Bass Around the World #3: Mambo Groove
According to The Bassist's Bible by Tim Boomer, mambo was based on a dance that developed in the early 1940s in Havana, Its name comes from an instrument originally used in Bantu rituals. It first appeared as an “open section” of the Danzon in the late 1930s as a non-vocal interlude with a repetitive figure (called vamp) played in an extended improvisational section. As a result of its popularity, the Mambo section began to be played separately and was soon recognized as its own style. It reached New York City by the late 1940s and reached its greatest popularity by the mid-1950s.
In our example we're playing at a tempo of 120 BPM and using a basic two-chord progression: G7 and F7.
We're keeping it basic with roots notes, fifths, and octaves in the patterns. However, if you want to add a more melodic and adventurous vibe, feel free to use notes from G7 (G, B, D) and F or F7 (F, A, C, Eb), or their minor pentatonic equivalents.
One extra tip regarding fingering—to get that free floating, unrestricted movement in the left hand, keep your wrist as straight as possible. That means playing fifths and octaves (the most commonly used intervals in bass lines) with a combination of your index finger and pinky. The economic 1-2-3-4 (aka finger-per-fret) system is not the most suitable, as your wrist needs to bend more in order to reach combinations of fifths and octaves, not to mention stretching more between the fingers.
To spice things up, you can use slap technique for more percussive elements.
Listen to the Cuban masters of the music—Israel "Cachao" López, Arsenio Rodríguez, or Orestes López.
Have fun and see you next time!
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