Original practice exercise by Basnote
Slap Funk Sixteenth-Note Bass Line
An original 104 BPM bass exercise in E Dorian: read the TAB, check the chords bar by bar, and download it as MIDI.
- Key
- E Dorian
- Tempo
- 104 BPM
- Feel
- On the beat
- Style
- Funk
- 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 line trains a sixteenth-note slap grid at 104 BPM in E Dorian over Em7 – Em7 – A7 – Gmaj7: accented roots with the thumb, octave pops, and ghost notes that keep the plucking hand moving in between.
How to practise it. Loop the first bar until the ghost notes are barely audible and the thumb and the pops line up with the sixteenth-note hi-hat. Only then add the hammer-on to the seventh and the slide into the next chord.
A common mistake. Playing the ghost notes as loud as the accents, which blurs the groove into a stream of pitched notes instead of a rhythm.
Bass TAB (standard 4-string, E A D G)
Slap sixteenths · As written
Key E · 104 BPM · Tuning EADG
h hammer-on · / slide · > accent · (x) ghost note
Em7
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G |----------------------------------------------------------------|
D |------------>14---------h12----------------->14-----------------|
A |----------------------------------------------------(14)--------|
E |>12-----(12)--------(12)-------->12-----(12)------------/11-----|
Em7
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G |----------------------------------------------------------------|
D |------------>14---------h12----------------->14-----------------|
A |----------------------------------------------------(14)/11-----|
E |>12-----(12)--------(12)-------->12-----(12)--------------------|
A7
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G |------------>14---------h12----------------->14-----------------|
D |----------------------------------------------------(14)--------|
A |>12-----(12)--------(12)-------->12-----(12)--------------------|
E |--------------------------------------------------------/14-----|
Gmaj7
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G |------------>12---------h11----------------->12-----------------|
D |----------------------------------------------------(12)--------|
A |--------------------(10)-------->10-----(10)--------------------|
E |>15-----(15)--------------------------------------------/11-----|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 | Em7 | i7 |
|
| 2 | Em7 | i7 |
|
| 3 | A7 | IV7 |
|
| 4 | Gmaj7 | ♭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-slap-funk-sixteenths-as-written-e-104bpm.mid
The reference riff exactly as designed for the style.
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FoundationDownload basnote-slap-funk-sixteenths-foundation-e-104bpm.mid
Off-beats removed and roots on the strong beats: the learnable skeleton.
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PocketDownload basnote-slap-funk-sixteenths-pocket-e-104bpm.mid
Ghost notes and a pickup into every chord change, aiming at the groove sweet spot.
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DrivenDownload basnote-slap-funk-sixteenths-driven-e-104bpm.mid
Doubled subdivision for a busier, past-the-peak version to practise against.
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Half-timeDownload basnote-slap-funk-sixteenths-half-time-e-104bpm.mid
Stretched to a half-time feel with long low notes holding the pulse.
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Octave liftDownload basnote-slap-funk-sixteenths-octave-lift-e-104bpm.mid
The back half jumps an octave, turning the riff into a melodic line.