Expanding playing styles and techniques....

[BradBassMan]

Ive been playing bass for about 7 years now (since i was 10) and feel i have come to that 'crisis' in my life where my playing is on a plateau so basically just asking what you guys have done to improve technique and taken your playing to the next step...im no jaco, but id just like to make the most out of my bass

I know there arnt a ton of flea fans on here but learning his slap has helped me alot and a few old funk tunes always work but is there a pill we bassist can take to improve???

 

[MingusBASS]

Do you know the modes? Do you know the pentatonic scales and how to use them?

If not, I'd learn those...

Learn how to play your diatonic 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, 6ths, 7ths

Do you know how to read music? If not, I would get a book to help you with that.

Do you like Jazz? Get a Real Book and learn songs, learn the head of the song and that will help you with ideas for soloing.

ahhh I'm late for work, but I hope that helps a bit.


Andrew

 

[BradBassMan]

kool man, cheers...

Are there any particular basslines any of you would recommend?...being young i wasnt born when all the great funk classics were around...although my mum has introduced me to AWB.....

 

[bassplayer7770]

My suggestion is to find a good teacher and let them know your goals as a bassplayer. Many good teachers will also make a few of their own suggestions to you. I prefer a teacher over a good book because I need somebody to hold me accountable and light a fire under my behind...

 

[BradBassMan]

Yeah thats true..i may well go back to having lessons coz i fell out with my last teachers becasue he was a well....*moves wrist laterally*...but tis a good suggestion...

 

[bassplayer7770]

Yeah thats true..i may well go back to having lessons coz i fell out with my last teachers becasue he was a well....*moves wrist laterally*...but tis a good suggestion...

Did he hit on you or somethin'???

I've never grown so much musically as I did when I was taking lessons. I'd like to start taking lessons again...

 

[spectorbassguy]

You're 17 - everything is a crisis at that age.
Advice from a dude when I first started playing 28 years ago:
Turn on the radio and play along to whatever comes on. Helps me to expand a lot to this day. And take time to practice with a metronome or drum machine from time to time.

 

[BradBassMan]

No he didnt, he was a banker(can i say that?)...basically started harrassing me saying i booked lessons that i didnt run up to, even though i didnt!...He was crazy....

 

[BradBassMan]

Cheers dude..i shall do that.... .....

 

[bassplayer7770]

Advice from a dude when I first started playing 28 years ago: Turn on the radio and play along to whatever comes on. Helps me to expand a lot to this day. And take time to practice with a metronome or drum machine from time to time.

Good suggestions. My teacher made me play with a metronome, and it really helped my timing (not that it was terrible before, but it did improve). He also made me play Jazz lines with the metronome beating on beats 2 and 4. Good test for timing. In addition to learning more about theory, I learned plenty of music to help apply that knowledge. Playing along with the radio or CDs is good, but understanding the lines more (theoretically) while you're playing them is priceless IMO.

 

[bassmonkey]

Get "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" by Dr Licks. As well as an interesting story, it has a load of Jamerson transcriptions, an analysis of his style and a CD of the tunes with the bass on one channel and intros to the songs by loads of famous players who actually play the parts on the CD(Pino, Entwhistle, Freddy Washington, Bob Babbit, Jimmy Haslip, John Pattatucci etc).

 

[mike not fat]

Try to play anything you're not used to : country, 70's german krautrock, black metal, songs for kids, obscure russian folk...and try to see what those new things could add to what you play currently, to make it original (n terms of sound, rythm, patterns...)

Learning more theory is also usfull, if sometimes a bit boring.

Maybe, try to learn playing other instruments. I'm sure it will have an influence on your bass playing style.

MNF

 

[Samingo]

One word... Disco

 

[midopa]

Awww yeah! I gotta play me some Cheryl Lynn and Bee Gees!

 

[scottbass71]

I agree with a lot of the guys do different things that you usually don't do hop on to amazon and buy a heap of books

and I have just become senior member as well ( its only taken me 2 years!!!!)

 

[phatduckk]

i would just borrow a bunch of CDs from friends or subscribe to some online music service and listen to a lot of new stuff. Personally any time ive tried to learn theory or modes n scales etc ive gotten really bored and playing/practice felt more like work than fun ... im not dicipined enough for that kind of thing.

aslo i dunno if you're in a band or not, but playing with other people really helps when you're in a "rut" ... especially if you start jamming w/ people who dont normally play your style or favorite genre. I find this helps you learn a lot of stuff without the boredom of looking at a bunch of black n whtie pages.

another approach would be to stick to a new technique ... if you're a finger guy, then grab a pick, if youre a finger player - ditch the pick for a few months ... yada yada

so i guess im saying that you should find bands/people that play "different" stuff that gets you movin. you can definately learn with a book etc ... but your ears n hands can take ya a long way as well

good luck buddy

 

[MingusBASS]

I think sometimes the problem is a lot of people don't know how the modes work together and how to apply them. Some people feel that if they learn theory that they'll loose creativity and that's just B.S. if you ask me. It's cool to be a bass player but it's even better being a smart bass player who knows what they are playing and why it sounds the way it does. Is it all about modes or theory? No way- if you don't play with feeling and musicality then it doesn't matter what you play 'cause people just won't be digg'n it. I think it pays to do a mix of all the things we've been telling him.

Learn the Songs/Licks and then find out why they are so bad ass. Then you can create your own licks that have that same flavor.

I guess I'm just trying tell the guy what's worked so well for me.

Andrew

 

[AnthonyD]

Lots of great advice in this thread... What advice to take depends on where you want to go with your bass playing.

For me, I jam locally with friends and generally play "crowd-pleasers" - not the most technically challenging music but lots of fun. As a bass player I understand the very basics of musical theory and a read a bit - just a bit.

It's playing a variety of music that helps me the most. While I may not appreciate the concepts that various parts are built upon or derived from, I do understand the relationships and patterns between notes and positions and I have leveraged them to further my abilities.

I've got a 7 year-old that can't wait to play. I plan to "start over" in a year or two and re-learn the bass-ics right along side him when he's ready to play.

 

[phatduckk]

I think sometimes the problem is a lot of people don't know how the modes work together and how to apply them. Some people feel that if they learn theory that they'll loose creativity and that's just B.S. if you ask me.

Andrew

i agree w/ andrew. i dont have the patience for theory but i do recognize the "value" of it. i have basic understanding of modes and how to link them and i wish i knew more.

i still strongly beleive that if you cant "hear" a bassline, then youll never play it. im not virtuoso by any means, but a lot of the stuff ive layed down that ive been most happy with is stuff where ive just lopped a guitar rhythm in my head and just "listened" for the hidden bassline that i wanna play, then i sit down and figure it out. if youre at home and have time to work on stuff etc this works but if youre playing live and are thinking about going on an impromptu run that youve never tried then the theory helps a lot ... i usually toss the dice and go for it (its all for fun right?) - when all else fails and i feel like im losing the run then i just play something really fast. LoL ... punk rock lets ya do that and get away with it

anyways ... to tie this back to the topic at hand - my experience is that hearing a variety of styles helps you get more creative and lets you "hear" more of the hidden basslines. so ya, like i said earlier - listen to a lot of stuff and as the otehrs have suggested you should ground your bag of tricks w/ some good understanding of music ... then just get out there and have fun

 

[mr_omerta]

Great ideas from everyone, get to know your scales and modes and you'll be set. You're 17 and at a great time in your life, enjoy buddy!