I have a guitarist friend who's been playing for a similar amount of time as me but he progressed much faster.

Sure, I can play nifty slap licks and some fast fingerpicking and my hearing got better, allowing me to figure out most basslines fast, but I feel like I missed out on many basic skills that make a good bassist.


My problems: I was told I often don't groove, which made me sad, but I took it in a positive way and decided I want to get better. Today I tried to groove with an experienced musician; he was playing a random swung rhythm on one cymbal and asked me to improvise anything (Which is another thing I suck at because I never learned proper theory, nor scales, etc. We'll get to that ._.) but it appeared I was often choosing a wrong rhythm to compliment his rhythm (Probably not wrong, just not 100% right :p). I can't think of a better way to explain it, I hope someone understood what I mean.
Another example is when I have to just play square 8th or 16th notes, my friend said I'm not grooving because I don't emphasize on the proper location (1 & 2 & 3 & 4 -- I might be emphasizing on the 1 and the 3, while I'm only supposed to be emphasizing on the 1, just for example).

Now, my second problem is that I focused on figuring stuff by TABs and by hearing, and never focused on learning notes, scales, modes, etc. I find it hard to learn now because it's always hard going back to basics. I need some good TOTAL BEGINNER advice regarding this topic. I know where most of my notes are located on the neck but I don't really know which note sounds good with which chord/key.

I need your help guys. I'm going back to the base tomorrow (I'm serving in the Israeli Defense Force), so I'll be looking at this thread with my cellphone.

Oh!
This isn't what I was expecting the post to be about.

http://www.garciamusic.com/educator/articles/improve.groove.html
internalize the rhythm.
i feel like whenever i'm grooving well... you just know. it feels so awesome and right haha. if you don't feel locked in, chances are you aren't.
i would advise playing with a metronome, and recordings, possibly recording yourself to see if you did well (webcam?)
getting into funk has been helping me with my time-feel
move your body. it helps a lot.

getting into funk has been helping me with my time-feel

+1 to funk

Check out studybass.com its got a lot of great resources for beginning to understand theory and the role of bass, and once you understand that it should be easier to groove.

I have a guitarist friend who's been playing for a similar amount of time as me but he progressed much faster.

Sure, I can play nifty slap licks and some fast fingerpicking and my hearing got better, allowing me to figure out most basslines fast, but I feel like I missed out on many basic skills that make a good bassist.


My problems: I was told I often don't groove, which made me sad, but I took it in a positive way and decided I want to get better. Today I tried to groove with an experienced musician; he was playing a random swung rhythm on one cymbal and asked me to improvise anything (Which is another thing I suck at because I never learned proper theory, nor scales, etc. We'll get to that ._.) but it appeared I was often choosing a wrong rhythm to compliment his rhythm (Probably not wrong, just not 100% right :p). I can't think of a better way to explain it, I hope someone understood what I mean.
Another example is when I have to just play square 8th or 16th notes, my friend said I'm not grooving because I don't emphasize on the proper location (1 & 2 & 3 & 4 -- I might be emphasizing on the 1 and the 3, while I'm only supposed to be emphasizing on the 1, just for example).

Now, my second problem is that I focused on figuring stuff by TABs and by hearing, and never focused on learning notes, scales, modes, etc. I find it hard to learn now because it's always hard going back to basics. I need some good TOTAL BEGINNER advice regarding this topic. I know where most of my notes are located on the neck but I don't really know which note sounds good with which chord/key.

I need your help guys. I'm going back to the base tomorrow (I'm serving in the Israeli Defense Force), so I'll be looking at this thread with my cellphone.

to learn to improvise, youll probably need to learn your scales.

btw, my brothers in Israel right now :)

Get a program called ScaleTool Lite and start learning a scale. I started with Major Pentatonic(G to be precise) as it is fairly basic and my skills improved immediately. After you are done with the pentatonic you can learn the Ionian as it just adds 4 and 7 to the pentatonic. There are all sorts of scales to learn and this program basically just shows you the notes/shapes so you can learn the scales more quickly and easily. Another nice thing about it is you dont need to know how to read music.

1. Don't worry about how fast you are progressing. It is not a race. You are getting better, and you will continue to get better. Some people are "late bloomers".

