Here is a tall tale to tell (pun-filled introduction, but you should be used to this by now): The third part of a great groove is the groove tail. It’s the most fun part, the sign-off, the least structured part, the freedom-loving revolutionary of the Three Groove-sketeers. It’s what you play at the end of your groove; it’s your signature lick, a sign-off for the preceding phrase, and a lead-in for the next phrase. It’s an opportunity for you to put a bit of a flourish into your groove (think John Hancock’s signature) and a place to prep the other band members for the next downbeat, making sure everyone is on the same page and in sync. When you play the groove tail, you don’t necessarily have to adhere to the groove’s harmonic structure, as you do with the groove skeleton and groove apex (see the two previous issues of Bass Magazine). And you can vary your rhythm each time — you don’t need to keep it consistent. The only thing you must keep in mind is to be in time f