Scott Paul Johnson
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Community Challenge 106 | Write a Bass/Rhythm Combo
🕑 Added 2025-07-29 17:00:03 +0000 UTCWhere to Start • Lesson Archive • Recommended Lesson Plan • Book a Private Lesson
Hi Everyone,
Each week I post a community challenge and if you've been around for a while, you might have noticed I'm trying to match them to the Monday lesson.
This challenge - "write a bass/rhythm combo" - is inspired by yesterdays Ear Training & Song Analysis lesson about Elliott Smiths "Between the Bars."
But what is a Community Challenge? It's a weekly reminder to practice doing the single most important thing for your music education: write something.
In guitar culture, writing music is the quickest way to make music theory stick in your head and become usable in your hands. It's the best way to make the guitar make sense to you. It's the best way to really understand whats going on. And it's really fun!
All you have to do is follow the prompt based on your skill level - no need to go all out and write a masterpiece - just write something! I like to think of Community Challenges as mostly napkin sketches. Doodles.
Why? Because writing music takes practice, and while practice MAKES perfect, it doesn't mean practice is supposed to BE perfect. The practice of writing something once or twice a week builds skills you didn't know you needed. It's awesome. Try it out for yourself.
Share what you write with my Patreon community here.
As usual, you can participate in and previous Community Challenge at any time.
Comments
Lauren Wise
Scott, at around 3:33 you say you are playing the 3rd of the g chord (B)...are you still playing the same voicing of the g chord without playing the low G (x2003) or a different voicing?
Scott Paul Johnson
Ah! I'm so glad this is what you're after.
Scott Paul Johnson
Oo! If it’s not working I’ll check on it in the morning! Sorry
Tasha McManus
Dig it!
Erin
is anyone else having trouble posting their shiznit? the link broken or is it just me? :P
Bill MacDonald
Scott, this is exactly what I was asking about when I was looking for tips for "leading tones" into chords, as I called it. Thanks so much for expanding on this. It gives me just the type of things to keep in mind and play around with! I also enjoyed the Elliot Smith breakdown. I've got a comment I'll share there shortly :)