2. Try to think about your basslines one note at a time. A lot of times the simplest basslines groove the hardest. Listen to the players you are playing with, and try to hear every note before you play it. Less is more. I would recommend checking out James Jamerson.

3. Reading music is easy once you get the hang of it. Theory will come too. The best way to learn that stuff is with a teacher.

I hope this helps. Everybody's journey is different, but these techniques have helped and continue to help me a lot. What I do know is, comparing yourself to others is a dead end. Be yourself, study recordings, and show up on time. That will help you get better as a musician and as a person. Be patient. You will get there.

Good luck

Joel

I never slap (preferance)
I've found that Tab is a waste of time (it might be incorrect)
Melody and learning to keep time are most important.

Regarding scales - I think I'm learning them in the wrong way. I've tried the 5 positions pentatonic minor. I've learned the 1st position very well and can play it in every key, but if I move to a different position, I usually get lost. I guess it's a matter of practice, practice and practice?

I'll look into the Improve Your Groove site.

What other tips do you guys have for me?

sounds like you already know what you need to do... you listed a bunch of things that you would benefit alot from. you didnt "miss out" you just havent done much of that stuff "YET"

OH one other thing... not knowing that stuff only 2 years in doesnt make you "suck"

well one day someone showed me basic gospel music, I started to play bass lines to the free church channels on tv that had all the people in gowns dancing and singing together. I'm not kidding man this really helped learn how to groove, they sing move to one side then clap. So then I started to do this when I played shows, I played a lot of funk at the time so I would pick the best dancer in the audience and move with her. Usually its a left booty shake two in the middle and then one to the right.;) good luck man! with soloing, yes learn scales. And learn phrasing, breath like your a horn player and have an idea in the beginning and keep with that original phrase while creating a question answer kind of sound. If you get a chance jump on a drum kit, I think every bass player should be able to play the drums.

Oh, well. Going to the train now.

See you guys next week. I'm going to miss my bass. ._.

Posting from my cellphone here...

Give me more advice guys. What can i do to get better while at the base, for example? I don't have a bass here.

Four things (of many) that improved my playing massively:

1) Practice every day. Even if it's for 10 minutes. If you get the time, practice for an hour - 4 x 15 min exercises. There are hundreds if not thousands of exercises on the net, let alone in books. Good ones to start with are chromatics (01234 on each string, ascending then decending), muddling the chromatics around (1342, 2143 etc), acending chromatics (1234 on first string, 2345 on second, 3456 on third etc), scales (start with pentatonics around the kneck, minor, major, myxolidian etc...) and arpegios. If you're practicing slap and you're sloppy, just practice slapping one string at a time, for the same amount of time each - mute the note and start again... back to basics, cut it right down.

A lot of people suggest you do it in front of the TV as it's boring. But I disagree - if you want to get really good, you need to concentrate on each note, each finger position and each attack... while doing it in front of a TV etc is better than nothing, it's not going to improve you anywhere near as good as dedicated learning would.

Also, practice playing both soft, and hard. Dynamics play a bit part in music, more than a lot of casual musicians think.

2) Get a teacher. They can sort out any problems and point you in the right direction for you to get your desired results. One of the things my teacher pointed out was that my second finger was stronger than my first finger, and I've become a lot better from knowing that one fact... I have lessons once a week (when I'm home, though I've been away for 3 months at the moment :(), but even once a month helps.

3) Look at your technique critically. Whether it be slap, fingering or picking, look at both your hands and arms, find out from other players how you should be playing (I posted a few videos on here a while back asking for pointers). Honestly, TB is a great resource for learning, even if you don't take everything on board.

Fundamental points about technique: Keep a straight arm, don't strain your hand or wrist at all... playing bass should be natural. All four fretting fingers should be on the fretboard (or around it) at any one time. Your picking hand should again, be straight and free of any pain or strain. Adjust your strap accordingly, and don't be afraid if it looks silly when it's up on your chin! :P

4) Play to a metronome or a drum machine. If you want to practice with a drummer and there's noone about, buy a little metronome or splash out on a nice roland drum machine or something. I'm in a lucky position where I have thousands of drum tracks in my recording studio, but not everyone has this! Make sure you're "in the pocket" (oooo err :P) before you start going mental with fills and fancy riffs...

If any of that helps, my work here is done :P

Posting from my cellphone here...

