Original practice exercise by Basnote
Disco Octave Bass Line
An original 122 BPM bass exercise in A minor: read the TAB, check the chords bar by bar, and download it as MIDI.
- Key
- A minor
- Tempo
- 122 BPM
- Feel
- On the beat
- Style
- Electronic
- Length
- 4 bars, 4/4
An original exercise written for Basnote’s Riff Lab: a stylised practice pattern in the spirit of the genre, not a transcription of any recording.
About this bass line
What it trains. This is the root-and-octave eighth-note pump at 122 BPM in A minor over Am7 – Dm7 – Gmaj7 – Cmaj7, with the kick on every beat. Bars one and three alternate root and octave all the way through; bars two and four vary their second half with a fifth and a seventh before leading into the next chord.
How to practise it. Lock each root to the kick and keep the octave notes light and short so the line bounces instead of stomping. Pluck every eighth note with the same even touch.
A common mistake. Letting the octave notes ring into the next root. Mute them lightly so the gaps stay clear.
Bass TAB (standard 4-string, E A D G)
Disco octaves · As written
Key A · 122 BPM · Tuning EADG
h hammer-on · / slide · > accent · (x) ghost note
Am7
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G |--------14--------------14--------------14--------------14------|
D |----------------------------------------------------------------|
A |>12-------------12-------------->12-------------12--------------|
E |----------------------------------------------------------------|
Dm7
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G |----------------------------------------------------------------|
D |--------12--------------12--------------12------10--------------|
A |-------------------------------->12---------------------/9------|
E |>10-------------10----------------------------------------------|
Gmaj7
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G |--------12--------------12--------------12--------------12------|
D |----------------------------------------------------------------|
A |>10-------------10-------------->10-------------10--------------|
E |----------------------------------------------------------------|
Cmaj7
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G |----------------------------------------------------------------|
D |--------10--------------10--------------------------------------|
A |-------------------------------->10-----15------14------/11-----|
E |>8--------------8-----------------------------------------------|One bar per block, one column per sixteenth note, counted 1 e & a. Frets show one playable fingering that Basnote picks for a compact hand position; the same pitches can be played elsewhere on the neck. The line sits in Riff Lab’s register, which for some keys is an octave higher than a bassist would usually play it; drop it an octave if it feels high. On a narrow screen the TAB scrolls sideways.
Chords and bass notes, bar by bar
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Bass notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Am7 | i7 |
|
| 2 | Dm7 | iv7 |
|
| 3 | Gmaj7 | ♭VIImaj7 |
|
| 4 | Cmaj7 | ♭IIImaj7 |
|
Each note shows its name, where it falls in the bar (1 e & a counting) and its role in the chord.
Download the MIDI
Each file is a Standard MIDI file (format 1) with these tracks: bass, guitar comping, piano and drums. The six variations rework the bass line and its backing; key and tempo stay the same.
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As writtenDownload basnote-disco-octave-as-written-a-122bpm.mid
The reference riff exactly as designed for the style.
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FoundationDownload basnote-disco-octave-foundation-a-122bpm.mid
Off-beats removed and roots on the strong beats: the learnable skeleton.
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PocketDownload basnote-disco-octave-pocket-a-122bpm.mid
Ghost notes and a pickup into every chord change, aiming at the groove sweet spot.
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DrivenDownload basnote-disco-octave-driven-a-122bpm.mid
Doubled subdivision for a busier, past-the-peak version to practise against.
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Half-timeDownload basnote-disco-octave-half-time-a-122bpm.mid
Stretched to a half-time feel with long low notes holding the pulse.
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Octave liftDownload basnote-disco-octave-octave-lift-a-122bpm.mid
The back half jumps an octave, turning the riff into a melodic line.