i have an ok ear from other instruments and i've been around for long enough that right now i can get by as a fairly uninteresting stand-in, but i don't do anything that well. turn me into a human god, a funky sex machine, a virtuoso, and a snazzy dresser.

go.

Practice more than you are at the moment.

A decent pair of pants, some leather shoes, and a white shirt and tie. Thats the snazzy dressing part down. Now just practise and network. All you can do really

To me, being remarkable is being able to compliment what your band is doing. Aiming to not be the weak link when the band is working on new material, and keeping your ears open to what is going on around you is also key. Starting simply, and building things up as required is how most groups work, so if you can work in that flow, or just slightly ahead of it, the cats you're playing with will think you're remarkable.

The turning point for me was when I opened up my ears and started playing what I knew/felt I should be playing, instead of what I thought I should be playing...... does that make sense? Years ago, I stole a regular gig from a guy that I thought was about the most wicked player in town. The band needed someone to fill in for a few weeks, and I was asked to do it. In the end they were happier with my playing than they were with his "wanking", so they dropped him. One of the tunes we did was I Heard It Through the Grapevine...... I just kinda copped the jist of the Jamerson groove, made it my own, and we grooved...... They told me they could never do that tune with the other guy, because he would have turned it into a slap and pop fest, and ruined the whole tune.

Rocco talks about stealing and incorporating, and that is really what it's all about. Figure out what someone is doing, and turn it into something that is all your own..... while finding a way to make it compliment what the other cats in your group are doing. When you can do that, you'll be considered remarkable by your bandmates, or anyone else looking for a solid player.

And spats..... don't forget the spats.

Ljazz

Don't become a purely rhythmic/harmonic bass player, who's willing to play purely root notes or "catchy grooves" no matter what the context. Explore equally (or at least partly) the melodic possibilities of the instrument.

Practice more than you are at the moment.

+1

motivate me, i guess would be the response to that, and give me ideas to practice. there's always listening and copying, but if there's anything you could say, say that.
please don't think i'm a prick. i have a lot on my mind.

With all due respect, motivate yourself!

Listen to music that inspires you and learn it.

find a good band and play with them ... practice on your own ... learn from great bassists ... as per snazzy dressing you are on your own dude.

there's no short cut i'm afraid being a furious bass player of legends involves locking yourself in your room with 2 buckets (one for feaces one for urine) with a load of water and energy bars and practicing all day untill you wear through the fretboard and you can see maple poking through from behind

as for being a snazzy dresser just take any cloths and wear them with sex appeal rule of thumb is if your mates say you look daft then the ladies will love it

I hear parachute pants are making a comeback.

Play music that is beyond your current ability, and master it. Pick 1 tune.
Play music with people that are beyond your current ability.
Get a teacher who is a lot better than you.
Leather pants.

POOF!!!! You're a remarkable bassist.

http://www.gnurf.net/v3/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/025-magician-01.png

Learn some slap stuff from Mark King and Stuart Hamm. Those two guys are incredible.

And get yourself into a fusion band.

Eat your Wheaties! :D

my threads always turn into ****.

truthfully, if you're asking... learn as many songs as possible.. from as many different bands as possible.. start with AC DC, the Beatles, Iron Maiden, Weather Report, Rush, Mariah Carey (yes, Mariah Carey), Rascal Flatts, then learn theme songs to TV shows to train your ear.. there is no such thing, to me, as a song not worth learning.. country, rap, rock, metal.. .learn it all.. then you will become a remarkable bassist with an ear of your own (figuratively) and be able to draw from various styles.. The worst thing I hear is a bassist that refuses to learn songs he/she does not like.. that's just me, but I try to learn songs I dislike.. and usually end up liking them and appreciating them later (Def Leppard, for example). Lay the bottom down first.. then become flashier where you believe it suits the band. play in bands.

