Hey there, bass players! As we explore various patterns and shapes on the fretboard, we may find ourselves sticking to safesounding notes. That’s why we learn octaves, chord shapes, and pentatonic scales. They provide us with a clear-cut road map of consonance: thirds, fifths, major sixths, minor sevenths and so on. These notes tend to be considered correct by theory standards and help us colour between the lines – but what if we’d like to add a dash of hot sauce to our burrito, a sprinkle of malt vinegar to our fish and chips, or a drizzle of chili oil atop our pizza? The addition of sour or spicy can heighten the flavours of a dish and provide welcome contrast. Certain note choices, and our willingness to add a bit of dissonance, can do the same.