BookatlasPiano Rabbit Hole: Improvisation Theory & Practice
13719 / 18210 · Workshop 106 — Composing Bass Lines That Carry the Piece: Root Motion, Counterpoint, Groove, Inversions, Pedals, and Bass as a Source of Harmony← prev⊞ allnext →

106.153Mini-project 1 — Bass-First 16-Bar Piece

Write bass before anything else.

Requirements:

  • one pedal
  • one stepwise section
  • one leap larger than a 4th
  • one chromatic approach
  • one repeated bass motif
  • one phrase where bass rests
  • one cadence where bass arrives before upper harmony
  • one cadence where bass arrives after upper harmony

Then write melody.

Then harmony.