It is funny, to me, I listen to Billy Sheehan for so much advice, but I don't listen to his music often.. he played in every band possible.. and played all music possible.. Wooten, Manring, etc.. had to start somewhere..

and there is no "formula.." if there were, Wooten, etc Geddy Lee, etc would be a dime a dozen.. and not famous. Geddy always claims he got to where he is today by "breaking rules I did not know existed..." ala 2112, releasing their record on their own label, and so on.. it worked out..

are those bands in order or should i try to tackle let it be on monday and donna lee on tuesday?

Play along with CD's, MP3's, whatever - genres & songs that you never would have considered before, stuff that you'll never play in a band situation. Play any melody that pops into your head; heck, I've recently played Somewhere Over The Rainbow, America The Beautiful, even stupid TV commercials (play strictly the melody, not the bass line) - laugh, but I think it makes you a better player. In other words, S-T-R-E-T-C-H yourself.

As far as clothes - go out with your wife or a savvy female and let her pick out a few items, even if they look like something you'd never buy for yourself. You might be surprised. Again, S-T-R-E-T-C-H yourself.

yes, i was asking. i often phrase truthful questions humorously, and vice versa. it's just too much pressure to just be in that role.

i was kidding about the clothes. **** the ********, i prefer sweats.

in fact, i only started wearing jeans in the first place because a bunch of ****ing cockbags wouldn't stop giving me **** about them. screw the miserable groupthink aspect of life.
i'm serious about becoming a serious bassist, though. and i don't have a whole lot of time. i'm mortal, and i play a lot of other instruments that i have to spend a lot of time on as well and work a ******, stressful job, so please don't waste my time and help me if you can.

are those bands in order or should i try to tackle let it be on monday and donna lee on tuesday?

you asked.. that is my opinion... if you don't like the advice and only have a smartass response.. then don't ask for people's advice.

/unsubscribe thread

lol

Everyone wants the Fast Food Fix these days <grumble grumble> ...Ever stop and think that the greats have a devotion to the spirit of music - and that, even more than assimilating techniques and knowledge, is what made/makes them greats?

It's easier to be famous, probably ; }

Get enough cash so that you can study with all of the best players so that you don't waste time trying things on your own. Have them teach you what they are doing and why they do it. Do nothing but practice, don't work(this is where the cash comes in) and don't worry about paying any bills.

A decent pair of pants, some leather shoes, and a white shirt and tie. Thats the snazzy dressing part down. Now just practise and network. All you can do really

***, is he playing at dive bars or jazz clubs or something?

LOL

i have an ok ear from other instruments and i've been around for long enough that right now i can get by as a fairly uninteresting stand-in, but i don't do anything that well. turn me into a human god, a funky sex machine, a virtuoso, and a snazzy dresser.

go.

Ok (drill Sargent voice on)
:eyebrow: YOU WANT MOTIVATION? GET YOUR HANDS OFF THAT KEYBOARD YOU MAGGOT!!! PUT EM ON YOU BASS! DO IT NOWWWWWW MAGGOT! YOU WILL LEARN! I WILL TEACH YOU! I WILL MOLD YOU INTO A LEAN MEAN BASS PLAYIN MACHINE! YOU WILL WALK, TALK,EAT AND SEEP WITH THAT BASS! IF THAT BASS LEAVES YOUR GRUBBY LITTLE MITTS FOR 1 SECOND, I WILL PUT MY FOOT SO FAR UP YOUR BUT, YOU WILL BE COUGHING SHOE LEATHER!!!! NOW PLAY ME A CHROMATIC SCALE MAGGOT!!! :eyebrow: MOVE IT, MOVE IT MOOOOOOVE IT! :eyebrow: WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT MAGGOT? PICK UP THAT BASS BOY! PUT IT DOWN! PICK IT UP! PUT IT DOWN!! YOU EYE BALLING ME BOY? DROP AND GIVE ME A G MAJOR! G MINOR! NOW ADD A FLAT 5!!! I SAID FLAT 5! YOU MISERABLE MAGGOT! SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR EARS BOY? NOW DROP AND GIVE ME TWENTY FIVVVE!!!
(voice off) :D:bassist::D

I think it's remarkable that you have the nerve to think that someone is withholding some kind of bass secret that os preventing you from succeeding. Aside from hard work, constant study and dedication to the art, there is no one/thing that can make you a remarkable bass player.

