Ive never seen a worst bass instructional video than this.

[PaulWarning]

I enjoyed it and mostly agree with all of it for beginners, but any intermediate players should have figured these tips out by now otherwise they're not intermediate

[leftybassman392]

37 minutes ago, SteveK said:

This may be HER approach to bass playing. But, to say that this is how it SHOULD be done is nonsense.

I'm reminded of that idiom: Those who can, do - Those who can't, teach!

Has anybody said that's how it should be done? Apologies if I've missed it but I don't recall that claim being made in the thread.

As for your second paragraph, no disrespect intended but that's just rubbish and always has been. The list of great players who have produced teaching videos is very long. Not to mention that for large numbers of professional players in all styles of music, teaching is their bread and butter income.

Playing is one skill set; teaching is another, equally demanding, skill set. Being good at both is IMHO the mark of a properly rounded musician.

[gjones]

Of course, she is a pro bass player. In my experience, pro bass players are quite happy to keep down the low end and play the root note all night, if that is what is required.

In my experience, diddly widdly bass players don't get much pro work.

The guy I saw the other day at a jam, who slapped and popped his way through a segue of 3 U2 songs (I kid you not), spends most of the day waiting by his phone that never rings.

[Guest MoJo]

1 minute ago, gjones said:

Of course, she is a pro bass player. In my experience, pro bass players are quite happy to keep down the low end and play the root note all night, if that is what is required.

In my experience, diddly widdly bass players don't get much pro work.

The guy I saw the other day at a jam, who slapped and popped his way through a segue of 3 U2 songs (I kid you not), spends most of the day waiting by his phone that never rings.

[bubinga5]

9 minutes ago, leftybassman392 said:

Has anybody said that's how it should be done? Apologies if I've missed it but I don't recall that claim being made in the thread.

As for your second paragraph, no disrespect intended but that's just rubbish and always has been. The list of great players who have produced teaching videos is very long. Not to mention that for large numbers of professional players in all styles of music, teaching is their bread and butter income.

Playing is one skill set; teaching is another, equally demanding, skill set. Being good at both is IMHO the mark of a properly rounded musician.

I think he's talking about what she is saying. She's saying DO NOT do this DO NOT do that. She seven got little signs that pop up. As for it being beginner video, Thats even worst. The first tip is never play open strings which is rubbish first off, you don't teach a beginner NEVER play open strings. You teach them they can play open strings, but muting is important. If muting isnt a beginner technique I don't know what is.. 

[la bam]

I switched off after "never play open strings".

If she seriously thinks the E on the A string is as dynamic as the low open E then ..... wow.

[FDC484950]

12 hours ago, leftybassman392 said:

Beginners don't need inspirational pedagogy: they need a few simple rules to get them started and on which they can build. Everybody has to start somewhere: very easy to forget when you've been doing it for a decade or three.

I don’t agree I’m afraid. Just because you’re starting out, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t know what’s possible and see a bit further ahead. I stand by my comments - as someone who has hopefully helped a fairly large number of complete beginners to get going, some of the advice in the video is plain wrong, and the rest is uninspiring - even to a beginner. The reason for starting with playing open strings, for example, is to break technique down to only executing with one hand to get comfortable with plucking the strings cleanly, then bring muting in (either with plucking or fretting hand), and then combine it for fretted notes. The technique for open strings is slightly different as they have more punch than an equivalent fretted note - but good technique overcomes this.  

I’ve also never been a fan of people banging on about what you shouldn’t do - spin it round and be positive, reinforce what works by tying what you see with what you are hearing and feeling. But as I said, it’s YT, hardly the only source of truth!

[Japhet]

On 09/10/2018 at 15:55, bubinga5 said:

Hopefully I haven't posted this before. I have the worst memory in the world. 

This has got to be the worst I've seen.. What on earth is she talking about. New York bass player/Teacher.? Muting is really basic stuff.. I pity the poor student that come across this woman. Its a shame if any new bass player sees this and follow's these absolute nonsense rules..Ok a few points she touches on are relevant, to SOME music.  She's never ever going to make me a better bass player. Its bad really because she's giving out totally false information. 

