throwoff Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 I have been playing about 8 years and embarssingly still have no grasp of theory. I would call myself a competent bassist, if someone tells me string and fret to start on I can go from there but - If someone says blues in E I just stare blankly and strangely as I have got older rather than feeling all punk rock about it and not caring about notes and boring scales I suddenly feel more ashamed! Can anyone recommend the following - A FREE website with clear basic guides of notes on the fingerboard, scales etc A cheap book or even one your willing to send on for postage costs I dont want to read music or write it or be an expert on this just want the roots of it all so when the next person says; blues in E I can do it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Major Minor's Boot Camp is what you need! Or dlloyds threads here! [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=74284"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=74284[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Funk Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Yeah, it's worth checking those threads out. Theory is accessible without reading. I don't read well - it just takes a little longer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JordanRLS Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 [url="http://www.learntoplaybassguitar.org/"]http://www.learntoplaybassguitar.org/[/url] There's some basic theory on there, major scales scales and whatnot (ignore the stuff you already know.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 [quote name='The Funk' post='770695' date='Mar 10 2010, 05:53 PM']Yeah, it's worth checking those threads out. Theory is accessible without reading. I don't read well - it just takes a little longer![/quote] Don't let MajorMinor hear you say that . This is of some help. [url="http://www.studybass.com/"]Studybass[/url] When you say cheap book what sort of price have you in mind? For £10 you may be able to pick something up on Amazon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Funk Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 [quote name='Marvin' post='771026' date='Mar 10 2010, 10:34 PM']Don't let MajorMinor hear you say that [/quote] Well, it's true! Unfortunately I've got to a point now where the poor reading skills really slow down the whole process. Next step: up my game when it comes to reading! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 [quote name='The Funk' post='771190' date='Mar 11 2010, 02:36 AM']Well, it's true! Unfortunately I've got to a point now where the poor reading skills really slow down the whole process. Next step: up my game when it comes to reading![/quote] I know where you're coming from. I understand all the 'symbols', but there's no way at the moment I could sight read a piece. I'd have to sit down and work it out bit by bit and hopefully have the piece of music available to make sure what I think is being played is what is actually being played. But then again I've only just started trying to read, music that is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GonzoBass Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 [url="http://wheatsbassbook.com/"]http://wheatsbassbook.com/[/url] This site's nicely laid out and I've been (secretly) using it as a teaching lesson plan for years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major-Minor Posted March 12, 2010 Share Posted March 12, 2010 One of the reasons I have organised my Boot Camp sessions with both pdf's and mp3s is so that you can read and hear the notes at the same time, and then try playing along with the track. I'm hoping that those of you who need help with reading and theory will get stuck into this stuff. Its only by constant practice that your reading skills will improve. No-one learns it in a day - but its well worth the effort long term. At the moment I'm preparing a session on "The Blues". If you can read the notes (even if only slowly), it will make the theory so much easier to grasp. Sorry to be brutal, but if you can't even attempt a Blues in E, then "competent" is not a word that describes your playing ! I only say this as I want to encourage people to develop their talents to the full. Effort and hard work IN = competence and satisfaction OUT. The Major Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiltmilk_2000 Posted March 12, 2010 Share Posted March 12, 2010 There has already been some great advice from people far more qualified to comment than me but here's my two pence worth... Start by getting a good understanding of the major scale. Once you really understand this everything else seems to make a little more sense. I liken it to maths... once you know the numbers 1 to 10 you can begin to count and then start to understand more complex procedures such as adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing. In music once you know the major scale, the pattern of tones and semitones etc you can start to understand how it is used to create chords - and how each note relates to the scale and it's function. Once you understand chords it starts to become clearer why certain notes fit together in a way that is easy on the ear or perhaps why they dont. Also once you understand chords, scales and modes make sense too as really they are one and the same thing... I really think that the easiest instrument to get a grasp on all this is piano as the notes are laid in a linear way which really helps if you are a visual learner especially (and if you know how to play via remembering little fretboard patterns rather than the note names it's likely you fall into this camp!) . I would say invest in a cheap s/h keyboard to get a grasp on the major scale and then transfer what you learn to bass which will enhance your understanding further still. A few years ago I thought to myself "im going to get a grip on all this 'really complex' stuff" and when i actually looked into it found that its not that complex after all. admittedly the language we use to describe all this can be a bit confusing at first but stick with it and you really wont regret it. Even a basic understanding will give you a way of expanding your repertoire and trying new things in your playing that you may not have stumbled across by simple trial and error. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
throwoff Posted March 16, 2010 Author Share Posted March 16, 2010 [quote name='spiltmilk_2000' post='773005' date='Mar 12 2010, 06:52 PM']There has already been some great advice from people far more qualified to comment than me but here's my two pence worth... Start by getting a good understanding of the major scale. Once you really understand this everything else seems to make a little more sense. I liken it to maths... once you know the numbers 1 to 10 you can begin to count and then start to understand more complex procedures such as adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing. In music once you know the major scale, the pattern of tones and semitones etc you can start to understand how it is used to create chords - and how each note relates to the scale and it's function. Once you understand chords it starts to become clearer why certain notes fit together in a way that is easy on the ear or perhaps why they dont. Also once you understand chords, scales and modes make sense too as really they are one and the same thing... I really think that the easiest instrument to get a grasp on all this is piano as the notes are laid in a linear way which really helps if you are a visual learner especially (and if you know how to play via remembering little fretboard patterns rather than the note names it's likely you fall into this camp!) . I would say invest in a cheap s/h keyboard to get a grasp on the major scale and then transfer what you learn to bass which will enhance your understanding further still. A few years ago I thought to myself "im going to get a grip on all this 'really complex' stuff" and when i actually looked into it found that its not that complex after all. admittedly the language we use to describe all this can be a bit confusing at first but stick with it and you really wont regret it. Even a basic understanding will give you a way of expanding your repertoire and trying new things in your playing that you may not have stumbled across by simple trial and error. Good luck![/quote] Honest thanks, thats really good advice Thanks everyone i'm begining my struggle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moxey Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 hey You could try Graeme Carswell's tutorials: [url="http://bass.songstuff.com/article/5_positions_of_the_g_major_scale/"]5 Positions Of The G Major Scale[/url] [url="http://bass.songstuff.com/article/harmonizing_the_major_scale/"]Harmonizing The Major Scale[/url] He plays a demo along with the theory Hope it helps Cheers john Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 My question(and I don't mean to be funny about this) is how can you be playing for eight years and not know the notes on the fingerboard,and only know what to play if you are told the string and fret? I just don't understand it. Also,I know you don't want to read music,but I have to ask, why not? If you only learn the basics you will be able to have access to all of the material you need to improve. For me,these two things are pretty fundamental,and I learned ,and now teach,them from the very beginning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renniks Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 second vote for studybass.com , got to spend time and look at some of the info on here too, I'm spending time learning from [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Learn-Play-Bass-Complete-Manual/dp/1864692634"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Learn-Play-Bass-Co...l/dp/1864692634[/url] and it seems to be doing alot of good (in my opinion) now learning theory, how and why I'm playing what I am, and (something you don't need) but the method to play... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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