Improving / Learning playing

[TheBear]

Hi guys,

I (pretend to) play the bass since few years, played in few bands (learning songs with TAB mostly) and now, I want to *really* be able (eventually) to play bass guitar.

And here i'm struggling I'm trying to find some logically built "learning program" but could not find anything satfisfying. I therefore turn myself to you guys:
Who has advices / training program / progression that could help me to *really* progress and *really* master the bass.

I'm planning on a 45min base on weekdays and a bit more on week-ends depending on available free time.

thanks,
Chris

Edited February 23, 2013 by TheBear

[louisthebass]

Not sure what level you're at, but if you're looking at good bass books, Ed Friedland's are very good indeed. His electric bass complete vols 1-3 is a very good book for getting your head around the basics and getting up to an intermediate standard. His walking bass books are very good too if you like jazz.

If you're beyond the beginner standard - Scott Devine has a series of video lessons that comprise lessons for beginners to advanced [url="http://www.scottsbasslessons.com"]www.scottsbasslessons.com[/url], and Joe Hubbard [url="http://www.joehubbardbass.com"]www.joehubbardbass.com[/url] is also starting his own series of video lessons in April (possibly for a subscription fee). These guys are top notch.

Hope this helps?

[Coilte]

[quote name='louisthebass' timestamp='1361646917' post='1988827']
Not sure what level you're at, but if you're looking at good bass books, Ed Friedland's are very good indeed. His electric bass complete vols 1-3 is a very good book for getting your head around the basics and getting up to an intermediate standard. His walking bass books are very good too if you like jazz.

If you're beyond the beginner standard - Scott Devine has a series of video lessons that comprise lessons for beginners to advanced [url="http://www.scottsbasslessons.com"]www.scottsbasslessons.com[/url], and Joe Hubbard [url="http://www.joehubbardbass.com"]www.joehubbardbass.com[/url] is also starting his own series of video lessons in April (possibly for a subscription fee). These guys are top notch.

Hope this helps?
[/quote]


+1 to all above.

I would like to add [url="http://www.studybass.com"]www.studybass.com[/url] as a great all round site.

[mtroun]

My advice would be to follow your nose, so to speak. Learn to play the music that you really like and if something seems too hard to do in one go, break it down into smaller steps.

I have tonnes of music books but it took me far too long to realise that if I'm looking for inspiration as to what to practice, your ears are your best guide.

[TheBear]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your answers. I do use few books and Scott's site and I'm going to visit Joe Hubbard's. I also use Cubase to work songs, breaking them into parts, slowing them and so on

What i miss / can't figure out is a logical progression on what to work / "when" and what's the best progression to get solid ground (No sure I'm 100% clear though).

[Coilte]

[quote name='TheBear' timestamp='1361691396' post='1989244']
What i miss / can't figure out is a logical progression on what to work / "when" and what's the best progression to get solid ground (No sure I'm 100% clear though).
[/quote]

Yes, this is the big disadvantage of learning on your own. There is so much information out there that sometimes it is hard to know where to start. What is needed are lessons where one builds on the information gleaned from the previous one. Otherwise, by jumping in the middle, you may come across something you dont understand and have to back pedal, thus wasting time.

This is why I recommended the [url="http://www.studybass.com/study-guide/"]http://www.studybass.com/study-guide/[/url] site. It goes from ground zero to beyond intermediate level chronologically. My advice is to go to the start of the site (linked above). If you are happy that you know lesson one, then move on until you reach your level, then take it from there.

[louisthebass]

[quote name='TheBear' timestamp='1361691396' post='1989244']
Hi Guys,

Thanks for your answers. I do use few books and Scott's site and I'm going to visit Joe Hubbard's. I also use Cubase to work songs, breaking them into parts, slowing them and so on

What i miss / can't figure out is a logical progression on what to work / "when" and what's the best progression to get solid ground (No sure I'm 100% clear though).
[/quote]

You could try this:

[url="http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2013/02/07/setting-yourself-up-for-success-in-the-practice-shed-part-1/"]http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2013/02/07/setting-yourself-up-for-success-in-the-practice-shed-part-1/[/url]

[url="http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2013/02/21/setting-yourself-up-for-success-in-the-practice-shed-part-2/"]http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2013/02/21/setting-yourself-up-for-success-in-the-practice-shed-part-2/[/url]

Adam Nitti is another fella who's knows his stuff.

[TheBear]

Will check this and see where I get

I really want to hit the ground here and become a solid bass player (and not only repeat Tab and get stuck if the band start to impro a bit).

thanks!

[Coilte]

[quote name='TheBear' timestamp='1361704848' post='1989393']
I really want to hit the ground here and become a solid bass player (and not only repeat Tab and get stuck if the band start to impro a bit).

[/quote]


Yeah, tab can be handy sometimes to learn fast passages or when the bass is not very clear in a song. Generally though, it leads to a dead end, and is best avoided. Better to learn standard music notation.

It is also much better to train your ear by playing along to music and figuring out the bass lines yourself.

[julietgreen]

Check out Dave Marks too. He's ace.

[Guest bassman7755]

#1 thing IMO is to solidly learn the notes on the whole fingerboard.