Give me more advice guys. What can i do to get better while at the base, for example? I don't have a bass here.

Heh, for starters, before all that junk above, don't spell "bass", "base" :P

No, i meant base, lol. A military base. :p

No, i meant base, lol. A military base. :p
Ah yeah, I re-read it... burn on me! :P

Did you read the hopefully useful post I wrote though? :P

get a teacher.. i have been playing for 10 years (on and off during that time) and sucking.. you don't want to be like me..

I am on my third teacher and this one is great! I think you need to find a teacher who is both on the ball, and fits for you. The teacher I have now is extremely organized and we spend time each lesson covering theory, reading music, technique, and applying all of it together. You don't want to spend your whole time going through method books and you don't want to spend the whole time just learning songs..

You want to kind of manage your teacher as well.. you should use the stuff he/she tells you as a jumping off point.. go home, validate it, build on it, and come back next week with a bunch of questions for him/her..

get a teacher.

hey dude, i have made several million dollars playing bass and i dont read a note. id rather play with someone who memorised it rather than a friggin sheet music stand onstage, how embarrasing. i think i see the problem. you leaped rather than babystepped. you have more advanced skills than required beginner skils. i did the same thing with astronomy, i havemany thousands of dollars worth of telescopes, but dont know the first thing to do with them. im back to starting from scratch. remember the kid who wanted to learn karate, and the teacher taught him to wax on, wax off ,(karate kid) he didnt get it at first. if you cant wax, you cant block a punch. i didnot make that mistake luckily when i started bass. i played a song called "you really got me" by van halen. i played nothing else for 2 months until i got that song to where there was no differentiation between what he was playing and what i was. the song has only about 6 notes, and a rif or two. go back my friend, to the beginning. play eighth notes until you sound like a machine at all speeds. perfect, mechanical, unerring, unearthly. that way anytime after that when you play a song that has eighth notes, you wil be rockin. it sucks to start over, look at your feet, mutter a few swears, and start over. and thank you for defending our country, i am too weak, i admire you. if u need any more help, pm me. johnny a

I can't get a teacher for a few reasons... First is, it's impossible to find one here. The other reason is that I'm in the army now, so I don't have time for lessons.

I guess I'll just go back to basics. Play chromatics scales and learn my scales.

And the tip I read on the 'How to make a bassline' thread was awesome - sing it or hear it in your head and then just play it. That's the best advice, probably.

hey dude, i have made several million dollars playing bass and i dont read a note. id rather play with someone who memorised it rather than a friggin sheet music stand onstage, how embarrasing. i think i see the problem. you leaped rather than babystepped. you have more advanced skills than required beginner skils. i did the same thing with astronomy, i havemany thousands of dollars worth of telescopes, but dont know the first thing to do with them. im back to starting from scratch. remember the kid who wanted to learn karate, and the teacher taught him to wax on, wax off ,(karate kid) he didnt get it at first. if you cant wax, you cant block a punch. i didnot make that mistake luckily when i started bass. i played a song called "you really got me" by van halen. i played nothing else for 2 months until i got that song to where there was no differentiation between what he was playing and what i was. the song has only about 6 notes, and a rif or two. go back my friend, to the beginning. play eighth notes until you sound like a machine at all speeds. perfect, mechanical, unerring, unearthly. that way anytime after that when you play a song that has eighth notes, you wil be rockin. it sucks to start over, look at your feet, mutter a few swears, and start over. and thank you for defending our country, i am too weak, i admire you. if u need any more help, pm me. johnny a
He's actually defending Israel, not the US. Still a worthy and noble cause, though.

Anyway, I'm always curious about people who developed very good music skills without knowing how to read. How did you do it? There's no way on earth I could have ever understood music if I didn't know how to read, and people who can play well without reading are by far the exception.

...johnny a

Seriously? Right on.

He's actually defending Israel, not the US. Still a worthy and noble cause, though.

Anyway, I'm always curious about people who developed very good music skills without knowing how to read. How did you do it? There's no way on earth I could have ever understood music if I didn't know how to read, and people who can play well without reading are by far the exception.

I really don't think reading is a major part of music. Some people just have it. I'd say a good 95% of the people in my town who play an instrument can't read music. I'd also say a good 90% of people in the charts can't read music...

If you feel the groove, you've got it... as long as you know your way around your instrument, you don't need to read it off any sheet.

