Andrej

Hope you like it

This is an improv track I made quite some time ago, on a rainy saturday afternoon, when the world felt big and I felt like I could own the rain and the skies. The title roguhly translates into that. Drums = EZ drummer. Rain sounds = The internet The rest = Me Feel free to comment!

I can't speak for somebody else, but in my case it depends on where I want to go out of scale to with the melody. I sometimes go to "major" to add bits of lydian/aug 4th on the melody without actually changing the tonality. Alternating Aeolian/Dorian melodies over Aeolian is also pretty common, and it would involve altering the same note (Cb to C would be 4# on Gb, and Cb to C would be major 6th on Eb minor). There are many things you can do with that, and switching between relative major/minor scales is a simple way to do it because it's always easy to resolve. Works for me at least.

Hey, Modes are not complicated; explanations tend to be. The main problem is that most explanations are mostly theoretical and lack a practical approach that will help you easily 'hear' the modes. To make it simple, when you start playing a scale from another degree, you are basically playing a different pattern when it comes to intervals (like it was mentioned above). If you apply those patterns to the same root, you get different scales. Try to think of it this way: There are 3 minor modes, 3 major modes, and the locrian mode (won't get into that one now) Other than the Ionian (major) mode, the other 2 are the same but one degree of the scale is altered in relation to the major one: I -- Ionian: C - D - E - F - G - A - B IV-Lydian: C - D - E - F#-G - A - B => Same as major but the 4th is augmented. V -Mixolydian: C - D - E - F - G - A - Bb => Same as major but you have a minor 7th. Same with the minor modes: VI- Aeolian: C - D - Eb - F - G - Ab - Bb II-- Dorian: C - D - Eb - F - G - A - Bb => Same as minor but with a major 6th. III -Phrygian: C - Db - Eb - F - G - Ab - Bb => Same as minor but with a minor 2nd. Let's forget the Locrian (VII) for now. Now, play the following chord progression, one line after the other: C / Am / F / G (C Ionian or major) C / Am / F / F#dis (C major and swithces to lydian on the last one) You are augmenting the 4th from F to F# C / Am / G / F#dis (Lydian) C / Am / Bb / C (Mixolydian) Note that the minor 7th lets you use a Bb (also, G becomes Gmin) Cm / Gm / Fm / Gm (C minor or aeolian) Cm / Gm / F / F (Dorian) Major 6th (A) "turns" the F into F major Cm / Bb / Fm / Gdis (Phrygian) The minor second results in a diminished V chord. What do you have to remember about this? Three main things: 1-Seeing it as chord progressions, you can use the "mode theory" to explain or understand where you are when you switch to a chord that is out of the scale you were playing. 2-You can clearly see that changing a note on the scale means that some major chords become minor chords, some become diminished, etc. However, you will eventually learn which chords/degrees belong in different modes in different keys, and how some small changes can change the tonality of the song. 3-Also, you can use the fretboard as a reference: If you are on C Lydian, which is the 4th mode, then it means that 1st mode sits on top of C; that would be G major. If you were playin in Mixolydian, C would be the 5th to the root of the major mode. C is the 5th to F. You can always resolve to a major mode (it's not necessary though) Two more things: 4- See how chords change but you can always resolve to C or Cmin (depending on the mode). 5- Note the distance between chords. In the Phrygian mode, I is minor and II is major, a half step above from I (C min and Dbmaj). That happens in that situation, and C Phrygian is relative to A major. How is this helpful? Check this: If you are playing over C major and at some point you go from C down to Bmin, then you're going from a major chord to a minor chord a half step below. Following the same logic, you would be on "B Phrygian", which happens to be the 3rd degree of G major. You would also know that C is the fourth mode of the major scale, so you would be on C Lydian. Anyway, there's a lot to learn from these things. Hope this is helpful.

Yeah, you can. Take it slow and make sure to have a drink while you figure it out. Once you've learned, you will need more time to play and will have less time to enjoy your beer.

This. Keep in mind that learning to play an instrument (or learning a martial art, to give you another example) is basically enhancing your brain/muscle connections, and learning to have better control over muscles you didn't use as much or with such precision. The thing with that is that when you resort to playing hard, you go back to your most instinctive movements instead of doing what you've learnt. Control is key. Once your hands/fingers become evenly stronger, you will be able to play faster without making any effort.

The UB looks great.

Thanks everybody. I'm working a little bit harder on my basslines now. No conclusions yet, but I'll eventually get somewhere.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1428261598' post='2739725'] The search for the answer to that question is generally referred to as 'your career'. [/quote] True.

