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KeyboardMag.com >> This Month >> Endless Variation
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 The following files will open in their associated programs. Endless Variation| November, 2007Throw in even minor variations, and the jam never ends. Have a look at the transcription to Bernie Worrell’s synth bass line on “Flash Light” on the pages 48–49 and you’ll see that the his main bass line figure remains consistent, but Bernie uses some simple tricks to keep it fresh. One thing he does is to throw in octaves in a swinging-sixteenth note rhythm to add a hop to a given beat. Example 1b shows one instance of this technique. Make sure you’re using a monophonic sound on your synthesizer so the notes snap to each other, rather than overlap. Bernie leaves a slight space between eighth-notes; this articulation punctuates the line. Just as often as he adds notes, Bernie will drop them to add even more variation. Check out the examples for a few of the ways that Bernie keeps that “Flash Light” line cooking.
These audio and MIDI files correspond to the lessons and full song transcription beginning on page 44 of the December 2007 issue of Keyboard. All files performed by Scott Healy. |
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