 

Pedant alert! The word isn't 'worst' - it's 'worser', and if there really isn't anything 'worser' it then becomes the 'worstest'.

[operative451]

I've seen worse bass tutorial videos... Also Nik West says 'I try and avoid playing open strings' too... So does Scott off of Scot's bass lessons if i remember.. so it must be true...

Also also: 2 things that drive me nuts on bass videos (like say, Anderton's 'All about da bass' which is otherwise quite entertaining) - playing up at the 12th fret: Like why?! Its called a BASS not a treble!! and extended slap jams. Argh! Its shredding for bassists, the teenage mutant ninja turtles had the right idea for what you do to shredders....

[Mcgiver69]

On 10/10/2018 at 12:41, lozkerr said:

Aye, I picked up on that too. I'm no Suzi Quatro, but I'm definitely a wee bit ahead of that. The first thing I thought was 'HTH do you play Living On A Prayer on a four-string without the open E?' Unless you detune, of course.

I play "Living on a prayer" on a 5 strings and still that open "E" rules.

[FinnDave]

I've always been opposed to the idea of corporal punishment for children and basses. What has a bass ever done to deserve a slap?

[Leonard Smalls]

39 minutes ago, FinnDave said:

What has a bass ever done to deserve a slap?

This enormous Wal needs a good spanking... And it gets a sound one from about 2 minutes on!

 

[bubinga5]

1 hour ago, operative451 said:

I've seen worse bass tutorial videos... Also Nik West says 'I try and avoid playing open strings' too... So does Scott off of Scot's bass lessons if i remember.. so it must be true...

Also also: 2 things that drive me nuts on bass videos (like say, Anderton's 'All about da bass' which is otherwise quite entertaining) - playing up at the 12th fret: Like why?! Its called a BASS not a treble!! and extended slap jams. Argh! Its shredding for bassists, the teenage mutant ninja turtles had the right idea for what you do to shredders....

I would say it's discovering the whole range of notes on a bass. You dont have to use them, but thats why an electric has them. And it's not for shredding. It's how you use those upper register notes in the context of a song.. your missing the the point that a BASS, is a versatile instrument.

[SteveK]

4 hours ago, leftybassman392 said:

Has anybody said that's how it should be done? Apologies if I've missed it but I don't recall that claim being made in the thread.

Er, yes! The whole video is full of "Don't do this", "Never do that", with examples of how not to do things. She then demonstrates how they should be done.

The "claim" is made in the video not in this thread. Apology accepted  

4 hours ago, leftybassman392 said:

As for your second paragraph, no disrespect intended but that's just rubbish and always has been. The list of great players who have produced teaching videos is very long. Not to mention that for large numbers of professional players in all styles of music, teaching is their bread and butter income.

Of course it's rubbish, and wasn't supposed to be taken seriously - heck, I've even been known to teach

Edited October 11, 2018 by SteveK

[lozkerr]

1 hour ago, Mcgiver69 said:

I play "Living on a prayer" on a 5 strings and still that open "E" rules.

Same here. When I first learned it, I did try fretting the E on the B string but my fingers got tangled up, just like they normally do 🙂 I mute the open string with my thumb, which seems to work OK.

[operative451]

My go-to "showing off" riff is Muse Hysteria which uses pretty much all the notes, open strings and the 12th fret at some point... but i still think widdling is unacceptable unless its behind closed doors and you wash your hands after...

[SteveK]

4 hours ago, gjones said:

She wrote this note, for the super advanced, freeform jazz, bass soloists out there in Youtubeland, who didn't agree with her video.

This is it:

'

'Note from Yonit: Hey everyone! Thanks for watching the video Just wanted to make a few clarifications!

* This video is for beginner / intermediate bass players

* Obviously, there’s exception to all my tips (which are not rules!) but these tips should help you when playing with your band. Of course you can play open strings if you can mute them (which is a difficult technique to master if you’re a beginner), of course you can play fills that are well practiced, on time, from the bottom to the very top of your neck and so on.

* Always play the root - in the beginning of the bar - you can obviously play any chord tone / mode tone you want after. But not straight at the top. We establish the root and then venture out. Of course you can play inversions but that changes the chord, and you probably should make that decision with your band-members.