Sorry man, if your personal life is getting in the way of that you have other things you should be dealing with rather than posting on this board.

i'm serious about becoming a serious bassist, though. and i don't have a whole lot of time.

I think there's at least one of the problems. Not trying to yank your chain or waste your time ....but the truth is that you seem to want something without investing anything. Life isn't like that, unless your name is Forest Gump.

Now, should you prove everyone here wrong someday, I would like to read the book you write about becoming a remarkable bassist in one easy step.

i spend the effort, i just don't want to waste time. there's nothing here that's helping besides studying those few artists mentioned, what should i do?

and it wasn't a smartass response. how do i attack such a wide range of musicians? does it matter how or does it just matter that it happens? some people say you should always try to play songs that are out of your range, and others believe in a one step at a time approach.

how do i attack such a wide range of musicians?

The musician you should be most concerned with is YOU. Listening and copping from and being inspired by some real players and all-around msucial minds is one thing, but you've got to apply that, and foremost, working on your musical skills and sensibilities to YOU.

Jack of all Trades, Master of none

dedication and time are what you need to master an instrument, like everyone has said there is no quick way to get good at it. In order to master an instrument alone your look at 10 years (may vary by different learning abilities) and another 10 to perfect it,

if you want to be a bass master, then just play bass, and put all your time into it.

well, i've spent the last 15+ years learning to play the guitar, and i'm still not always satisfied. i've only been into the bass for a few, and i don't want to be 50 before i can it. in fact, i'd like to put out an album next year where i play all the instruments. i realize there are going to be weak links, but pretend i'm going to lock myself in a basement for a month and live on stale bread and talkbass. what are the important elements, and what's a waste of time?

and what's a waste of time?

A crap attitude is probably the only real waste of time. Everything else including internal growth contributes to being better and more. As for specifics with instrument, determining weak areas in both knowledge and technique and putting focused work on them is important... and keeping the stronger areas sharp, secondary. It also takes some real focus deciding what and who to be; that somewhat hinges on your current musical strengths and musical personality. Billy Sheehan isn't trying to be Matt Garrison trying to be Tony Franklin, he's working on HIMSELF at this point.

Don't just learn songs, learn the theory of what makes the song, learn modes, and play umhteen hours a day.

i spend the effort, i just don't want to waste time. there's nothing here that's helping besides studying those few artists mentioned, what should i do?

and it wasn't a smartass response. how do i attack such a wide range of musicians? does it matter how or does it just matter that it happens? some people say you should always try to play songs that are out of your range, and others believe in a one step at a time approach.

ok.. I apologize.. how do you attack such a wide range.. you just do.. play the songs.. you know? Learn the songs.. it's REALLY tough, playing bass.. at least for me.. it's an uphill struggle all the way, for me, to play 100+ songs steadily, from various artists.. but I try.. I am not saying anything is easy.. I have heard people talk about bass being easier than guitar, guitar being easier than drums, etc.. when no one knows..

The only way, in my opinion, to become remarkable at playing bass is to play as many songs from as many artists as possible, then learn scales besides... I have been playing for maybe 30 years (within that 30, maybe 23 years of playing steadily) and I drop my jaw at country bassists that fill bottom end flawlessly.. my jaw drops when I hear Metallica's bass lines at breaking speeds... my jaw drops when I listen to a Temptations song and I HEAR the AMAZING bass lines and playing the Motown people were doing DECADES ago.. that I have trouble with now.. I am floored continually, when I watch Geddy Lee sing, use foot pedals, and playing bass lines that would stomp 1/2 the people I know into the ground to create, much less play while singing simultaneously.. then there's Stu, Manring, Miller, Will Lee, Jeff Berlin, Jaco, Pino, and scores of thousands of players that blow my mind.. even the guy from AC DC who lays the bottom end like Michael Anthony did in Van Halen so well.. anyway, play as many songs, if you're asking, from as many different artists as possible.. It's as simple as picking an artist's hits.. start with Heart.. Flock of Seagulls' I Ran.. Rush's Tom Sawyer.. stuff like that.. then do some Beatles.. if you're brand new to bass.. and I am not sure you are.. then start with what you perceive to be the EASIEST songs from artists you love.. get enthused.. then start learning, after those songs, songs by artists you might NOT love.. above all, keep the bottom end moving along.. like AC DC.. Van Halen.. The Cure.. Vangelis's Friends of Mr. Cairo.. the theme from Knight Rider (yes, why not).. then build upon these successes.. the "remarkableness" will happen naturally.. and I think being "remarkable" is not a point of arrival... it NEVER ENDS.. because you never, ever stop learning.. at least I do not. Play everything.. play anything.. and get OUT THERE and play with other people, in bands.. Become the guy (or gal figuratively) who gets called for sessions or substitute gigs because you're known to play bass well..