I read a little, but not much. I can't sight read.

However, I think Johnny makes a bad point about reading music being embarrasing - it's an additional skill that can't hurt, and can only enhance your overall ability.

And selling 23 million records is certainly no indication of your musical skill! I love the Staind's basslines (Mudshovel being my fav, simple bassline but beautiful tone - just stands out in the song), but there are much better bassists out there who haven't sold a single record :) No offence intended!

I can't get a teacher for a few reasons... First is, it's impossible to find one here. The other reason is that I'm in the army now, so I don't have time for lessons.

I guess I'll just go back to basics. Play chromatics scales and learn my scales.

And the tip I read on the 'How to make a bassline' thread was awesome - sing it or hear it in your head and then just play it. That's the best advice, probably.

As you play your scales, and arpeggios sing the scale degrees aloud... and as close to the tone as you can get... play the scales in staggered intervals...

example:

1 - 3 - 2 - 5 - 4 - 6.. make up different patterns and sing them aloud.

Play your scales and try and make them sound like music, and not like someone practicing.

Focus on musical progressions... example 1-4-5 and internalize what that sounds like.

2 - 5 - 1 & internalize what that sounds like... before you know it you will have heard many different variations and know how they sound... So when you hear them in a musical context, you will know what to play.

You will begin to see similar patterns in your practice time and the songs you begin to play. Out of all the songs I play... I try and find similarities, and end up piecing together short phrases, that I hear over and over again.

Hope this helps.

I really don't think reading is a major part of music. Some people just have it. I'd say a good 95% of the people in my town who play an instrument can't read music. I'd also say a good 90% of people in the charts can't read music...

If you feel the groove, you've got it... as long as you know your way around your instrument, you don't need to read it off any sheet.

I read a little, but not much. I can't sight read.

However, I think Johnny makes a bad point about reading music being embarrasing - it's an additional skill that can't hurt, and can only enhance your overall ability.
I totally agree. Johnny pretty much has a golden situation that didn't force him to do a lot of the stuff the rest of us have to do to make a living. Believe me, for the better paying gigs on our side of the fence in Rockstarland, reading is an invaluable skill. I already knew how to read when I started and I honestly don't know if I could have made sense out of music without reading, even at its most basic level. And I know I wouldn't get the higher paying gigs I get, comparatively speaking.

I learned piano guitar and bass without reading a note... i am just now starting on reading for bass, and it really just doesnt click with the way I feel out music. I hate the idea of taking something like a groove, and putting it down on paper.

everybody is different, and not everybody benefits the same way from reading, but for everybody it is certainly a valuable skill to have.

I suggest you listen to blues, funk, r&b while you're on base. Get the groove goin'. Learn the lyrics/melodies.

Can you get a keyboard or practice guitar on base? Maybe that would help.

I agree completely with the others above here that are preaching simplicity.


It's in no way a contest between you and the guitar player. Unless of course you're goal is to play like a guitarist playing bass.


Your job as a bass player and his as a guitar player are different.


If you're nailing the basics and are steady as hell and grow from there no one is going to give a damn if you don't know scale XYZm12thdimished7th or not. You'll be a rock and they'll want to play with you. However, if you basics are crap and you're worrying about playing complex scales that don't fit, and that you can't execute, then no one is going to want to play with you and they'll criticize your playing because they likely should.

Be the rock... nail the basics... you'll grow from there naturally as you play enough.

Regarding scales - I think I'm learning them in the wrong way. I've tried the 5 positions pentatonic minor. I've learned the 1st position very well and can play it in every key, but if I move to a different position, I usually get lost. I guess it's a matter of practice, practice and practice?

I was here for a long time... Trying to find different hand positions for scales/modes is what got me out of it... after finding a few ways to do it in the same general area you kind of start to piece together a map on the fingerboard...

Or at least that is what happened with me >.>:hmm:

Posting from my cellphone here...

Give me more advice guys. What can i do to get better while at the base, for example? I don't have a bass here.

Do you know how to count 16th notes? You can practice counting, it can do you some good.

Tap your foot at a steady even rhythm counting each tap. (you can also do this while walking, counting each step)

Count: 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4...

then, without changing anything, add in the 8th notes (you're still tapping and saying the numbered beats - you only say the "&" that represents the 8th note - your toe will be pointing up when you say "&")

then go to 16th notes, then back to 8ths, back to 1/4's and so on - and mix it up.

