LOCAL BAND PRACTICE SESSIONS

[Boogiebass]

On 27/11/2019 at 10:05, Coilte said:

 

As previously mentioned, a good teacher will get you off to a good start. In the mean time, on the theory side of things... (knowing some basic theory is always going to be beneficial)... dont fall into the trap of concentrating exclusively on scales. No doubt they are extremely important...but so too are CHORD TONES. These are what the bassist plays most of the time...not scales. The site linked below emphasises the importance of chord tones. You could do a lot worse than to go to the study guide on the site and starting where you deem appropriate, work through the lessons. The first thing to learn IMO is where all the notes are on the fretboard. Start with the first five frets. 

Happy Anniversary !!💘

 

https://www.studybass.com/lessons/bass-chord-patterns/chord-tones-are-primary/

Thanks Coilte, I'm overloading here, trying various practice sessions, so many variations on learning isn't there, regards Ray

[Coilte]

58 minutes ago, Boogiebass said:

Thanks Coilte, I'm overloading here, trying various practice sessions, so many variations on learning isn't there, regards Ray

Yes, it can be very overwhelming for a new player with all the information being fired at him.  My advice would be to take your time and find a site or tutorial that you like and stick with that, rather than chopping and changing. Regardless of what route/site/tutorial you decide on... CHORD TONES...will always be the bassist's friend. 😉

[lozkerr]

15 hours ago, Bassfinger said:

I'm lucky, I guess.  I can read music, which is just as well as tab is gobbledygook to me!

I'm glad I'm not the only one. I can still recall the awful 'WTF' feeling I had when I first saw a tab.

Having said that, when the only thing you can find online is a tab, transcribing it into a stave deffo helps with learning the fretboard quickly.

[Stofferson]

On 25/11/2019 at 01:14, Boogiebass said:

Hi guys, is there any band practice sessions I may join you to get into the hang of giging around Mansfield, Retford, Worksop, Newark areas ?? I'm keen to learn the bass also the gigging side of playing, if just a helping hand or coffee/tea makers job will keep me happy, I do have my own set up if needed. Could help setting up at gigs and transport which I'm keen to learn,. Would pay for tuition at band practice, no problem.

looking forward to any replies,  Ray 👍🏻😊🎸

Aye up,

 

My Guitarist runs Instru-tech in Mansfield, - Link >> Instru-Tech Mansfield its guitar / bass / drum / vocal lessons, not only that they do showcase shows 3/4 times a year, all ages welcome.

Brown Cow next door has a folk night during the week and regular acoustic and open mic nights. even if its just to pop in to meet folk!

If you need anything give me a shout 🙂 

Edited November 28, 2019 by Stofferson
adding url

[Nicko]

19 hours ago, lozkerr said:

I can still recall the awful 'WTF' feeling I had when I first saw a tab.

I was under the impression that that never goes away ☺️

[Cosmo Valdemar]

On 25/11/2019 at 01:14, Boogiebass said:

Hi guys, is there any band practice sessions I may join you to get into the hang of giging around Mansfield, Retford, Worksop, Newark areas ?? I'm keen to learn the bass also the gigging side of playing, if just a helping hand or coffee/tea makers job will keep me happy, I do have my own set up if needed. Could help setting up at gigs and transport which I'm keen to learn,. Would pay for tuition at band practice, no problem.

looking forward to any replies,  Ray 👍🏻😊🎸

I can't really answer your questions Ray, but that first picture of you playing is an absolute joy.

[dave moffat]

Hoping to join in a jam for the first time tonight, may well just hide in the corner watching 🙄

[Reggaebass]

24 minutes ago, dave moffat said:

Hoping to join in a jam for the first time tonight, may well just hide in the corner watching 🙄

Good luck, I’m sure you’ll be fine ☝️

[Jimothey]

@Boogiebass I found the 2 YouTube videos that helped me the most when learning to play the 12 bar blues was

Blues Box - BassBuzz

Blues bass lines - Luke from become a bassist

[dave moffat]

6 hours ago, Reggaebass said:

Good luck, I’m sure you’ll be fine ☝️

Thanks, it was 3 hrs of of stuff I knew stuff I'd vaguely heard of and stuff I'd never heard of, Intense and a load of fun. Loads to look up and learn at least the root notes of. Lovely bunch of people, it'll definitely become one of my regular evenings.