or take lessons also.. there is no right way to become remarkable.. I have been told my playing is "remarkable.." then I laugh when I think of Marcus Miller.. actually, almost cackle, then start to cry (on the inside).. and think about how far I still have to go..

I wish you the best.. if you need any tips, feel free to PM me.. or even continue posting herein.. I hope it goes well, and am curious to see if/when you find what works best for you..

Play with a lot of different people. But only those who are boths upportive and "Understand" bass. Other than that - sit at home and PRACTICE. Learn songs that require a style different than your own on the "Newbie Nights" and advanced bass players on the "Regular Nights". A Tascam Bass Trainer is great - with the headphones on an amp that has both CD inputs and headphone out.

Start with taking one song like a cool Jazz standard and learn everything about it. Learn the melody and play it with great phrasing able to play it up the neck down the neck, different phrasing. Understand the differences all those changes make.

Same song work on bass lines write out lots of variations of basslines. Analyze the lines and what you like and don't like. Again play with different ranges. Really understand the lines and variations you come up with.

Work on changing up the chord progression with sub's and re-harmonizing. Then work on a solo bass version of the song ala Todd Johnson et.al.

Work on improv start with playing straight 8th or 16th (depending on technique level) of arp's of the chord progression. Then playing in in the scales for each chord. Work solos many of them and like bass line analyze what you line and don't like.

Try playing the song in other styles.

All of the above learn to play the lines and solos you like PERFECTLY. Perfect time, feel, tone, phrasing every aspect.

Learn ONE song inside out play it every way you can, understand what you are doing. This could take months but when done start another. Each song will take less time. After a few songs your understanding of music and bass and how the two relate will put you at a musician level.

One thing I learned over the past year or so is that you might always think you suck because as you learn more you realize how much more there still is to learn...get over it and play.

If you know how to play guitar well then you already know the fretboard so learn a bunch of bass lines and break them down to theory. Play a lot with a drummer 2, no faster way to understand bass IMHO.

"If I miss one day of practice, I notice it. If I miss two days, the critics notice it. If I miss three days, the audience notices it." -Ignacy PaderewskiFirst, my practice routine isn't nearly that demanding. But the reason this thread reminded me of the quote is that, as DudeistMonk noted, the more we learn, the more it seems there is to learn. That can be frustrating.

Another frustrating part of learning is that we all find ourselves in plateaus and ruts now and then. They can be difficult to get out of but, then again, sometimes our greatest times of learning come after the ruts.

Bass is an instrument that is easy to learn, but hard to master. Maybe you're finding yourself between those two extremes. But, as bass_freq mentioned earlier, 10 years will get you to the point where you're feeling fairly competent playing bass ...but the learning isn't over yet (refer to the original quote).

Here's a question just to satisfy curiosity ...why is it so important to you to be a "remarkable" bassist NOW?

Do you love the instrument? Is there nothing else you'd rather do? Do you eat, sleep, and dream bass? Do you HAVE to play bass???

Now, all those things may not motivate you, but if you want to be a "remarkable" bass player just to lay down a few tracks you can call your own, then maybe you really don't want to be a remarkable bass player. Instead, you might really want to have some remarkable bass tracks on your recordings ...and that's a whole different thread to post on.

