Hey Guys!

I'm new to this forum, and there's always been a question in my head about the skill of "improvisation". I've been a bassist for about a year, and I currentley play for my youth group, and it's always interesting week to week for putting together a bass line for the 4-5 songs, and I want to learn how to make effective, yet, nice sounding lines. I do an OK job, but I always got room to grow.
So, I was wondering what are some of the tricks you guys have (if you're willing to share).
And what ideas enable you to make good bass lines. I was just wondering. I know follow the kickdrum, and play the root note. But I want to make people shake their booty to the groove if you know what I mean! :bassist:

:rollno: :rollno: :rollno:
Oh, God bless ya, uturn. Your heart's in the right place, but let me clear up a couple misconceptions you have:

First off, please get this "follow the bass drum and play roots" business out of your mind. Forget the bass drum. Forget the drummer altogether. Play things that you consider interesting, and let the drummer follow YOU. Or if he doesn't, just plough right through him. The bass does not have to always follow the drummer. I can think of 500 classic basslines where the bassist just steamrolls over the drummer.

Second, the only tricks to playing good lines are based in hard work. Take some lessons, learn to read music, learn some theory, listen to a lot of great songs with basslines that move you and try to steal what they're doing for yourself, etc.

I find the best thing to do while improvising a bass line or a solo is to just feel the groove as it exists. Once you get into it, hopefully you get some ideas in your head and know how to translate your thoughts into music through your bass. Since I started thats most of what I've been doing.

The best practice for improvising is of course to jam with others, but there are other exercises you can do as well. You could play a cd and jam with that, who better to jam with than the pros? Other than that it's good just to mess around as much as you can. One of my favorite things to do is to just watch TV while sitting down with my bass, and just messing around. Doing this helps you become more aquainted with your bass, making it so you don't have to think about what your doing with your fingers as much as you are trying to express yourself.

There's probably more you can do, but that's the best advice I can think of right now.

Ok, sounds good... I'll try some of your ideas see how they work with me.
What theory should I learn, can anybody kind of give me a direction to go to?
And if so, could you name songs with some real catchy, creative licks?
Thanks!

Ok, sounds good... I'll try some of your ideas see how they work with me.
What theory should I learn, can anybody kind of give me a direction to go to?
And if so, could you name songs with some real catchy, creative licks?
Thanks!

Get a teacher - listen to lots of bass players that you like and learn what they do - think of improv very much like you would think of speaking. Try to "say something" with your line. Be melodic, use repetition and don't think that you have to be playing fast or doing tricks to play a good solo. A good solo and the ability to improv come from having a fairly clear connection between your mind and your body. Don't worry about being flashy or impressing anyone - think much more about playing something that sounds nice, interesting and means something to you.

Also - play within your comfort zone - and every once in a while when you find a lick or riff that you like, push it a bit... go ahead and try to up the ante. Be evolutionary - do a simple lick, add to it, add some more, bring it on home. If you stumble across a lick that sounds like a familiar melody, go with it! Referencing existing melodies it a nice way to pay homage to the originator while giving you fodder for your imrov.

The most important thing... enjoy it! Don't stress... No one wants to watch someone struggle or look like they are working so hard that they don't seem to enjoy what they are doing. If you play a "funny note", play it again - smile, laugh and keep going.

before i put in my 2 cents...didnt there used to be a thing near where it says your location and join date that said your post count?

now that ive cleared my mind...get ready to clear yours.

some tips i can give for getting better at improvising.

-get lessons, tell them you want to learn to improvise better
-learn basic theory, know at least the major and minor scales and arpeggios
-listen to music as much as you can
-listen to a variety of music
-JAM WITH OTHER MUSICIANS - get together with a few friends and start real basic...just pick a key, G major for example...and see what you all can do with it.
-listen for inspiration outside of the bass world - it will give you great ideas to try, some of which may not have been done yet by bass players.
-GROOVE - this is the most important aspect of music...whatever you do, dont lose the groove...if you cant find the note you're looking for, stop looking, and keep groovin...your listeners will not be as likely to notice a wrong note if the groove is still strong.
-have fun, and dont take it too seriously.

Get a teacher - listen to lots of bass players that you like and learn what they do -

i agree with you that you should listen to bassists and get a teacher, but in my opinion, it is better to listen to musicians, and not just one specific kind...even better, just listen to the music. who cares what they're playing or what you're playing, just listen to lots of music and do what you want.

could you name songs with some real catchy, creative licks?
Thanks!

Not a "song", but anyway I really like this one (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jguRbVfhDc).

Wow, Alvaro! I really like that video, thanks alot for that one. Maybe I'll sit their and just try to play around in a certain key like that, sounds like a pretty good idea!