SCOTT BASS LESSONS - ADVICE FROM YOU GUYS PLEASE!

[devinebass]

Hi guys,

As you may or may not know I'm in the middle of a re-design and large expansion of my completely free bass lessons site (if you haven't seen it before - the old one is here for you to check out... [url="http://www.scottsbasslessons.com)"]http://www.scottsbasslessons.com)[/url].

There's going to loads more tutorials for you to get your teeth into that I'm super excited about. At the moment I'm compiling lesson ideas that I'm about to get started (these will be better quality than the last ones - HD etc). There will be four distinct tutorial areas on the website... technique/rhythm/improvisation/licks and language.

Basically i'd really like your input too. If you could post on here what you'd really like me to cover within the lessons and/or you feel what is missing out their or could be explained a little better it'll help me get an insight into what people are wanting. For instance i've had a few requests already for tune analysis, discussing how to approach certain standards etc. I'm not going to be demonstrating how to play certain bass lines from other peoples tunes, for that you need to check out [url="http://www.playbassnow.com"]http://www.playbassnow.com[/url] ... really really cool website! So don't ask me to do a video for the bass line from shaft !

Anyhoooo, as I said, your input would be great. Thanks in advance!!

Easy,

Scott.

[url="http://www.scottsbasslessons.com"]http://www.scottsbasslessons.com[/url]

[url="http://www.scottdevinemusic.com"]http://www.scottdevinemusic.com[/url]

[JPS]

Hi Scott

I'd like something, if possible, on how to use double-stops a la Chuck Rainey & co. Never been able to do it convincingly.

Cheers.

[Tandro]

Hi Scott,

First I'd like to say that I really like your video tutorials (I watch some again every so often in the hope that something will sink in,ha). Your structure for the new site is most what I would want, ie. technique/rhythm/improvisation/licks and language. I had started a thread earlier this year on how I should go about learning and that was basically what was touched on.

But...for me while I can learn all these various 'concepts' and ideas, I have trouble making the step of how to make practical use of them, and make use of them 'musically'. For a beginner like myself, I know I need to know all these building blocks, but I can't make the mental connection of how to then build something worthwhile with them. Maybe I'm just daft and don't have an ounce of musical ability in my little toe. If I start out at point A, whats the next baby step to get to B and then C? As a novice all these concepts just exist in a vacuum and I can't connect them. Why is it for example that when I see a video of someone demonstrating the Dorian scale and soloing with it sounds 'musical', but when I try it sounds crap and just like random notes that 'fall' on a scale. Hope this makes sense.

Thanks for your efforts, appreciated.

[devinebass]

[quote name='Tandro' post='1133494' date='Feb 19 2011, 03:44 PM']Hi Scott,

First I'd like to say that I really like your video tutorials (I watch some again every so often in the hope that something will sink in,ha). Your structure for the new site is most what I would want, ie. technique/rhythm/improvisation/licks and language. I had started a thread earlier this year on how I should go about learning and that was basically what was touched on.

But...for me while I can learn all these various 'concepts' and ideas, I have trouble making the step of how to make practical use of them, and make use of them 'musically'. For a beginner like myself, I know I need to know all these building blocks, but I can't make the mental connection of how to then build something worthwhile with them. Maybe I'm just daft and don't have an ounce of musical ability in my little toe. If I start out at point A, whats the next baby step to get to B and then C? As a novice all these concepts just exist in a vacuum and I can't connect them. Why is it for example that when I see a video of someone demonstrating the Dorian scale and soloing with it sounds 'musical', but when I try it sounds crap and just like random notes that 'fall' on a scale. Hope this makes sense.

Thanks for your efforts, appreciated.[/quote]

Awesome Tandro - this is the kind of info i'm after!

I can completely relate to what your saying. I can still remember learning a major scale myself and wondering how the hell to actually turn it into anything musical. This the kind of thing I'm going to be addressing within my 'licks and language' section of the website.

Unfortunately the word or phrase 'licks' has a lot of bad press. A 'lick' in its simplest form is simply a musical phrase made up of connected notes just the same as a spoken word is made out of letters. Now, if I give a young child the alphabet they won't be able to construct words and sentences, it is simply 26 random letters - exactly the same as the major scale is to many people - 8 random notes. By demonstrating some standard 'licks' I will discuss how they are actually formed from the different scales or arpeggios and demonstrate how melodies are made from them. It is an essential part of learning an instrument to be able to play and understand other peoples 'licks' and melodies as in turn you will start to understand how the scale notes are used to make music. When we were infants we learned a language by listening to our parents. We then imitated them using maybe one or two words... mummy or mummy food. These words are just like 'licks'. Fast forward a few years and the child has a few hundred words which he/she can use to create sentences that help them connect, communicate and interact with others. If you apply the same principle to notes, scales and arpeggios it'll help you get a better understanding of what you need to work on to progress as a musician.

Thanks for the interesting mail Tandro.

JPS - I'll check out the Chuck Rainey thing for you. See if I can work it into anything.

Cheers guys,

Scott

[url="http://www.scottsbasslessosns.com"]http://www.scottsbasslessosns.com[/url]

[url="http://www.scottdevinemusic.com"]http://www.scottdevinemusic.com[/url]