What to listen for as a bass player

[JamPlay]

So much has been talked about regarding developing chops, skill on your instrument, etc.
What about how to develop listening chops? How do you develop your ear to be able to hear what's going on in a song? Any practice routines you care to share?
Music is conversation. Listening will put your musicianship in a context to speak when appropriate and to speak notes that are noteworthy so to speak. Hope this topic can turn into a blog on practice routines or practice habits that have led you to developing good ears that make your bass playing soulful..I try to learn a song a week. Verse and chorus..Learn everything about the tune; melody, chords, bass line, rhythm parts. That helps you play bass in a more efficient way. It makes you realize how your part fits into the conversation.

[Horizontalste]

I think you answered your own question there, learning all the parts to a song & not just the bass lines opens up a whole new understanding in my opinion.
It's not easy at first but as progress happens it becomes easier to deconstruct the piece & single out the individual parts.
I think I remember a video where Jaco recommended this approach.

*edit, this thread would probably do better in GD, mods?

Edited April 24, 2015 by Horizontalste

[JTUK]

To widen this, I think I'm a good listener and I think I hear everything that people do
in the band. From this, I'm able, IMO, to go to the essense of that player and then
I match them up with other like minded players. I have to hear what the player does
and how he plays, to then know what material to give them..and this should help avoid
square pegs in round holes.
I know what I want to hear for the most part so I know how it goes together.
It doesn't matter if we are talking bass, keys gtr, drums. I tend not to hear
vocals to the same degree tho...

[JamPlay]

Singling out parts is a bi product of this kind of exercise practice routine...then you re construct the song, while performing, and you have a birds eye view of what's going on....it's an approach that will train your ears to hear music as a language..of course with your own spin on it... Have never heard two players sounding identical... Everyone has talent, everyone has something to say...and they say it differently than anyone else...and there's room for more than one interpretation....cool, thanks for chiming in...hope more folks comment, and add their personal touch...thanks, groove on!!