thebigyin Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 What is one of the most important things you have learnt whilst playing Bass? This might sound very stupid to the well educated on our beloved instrument but when I first started out (I was a very late starter on Bass but a vocalist prior to that) roughly about 20 years ago I started playing Guitar but gave up pretty quickly and decided to give the Bass a bash went for about 3 or 4 lessons and learnt some very basic scales and the major and minor arpeggios in the root position ect...shortly after this I joined a 50s/60s club band which played a lot of rock n roll covers at my audition they play Oh Carol Neil Sadaka version......A, D, E and F sharp minor......learning them basic first position arpeggios put me in good stead as they realised I knew the difference between major and minor lol....apparently there previous bassist didn't and played the entire song chord changes in major....anyway my first audition and I got the job I know most of the songs we played were mostly easy 12 bar stuff but I had only been playing around 6 months at the time so I was real chuffed with myself lol....what I considered a bit of boring theory payed off way back then. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 2 minutes ago, thebigyin said: What is one of the most important things you have learnt whilst playing Bass? T Finding a chit hot drummer, and what a miracle it is when one turns up. Really tigthens up your playing, especially if you thought you were on the ball beforehand, with lesser drummists A good drummer will expose sloppy playing ( so i discovered many moons ago ) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 Probably the most important thing/things I’ve picked up along the way are playing what the song requires, rather than being flashy and showing off my chops so to speak, and getting the sound I use to be the right sound for the band. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staggering on Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 36 minutes ago, Lozz196 said: Probably the most important thing/things I’ve picked up along the way are playing what the song requires, rather than being flashy and showing off my chops so to speak, and getting the sound I use to be the right sound for the band. Perfect! 👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coilte Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 Dont sacrifice the groove in favour of flashy/show off playing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldslapper Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 Serve the song Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 The song, you must serve, young Luke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
operative451 Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 If you've got the groove, you've got the motion, you will be guaranteed to cause a commotion... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
police squad Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 1 hour ago, thebigyin said: What is one of the most important things you have learnt whilst playing Bass? This might sound very stupid to the well educated on our beloved instrument but when I first started out (I was a very late starter on Bass but a vocalist prior to that) roughly about 20 years ago I started playing Guitar but gave up pretty quickly and decided to give the Bass a bash went for about 3 or 4 lessons and learnt some very basic scales and the major and minor arpeggios in the root position ect...shortly after this I joined a 50s/60s club band which played a lot of rock n roll covers at my audition they play Oh Carol Neil Sadaka version......A, D, E and F sharp minor......learning them basic first position arpeggios put me in good stead as they realised I knew the difference between major and minor lol....apparently there previous bassist didn't and played the entire song chord changes in major....anyway my first audition and I got the job I know most of the songs we played were mostly easy 12 bar stuff but I had only been playing around 6 months at the time so I was real chuffed with myself lol....what I considered a bit of boring theory payed off way back then. agreed. When I started playing in 1981 I already had 6 years of violin and scales. The arpeggiating thing worked for me (helped me learn guitar chords too) so I quickly learned how to play rock n roll stuff. But it took another 7 years to understand 'walking bass lines' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 Never carry more that you can eat. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveFry Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 Never assume the guitarist who has been playing for 35 years is capable of tuning his own guitar to itself . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebs Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 Don't use tin foil from a KitKat wrapper to replace a blown amp fuse at a gig 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebigyin Posted January 10, 2019 Author Share Posted January 10, 2019 1 hour ago, police squad said: agreed. When I started playing in 1981 I already had 6 years of violin and scales. The arpeggiating thing worked for me (helped me learn guitar chords too) so I quickly learned how to play rock n roll stuff. But it took another 7 years to understand 'walking bass lines' Would like to get into walking basslines myself...im reasonable with straight ahead blues, shuffle and rock n roll 12 bar lines but the jazz stuff Im a long way short...can get round a simple R.3.5 progression but a work in progress I know John Pattitucci said its a lifetimes work mastering it, but been unable to read I find it difficult and if it doesn't sound melodic I switch off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 Keep out of the black and in the red, you get nothing in this game for two in a bed 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 Never drink out of an empty glass 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 Three in the bed, nothing said Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbayne Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 1 hour ago, thebigyin said: Would like to get into walking basslines myself...im reasonable with straight ahead blues, shuffle and rock n roll 12 bar lines but the jazz stuff Im a long way short...can get round a simple R.3.5 progression but a work in progress I know John Pattitucci said its a lifetimes work mastering it, but been unable to read I find it difficult and if it doesn't sound melodic I switch off. If you know your basic scales, walking should be a doddle to pick up. There are a lot of you tube lessons on walking bass. Funnily enough, I had never played a walking bassline until a band I was in wanted to cover Kid by The Pretenders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LITTLEWING Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 Play along to every genre of music even if you don't like it, learn where 3rds and 5ths are in major and minor chords on every fret, use a metronome once a month and record yourself. Don't feel you have to use all your fingers like the other guys - Jamerson used just one. Never assume you're okay, stay humble - every day's a school day. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josie Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 Completely agree about the usefulness of nailing scales and arpeggios and knowing major from minor. I'm grateful that my teacher has drilled this into me. Any time I work on a new song, I'll play through the scale in that key a few times, over the whole fretboard (which is quite a lot on a 24-fret 6 🙂 ). Then nail the sequence and groove of the root notes. Then I know where the other scale notes are for little fills and runs and ornaments, and I can improvise confidently in a jam. As said, walking lines then make sense - not that I can play them well yet, but I understand what I'm trying to do. The other thing I've learned the hard way is just how hard it is to be Really Precise in timing. Every time I switch on the drum machine I realise how sloppy I am without it. Must work harder on that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miles'tone Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 Eye contact with your band members, relax and BREATHE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 .. and then kick the guitards butt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkandrew Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 (edited) 10 hours ago, josie said: The other thing I've learned the hard way is just how hard it is to be Really Precise in timing. That brings me on to my epiphany - timing is everything! You can play pretty much any note you like as long as it's in time but play out of time and you're done for. Edited January 11, 2019 by darkandrew 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikel Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 You don't have to be brilliant, you only need to be creative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianrendall Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 I’ve learnt a lot recently about EQ. You do not need to dime the bass control just because it’s a bass guitar. A great tone in isolation doesn’t neccesarily mean that tone will also sound good with a band. Don’t be afraid of the mids. It is perfectly acceptable to cut frequencies; don’t assume that boosting surrounding frequencies will have the same effect. The tone control on a passive bass does not need to remain fully open at all times. It can be very useful, so use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzbass Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 you are only ever a half step away from a correct note 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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