ChopsSample Week 1 bass plan: an even pluck, roots in time and your first root-fifth groove
This is a sample of the Week 1 plan a ChopsForge subscriber would get by email, built from the example intake below. It's not personalized to you, but you can follow it as written. A real plan is built from your own answers and changes each week based on your check-in.
Example intake
The plan
From: ChopsForge
Week 1 focus: An even two-finger pluck, root notes in time with a drum loop, and your first root-fifth groove.
Before you start: Use a free metronome app plus any simple rock drum loop at 70–80 BPM. Wear the strap even when sitting.
Monday: Even fingers and natural notes (20 min)
| Block | Min | Exercise | Tempo (BPM) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warm-up | 4 | Alternate index and middle fingers (i-m) on the open E, A, D and G strings, quarter notes, 1 minute per string. Rest your thumb on the pickup, or on the E string when playing higher strings. | 60 |
| Muting | 5 | 8th notes on the A string. Let each note ring its full length with nothing else sounding; fretting-hand fingers rest lightly on the unused strings. | 60 |
| Fretboard | 6 | Name and play every natural note (A to G) on the E string, frets 0–12. Say each note out loud. | - |
| Groove | 5 | Roots only, A then D, as 8th notes with the metronome. | 70 |
Tuesday: Root-fifth and the kick drum (20 min)
| Block | Min | Exercise | Tempo (BPM) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warm-up | 4 | i-m alternation on open strings. | 66 |
| Root-fifth | 8 | Learn the root-fifth shape: root on the E or A string, fifth two frets up on the next string. Quarter notes on A, D and E. | 70 |
| Lock with the kick | 8 | Drum loop on. Roots only, exactly with the kick drum. If your note and the kick flam, slow the loop down. | 75 |
Wednesday: Adding the octave (20 min)
| Block | Min | Exercise | Tempo (BPM) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warm-up | 4 | i-m alternation. | 66–70 |
| Fretboard | 5 | Natural notes on the A string, frets 0–12. | - |
| Root-fifth-octave | 6 | Add the octave (two frets up, two strings up). Play the three-note pattern on A and E. | 70 |
| Groove | 5 | 8 bars of root-fifth on A, then 8 bars on D, with the drum loop. Log: did you stay with the loop the whole time? | 75 |
Thursday: Note length and song prep (20 min)
| Block | Min | Exercise | Tempo (BPM) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warm-up | 4 | i-m alternation. | 70–75 |
| Note lengths | 6 | Play the same root line with short notes (muted right after you pluck), then with long notes. Listen to how the feel changes against the loop. | 75 |
| Song prep | 10 | Pick one simple rock or funk song. Find the key note and the bass root on each chord change. Hum the bass line along with the record. | song tempo |
Friday: Benchmark and play-along (20 min)
| Block | Min | Exercise | Tempo (BPM) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warm-up | 4 | i-m alternation. | 70 |
| Benchmark | 6 | Steady 8th notes on the A string. Find the top tempo you can hold for 60 seconds with even volume and no flams. Log it. | start at 70 |
| Play-along | 10 | Play roots (or root-fifth) along with your chosen song. Restart freely. | song tempo |
Log each day: Top clean BPM, minutes practiced, and a 1–5 difficulty rating.
Safety: Keep your plucking wrist fairly straight, use a strap so your fretting hand isn't holding the bass up, keep headphone volume sensible, and stop if you feel pain.
End-of-week check-in
On day 6 or 7 the check-in takes about a minute:
- How many days did you practice (0–7), and about how many minutes a day?
- Your benchmark result (the number asked for above).
- For each focus area this week: too easy, just right, or too hard?
- What felt best this week?
- What was hardest?
- Any pain or discomfort? (yes/no, and where)
- Next week: same minutes, more minutes, fewer minutes, or a new goal?
What happens after the check-in
Your answers shape Week 2. If a block felt too easy, tempos or material move up a step. If it felt too hard, or you missed several days, the next week backs off or uses shorter sessions. If you report pain, take a rest, and see a doctor or physio if it doesn't settle. The benchmark from this week becomes the starting point for the next one.
Want the reasoning behind this plan, plus 20 and 45-minute versions you can use any day? Read the bass practice routine guide. You can also see the drum and guitar sample weeks, or all sample plans.