Something else to consider: there is a LOT of remarkable music with mediocre bass tracks. Take a listen to "Moon Dance" by Van Morrison. People love the song ...heck, I love the song, but the execution of the bass line is quite lacking (though the concept is good). What's more, there are way too many non-remarkable bass players on hit recordings and concert tours than any of us can list ...though listing them's not the point. It's also not the point to say we shouldn't try to make good music. Rather, don't let your frustration of not playing like you want to RIGHT NOW keep you from playing right now (hope that makes sense). Play because you love to make music! You don't HAVE to strive to hit a level of perfection that you've set for yourself before you record your own songs. The song isn't the destination ....it's only part of the process ...and the process goes on and on and on and on .....it's all music. Ask Paul McCartney how many songs he and John wrote that no one ever heard. Ask Springsteen what it was like to record Nebraska on a four-track. I mean, did he think "If I just had a 24 track, I could record this music."? How many musicians had 10,000 doors slammed in their faces before they found someone who would listen? How many cassette tapes got filed in the trash? ...and to think THEY had any more time than you do? BTW, waddaya call a guitarist in Nashville looking for a gig? "Waiter!" HA! Okay, maybe "Hey cabbie...."

You've pretty much turned your nose away from any advice here that people have given you. It's clear that you're not easily convinced. :rolleyes: In the end, you're the proverbial horse that's lead to the proverbial water ....it's really up to you if you want to drink or not.

To end as I started, I'll leave with this thought, slightly out of context, but fitting nonetheless.....

Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar (or bass) - Frank Zappa:D

i haven't turned up my nose at anything. there was just a misunderstanding. and i want to get good enough within the next year so that i'll be able to play bass on a cd i plan on recording as soon as i am settled a little bit.
what is important to learn and what mistakes should i avoid? i have the rudiments of skills, but i am far from a complete bassist.

i have the rudiments of skills, but i am far from a complete bassist.

As do most that are recording today. Don't worry about it. Keep playing and you will get better. There IS no shortcut.

Wow, I was just reading through this thread, and found so much great advice. I’m wanted to restate some of the great advice because I think it is so wonderful.

Practice: Play along with any and all songs you hear on the radio or CDs or television or the internet or wherever; not just bass lines, but also main melodies and other counter-melodies – my friends are always impressed when a television show theme song comes on and I can play along with and improvise to it. Learn your theory. Knowing theory will help you figure out the whats, hows and whys, and it will make all the songs you are learning make sense. Knowing theory will help your compositions and improvisations. Play with others. Join a band, start a band, jam with your friends, go to a local open blues jam. Find a drummer, become his/her best friend, lock in with him/her, and practice together as much as possible.

Don’t worry about the order of songs you should be practicing, just practice. The bass should be in your hands as much as possible.

The only people who never make mistakes are those who never do anything

It sounds like brothertupelo is afraid of wasting his time on what he fears might be things which aren't important to his bass playing. If you're dedicated to your craft and learning the instrument, you're not going to waste time while learning it - it simply can't be done. You learn one thing, mastering that leads to a whole bunch of other avenues to explore, which leads to more, which leads to more - all of which will further your growth as a musician. If you want specifics, like, "do this now, and do this now", you're not going to get them from an internet forum. That's not how any competent musician has every grown - they have figured it out for themselves.

If you do want specific goals, however, let me ask you a few questions.

Can you sight-read a Bach cello suite?
Can you walk a bassline to Countdown?
Can you play a pop song after listening to it once?
Do you know the difference between (and can play) a cha-cha, son, mambo, merengue, and guaracha?
Can you play a three octave scale of every mode of the major, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scales?

No? Get to it!