Just tap, and count, like:

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

mix it up, start changing to 1/8 or 1/16 notes or whatever after 2 beats or 3 beats instead of at the end of the measure... mix it up, just practice counting different rhythms without losing your nice solid 1 2 3 4 beat.

Something I do when I don't have a bass nearby is pretend I have a bass in my hand and practice the fingering of the different scale patterns. I'll either count 1,2,3,4 in my head as I air guitar the fingering or pretend I'm playing in a specific key and name the notes.

I was self taught for many years and had taught myself one pattern for minor and major scales. Once I got a teacher, I learned how many patterns and different other types of scales, notation, chords, progressions, intervals, etc. I hadn't learned. It's quite overwhelming, especially when you have a busy schedule, but just keep up with what you can. Once you do settle down, get a teacher ASAP.

Learning to read has little to do with grooving. Serious students of music learn to read because music is a language and by communication through written modes, we can play any part, never having heard it before (in theory). When great arrangers are involved, they want players to play the part exactly and don't have days for players to learn parts by ear. While reading charts is not appropriate for a live rock gig, learning to read well opens up opportunities for musicians to work in shows, jingles, studio dates etc.

To the OP, learning a good time feel is something that requires 1) listening to lots of music and understanding what makes a certain groove work. ie- playing the back half of the beat for ballad or reggae tune make the groove thick and relaxed while playing on the front half of the beat makes a walking jazz bass line have energy and excitement. 2) practice with a metronome (controversial advice in some corners) this acts as an absolute measure of time. Either you can play perfectly in time or you can't. The machine doesn't lie. The point here is to help develop your own inner sense of time. 3) regularly record yourself and critique what you hear - cruel, I know. But you have to hear where you are improving and where you need work. Often when you are playing, you are not getting a true sense of how you sound. Recording yourself is very helpful. 4) Getting better is hard and requires a commitment to improve. While we make huge strides in the beginning, the increments of improvement get smaller and harder to come by as we get better and better. You must be committed. 5) a teacher (good teacher) will always cut the learning curve by a lot. Whether its sports. business or music, having a "coach" is helpful.

Just another opinion.... of course!

I have a guitarist friend who's been playing for a similar amount of time as me but he progressed much faster.

Sure, I can play nifty slap licks and some fast fingerpicking and my hearing got better, allowing me to figure out most basslines fast, but I feel like I missed out on many basic skills that make a good bassist.


My problems: I was told I often don't groove, which made me sad, but I took it in a positive way and decided I want to get better. Today I tried to groove with an experienced musician; he was playing a random swung rhythm on one cymbal and asked me to improvise anything (Which is another thing I suck at because I never learned proper theory, nor scales, etc. We'll get to that ._.) but it appeared I was often choosing a wrong rhythm to compliment his rhythm (Probably not wrong, just not 100% right :p). I can't think of a better way to explain it, I hope someone understood what I mean.
Another example is when I have to just play square 8th or 16th notes, my friend said I'm not grooving because I don't emphasize on the proper location (1 & 2 & 3 & 4 -- I might be emphasizing on the 1 and the 3, while I'm only supposed to be emphasizing on the 1, just for example).


Now, my second problem is that I focused on figuring stuff by TABs and by hearing, and never focused on learning notes, scales, modes, etc. I find it hard to learn now because it's always hard going back to basics. I need some good TOTAL BEGINNER advice regarding this topic. I know where most of my notes are located on the neck but I don't really know which note sounds good with which chord/key.

I need your help guys. I'm going back to the base tomorrow (I'm serving in the Israeli Defense Force), so I'll be looking at this thread with my cellphone.


Okay, it seems to me you first need to learn to clap rhythms out. Get yourself a book of etudes. You should be able to find a novice bass book at any music store. Now every single exercise in that book, I want you to clap out. Not just one time either. Clap it out until you can get the rhythm perfect every time. Then play each etude slowly at first.
DO NOT buy a book that has tablature in it. You need to figure out where the notes are on the neck in various spots (in standard tuning). ALSO ALWAYS PRACTICE WITH A METRONOME!