Thank you [b]all[/b] for your answers. I really find them useful. [b]Leonard[/b], I kind of go along the lines of what you've said. However, I would also add what [b]JTUK[/b] said: [u][i][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]"Play whatever you feel it needs, or whatever you can get away with + [/font][/color][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]You need to develop a degree of taste."[/font][/color][/i][/u] [u][i]"[/i][/u][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][u][i]and it's arguable that you either have it or you don't"[/i][/u]. I didn't particularly enjoy that video you shared lol.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I will keep this in mind:[/font][/color] [u][i][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Generally I reckon if it feels like it's building to a drum fill, then you're good to go (a bit) mad. Other than than, it's just taking care of business. Occasionally I like to play a harmony under the vocal line.[/font][/color][/i][/u] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]That's some good advice there. I personally like bass 'harmony games' between vocals and guitars. I mean harmonic lines in general, but mostly to lift either the vocals or the guitar.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][b]Dad3353[/b], thank you for your examples. The first video is a really good example of what I meant. [/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]An ex co-worker loves the grateful dead so much he bought us all one DVD for each when he decided to change jobs. His desk was next to mine, and he would always go like 'Dude, listen to this part, now! Forget what you're doing. Listen, listen'. [/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Thank you [b]steve[/b], that's some good advice there.[/font][/color]

haha thanks! I don't know if I nailed his tone, but I surely didn't nail his playing. I like to go off the scale, I love those sounds, but it kinda feels like I have to go to those extents to sound not even as half as good as Andy Latimer does. What a player.

Hey, thanks! We were just having some fun, but it surely did sound better than we expected, even if the recording doesn't really reflect that lol.

Thanks for the replies! JapanAxe, I couldn't agree more with you. Dad3353, I agree, but silences are still 'like' notes. They contribute to the shape of what we play. With gaps I'm referring to what holds everything together, or keeps it from sounding dull and/or lame. Let's take a simple example: This piece has a simple bassline. During the main part, the bass strays a little bit upwards and keeps the whole thing from becoming static. It adds mostly rhythmic value, and it's 'independent' from the drums (or at least is sounds like the bass has a little bit more freedom against the static beat of the drums). At 1:10, it goes along with the drums and guitars, links them together and adds both rhythmic and harmonic value. At 1:27 it binds itself to the drums and defines the harmony of that bit. These are simple things, but it's what makes the piece sound good, imho. [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySlMyXNm8AI"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8pib9Jw4gc[/url] I don't know what you guys think. Sorry for making it more complicated everytime I post, but you have valuable opinions. I just want to get more of those lol.

Hi. I was playing with some friends and we decided to give this song a go. It's just an air take, and there were no singers around . Don't expect high quality sound. You've been warned. I still want to share it, just because I can. https://soundcloud.com/beertastybeer/jenny-was-a-friend-of-mine-air-take Hope you like it!

Hey, thanks for the quick replies. I do pay attention to that when I'm listening to other players, but I thought It would be interesting to ask you to share your own personal experience with this. Dad3353, I agree with what you've just said. I don't play only bass, so I have different perspectives on what you've mentioned. I couldn't have phrased it betten than you though, it was refreshing to read your words. [quote name='Ancient Mariner' timestamp='1428159043' post='2738633'] As someone who would be standing near you in a band setting - I'm a guitarist - let me answer your question by asking whether the things you want to do will add to the song being played, the music being created generally and the way the band works together? [/quote] Well, I don't like it when music sounds thin. For that reason, I always try to fill as much space as I can [i][b]with bass[/b][/i] . I also hate it when there's a huge gap between the bottom end and guitars (not only during solos, but also during melodic breaks, etc), so I need to move into that empty spot and fill it in with a phrase, a chord (played in a fitting manner), or simply fool around with the harmony, to keep ears entertained. This is more frequent when there's only one guitarist in the band. You can't just stay in the rhythm section, but you can't jump out of it. There's a tango between the rhythm (not talking about low notes exclusively, but rhythm itself) and more relaxed melodies. Sometimes you have to stray from the rhythm into a melody, but follow the drums while you do so. Sometimes not, you just go with the guitars. It's a very interesting thing to discuss. To make it short: To me, a good bassist can go back and forth from hitting the root note to playing chords and melodies WITHOUT YOU NOTICING any changes in the flow. I think it's awful when you notice a [b]bass player[/b] stops the rhythm to go to a chord, instead of just feeling the [b]bassline[/b] 'grow' into that chord. It has to be everywhere and be everything. Just like the ocean. Sorry for the length of the message, I got carried away .