FuNkShUi

Good work!! sounds wicked. Can appreciate how you still kept a groove in the songs even though they are "solo" pieces. Really really good. I think anyway!

cheers for all the advice. all much appreciated. I think i will try and undestand all the notes and modes more fully, because i agree, then i should be able to work out what i can, without having to remember specific shapes. Can only benefit my playing i guess!

[quote name='wulf' post='534436' date='Jul 7 2009, 09:46 AM']If you're covering a song, your starting point for the bass notes are the ones the original bassist used. If you're improvising, keep that original bass part in mind and use it as a springboard. The technique is know as [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostinato"]ostinato[/url] (from an Italian word meaning stubborn). The bass (or it can be another instrument) stubbornly sticks to a particular riff (or "figure" if you want to talk in classical music terms) while other instruments define the harmonic movement of the song. Relatively simple chords can sound more complex because they are in tension against the ostinato pattern. Wulf[/quote] learn something new every day nice one!

good work! My bass teacher teaches university, so although im not "officialy" doing gradings, im working through the excercises/songs/questions /sightreadings etc that he uses with them. Its tough going!

[quote name='Doddy' post='541329' date='Jul 15 2009, 02:34 PM']Have you just learned the 'shapes' or do you understand how the scales and modes 'work'? Try moving them over the fingerboard using different positions and fingerings rather than sticking to one 'shape'-this is so much easier if you know the notes involved. Once you can do that fluidly,try expanding them over two octaves. After a while you will become comfortable playing over the whole instrument rather than being hindered by using well rehearsed 'shapes'.[/quote] yeh i do understand why the modes are the way they are, and what notes make up different modes. i just wanted some excercises, that will help reinforce these notes in my head. So that i can remember them all, all the time, without having to refer back, like i sometimes have to do now. Thanks though, definitly agree that you need to understand what your doing rather than just learn it and be able to spew it out parrot fashion!

[quote name='Major-Minor' post='541616' date='Jul 15 2009, 09:02 PM']Jaco used to think in triads all the time, and if its good enough for him ....... The Major[/quote] cant argue with that again though, thanks. The more different excercises i have, the less likely i am to get bored with them i guess.

[quote name='chris_b' post='541383' date='Jul 15 2009, 03:56 PM']Have a look at Adam Nitti's lessons. [url="http://www.adamnitti.com/lessons.shtml"]http://www.adamnitti.com/lessons.shtml[/url][/quote] nice link! lots of helpful stuff here. thanks!

[quote name='wulf' post='541288' date='Jul 15 2009, 01:42 PM']An exercise (which you'll find in a lot of books) is to play scales using intervals. You play each note but between them add in a particular number of steps above. For example, rather than playing C D E F G A B C, you could play it with thirds: C E D F E G F A G B C (and then in reverse coming down). It improves your finger dexterity and gives you a good feeling for the sound of the available intervals. With that example, you will be playing a combination of major and minor thirds. Wulf[/quote] like that! thanks

i was afraid there was no short cuts I appreciate what your saying though, but i think i have explained what i meant badly. i wrote "shapes" because i didnt know if everyone would understand what i meant if i just said modes (im unaware what other people know). i completely agree with what your saying that i need to learn it musically so that it isnt so mechanic sounding (just playing "predesigned shapes"), and playing at different tempos, to different time signatures etc, but does anyone know of any good books that might be helpful? i just feel like by having something to "achieve" (working through a book), i might enjoy the whole thing a bit more

[quote name='Monz' post='540229' date='Jul 14 2009, 12:29 PM']Stevie Wonders Master Blaster... in fact anything from the Stevie Wonder stable[/quote] +1! The bass player from incubus first album has some pretty cool bass lines too. The album is called science. They are all pretty sweet, i particularly like summer romance. His name is Dirk Lance, but he doesnt play with them anmyore heres a good tab for this song, has a couple of faults i think, but pretty damn close : [url="http://www.911tabs.com/link/?3667685"]http://www.911tabs.com/link/?3667685[/url] The Jamiroquia bass player has a penchant for funky riffs too!

Right, i understand all the scales, and all the modes. I remember all the shapes etc...but i really dont enjoy just sittin there and working through the scales/modes/shapes systematically to be able to remember them all without a kind of "cheat sheet". I get bored, and when i get bored, i dont learn as well! At the moment i have got all the shapes down for a few notes, but i would like to be able to them down for all notes, without having to refer back to "cheat sheets". Does anybody know of any useful books, or excercises that can be useful for getting the scales/modes/shapes to stick in my sieve like brain!? i hope this makes sense

its on my "to do" list for sure