Understanding the Piano Keyboard

As we continue on with this class it is important that we take the time to learn the notes and how they are arranged on the piano keyboard. By understanding this system, we will be able to make better music as we enter the bass lines and other sections of this class. 

Bass and Kick Drum Relationship

In a lot of popular music, the bass guitar and kick drum work together quite often. The rhythm of the kick drum is typically supported by the bass line and even though the bass may change notes, they work together. The following video from The Shed has a great description about this relationship. Click on the link to access the video.

The following PDF has a great description about the bass line rhythms also. 

ASSIGNMENT #18 - For this assignment you will be entering all 3 of the relationships into Soundtrap. Each one is one measure long. Please enter them back to back. You need to enter the drum part as well as the bass lines. 

Circle of Fifths and Scales

Understanding the basics of the circle of fifths and how to write scales will greatly benefit us as we start to write music. Watch the video and get an understanding of how this system can help us write and understand music!

Chord Progressions

Being able to make music sound good takes and understanding of stable and unstable chords. The following video and PDF provide a look at what chords work together and how to construct chords. For the purpose of this unit we will be just playing the bass notes of the chords. That requires playing just the note letter listed and not the extra notes within the chord. 

ASSIGNMENT #20 - At the bottom of this document there are 2 chord progressions listed. On one Soundtrap project you will need to play both of these chord progressions

• Create a drum track to play

• Write a bass line with the chord progressions listed and pick one of the bass/kick relationships that we previously talked about.

ASSIGNMENT #21 - Using the same system from Assignment #20, Create your own 4 chord progression using the system on the PDF below. Refer to the video from the shed to stay in the key of C major and determine what note from that scale/key signature would match up with what roman numeral

• Choose 4 chords - experiment with playing them to see how they sound together

• Create a new drum track to play

• Write a bass line with the chord progression that you chose.

Bass Line: Note Choice

Note choice can help change the overall sound of your bass line. This PDF provides some options to help you decide what to do with a bass line to make it your own. 

Bass Note Practice

Use the flashcards and metronome provided on the following webpage to practice playing bass notes on your keyboard. This will help with playing and being quicker to move around the keyboard.