Alternate Bass Note Picking

Lesson 3/71 | Study Time: 5 Min

Course: Beginner Rhythm Guitar

Alternate Bass Note Picking

In the previous examples the same bass note (the root note) is picked on the first and third beats. Another way of playing bass note picking is to alternate the bass notes. This rhythm is commonly used in Country music. You can alternate between any bass notes that are in the chord shapes.

As long as you hold the chord shape while picking the bass notes it will sound correct. Certain bass notes will sound better with certain chords. The best notes to use are the ones that sound good to your ear. It is usual to pick the root note on the first beat followed by a different bass note on the third beat. Use alternate bass note picking in the following chord progression. You can also experiment playing different bass notes than the ones suggested.

Rhythm Pattern

For the C, A and A⁷ chords alternate the bass from the 5th string to the 4th string.

For the D⁷ chord alternate between the 4th string bass note and the 5th string bass note.

For the E⁷ and G⁷ chords alternate between the 6th string bass note and the 4th string bass note.

Practice each chord shape separately at first and experiment using alternate bass note picking on other progressions.

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1- Eighth Note Triplet Rhythms 2- F Major Chord 3- B Minor Chord 4- Minor Chords 5- Silent Strums and Continuous Rhythm 6- Eighth Note Rhythms 7- Suspended Chords 8- A Major Chord 9- Bass Note Rhythm Patterns 10- Alternative Chord Shapes 11- Rock Chords 12- LESSON ONE 13- Sixteenth Note Rhythms 14- Augmented Chords 15- INTRODUCTION 16- GLOSSARY OF MUSICAL TERMS 17- Chord Chart 18- How to Tune Your Guitar 19- Major Seventh Chords 20- Staccato Strumming 21- Rhythm Rests 22- Minor Seventh Chords 23- Major Sixth Chords 24- Alternate Bass Note Picking 25- Rhythm Rests and Eighth Note Strum Combinations 26- Diminished Chords 27- Silent Strum Rhythm Variations 28- Tuning to Another Instrument 29- More titles by LearnToPlayMusic.com 30- Chord Symbols 31- Arpeggio Playing 32- Turnaround Progressions 33- New Topic 34- <span class="symbolA">^</span> Time Rhythm Patterns 35- Eighth Note Rhythm Patterns 36- Slide Finger 37- The C Major Chord 38- Alternative Chord Fingerings 39- Approach to Practice 40- Tuning the Guitar to Itself 41- Combining Strumming And Arpeggio Patterns 42- The Seventh Chord 43- Bass Note Rhythm Patterns 44- 12 Bar Blues 45- Chord Progressions 46- Electronic Tuner 47- Tuning Hints 48- Rhythm Patterns 49- Notes on the Guitar Fretboard 50- Acoustic Guitars 51- Open Chord Shapes 52- The Chromatic Scale 53- Electric Guitars 54- Electric Guitars (played through an amplifier) 55- Guitar Fretboard 56- Amplifiers 57- How to Read Sheet Music 58- Strings 59- Easy Chord Table 60- Seating 61- How to Transpose 62- The Pick 63- The Capo 64- Right Arm Position 65- 12 Bar Blues 66- The Rudiments of Music 67- Turnarounds 68- Note Values 69- Notes, Rhythms and Rests 70- Chord Diagrams 71- Rhythm Symbols

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Alternate Bass Note Picking