So my band just got a new drummer and he's kick ass! I've learned so much about rhythm from him but I feel kinda stuck in a rut. I know how to groove like a machine but when it comes to chord progressions I don't know where to go other than 1-4-5...

let's say I'm grooving in A Major giving it lots of rhythm and funkiness but it sure isn't a song yet. It gets boring after a while and I can only imagine the frustration the guitars would have just playing A major... any suggestions?.. I heard once something about chord substitutions.. tritone substitutions, and 3-6-2-5-1's and jazz blues progressions.. if anyone knows anything about that stuff

Thanks, in advance, for your replies!

It's not enough to have heard about those chord substitutions progressions, you must also learn to hear and recognize them before you can think of learning how to play them.

So, my advice is to listen to lots and lots of music and try to copy everything you like. Study music theory. Don't forget to just experiment on your bass as well.

well if anyone has any tips on recognizing them.. I'd like to know how they're structured.. like.. if it's a A major the B chord which would be the 2nd of the key... would it be a B major or B minor chord.. or some other half diminished chord? could you substitute the 2 chord for the fourth or the fifth?

How about Modulating between keys?

Maybe you should just start working on finding more notes to use. I wouldn't be playing around with chord sub's and reharmonizing until you can use the scale(s) that relate to the chord at hand. A lot of it is just sitting with play along CD or looper pedal or tape your band rehearsal and try different notes and sequences of notes, working on taking advantage of strong and weak beats. In have a feeling you probably use the same handful of notes all the time and need to add more colors to your palette. Work on not putting roots on one. Also if a good drummer maybe notes isn't the answer and time to work on your rhytmic patterns or leaving more space in your lines.

As I've said in other posts to increase creativity you don't add to your palette you remove things. Force yourself to do more with less.

Thanks Doc.. I found a really great thread on here once that had a great exercise for scales..

for example A Major could be played starting on the 5th fret of the E string then the 7th on the E, 4th, 5th, and 7th, on A string and 4th, 6th, and 7th, on D string..

or..

it could be played 5th fret on E string, 2nd 4th, 5th, on A string, and 2nd and 4th fret on D string.. 1st and 2nd fret on G string..

or it could be played..

5th, 7th, 9th fret E string
5th, 7th, 9th fret A string
6th, 7th fret D string

and basically those three patterns for scales are always the same.. with minor adjustments for different types of scales..

Anyone have any tips for playing different time signatures?

Anyone have any tips for playing different time signatures?

Never...ever....ever lose the almighty one.

I agree with doc, maybe exploreing more note and rhythmic choices is a better focus

1-4-5, 1-6-2-5, and similar chord progressions have been around a long time, and bassist have been doing amazing things with them for years.

Maybe you can get the drummer to play along with this game:
play the same chords 1-4-5, but in various styles. Play it country,reggae, rockabilly, funk, jazz, latin etc...developing a stylistic vocabulary will only improve your ear, and some can open doors to years if rewarding study (Latin bass did so for me -much deeper than at first listen)

as for odd times, like 5/8, 7/8 etc: I always break the rhythm down into 2's and 3's to secure a feel for the groove. for example, Dave Brubreck's "Time Out" has "1-2-3, 1-2; 1-2-3,1-2" feel.

and last but definately not least: learn complete Songs. even if covers are not your thing, as a learning tool they are invaluable

Thanks Doc.. I found a really great thread on here once that had a great exercise for scales..

for example A Major could be played starting on the 5th fret of the E string then the 7th on the E, 4th, 5th, and 7th, on A string and 4th, 6th, and 7th, on D string..

or..

it could be played 5th fret on E string, 2nd 4th, 5th, on A string, and 2nd and 4th fret on D string.. 1st and 2nd fret on G string..

or it could be played..

5th, 7th, 9th fret E string
5th, 7th, 9th fret A string
6th, 7th fret D string

and basically those three patterns for scales are always the same.. with minor adjustments for different types of scales..

Anyone have any tips for playing different time signatures?

I really starting understanding scales and the fingerboard is when a new teach I went to had me start playing scales on one string. It really teaches scale construction and how to shift smoothly. Then moved to using two strings and eventually three. By time we got there I could play a scale starting anywhere and finishing one octave, two octave, whole range of the bass.

Time signatures are usually done in groups of beats. Like 5/4 is typically played groups of 3 and 2, or 2 and 3.


Using the sylables like in Indian music helps too. Kai Eckhardt emailed me this.

Konakkol:

1 Ta
2 Ta Ki (pronounced: Tuh Kee)
3 Ta Ki Ta
4 Ta Ka Di Mi (pronounced Tuh Kah Dee Mee)
5 Ta Ki Ta Ki Ta
6 Ta Ka Di Mi Ta Ka
7 Ta Ka Di Mi Ta Ki Ta
8 Ta Ki Ta Ta Ki Ta Ta Ki
9 Ta Ka Di Mi Ta Ki Ta Ki Ta

Go to Bass Player TV and Kai talks about this in his video.

thanks for the help.. playing it in groups of 3's then 2's really makes it much more simple!