Next I want you to buy yourself a pitch pipe. They're cheap and easy. And I want you to sing major scales 32 times per day using solfege.
Use the pitch pipe to give you a starting note. But focus on getting the intervals correct.

In addition to this, get a decent professional teacher. A good teacher will correct you before you get yourself in it deeper.

Also, when somebody uses some arbitrary word like "groove" ignore what they say.

I can't get a teacher for a few reasons... First is, it's impossible to find one here. The other reason is that I'm in the army now, so I don't have time for lessons.

I guess I'll just go back to basics. Play chromatics scales and learn my scales.

And the tip I read on the 'How to make a bassline' thread was awesome - sing it or hear it in your head and then just play it. That's the best advice, probably.

Where is "here" exactly? And as far as army goes, provided you're not being deployed, you should have your evenings available for lessons. I'm sure if you want to get lessons, we can help find you somebody in your area who can provide it for you

Here is Israel. ._.

During the last few days I actually felt an improvement. But not much. :p

I'm still having trouble remembering even the pentatonic minor in all positions. I just can't draw the scale in my head, so whenever I leave a known position, I just get absolutely lost.

Regarding groove, I'm getting better. I'm trying to move more to the rhythm and for now stick to emphasizing on the first beat, I'll later expand to emphasizing on other parts of the beat according to the drummer's rhythm.

Here is Israel. ._.

During the last few days I actually felt an improvement. But not much. :p

I'm still having trouble remembering even the pentatonic minor in all positions. I just can't draw the scale in my head, so whenever I leave a known position, I just get absolutely lost.

Regarding groove, I'm getting better. I'm trying to move more to the rhythm and for now stick to emphasizing on the first beat, I'll later expand to emphasizing on other parts of the beat according to the drummer's rhythm.

Forget pentatonic scales for now. Focus entirely on the major scale. Sing it DO RE MI FA SOL LA TI DO DO TI AL SOL FA MI RE DO. 32 times per day, minimum. Sing them in the shower, sing them while you're blowing **** up. But the major scale is paramount right now for you. Also practice playing it as much as you sing it.

Regarding rhythm, get a metronome and clap rhythms out before you play them. Don't forget to subdivide (if you don't know what that is, look it up. I'm sure you can google it).

Anyway, I'm always curious about people who developed very good music skills without knowing how to read. How did you do it? There's no way on earth I could have ever understood music if I didn't know how to read, and people who can play well without reading are by far the exception.

Music is heard, not written. All music writing systems are inexact in that they transmit much of their information by convention. The number of bizarre rules you have to memorize to be able to read music well is amazing. I read very poorly and I played well before I ever learned to read, so I approach written music from a self-taught perspective, that it is only a guide to how the music ought to be played and not the only way it can be played. A milliseconds' difference in timing can alter the feel of a song. A difference in attack can change the sound of the song. I had this discussion with my son (12) who is learning to play the bass, and at the time I had just given him an electric for Xmas and I was going to loan him an amp. He told me he didn't want an amp because he could hear just fine. I told him that hearing the sound of his instrument, and getting enjoyment out of that sound, was the most important part of playing the music.

The point I'm trying to get to is that when I play or when I learn I'm trying to duplicate the sound I hear. Getting to that sound whether it's through traditional western sheet music, tab (which works very well if you have a recording to play it off of) or through just simple repetition, it doesn't matter. People who play music well hear music. Getting the music you hear out of your head and into your fingers is the technique part of it. The talent is hearing the music in the first place.

So for the OP, what I would do is try to find something you like to hear and want to spend time making the sounds of on your bass. The best players I see are, when they're doing their thing, are not working all that hard. They did all the hard work days or weeks or months ago. When you perform, it should be that you're doing something that comes naturally to you. Those are the performances that work and are successful. Not the ones where you're still counting beats and trying to recall patterns while you're on the stage.

Easiest way to learn groove is to pick one note that you know is in key and only play that at first. If you can't groove with one note you can't grove with a dozen.

The other reason is that I'm in the army now

Remember your days in boot camp? They drilled you and drilled you until you were able to do whatever it was you needed to do without hesitation. Just like you had been doing it all your life.

Apply the same thing thing to your playing. Go back to basics and hammer it home again and again until it is second nature. If you don't have access to your bass, then mentally do it. Picture the notes and fingering in your mind over and over. It doesn't even matter if you don't know which notes they are, only that you know that those notes sound like this when played together.

