Intermediate Bass 12: World Music: Reggae
By Roy Vogt
Bass Instructor, Belmont University 		Print This Lesson
Roy Vogt.This next weekend I have to go out of town to play a gig. Normally, getting on a plane and flying somewhere to play is sort of a necessary evil. However, the Wedding Band that hired me has an engagement in Nassau in the Bahamas! Sometimes we have to make sacrifices to be a bassist <lol>.

This has inspired me to think of matters tropical as far as music goes. I'm going to share with you one of my favorite reggae bass lines in the style of Aston "Family Man" Barrett. I think by the time you get to the hook you'll know what the tune is.

The chief characteristic of reggae is the upbeat of the rhythm guitar: 1 AND 2 AND 3 AND 4 AND . The bass can play on the down beat as in measure 1 or wait as in measure 3 (in reggae this is called a "one drop" line). Notice that the bass is very rhythmic and repetitive, just as it is in R&B and Funk.

The best way to learn this style is to search out some reggae and listen to what the bass is doing. Some of my favorite reggae bassists include Aston Barrett, Robbie Shakespeare, and even Sting when he was playing with The Police.

Have fun with this line and I'll do my best not to get sunburned while snorkeling.

Peace and Low Notes,
Roy C. Vogt
Nashville Bassist
Bass Instructor, Belmont University, Nashville, TN

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