A quick way of becoming great is to watch the blues brothers films multiple times. Dress Like Them, Talk Like Them and you will soon be a God! :bassist:

One thing I learned over the past year or so is that you might always think you suck because as you learn more you realize how much more there still is to learn...get over it and play.

man i feel this ALL THE TIME. the better i get, the more i realize i suck, you know?

but what should you practice? if you want to get good, practice with a metronome. learn your scales. learn improvisation. listen to EVERYTHING with a critical ear. what makes a given song/bassline work? what parts feel weak? isolate the good parts, extract them and incorporate them your own playing.

i dunno, everything has been said already. if you sit down and practice methodically and purposefully you will get better. sometimes just sit down and groove too. there is no magic bullet.

Sand the floor Daniel-san.

http://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww88/michaelcase/250px-Pat-Morita_Karate_Kid.jpg

A quick way of becoming great is to watch the blues brothers films multiple times. Dress Like Them, Talk Like Them and you will soon be a God! :bassist:

... instead of being on a mission from him. :smug:

I would say the number one thing you need to do is sort your attitude out - otherwise nothing will serve its purpose to you.

Strong desire to learn is admirable... dodging the legwork ain't.

You wanted motivation... Becoming a human god, a funky sex machine, a virtuoso, and a snazzy dresser is surely enough?

i'm not gonna repeat myself.

Wax on!

http://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww88/michaelcase/250px-Pat-Morita_Karate_Kid.jpg

Wax off!

Listen and PRACTICE. Ray Brown, Jamerson, Jaco, Bootsy, et al didn't get great because they were given some big secret to becoming a phenomenal bassist. Listen to a TON music and learn what good bass players are doing on records...that's how they did it...

Wax on!

Wax off!

i realize you don't actually know me or that i'm asian, and that any racism is probably unintentional, but that's really getting on my nerves. :mad:

i realize you don't actually know me or that i'm asian, and that any racism is probably unintentional, but that's really getting on my nerves. :mad:

It's not racism, it's more a commentary on how you don't get the fact that PRACTICE is the secret.

Do enough acid wheres everytime you pick up your bass you instead think you're picking up a magical sword with frets on it and each time you strum a string it shoots out a blaze of fire at the 100 dragons in the crowd of a local bar.

Do enough acid wheres everytime you pick up your bass you instead think you're picking up a magical sword with frets on it and each time you strum a string it shoots out a blaze of fire at the 100 dragons in the crowd of a local bar.

The LSD bass method by Timothy Leary!

Little Orphan Annie always says, "Dont forget to drink you ovaltine!"

i realize you don't actually know me or that i'm asian, and that any racism is probably unintentional, but that's really getting on my nerves. :mad:

I didnt take that as racist either. Im not Asian, dont get me wrong, but it wasnt a racist comment in any context.

but that's really getting on my nerves. :mad:

Then my job is done here.

Oh and if you want to be a remarkable bassist, get a P bass! :hiding:

Brother Tupelo, what these kind cats are trying to convey to you is that there is no magic pill. There is no 'do this, then this, then that, and you will be great'. There is only a bass player, his bass, and the music he is trying to play.

To be a remarkable bass player, you need to pursue many of the things mentioned here. Together. Practice sight reading, to the best of your abilities, as often as your gig demands it, and then more. Practice scales, modes, chords, and arpeggios, to the maximum extent of your abilities in terms of comprehension and technical ability. Practice playing by ear, as often as you can, as many styles and genres as you can. Practice walking and improvisation, to defined chord progressions.

Practice all of these things. If I had to say one of them was more important than any other, I'd say playing by ear - but you'd probably get a lot of different opinions on that, as well, and none of them are so important that you can afford to neglect any other.

Ultimately, I'll say this. Only you can define when you are remarkable, and only you (or a skilled instructor, possibly) can tell you what you need to work on next. We'll share what has worked for us, and what we feel, in our personal experience, has done us the most good - but we are all individuals, and we all learn different things at different paces, and ultimately, what the kind folks who've been trying to help you are saying is that you need to figure out what you need the most work at, and work at it, and that could change frequently, and certainly isn't the same for you as it is for me.

see, that was closer to a useful post. concrete things to work on. scales, arpeggios, etc.
arrogantly telling me that i don't understand the value of practice is just completely wrong. i've put in 15 hour days on the guitar, and i know what it's worth, but i've also had instruction and concrete goals on the guitar. i want to have something worth practicing, so i don't just spend all my time doing the same stupid things, limited by my own imagination.

also, any time you're done just hearing what you want to hear, you'll realise i wasn't accusing him of being racist, i was saying he was getting on my nerves, and the reason is obviously because he's mirroring the actions of real life racist idiots that i have to put up with.

