marek Bero Publishes “Bass Gym 101: Odd Time Bass Grooves”
One of the biggest obstacles for musicians is the dreaded odd-time signature. That’s why Marek Bero decided to expand his “Bass Gym 101” series with a new book on the topic. Bass Gym 101: Odd Time Bass Grooves takes you step by step through 101 exercises to help you groove in any time signature.
“Odd time signatures are really a challenge for your creativity in the sense that it is not easy to create natural-sounding musical phrases,” Bero explains. “In our music culture, we are mostly used to 4/4, 2/4, and 3/4 or 6/8 time signatures, which are used for the majority of folk, classical, and popular music ever composed. Odd time signatures are natural for the cultures of the Balkans or India, where there is also a very strong connection between the music metrum and dance steps. In this new Bass Gym 101 book, we will explain and demonstrate how to learn to count and feel odd time signatures in 5/4, 7/8, or even in such a crazy meter as 13/8 or 15/16,” Bero writes.”
The 57-page book is written with both standard notation and tablature as well as recommended fingerings for a four-string bass. Bero also included chord marks above the exercises to understand the harmonic context for the exercises and musical styles. The book will take you through all positions of the fretboard and all twelve keys. Downloadable MP3 files for the exercises are available for practice.
Bass Gym 101: Odd Time Bass Grooves is available now through Bassline Publishing for £12.
