Let's talk about the blues! Here I want to share you guys some stuff that I've learned through the years of playin'.There are some basics for blues improvising.It's really important for the bassist to understand the proper way to use these feels so he or she can get the best out of it.First Let's talk about some basics for blues bass lines.

12 BAR BLUES:

12 bar blues is the most common chord progression for blues. It's a set of 12 bars.Each set of 12 bars called a chorus. You should fill these 12 bars like this: 4 bars the first chord(i.e when you want to play the blues in G the first chord will be G,Gm,G7 or Gm7) two bars the forth chord( in this example C,Cm or...).Then 2 bars the first chord again.One bar the fifth chord(here comes D,D7 or...).One bar the forth chord,one bar the first chord and finally one bar the 5th chord again at the end.You've filled 12 bars with these chords now!

It's the basic chord proggression for blues.As another proression,you can fill the first four bars like this: One bar the first chord,one bar the forth chord,two bars the first chord(in this condition these one bar chords are called quick changes).You can also play the last two measures with the first chord instead of playin' the last bar with fifth chord.The last bar or some times the last two bars of a chorus is called a turnaround.you turn to the start of the next 12 bars with it. So how could you fill these bars with proper notes? First we'll discuss on a very common timing for playing the blues which is called SHUFFLE and then I'll introduce you way's to fill these bars up.

SHUFFLE BASS LINES:

let's talk about shuffle bass lines. As you might know,shuffle timing is made by having a 12/8 time feel on a simple 4/4. you can easily do it by putting 12 eighth notes in a 4/4 time in 4 set of notes( each set is 3 notes in a triplet) and when you combine the first two eights in a quarter note,you've made the shuffle.so the feel is made out of triplets.

FILL IT UP!

As a general tip triads can be used on all sort of thing.(triad is a simple chord which contains root,third and fifth degrees of a note).It's a simple but very effective thing in playin' the blues.You can use major or minor triads upon the chord progression you want to use.

As before,It's a basic and easy way to put proper notes in every bar.You might use lots of other feels for it.Let's have some variations Another technique is called DROPPED OCTAVE.It means that you can drop some of these notes one octave lower.It's very useful whem you want to have a flexible line and you want to support the band.You can pass the narrowest path with it.When you want a solid bass line with nO change in notes or their time,you can easily drop some of them and it really feels different.By the way you can use this thing wherever you want.With triads,other degrees and... You can also raise some notes one octave higher,so I call this LOCAL CHANGE OF NOTES.

Just remember not to use a special feel or varoation overe and over after each other.It'll make a boring sound.The good player uses all kind of stuff in the way that when some one hears it,he or she will be eager to hear it again and when heard again,he'll be pleased! But if you use it over and over again,it will be boring.

here is an example of a 12 bar blues using simple triads and a bit of dropped octave.