Higher Ground Workout

I wrote this bass etude in 2004 so my students would have something fun to learn that would improve their slapping. All of my bass students end up learning it, and it improves their slapping tone, comfort, and attack.

The bass line starts in E minor, the original key the Red Hot Chili Peppers played it in, and then modulates through all 12 keys. The pattern stays the same the whole way, so you end up drilling one groove all over the neck instead of learning twelve different things.

Here are the first two bars. The full PDF has the whole etude written out through all 12 keys, plus variations on the main groove and the written ending, in both tab and standard notation.

I have also broken the whole etude into twelve short sections, and each one loops so you can play along with it as long as you need to. This is how I have always taught it. With my students we usually spend about a week on each section. Make sure you can play each section cleanly before you move on. Once you can play the whole thing through comfortably at 140, work it up to 160. That is the goal. If you already slap comfortably you will move faster than that.

All twelve sections are below. Let each one loop and play along at least four times before you move to the next. If it is too fast at first, click the gear icon and slow the playback down to 0.75, then work it back up to full speed.

All twelve are on YouTube playlist if you prefer to practice with them that way.

On this page you will find the full etude, a drums-only play-along to put it together with, and the PDF with tab and notation.

If you want to improve your slapping on the bass, learn this bass line.