:bassist: I didnt learn how to read music or try to be proper about it. I just wanted to jam out. I downloaded tons of tabs and started playing that way. I guess this is a question for you guys that play properly. When you create your own bass line do you use any special rules, or play just as long as it sounds good? I mean like "you never play b before you play a c note" lol. Hope that helped you understand my question.:bassist:

I play a B before a C all the time. It's good for walking up to that "C" sometimes!

Like a G... A-B-C lick is a walk up I like to play on that.
But really, there are "rules" called music theory that a lot of people learn to know what notes are right, or what notes aren't right.
But even music theory can't hold the boundary, because some notes that aren't "supposed" to fit actually give it a good tension and adds some interesting sounds in there.
But remember, you should learn the rules before you break them.

Alot of it is textbook study, but a major portion also is listening to what you play, and picking and choosing what sounds good, and what doesn't.
So just listen!
:bassist:

I play a B before a C all the time. It's good for walking up to that "C" sometimes!

Like a G... A-B-C lick is a walk up I like to play on that.
But really, there are "rules" called music theory that a lot of people learn to know what notes are right, or what notes aren't right.
But even music theory can't hold the boundary, because some notes that aren't "supposed" to fit actually give it a good tension and adds some interesting sounds in there.
But remember, you should learn the rules before you break them.

Alot of it is textbook study, but a major portion also is listening to what you play, and picking and choosing what sounds good, and what doesn't.
So just listen!

+1

First try to get away from Tab work on transcribing things yourself it will help develop your ear. If you don't learn basic theory and notation then you will need a good ear.

Learning theory saves time everyone learns the same things in the long run, but doing it by ear just takes longer and you have to make up your own rules.

Like your "never play B before C" well B is fine on a weak beat and probably is a chromatic approach note. Never play B if the chord is C7 wrong note for the chord, unless an approach note. This sound like a lot to learn, but its stuff you learn, you learn the sound of it by practicing, then you don't think about it because it's now part of you.

Bottom line in learning theory is you find any note can work if you handle it right. You listen to great musicians and think they never play bad notes. No they are experimenting all the time, the difference is they hit a "bad" note they know how to turn it into a good note by what they follow it with. That is a combination of theory and just playing a lot.

As for your main question when Jamming, my theory background will kick in to get me started so there is some bass support. I will use theory to make some decisions on scale to use as a source of notes. But to truly jam I will then have to start trying things out looking for cool notes or rhythms. If they don't work I have to hear it quickly. Then decide to either cover it or try to seee how I can make it work. That will be more ear and experience than theory.

As Herbie Hancock who I think is one of the greatest musicians alive would say. You copy/learn from everyone you can, then forget it all and play.

If you picked it up n think it sounds good and ure having fun then its all good

Rules of Thumb (not necessity; but guidelines):

1. Play the root of the chord on the downbeat.
If you're in a band, and the guitarist plays a C minor chord, you should play a C on 1 (1 like in "a-one, a-two, a-one two three FOUR).
2. Stick to chord tones for the other beats.
A chord is made of the first, third, and fifth notes of a scale (so if you're playing a C minor chord, it's going to be C, A#/Bb, and G since they're the first, third, and fifth notes of the minor scale). Roots (first note) and fifths sound good in pretty much any setting, since they are the same in any Ionian scale (major, minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor).
3. If you're going to deviate, make sure it sounds good.
Have fun, and remember: chicks dig a good bass-face. (refer to the bass face thread for suggestions)

if you know what a major or minor scale is, just play the notes in those scales. Say the guitarist is just playing C major chords, then you could play any of the notes in the C major scale in any order. Some notes work better than others such as the root, the third, and the 5th note of a scale. Just mess around with scales and come up with some combos of cool groves, so that next time your guitarist is playing a C chord, you could test them out :bassist:

Also, learning how to play penatonic scales is useful when writing music.

Anything that sounds good by ear is.....good. Theory simply allows you to "guess" right without having to go through trial and error. What sounds good in your head will fit with theory almost all the time.

(so if you're playing a C minor chord, it's going to be C, A#/Bb, and G since they're the first, third, and fifth notes of the minor scale).

no wonder Cm never sounds right when I play it ;)

Just put a massive chord chart on your wall and take a look at it and learn something new everyday.

But even Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers admits to not knowing any music theory at all, and look at how good he is =)

well, maybe things have changed since he said that, but at the time, he said he didn't know any :smug:

When he said he didn't know any, he already knew more than I do now. He knew what a chord is, what notes make that chord and the name of that chord is. He knows where the notes are on his neck.

He lied. :(

lol, don't be discouraged xD

if there's one thing that i've learned, it's that u know more than u think u do....

SO DON'T GIVE UP

...and ur prolly right, maybe flea knew more then than u do know, but that means u can be better!

it pays to read ;)

Heh, don't worry about that, the only thing that can make me stop playing bass is 1) death and 2) losing both my hands.

Not happening. :)

I think that arthritis may prevent me from playing one day >_>;;

Right, that's #3. :(

Costco sells a drink that supposedly has health benefits for joints, mostly aimed towards old-timers....

man, i bet if there was a health product line geared towards bass players, i bet they'd make a killing....

hmm, i wonder if this has been discussed before

*searches threads*

I think that you are supposed to make best of both worlds.

I am someone who can write really awesome riffs...but I can't make it go anywhere. It usually breaks tons of rules, but it sounds good. So if I play for an hour, I will have something at the end, but it only ever be part of a song.

So what I find works is try learning what scale (or close to) your riff is in, and if you get stuck, see what happens if you play around with a scale.

I kind of view music theory as list of good recommendations. "This sounds good together, but there may be other stuff out there".

I frequently break rules, and I also frequently follow them.

Anyhow good luck!