Mastering fills is a big part of playing bass guitar.
There's a line you cross at which point your playing is too busy, but a tasty fill can grab everyone's attention for all the right reasons.
This video lesson will show you how to:
- Find the right notes to play bass fills
- Use rhythms and phrasing to create interesting fills
- Not overplay!
- Learn a few essential bass patterns you can use in multiple styles
Scroll down for the backing track and PDF.
The backing track and chord chart come from my flagship From Beginner To Bassist course. There are loads of other styles you can learn in that course as well as everything you need to start learning bass guitar properly.
Minor 12 Bar Blues Bass Progression & Patterns
Download this PDF which contains the Minor 12 Bar Blues progression as well as a few of the shapes that will work over it.
12 Bar Blues Bass Backing Track
To Practise
Make sure to study these lessons too:
100s Of Bass Line, Fills & Solo Ideas!
Pentatonic Bass Masterclass! (All You Need For Solos, Fills & Bass Lines)
How To Nail Your Bass Fills (Smooth Transitions)
Then:
- Download the backing track and PDF
- Create simple lines
- Play fills using the Minor Blues scale - aim for every 4 bars
- Memorise the shapes and patterns
Remember not to overdo your bass fills! Keep things simple, don't play over other musicians (especially the singer...). Use good taste and always keep your ears open.