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stonebeard 
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 Topic: So my bass playing...
Posted: June 21 2007 at 02:26 |
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Learn scales (not sure how important that is for bass, as I play guitar). and study your ass off in the theory of composition. I know all that is necessary to teach myself good composition, but I lack the will and motivation to do so. You might have this.
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mystic fred
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Posted: June 21 2007 at 02:18 |
[QUOTE=purplepiper]always remember that the bass player 'holds down the show'. You need to make sure to hit the roots! Also, playing passing/grace notes can add flavour to the mix. Make sure you know the scales. Also, hitting octave is quite effective. And for god's sake, don't use a pick!!! Real bass players use their fingers![/QUOTE]
a rather sweeping statement  - some of the best bass players in the world use a pick, i know bass is the new "cool" but we're not all "phunky phat" finger players - besides some of us HAVE to use a pick if our fingers don't work properly... 
Edited by mystic fred - June 21 2007 at 02:20
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Eetu Pellonpaa
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Posted: June 21 2007 at 02:02 |
 Melomaniac wrote:
purplepiper wrote:
always remember that the bass player 'holds down the show'. You need to make sure to hit the roots! Also, playing passing/grace notes can add flavour to the mix. Make sure you know the scales. Also, hitting octave is quite effective. And for god's sake, don't use a pick!!! Real bass players use their fingers! |
So that makes Chris Squire a fake bass player ???!?!??!?! |
I quess that the "pick" issue is a political question.  Probably both styles have their advantages and disadvantages (f.ex. the cool sound on the beginning of the "Roundabout" song), so it would be best if one could do both. I can't, that pick just wont fit my hand, so I'm happy to play without. Could try to learn someday though.
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Atavachron
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Posted: June 20 2007 at 17:03 |
Stars Die wrote:
Just keep making crap, eventually something is going to turn out well |
ah, the Barry Manilow Theory
Ben, ever used a Fuzzypick?
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Melomaniac
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Joined: May 07 2006
Location: Canada
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Posted: June 20 2007 at 17:00 |
purplepiper wrote:
always remember that the bass player 'holds down the show'. You need to make sure to hit the roots! Also, playing passing/grace notes can add flavour to the mix. Make sure you know the scales. Also, hitting octave is quite effective. And for god's sake, don't use a pick!!! Real bass players use their fingers! |
So that makes Chris Squire a fake bass player ???!?!??!?!
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"One likes to believe in the freedom of Music" - Neil Peart, The Spirit of Radio
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progismylife
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Joined: October 19 2006
Location: ibreathehelium
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Posted: June 20 2007 at 16:59 |
^ You're saying John Entwistle is not a real bass player?  He used picks on some songs Anways I totally forgot about this topic.... 
Edited by progismylife - June 20 2007 at 17:00
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purplepiper
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Posted: June 20 2007 at 16:57 |
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always remember that the bass player 'holds down the show'. You need to make sure to hit the roots! Also, playing passing/grace notes can add flavour to the mix. Make sure you know the scales. Also, hitting octave is quite effective. And for god's sake, don't use a pick!!! Real bass players use their fingers!
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for those about to prog, we salute you.
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Arrrghus
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Posted: February 08 2007 at 21:55 |
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Flyingsod
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Joined: March 19 2006
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Posted: February 08 2007 at 21:51 |
Stars Die wrote:
Just keep making crap, eventually something is going to turn out well |
most excellent advice.
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rileydog22
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Posted: February 08 2007 at 20:27 |
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What I've been doing is that every couple of days during our free time at school me and a friend or two will go to the music room and jam 12-bar blues. In a little over a month, I'm really learning what rhythmic and melodic patterns sound good.
There's no better way to improve than to play with other musicians. Especially superior musicians; you'll have to improve to keep up.
Edited by rileydog22 - February 08 2007 at 20:27
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Stars Die
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Posted: February 08 2007 at 19:34 |
Just keep making crap, eventually something is going to turn out well
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Du Skojar om att jag Skojar men jag skojar inte alls
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progismylife
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Joined: October 19 2006
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Posted: January 05 2007 at 20:54 |
Thanks for the suggestions and wonderful help.  It has been steadily improving since I posted this topic.
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OpethGuitarist
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Joined: June 25 2006
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Posted: January 05 2007 at 20:53 |
progismylife wrote:
Can anyone out there help me with my bass playing? I find myself making up stuff that sounds like crap. Any suggestions on what to focus on like scales or anything would be much appreciated. |
All it really takes is desire and discipline. Teachers help but can be expensive. I've found that if you work hard enough you can learn almost anything. Best example of that philosophy at work is me. I've never had a guitar teacher, but I've taught myself how to play guitar and some rudimentary bass. Now I'm learning some of the most technical material available (on guitar) and I've only been playing for 4 years. Hard work can take you lot's of places. There will be bumps in the road, but you just keep pushing yourself and anything is achievable.
Edited by OpethGuitarist - January 05 2007 at 20:53
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back from the dead, i will begin posting reviews again and musing through the forums
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Passionist
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Joined: March 14 2005
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Posted: January 05 2007 at 20:47 |
sleeper wrote:
Learn your scales and see what notes work together for a certain mood and in what wayyou play it. Experiment is the best option IMO.
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And ignore most of the rest. Then if you want me to like you, bass is not just for rythm, it's a marvellous instrument that should be swinging in the background. So try forming patterns and music, not just one note on the 1st hit.
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progismylife
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Posted: January 02 2007 at 09:32 |
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^^ I will look for one but I don't know if I am able to get bass guitar lessons and piano lessons at the same time. It might get a bit confusing.
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GabbleRatchet
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Posted: January 02 2007 at 01:59 |
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If I were you, I'd get a bass guitar teacher, as you're obviously having lots of problems trying this on your own.
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progismylife
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Joined: October 19 2006
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Posted: December 21 2006 at 16:45 |
Barla wrote:
First of all, do you go to a proffesor?I play bass, and what I did is first learn the arpeggios, scales and positions on all the bass. I remember I started with simple blues and improvisation on it, then rock in general, hard rock, metal, etc. Then the modes, some theory (don't know if that's the right spelling in English), and lots and lots of improvisation ... Actually I'm improvising on complex harmonies to improve my skills (recommended with jazz rock, that has helped me A LOT!) and I'm starting with some exercises to increase speed. Also, if you have a good professor that may help a lot.
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Thanks, that is really helpful. And you did spell theory right.
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Barla
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Posted: December 21 2006 at 16:43 |
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First of all, do you go to a proffesor?
I play bass, and what I did is first learn the arpeggios, scales and positions on all the bass. I remember I started with simple blues and improvisation on it, then rock in general, hard rock, metal, etc. Then the modes, some theory (don't know if that's the right spelling in English), and lots and lots of improvisation ... Actually I'm improvising on complex harmonies to improve my skills (recommended with jazz rock, that has helped me A LOT!) and I'm starting with some exercises to increase speed. Also, if you have a good professor that may help a lot.
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progismylife
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Joined: October 19 2006
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Posted: December 21 2006 at 14:18 |
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^^I would do that but their is a possibility that tabs might not be legal so some of the sites stopped posting tabs.
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Eetu Pellonpaa
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Posted: December 21 2006 at 14:17 |
Listen to those fabulous RUSH albums, and play over them with your bass!
I used to find lots of their tabs from the OLGA website which is now down, but I found these from the goolge:
(some of them are probably crap)
In time you find cool sounding patterns on the neck which you can start to improvise and develop further with your own imagination!
Edited by Eetu Pellonpää - December 21 2006 at 14:18
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So my bass playing...