* I may have said ‘never’ and ‘always’ but this is really me just trying to make a point, don’t take it too literally fellas

* This can be applied in many genres, but mostly for mainstream genres such as pop, folk, rock, funk etc. Yes, if you’re playing a progressive-jazz-fusion-hardcore-metal song this might not be the video for you.

* Here’s a 6 tip for the brave ones who read all of this - make music to be happier and have fun with other human beings. That’s the point of everything, including this video

Peace, love and many low frequencies, Yonit'

 

 

I think the "clarifications" are enough to render the video pretty much useless.

Even in her "clarifications" she says, "Always play the root - in the beginning of the bar". This is bad information, particularly for the beginner student, who will look up to her and take her word as gospel and carry that (mis)information with them for a long time.

 

[Barking Spiders]

Great tips......if you aspire to be the kind of player who is happy to stand in the shadows ignored by punters while the rest of the band rips it up. I get irked by this type of advice that lays down rules. The great innovators in any walk of life are those that don't follow convention and break the rules.  In fact IMO all her tips are total ballcocks. If there is one one tip any newbie needs and that is just play to suit the tune. If it demands 16ths up and down the fretboard with double taps, slaps and sweeps , do it.  Don't do it if the song is a melancholic ballad. 

[bubinga5]

Always play the Root note.?..  Of course she's heard of Chord notes/tones.

[lowdown]

5 hours ago, bubinga5 said:

I would say it's discovering the whole range of notes on a bass. You don't have to use them, but thats why an electric has them. And it's not for shredding. It's how you use those upper register notes in the context of a song.. your missing the the point that a BASS, is a versatile instrument.

Of course and agree. Also, it depends on what inversions and voicings are being played elsewhere in the band or Orchestra. The arrangement dictates where & when to play up there, along with taste, of course. It can be a very lyrical area to play in, the fretless loves it up there (melody wise).

 

Lee Sklar's Bass part in 'Theme From Mahogany' worked a treat starting up high in the intro, then dropping down for the 2nd part of the verse. 

"We were like the third rhythm section. They used us. We recorded it at Sound Labs in LA and I think Armin Steiner was the engineer. I thought the bass should start hi and work its way down and they loved that approach. Always great playing with Hal Blaine (Drummer)"

 

 

Edited October 11, 2018 by lowdown

[Wylie]

On October 9, 2018 at 10:55, bubinga5 said:

Hopefully I haven't posted this before. I have the worst memory in the world. 

This has got to be the worst I've seen.. What on earth is she talking about. New York bass player/Teacher.? Muting is really basic stuff.. I pity the poor student that come across this woman. Its a shame if any new bass player sees this and follow's these absolute nonsense rules..Ok a few points she touches on are relevant, to SOME music.  She's never ever going to make me a better bass player. Its bad really because she's giving out totally false information. 

 

I've seen a couple of her videos. Could be simply summarized "Play the first and the fifth." 

 

[Hobbayne]

she has a lovely smile though. 😋

[Leonard Smalls]

25 minutes ago, Wylie said:

Could be simply summarized "Play the first and the fifth." 

I know a number of bass players who think that's all there is to bass playing!

[FinnDave]

2 minutes ago, Leonard Smalls said:

I know a number of bass players who think that's all there is to bass playing!

Most guitarists also think that's all there is to it as well. And to be fair, you're more likely to get hired playing solid roots & fifths than you are rushing around the fretboard.

[Leonard Smalls]

1 minute ago, FinnDave said:

you're more likely to get hired playing solid roots & fifths than you are rushing around the fretboard.

And that's the sad truth!

I've had trouble before with guitarists who feel I should only be there to underpin their incredibly safe widdling, and they always got a bit freaked if I turned up with a bass riff involving chromatic runs and dissonant stabs (him  - "What you playing there? That isn't in A minor!" me - "Bits of it are!").

Luckily I don't play in any bands that do "Mustang Sally", or "Sex on Fire" - though I have nicked the guitar lines from "Foxy Lady" as a funk groove, and from "Last Train to Clarksville" as a crazed jazz-rock widdle-fest...