Best method I have so far found is to pick a note, say C, and play it on every string in order (bottom to top string or vice versa), pick another note then repeat. I recommend using cycle of fifths for note order personally as it sets you up for later progressing to play arpeggios in the cycle of fifths and other good stuff.

Learning the note names solidly will make everything else you ever do much easier.

---- edit ---

Just found this video by Joe which demonstrates it ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0sS0hhfezQ

As I said before though I personally use cycle of fifths rather than chromatics but YMMV.

Edited February 25, 2013 by bassman7755

[TheBear]

Great advice. After years of practising, i'm indeed still struggling locating the note (especially from fret 5 down to the body).

all in all, i believe studybass will do the trick (the worst : I did know the site, never actually really dug into). I'm going to rely on studybass for my "training planning" and use the other resources to jump in.

Hopefully in 10y I'll be a bassist

thanks all!

[Coilte]

[quote name='TheBear' timestamp='1361859509' post='1991948']
Hopefully in 10y I'll be a bassist
[/quote]

With regular structured practice, you will be surprised at the progress you can make.

Best of luck with it.

[Guest bassman7755]

[quote name='TheBear' timestamp='1361859509' post='1991948'] Great advice. After years of practising, i'm indeed still struggling locating the note (especially from fret 5 down to the body). [/quote]

Its deceptively hard and I've tried various approaches over the years: flash cards, computer/phone apps, but Joes method is the first one I've found that is 1) easy to systematically practice with just the instrument and 2) sticks. I cant stress how much difference it makes - it turns the fingerboard from this intimidating thing that seems to strech out forever to a familliar comfortable place.

Edited February 26, 2013 by bassman7755

[TheBear]

Guys, You have reboosted me
I knew posting here would only bring me good.

Thanks!

[Hector]

Hello my ursine friend.

I would recommend, if you are short on time: never practise anything for technique that can't be used musically (i.e. no simple digital exercises, even if you have a basic mechanical thing about hand motion to fix, try doing it whilst also playing something actually musical) and not to be concerned about playing for a relatively short time - even a little bit helps.

Try to play a little bit each day with a metronome (PM me for some exercises if you want) and spend a little bit of time each day learning music by ear. Those two are key, I think, to being a "solid" player, a musician's musician.

[fatback]

The biggest help for me was learning some theory. Gives great confidence and really helps generate ideas for lines. I think knowing what you want to play is more important than the mechanics of how to do it.

[kyboo]

In spite of its name a book Bass Guitar For Dummies is quite good.

Edited March 3, 2013 by kyboo

[TheBear]

I did really start yesterday & today (could not really bass before) and I have been busy today with (re)learning the fretboard, as well as back to basic in Studybass AND Hector's advice. I feel somehow ashame on how bad I really am and I did not realize so far how lacky I was in real solid bases.

Anyway, all your advices are good and well-employed and I will one day become a bassist.

[Coilte]

[quote name='TheBear' timestamp='1362328063' post='1998420']
I did really start yesterday & today (could not really bass before) and I have been busy today with (re)learning the fretboard, as well as back to basic in Studybass AND Hector's advice. I feel somehow ashame on how bad I really am and I did not realize so far how lacky I was in real solid bases.

Anyway, all your advices are good and well-employed and I will one day become a bassist.
[/quote]

No need to feel ashamed. We all need to learn something. No one knows it all. I'm sure you are better than you give yourself credit for.

One more piece of advice FWIW. It concerns the learning process itself. Hector touched on it earlier. I'd recommend learning for say an hour at a time, then take a break and come back to it. If you overload the brain with too much information at one time, it kind of switches off.

Regularity is better than cramming in say, four hours at week ends, then not doing anything for four or five days.

Edited March 3, 2013 by Coilte

[XB26354]

You've got to play with other musicians. The best you can find. Nothing brings your playing on like making a groove work in a band.
All the above is the prep work, playing live is the exam
It really doesn't matter how good a player you are technically, as long as you can hold a groove and make the drummer feel good. If you can't yet, it's the best place to learn.

[TheBear]

@Coilte:I do my best touching the bass at least 30min on a daily base. Not always a success.
@XB26354: I was playing in few band, lookin for one right now. Difficult to find a band not running to gig no matter what. People tend to want a be in the spotlight, forgetting that spotlight will come eventually if you''re decent enough. And well, I did ashame myself on a gig.. so not willing to go there again without a good feeling.

[unol]

I'd give a +1 to bass guitar for dummies and also bass guitar exercises for dummies. I feel I've come on a long way by gradually working my way through them and improved my technical ability as well as improving my knowledge of the fretboard and music theory.

I'm also a big fan of Scotts lessons although some of them are way out of my league at the moment.

[TheBear]

Quick follow up : I am following your advices, and it does payoff !
I'm far from good yet, but the progression is "visible" so to speak.

I found a band in between.. so going in the right direction.

I'll have a look to the dummies book. can;t hurt

[Coilte]

[quote name='TheBear' timestamp='1364238438' post='2023699']
Quick follow up : I am following your advices, and it does payoff !
I'm far from good yet, but the progression is "visible" so to speak.

I found a band in between.. so going in the right direction.

I'll have a look to the dummies book. can;t hurt
[/quote]

Glad you are noticing some progress. This will give you the incentive to keep at it.