Nuggets of wisdom that revolutionalised your playing.

[endorka]

I agree Joe, having thought about this it is more a matter of different perspectives than anything else. I agree that such a rule has no place in a harmony textbook, for example, but as a guideline for someone playing basslines in a soul band or motown band, for example, it may find applicability.

Perhaps I should explain more where I am coming from in this. I love speaking to other musicians and finding out the rules and heuristics they have developed; these are not always totally correct or complete in a "book learning" sense, or even outwith that player's speciality, but often offer insights that have value.

Another recent one was from a bass player that plucks near the bridge when in the lower bass register, but plucks over the neck when playing in the upper octave of the instrument. This suprised me as it runs counter to the thinking one uses for bow placement on a double bass, but it certainly achieves a characteristic sound.

Having reviewed a couple of my recent recordings, I've found the odd major 3rd scattered around. One doesn't sound cheesy at all, in fact it is rather dark. The chord sequence is D, D/C#, Bm, G A. The usual bassline is D, C#, B, G A, but as a variation before going into a different section I play D, F#, B, G, A. That F# really makes a huge difference and a considerable musical statement.

Does the F# being the 3rd of an inversion of D major 7th make a difference, you think? Also, I note that there is a strong resolution in the bassline in this case going from the F# to the B of B minor.

Jennifer


[quote name='Joe Hubbard Bass' post='1073681' date='Dec 31 2010, 01:41 PM']This is really a matter of taste on your part, so there really isn't any need to run around in circles here.

[b]It is a fact harmonically that the third works over a major chord in any context.[/b]

As I have said before, thousands of bass lines, melodies and solos prove this. You could say a little golden nugget is to always play the root and fifth over any chord. There are plenty of players who do this; you could also argue that they are "soulful" because of it. But really this is a limiting belief that really needs correcting when teaching others.

Best

Joe[/quote]

[Joe Hubbard Bass]

[quote name='endorka' post='1073717' date='Dec 31 2010, 02:40 PM']I agree Joe, having thought about this it is more a matter of different perspectives than anything else. I agree that such a rule has no place in a harmony textbook, for example, but as a guideline for someone playing basslines in a soul band or motown band, for example, it may find applicability.

Perhaps I should explain more where I am coming from in this. I love speaking to other musicians and finding out the rules and heuristics they have developed; these are not always totally correct or complete in a "book learning" sense, or even outwith that player's speciality, but often offer insights that have value.

Another recent one was from a bass player that plucks near the bridge when in the lower bass register, but plucks over the neck when playing in the upper octave of the instrument. This suprised me as it runs counter to the thinking one uses for bow placement on a double bass, but it certainly achieves a characteristic sound.

Having reviewed a couple of my recent recordings, I've found the odd major 3rd scattered around. One doesn't sound cheesy at all, in fact it is rather dark. The chord sequence is D, D/C#, Bm, G A. The usual bassline is D, C#, B, G A, but as a variation before going into a different section I play D, F#, B, G, A. That F# really makes a huge difference and a considerable musical statement.

Does the F# being the 3rd of an inversion of D major 7th make a difference, you think? Also, I note that there is a strong resolution in the bassline in this case going from the F# to the B of B minor.

Jennifer[/quote]

I would view the D/C# as C#sus(b9,b13); that specifically would be a D triad with the C# in the bass. This is different to Dmaj7th chord in 3rd inversion. If the F# is used in the bass over the Dmaj, it is often interpreted as F#-7; often guitarists and keyboard players will use 9 instead of 1 in their voicings. Either version would sound good to my ears in that progression and lead nicely into Bm.

Abe Laborial and Neal Stubenhaus used these simple re-harmonization techniques on thousands of record dates including many other inspirational bass players.

Best

Joe

Edited December 31, 2010 by Joe Hubbard Bass

[Mlucas]

Here's one for the rookies and self-taught chaps,

Simply take half an hour or an hour just getting to know your bass lines and fills, for example, take the root note of a song, then simply play a bar of that note, then improvise a fill, just add notes depending on feel and relevance to root note, if it sounds right great! If not then remove it and try another! Use this method until you are comfortable with a variety of fills and breaks. This worked great for me, since i'm self taught (with a few dvds on the side). It's all about sitting down and taking it slowly with your bass

[Doddy]

[quote name='Mlucas' post='1077691' date='Jan 4 2011, 07:08 PM']Here's one for the rookies and self-taught chaps,

Simply take half an hour or an hour just getting to know your bass lines and fills, for example, take the root note of a song, then simply play a bar of that note, then improvise a fill, just add notes depending on feel and relevance to root note, if it sounds right great! If not then remove it and try another! Use this method until you are comfortable with a variety of fills and breaks. This worked great for me, since i'm self taught (with a few dvds on the side). It's all about sitting down and taking it slowly with your bass [/quote]

Alternatively,learn some theory(even to a basic level) and eliminate a lot of the guess work. It makes life so much easier if you can
play what you hear in your head without going over it time and time again.

[Skol303]

This might sound bleedin' obvious, but a tip that helped me when I started playing bass was: learn to string your guitar properly!

I used to be very lazy/sloppy at winding strings, which used to cause some 'buzzing', as though the action of my guitar wasn't right. Knowing how to do this properly fixed the issue.

Like I said, not exactly a revelation but something that's easy to miss when you're starting out...

[The Bass Doc]

In my very early playing days a more senior bass player advised me that what I left out was important.

In a later meeting on a gig he came up to me at the end and said I'd obviously learned something and that 'I'd left out some bloody good stuff'

[Blademan_98]

Practice makes perfect

It works!

and it really does not matter when you start playing, if you practice enough, no matter how talentless you are, you will improve

(I am living proof!)