[Jimothey]

6 minutes ago, dave moffat said:

Thanks, it was 3 hrs of of stuff I knew stuff I'd vaguely heard of and stuff I'd never heard of, Intense and a load of fun. Loads to look up and learn at least the root notes of. Lovely bunch of people, it'll definitely become one of my regular evenings.

I’ve been looking for a blues jam near my neck of the woods but the nearest I can find is about an hour away 

I was wondering how does it work?because the one in Chester has a house band playing so if you wanna play bass does the bass player let you take over or does he play along as well?? 

The prospect scares the poop out of me but I think it would be a load of fun as well.............👍

[dave moffat]

I have maybe 20mins driving to get to the 3 local jams though I discovered one of the guys stays a couple of hundred yards away though neither of us knows of the person living in between us who plays drums and guitar.

I think it depends on the people quite a few were on shifts so it was a 'quiet' night and the regular bassist was away, I think you just play along. I found everyone very helpful and encouraging, in spite of them being incredibly good, I could easily have just sat back and listened to them all night. I had my amp down real low unless I was confident I had it sussed. As I didn't know a lot of the stuff I was mainly playing roots by ear and because I had things down low I struggled to hear myself, something I need to think on.

Over the next few weeks I'll start downloading lyrics chords and tabs for the things they're playing regularly.

[ambient]

I actually considered setting up an evening workshop a few years ago, whereby people new to playing in an ensemble could meet up, and play through a song. We’d decide on the song beforehand, everyone would be sent charts or TAB, and would have a week to work on their part. There would be a new song each week, gradually building up the attendees repertoire.  
 

Surprisingly there wasn’t any interest in it, so I didn’t bother. 

[Monkey Steve]

55 minutes ago, ambient said:

I actually considered setting up an evening workshop a few years ago, whereby people new to playing in an ensemble could meet up, and play through a song. We’d decide on the song beforehand, everyone would be sent charts or TAB, and would have a week to work on their part. There would be a new song each week, gradually building up the attendees repertoire.  
 

Surprisingly there wasn’t any interest in it, so I didn’t bother. 

That's a shame - while I'm not the target audience for either approach, I've been dragged to a few jam nights and they're just not my thing, and i could see this being a good way for people like the OP to have an easy way into playing in a band without having to audition

[ambient]

21 minutes ago, Monkey Steve said:

That's a shame - while I'm not the target audience for either approach, I've been dragged to a few jam nights and they're just not my thing, and i could see this being a good way for people like the OP to have an easy way into playing in a band without having to audition

I know, it was a conversation with one of my music technology students that gave me the idea. His main instrument was drums, he was having lessons and looking for somewhere that was; in his words “a safe environment to play with other people”.

[dave moffat]

7 hours ago, ambient said:

I actually considered setting up an evening workshop a few years ago, whereby people new to playing in an ensemble could meet up, and play through a song. We’d decide on the song beforehand, everyone would be sent charts or TAB, and would have a week to work on their part. There would be a new song each week, gradually building up the attendees repertoire.  
 

Surprisingly there wasn’t any interest in it, so I didn’t bother. 

Yeah I feel pretty nervous about joining folk who can really play while I'm still toddling along taking baby steps and resorting to messing around with root notes. Some kind of grouping like you tried to organise would be a great confidence builder.

I've spent a lot of today downloading the lyrics an chords from last night so I'm not as lost as I felt. It's  a lot about building a playlist now for me and the more different stuff I play the easier it'll be for me to make a decent stab at stuff I don't know in the future.

[Jimothey]

4 minutes ago, dave moffat said:

Yeah I feel pretty nervous about joining folk who can really play while I'm still toddling along taking baby steps and resorting to messing around with root notes. Some kind of grouping like you tried to organise would be a great confidence builder.

I've spent a lot of today downloading the lyrics an chords from last night so I'm not as lost as I felt. It's  a lot about building a playlist now for me and the more different stuff I play the easier it'll be for me to make a decent stab at stuff I don't know in the future.

