M.M.Education Blog
FREE resources for learners and teachers
Pimp Your Bassline
Pimp Your BasslineHave you ever been asked to come up with a bassline on the spot? And do you have a hard time coming up with different basslines over the same drum beat? Most likely the problem is too much focus on the notes. Although, we should be fine playing...
The Triad Inversion Hack
The Root Note CurseSomeone put a spell on us bassists. Somehow whatever we play, we always start with the root note. Which makes a lot of sense, because let's be honest, it's our job. But what if we want to play a solo or a bass fill? What if we want to play a melodic...
The 4 Stages Of Learning
The Learning StruggleHave you ever been inspired to learn a new skill like double thumb or two handed tapping? You started out really motivated, but the more time you put in, the more your motivation decreased. This is actually a totally normal phenomenon.Learning...
Top 3 Metronome Hacks
The Problem With MetronomesWe’ve all heard it a million times before “If you want to have good timing, you have to practice with a metronome.” A couple of times I did hear the opposite, and it made sense in the context. But generally playing along with the click is...
Economy Of Motion
The Curse Of The Flying Pinky (or why you can’t play fast)Have you ever noticed how hard it is to move the pinky and ring finger independently? At first it seems impossible. The reason is, they are attached to the same tendon. But with a little bit of dedicated...
Why You Should Set Unrealistic Goals
The problem with realistic goalsDo you ever feel stuck when practicing? You're not sure what to practice next or lack the motivation to keep pushing to break through the wall you just hit. Well, then you might have a case of grown-up syndrome. Realistic goals are very...
Top 3 Polyrhythm Hacks
The Polyrhythm challengeWant to add an element of surprise or another level of complexity to your solo or composition? Then you should check out polyrhythms. We all are familiar with simple cross-rhythms like 2 against 3 and 3 against 4. Even in pop music they are...
The 3 Finger Technique
Three Is The Magic NumberThe 3 finger technique is quite well known in around metal bassists. It's the easiest way to play the "Gallop". If you don't know what the gallop is, you need to listen to more "Iron Maiden". Jokes aside though, the 3 finger technique can be...
Jazz Chords On Bass???
Why do you even care?Is playing jazz chords on bass really that necessary? The truth is that understanding the mechanics of building chords and voice leading helps you in many ways to be a better bass player. Particularly if you like to jam, improvise or compose your...
What I Learnt From Victor Wooten
Ever feel stuck with your playing?Did you ever have that feeling where you know something isn't quite right with what you are playing, but you can't seem to pin point the problem?Or do you ever run out of ideas of what to play when improvising a solo?Or did you ever...
Bass Fill Hacks #1
The Bass Fill StruggleHave you ever been practicing bass fills, only to realize that what you practiced might have worked on that one song, but surely doesn't on the next one? Or maybe you've been shedding away on this cool basslick you saw on Youtube. But when you...
The Triad Hack Series
Scroll down for more TRIAD HACKS!Want to level up your proficiency across the fretboardHave you ever been in the situation that you got handed a lead sheet and were expected to just make up a bass part? All you have are the chord symbols. Of course, you can always get...
The Binary Code Of Music
How To Hack The Binary Code Of Music?Do you ever catch yourself playing the same old licks and patterns again and again? Does sheet music containing 16th note patterns look scary to you?Well, it doesn't have to be this way!The Secret SauceIn “The Binary Code Of Music”...
Flow Hacking Series
Scroll down for more FLOW HACKS!How to learn anything fasterHave you ever been frustrated because you have that feeling of not progressing fast enough. In the beginning you often advance fairly quickly. But once we have a basic grasp on the skill, we often feel stuck....
TOP 10 BASS SOLO HACKS
The Bass Solo StruggleWe all know the jokes about how everyone starts talking or goes to the bar, when the bassist takes a solo. And sadly, for the most part these accusations are justified. The bass is not an easy instrument to play solos. On one hand its low...
The 3 Octave Major Arpeggio Hack
How to play arpeggios efficiently over three octaves?Arpeggios are great vocabulary to have for extreme metal and jazz. Not that they're not of use in other genres, but these two use them to quite an extent. If you don't own a five or six string bass, you might have...
Delay Hacks For Bass Solos
How to accompany your own soloAs bass players we often run into the situation of being left alone when we finally get to take a solo. Back in the days when the electric bass was not yet a thing, there was a good reason that the whole band stopped playing during a bass...
Do Your Quarter Notes Swing?
Can You Play Quarter Notes With A Swing Feel? Although this might seem counterintuitive, there is a difference between swinging quarter notes and straight quarter notes. Generally speaking there is not much to playing a walking bassline, right? You learn your...
Why You Don’t Follow Through
Why You Don't Follow ThroughDid you ever listen to a piece of music that knocked your sox off? Something so inspiring that you were willing to do anything to learn how to do it yourself? But then once you started and realized how much work you'd have to put it,...
Bass Chords That Work
The Bass Chord StruggleHave you ever been frustrated by the fact, that chords generally sound muddy as h*%& on bass? It's not easy creating a chord texture for a soloist or singer to jam over when playing more than two notes at the same time, right? The...