James Jamerson Motown Bass Breakdown: Add “What’s Going On” Feel to Your Groove

James Jamerson had a unique style that added bounce and groove to the many hits he played on. Today, we’re learning how to add a little Motown to your sound with Jamerson-inspired movement in our bass lines.

We’ll use a “What’s Going On”-ish feel as our starting point. This isn’t a full transcription lesson, but we’ll look at a few key ingredients that make Jamerson’s playing so memorable: rhythm, chord tones, pentatonic movement, voice leading, and chromatic passing notes.

Start With the “One And” Feel

Before adding notes, start with the groove. For this lesson, we’re using a “one and” feel, meaning we’re anchoring the line with eighth notes on beat one and the “and” of one.

That gives us a strong foundation while leaving the rest of the bar open for movement.

Outline the Chords

We’re in the key of E, using a four-bar phrase:

Two bars of E major
Two bars of C# minor

Start by playing the root notes with the “one and” rhythm. From there, add the chord tones:

E major: E, G#, B
C# minor: C#, E, G#

These notes outline the harmony and give the bass line a strong melodic foundation.

Add Pentatonic Movement

The E major pentatonic scale and C# minor pentatonic scale use the same notes:

E, F#, G#, B, C#

The difference is how we resolve them. Over E major, we want the line to land on E. Over C# minor, we want it to point toward C#.

That overlap gives us a lot of room to move while still keeping the groove connected to the chords.

Use Voice Leading and Chromatic Motion

One great note to add is D#, which leads smoothly into C#. Even though it isn’t part of the pentatonic shape, it helps connect the E major chord to the C# minor chord.

Another classic Jamerson-style move is walking chromatically from scale degree 5 to 6:

B – C – C#

That little move adds a lot of personality and works in both lower and higher registers.

Build the Jamerson-Inspired Groove

To bring this Motown feel into your playing, focus on the “one and” rhythm, outline the chords, use the shared pentatonic notes, and add small bits of voice leading and chromatic motion.

Keep the groove strong, land on the right root notes, and use the extra notes to connect your phrases.

That’s a great way to add a little R&B, Motown, and Jamerson flavor to your own bass lines.