I think you'll be surprised if you try this. When you get back and grab your bass, you'll probably just pick it up and all the mental stuff will fall into place and boom you play it.

Good luck

Hey Man I hear you. Grooving is the hardest thing to do on a bass. You should get a metronome and start slow. One of the tricks I use is to play to the metronome as say 120. Play normal 8th notes nothing fancy then when you think you've got it cut the metronome in half, to 60bpm, and play the same rhythm. Try to stay on time in 120 with the metronome at 60bpm ticking on the 2 and 4 or the "backbeat". Then when your locked in and felling it cut the metronome in half again so it only ticks, tocks, or whatever it does on only the 4 of every bar while you still play the same rhythm. This is very hard and fun. Take it slow and make sure you have it locked in before moving on.

One of the thing every does is rush through the things that we find hard. Find what is hard for you to play then find the tempo that makes it easy for you. Practice everything you can in all twelve keys at the tempo everything is comfortable in then speed up when you have it locked in with the metronome. The most important thing I can recommend is to stay relaxed when playing. Don't tense up when things get hard just take it easy and stay comfortable, but don't be afraid to push yourself mentally.

There are a few books I would recommend as well.

The Serious Jazz Practice Book by Barry Finnerty. Published through Sher music ISBN 1-883217-42-3. Great book.

The Improvisor's Bass Method by Chuck Sher Published through Sher Music. ISBN 0-9614701-0-0. The first book that really taught me anything.

Chuck Rainey's book is great and so is the Berklee "Get your Band Together Bass" practice book.

Don't be afraid to make mistakes and sound different either. We're all just trying to have fun but it becomes a task or a chore when we think we're doing something wrong. There are no wrong notes in Improv so how can we be wrong when improvising. Have fun, take it slow and find your own path.

Good luck on finding your groove.

I actually practice in front of a mirror sometimes so I can see my finger positions on the fretboard as well as my fingerpicking hand to make sure I am doing it correctly. Sounds weird I guess but my teacher recommended it to me when I first started playing when I couldn't get both my fingers working in an alternating mode. The more I watched the more I realized what I was doing wrong. Now alternating my fingers is completely natural to me.

Now my main thing is to practice with a drum machine or listen to a song on youtube with my sub on my computer turned off so I can attempt to play along with the song. Its a good way to feel the rhythm of a song and come up with your own licks to the song or even a new bass line.

I have been playing for about a year and I have progressed along greatly from just taking it very seriously, not taking shortcuts and practice practice practice. I have spent considerable time strengthening my fingers for my fretting and picking hands from that. This was important to me for practicing and jamming with other musicians. Feeling the groove is something that I spend considering time on as well, but I think thats more of a thing of "either you have it or you dont", but I could be wrong. When I listen to music I spend most of the time focusing on the timing of the song or trying to feel out the tempo or rhythm from it, that has also helped me alot.

Good luck and have fun with what you are doing this isnt a race.

Here is Israel. ._.
I'm still having trouble remembering even the pentatonic minor in all positions. I just can't draw the scale in my head, so whenever I leave a known position, I just get absolutely lost.

2 points on that problem:

1.) Avoid thinking of scales as simply fingering patterns. If you learn how the scale is actually constructed in terms of its intervals (i.e. 1,b3,4,5,b7), and learn how to play those intervals, (and of course learn all the notes on your fingerboard,) you can figure out the scale from any note.

2.) for the sake of visualizing scales on the fingerboard, one thing i did early on that really helped was this: I took a sheet of graph paper and graphed an imaginary bass neck with 10 or 15 "strings", and then plotted out the notes of a c major scale. It revealed the "deeper structure" of the scale on the neck : there is really only 1 pattern for any scale, and what we see on the fingerboard as we start learning are just small 4x4 fragments of it. I can post a pic later if there is interest...

I'm no music expert. One thing I understand clearly though is that music relates to life in every way. When you listen to people who make statements about how they make X amount of dollars in a signed band, but think reading music is a waste of time, then you are headed for a major downfall. Getting signed is a matter of luck, not musicianship. God bless him, he is very lucky and deserves his success, BUT I think that statement is akin to someone saying "I won the lottery and I'm rich, but I never got past the fourth grade."

Good luck with your playing,
Ara