I feel the same as you about playing with people who are way above my skill level but the way I’m trying to look at it now is they were at the same level as me at some point so they probably will understand how I’m feeling and make allowances (well I hope anyway?) if they don’t they aren’t worth playing with!!

I started playing basic blues stuff as a bit of a learning exercise but I never really listened to blues as it really didn’t float my boat but now I really like it and a blues play mix has been the only thing I’ve been listening to for the past month on Spotify!! So I need to find a blues jam near me!!

Good luck with the learning mate............👍

[Jimothey]

8 hours ago, ambient said:

I actually considered setting up an evening workshop a few years ago, whereby people new to playing in an ensemble could meet up, and play through a song. We’d decide on the song beforehand, everyone would be sent charts or TAB, and would have a week to work on their part. There would be a new song each week, gradually building up the attendees repertoire.  
 

Surprisingly there wasn’t any interest in it, so I didn’t bother. 

If you fancied starting one in North Wales I’d definitely be up for it..........😀

[dave moffat]

1 minute ago, Jimothey said:

I feel the same as you about playing with people who are way above my skill level but the way I’m trying to look at it now is they were at the same level as me at some point so they probably will understand how I’m feeling and make allowances (well I hope anyway?) if they don’t they aren’t worth playing with!!

I started playing basic blues stuff as a bit of a learning exercise but I never really listened to blues as it really didn’t float my boat but now I really like it and a blues play mix has been the only thing I’ve been listening to for the past month on Spotify!! So I need to find a blues jam near me!!

Good luck with the learning mate............👍

Lol I never really got the 'whole blues thang' but I do like to play bluesy style  - the  Blues and Pantatonic scales/shapes and bending/sliding notes so maybe I'm on a dark slippery slope.

Too far to North Wales, maybe we can start a mutual support group for the bassically challenged 😎 see even my emoji got bluesy shades on. I'm DOOMED!

[Jimothey]

21 minutes ago, dave moffat said:

Lol I never really got the 'whole blues thang' but I do like to play bluesy style  - the  Blues and Pantatonic scales/shapes and bending/sliding notes so maybe I'm on a dark slippery slope.

Too far to North Wales, maybe we can start a mutual support group for the bassically challenged 😎 see even my emoji got bluesy shades on. I'm DOOMED!

Nor did I till I started listening to Richie Kotzen, The Cold Stares, Simon McBride etc 

I really like the Blues Box shaping as you can have fun mixing the notes up and it can still sound good I’ve been trying to work on my walk ups/downs and turnarounds using some practice tracks on youtube

I’m up for a little support group I could do with all the help I can get!!

I just hope your emoji doesn’t start wearing a beret and shades the conversation turns to Jazz then your truly DOOMED!! 

Where about’s are you from?

[Bassfinger]

36 minutes ago, dave moffat said:

Lol I never really got the 'whole blues thang'...

[dave moffat]

Some Jazz is OKish, uncle had a Jazz band must've been 50s, wrote a lot of other stuff and the John Armitage Memorial Trust (JAM) was set up in his memory. If I even twitch in the direction of trad jazz then pleeez shoot me. Yeah a little mutual support would be a good thing I think we're about the same place in our musical disability. Other than that I'll have a go at playing most things.

I'm in the forgotten bit of Scotland, up the M6/74 and turn left at Gretna, along the 'Euroroute' A75 (yeah that'll be right) at Dumfries take the A76 goat track, turn off for Throughgate. Dodge the homicidal Timber wagons and fetus tractor drivers with their mobile surgically attached to their lugs and if you survived that for 6 miles you'll be somewhere near the grand metropolis of Dunscore. Any Further and you risk reaching Moniaive where they have regular folk jams and annual Bluegrass and Country festivals. Franz Ferdinand had a pad there for a few years. Be afraid, be very afraid 😥. To be fair the whole area West of the Nith is very Artistic/Creative with various statues and stuff dotted randomly round the countryside.

[Jimothey]

1 hour ago, dave moffat said:

Some Jazz is OKish, uncle had a Jazz band must've been 50s, wrote a lot of other stuff and the John Armitage Memorial Trust (JAM) was set up in his memory. If I even twitch in the direction of trad jazz then pleeez shoot me. Yeah a little mutual support would be a good thing I think we're about the same place in our musical disability. Other than that I'll have a go at playing most things.

