How do you get it done?

[backagain1]

We practice once before the weekend services, usually on Wednesdays or Thursdays. I usually try to learn the songs as close to note-for-note from the CDs as I can get in the few days before practice. If at practice I discover that other band members have also learned the songs note-for-note, then I spend the last couple of days before the weekend focusing on increasing my note-for-note precision. If, on the other hand, the other band members don't learn the music as on the CD, or the praise team leader wants to change the arrangement quite a bit from the CD version, then I just up wing it on the bass line, trying to make up something that fits with the others.

backagain1

 

[Ole Man Blues]

I hear ya' on the chord chart thing there smallmouth bass! However, the more I force myself to think about and use the Nashville system, the more sense it makes.

What is the Nashville system.......?

OMB

 

[Dr Stankface]

What is the Nashville system.......?

OMB

The Nashville Number System Explained

 

[Dr Stankface]

Oh and for me it just really depends on the situation. For church I take the same approach as you do OMB. For my jazz band, I read sheet music and do a bit of improvising. If i'm doing originals, I usually play around with whatever mode is needed until I find something I really dig.

 

[RocketRalf]

The Nashville Number System Explained

That's almost like the russian harmonic notation system. Numeric or functional notation instead of chord letters seems like the way to go for me if you use to transpose songs.

 

[carpedebass]

I agree. It makes tons of sense. Basically just numbering intervals. I still have to write everything down in chords, but the cats who use this stuff a lot get to where they know what each interval number sounds like and just play it like we play chord charts. I'll get there!