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Bass Advice


Ecurb

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Hey guys,

Begginer bassist looking for some tips from the local bass players!

Any good learning books to get and follow, decent songs to learn, live advice.

My ultimate aim is to get in a band and gig around aberdeen/further if i can.

Thanks for readin, look foreward to your replies!!

B

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start by jamming along to tunes you like, forget theory just now, just enjoy it.

play along to anything but just play and get together with mates who think the same and have fun first, theory and all that shite is for later.:up:

learn the notes on your fretboard first and you'll be there.

and play like you mean it, if your trying out for a band play with attitude, it gets you a long way!

always play like its your best and last gig, even if its to 5 people make an effort. they will remember.

but above everything...if a band stops being fun then kick it in to touch or make changes.

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My main three points to playing a bass would be

  1. Learn the notes on the fretboard. The most important thing in my opinion.
  2. Listen to the groove of a song and never try step on anyones toes. Bass is first and foremost the driving groove behind a song.
  3. Enjoy what you're playing.

If you stick to those there's nothing much really that can go wrong! :up:

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest funkeebassman

opinion

Fact brother....oh and you must be confusing me with someone who gives a damn.Have you got any better bass players for a young player to check out....i think not.Jaco could play anything from third stone from the sun to i shot the sherriff to the sound of music to bach pieces,all on a fretless bass sometimes with a load of distortion.He played a variety of instruments and could also write for brass players too.So before you start wrinting statements like you have,do your research !Then again you are entitled to your opinion...lol:up:

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Fact brother....oh and you must be confusing me with someone who gives a damn.Have you got any better bass players for a young player to check out....i think not.Jaco could play anything from third stone from the sun to i shot the sherriff to the sound of music to bach pieces,all on a fretless bass sometimes with a load of distortion.He played a variety of instruments and could also write for brass players too.So before you start wrinting statements like you have,do your research !Then again you are entitled to your opinion...lol:up:

Jaco's okay - but there are better players for young guys to check out...IMO.

That virtuoso stuff is cool yeah, but isint the most practical method of playing. Remembering bass is meant to be a supporting role (and yes i admit that up front bass is sometimes good, but again IMO jaco overplayed sometimes)

And this is coming from someone who actually does listen to jaco. But only when i want some bass wankery. And yes i've done my research on him (back when i was learning the chicken and portrait of tracy etc). From a bass player vibe i would suggest at least listening to him, just get your actual technique down first.

All of this is in my opinion remember.

Was it you who said to play with feel? I agree 100% with that. To the OP enjoy and love what you play, also its a pain but learn the notes on the fret board (and where the octaves are), Then i would say to try learning some blues stuff. and always make sure you're not playing to fast to start with (it can sound sloppy) and that you're getting nice full notes (keep your fretting hand right behind the fret). Playing with a metronome will also help, and playing with actual people does wonders.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Dave

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Guest funkeebassman

There's nothing wrong with turning young players on to someone they might not have heared before...let them decide!Jaco was a side man for countless artists[Wayne Cochrane,Ian Hunter,Joni Mitchell to name a few],he learned to play in the sixties when R and B was the happening music.He played 8 sets a nite,all styles,helping him to get where he did.Countless readers polls have named him the greatest,he has influenced thousands of players around the world and still does.People who think his style was a wankfest just don't get it...lol .Also NEVER practice with a metronome,music doesn't work to that regimented time frame.The only way to groove is to feel it with the drummer[THE NEXT TIME MY OLD SKOOL FUNK BAND IS PLAYING,I'LL POST A THREAD SO Y'ALL CAN COME AND SEE WHAT I MEAN.8-)]...also check out a cat called James Jamerson. peace:up: [i'd love to come and check you out playing portrait of tracy sometime.respect brother...have you tried teen town or havona?]

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Jaco was a side man for countless artits[Wayne Cochrane,Ian Hunter,Joni Mitchell to name a few],he learned to play in the sixties when R and B was the happening music.He played 8 sets a nite,all styles,helping him to get where he did.Countless readers polls have named him the greatest,he has influenced thousands of players around the world and still does.People who think his style was a wankfest just don't get it...lol .Also NEVER practice with a metronome,music doesn't work to that regimented time frame.The only way to groove is to feel it[THE NEXT TIME MY OLD SKOOL FUNK BAND IS PLAYING,I'LL POST A THREAD SO Y'ALL CAN COME AND SEE WHAT I MEAN.8-)]...also check out a cat called James Jamerson. peace:up:

I hope you're kidding with that.

You're a bass player. your job is primarily to keep time with the drummer.

And as for "not getting it"? I'm not a bassist who sits on the fence playing roots. I meant playing for the song. Listen to come on over (think thats its name), imo thats to much wandering. My bass idols are Tim C, Geddy Lee and Billy sheehan primarily. And none of them really sit back playing roots - they play for the song. Generally....

But opinions are like arseholes. everyone has one :)

Like you've said though, listening to jaco will open eyes to what a bass can do as a lead instument (see also victor wooten, steve bailey, michael manning etc etc)

:gringo:

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Guest funkeebassman

erm you'll see that i did edit my post before your reply.the best drummer in the world never plays bang on the beat thru a whole song,unlike say a sequencer.The tempo will change slightly through out a piece of music..hence never play with a metronome!Jeff Berlin says the same thing and i totally agree.Hey man Come on Come over grooves like a bitch...other groove meisters include Marcus Miller.Pino Palladino,Bobby Watson,Nathan Watts,Willie Weeks...and a funky Scottish cat called Alan Gorrie. one love ,peace R

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erm you'll see that i did edit my post before your reply.the best drummer in the world never plays bang on the beat thru a whole song,unlike say a sequencer.The tempo will change slightly through out a piece of music..hence never play with a metronome!Jeff Berlin says the same thing and i totally agree.Hey man Come on Come over grooves like a bitch...other groove meisters include Marcus Miller.Pino Palladino,Bobby Watson,Nathan Watts,Willie Weeks...and a funky Scottish cat called Alan Gorrie. one love ,peace R

Hmmm okay thats a fair point but for learning how to actually play in time (and lock in to the beat) the metronome is the best option.

Then i'd agree to playing with a drummer (since no drummer on earth can keep PERFECT time, so learn to play with them to)

so in conclusion, we kinda agree :p

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Fact brother....oh and you must be confusing me with someone who gives a damn.Have you got any better bass players for a young player to check out....i think not.Jaco could play anything from third stone from the sun to i shot the sherriff to the sound of music to bach pieces,all on a fretless bass sometimes with a load of distortion.He played a variety of instruments and could also write for brass players too.So before you start wrinting statements like you have,do your research !Then again you are entitled to your opinion...lol:up:

So you assume from my post that I have little knowledge of jaco and his ability, grow up, you claim to teach, I bet you love telling your students how wrong they are to have their own idols...young players will follow their own path and ignore your superiour knowledge.

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Guest funkeebassman

Hahahaha .....yawn ok when youv'e played as long as i have,and have got a quarter of the experience that i have,then i'll take what you say seriously,untill then adios amigo..and keep practicing....oh i have never claimed anything.over 30 students speaks for its self,with some playing with major artists,and others getting A's in their higher music...peace brother.:up:

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