I'm in the forgotten bit of Scotland, up the M6/74 and turn left at Gretna, along the 'Euroroute' A75 (yeah that'll be right) at Dumfries take the A76 goat track, turn off for Throughgate. Dodge the homicidal Timber wagons and fetus tractor drivers with their mobile surgically attached to their lugs and if you survived that for 6 miles you'll be somewhere near the grand metropolis of Dunscore. Any Further and you risk reaching Moniaive where they have regular folk jams and annual Bluegrass and Country festivals. Franz Ferdinand had a pad there for a few years. Be afraid, be very afraid 😥. To be fair the whole area West of the Nith is very Artistic/Creative with various statues and stuff dotted randomly round the countryside.

Jazz is the only genre that I can’t abide whatever flavour it is!! my Grandad was a massive Jazz fan he played the trumpet in a few Jazz bands and Brass bands so I kind grew up having to stomach it just to be polite!! I’ll try (and more often than not fail) to play different genres but I seem to gravitate towards punk and now blues 

I started playing bass when I was about 15 and was in a couple of school covers bands that weren’t very good then lost interest when I hit about 17 and didn’t pick up a bass again till I was 38 so I’m trying to relearn everything I’ve forgotten, I’ve now got my man cave we’re all my basses are on the wall and I can practice very quietly when the kids are in bed or when Mrs Jimothey is watching some crap on tv I’m not interested! my aim for next year will be to try and Jam more with a few mates that are awesome guitarist to build my confidence with playing with other musicians and try to find some open mic/Jam nights to maybe join in with and then perhaps try and join a band............🤞

[Monkey Steve]

12 hours ago, Jimothey said:

I feel the same as you about playing with people who are way above my skill level but the way I’m trying to look at it now is they were at the same level as me at some point so they probably will understand how I’m feeling and make allowances (well I hope anyway?) if they don’t they aren’t worth playing with!!

I actually really like the challenge of playing with people who are technically better than me - I much prefer to be the weakest musician in the room, and if I'm not, somebody probably needs sacking!  And I do think that bass players can get away with quite a lot because while we know what we bring to the role, outside of some specific genres, people often look for "solid" rather than spectacular

What I hate is not having a clue how the song goes and being expected to make it up on the spot - hence why jam nights are not really for me.  I'm not against "jamming" in the true sense, more that I'm not going to magically get the bass lines for Mustang Sally at the drop of a hat, and nobody wants to hear me try

[dave moffat]

Yeah everyone has to start somewhere and it wouldn't be hard to find musicians better than me, my missus is seriously good at keyboards with all the theoretical stuff as well so she can more or less play anything, I threatened to cut off her fingers at the weekend cos she just picked up a uke and nailed something straight off, she picks up a uke/mandolin/guitar maybe once a month FFS. One of my granddaughters started learning bass at school so I got her a Gypsy Rose for an early Christmas present last year, which gave me the kick up the arris to dig the Ibanez I'd treated myself to about 7 yrs ago out of a cupboard, dust of the cobwebs and start learning seriously. I now have 3 basses with very different characters and plans for adding another next year.

I've always loved music, think I was 6 when I started in a choir as a boy soprano soloist  (now baritone), have a facility with recorders/whistles, just treated myself to a Howard, low D which will take a bit of getting up to speed with, learning baritone uke as well. We've converted a spare bedroom to a music room but instruments tend to migrate to the living room.

I'll try and play pretty much anything but punk and reggae don't really do a lot for me but then I'm getting on a bit. I can sympathise with  the comments on jams, I spent Tuesday's jam trying to work out what the chords were and playing the roots by ear which was bloody hard work but I'm sure will have helped me develop especially as I didn't know a lot of the songs, hence my writing down what we played and spending yesterday making up and printing off  lyric/chord sheets. As I go to more jams I expect my playlist will expand and I'll get to learn the basslines, meantime I'll just keep the amp turned down real low. For now it's a very steep learning curve but at least I've made a start into inflicting my playing on others.

Looking back I'm quite pleased with how far I've come in my first year but know I've still got a way to go and I don't think I'll ever be content with where I've got to, always more techniques, riffs, sounds to work out and learn.