Ok (drill Sargent voice on)
:eyebrow: YOU WANT MOTIVATION? GET YOUR HANDS OFF THAT KEYBOARD YOU MAGGOT!!! PUT EM ON YOU BASS! DO IT NOWWWWWW MAGGOT! YOU WILL LEARN! I WILL TEACH YOU! I WILL MOLD YOU INTO A LEAN MEAN BASS PLAYIN MACHINE! YOU WILL WALK, TALK,EAT AND SEEP WITH THAT BASS! IF THAT BASS LEAVES YOUR GRUBBY LITTLE MITTS FOR 1 SECOND, I WILL PUT MY FOOT SO FAR UP YOUR BUT, YOU WILL BE COUGHING SHOE LEATHER!!!! NOW PLAY ME A CHROMATIC SCALE MAGGOT!!! :eyebrow: MOVE IT, MOVE IT MOOOOOOVE IT! :eyebrow: WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT MAGGOT? PICK UP THAT BASS BOY! PUT IT DOWN! PICK IT UP! PUT IT DOWN!! YOU EYE BALLING ME BOY? DROP AND GIVE ME A G MAJOR! G MINOR! NOW ADD A FLAT 5!!! I SAID FLAT 5! YOU MISERABLE MAGGOT! SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR EARS BOY? NOW DROP AND GIVE ME TWENTY FIVVVE!!!
(voice off) :D:bassist::D

I wish I had someone standing over my shoulder saying those things all the time. Then maybe I could get better.

I'm not even joking.

see, that was closer to a useful post. concrete things to work on. scales, arpeggios, etc.
arrogantly telling me that i don't understand the value of practice is just completely wrong. i've put in 15 hour days on the guitar, and i know what it's worth, but i've also had instruction and concrete goals on the guitar. i want to have something worth practicing, so i don't just spend all my time doing the same stupid things, limited by my own imagination.

So I guess my post giving you concrete goals to work towards was worthless to you.

I repeat.

Can you sight-read a Bach cello suite?
Can you walk a bassline to Countdown?
Can you play a pop song after listening to it once?
Do you know the difference between (and can play) a cha-cha, son, mambo, merengue, and guaracha?
Can you play a three octave scale of every mode of the major, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scales(all 21 of them)?

see, that was closer to a useful post. concrete things to work on. scales, arpeggios, etc.
arrogantly telling me that i don't understand the value of practice is just completely wrong. i've put in 15 hour days on the guitar, and i know what it's worth, but i've also had instruction and concrete goals on the guitar. i want to have something worth practicing, so i don't just spend all my time doing the same stupid things, limited by my own imagination.

Sounds like you know the value of a good instructor, then. If I were you, and wanted to waste the least possible time in developing skills, I would find the best possible instructor in your area, and start taking lessons. Seriously, there is no single thing you can do that will help more.

No one can help you get better like someone who is a) being paid to, b) is sitting right in front of you, and c) has some background in helping people develop bass playing skills.

Part of the problem here, Brother Tupelo, is that you've come across as both confrontational and unwilling to learn (ie, looking for the proverbial magic pill). I suspect that such is not your intention, ergo my willingness to try and rephrase - but this is the internet, and no one can hear your inflections. I can guarantee that this has lead several folks who, who honestly started out trying to help, to be ... less than helpfully inclined.

I didn't honestly post anything new, either. The whole point to comments like wax on, wax off, isn't to poke fun at anyone's heritage, but to emphasize the importance of the mundane, and the repetitious. Seriously, if you want to become a remarkable bass player, you will be doing a whole heckuva a lot of 'waxing on, waxing off' as it relates to the instrument.

So I guess my post giving you concrete goals to work towards was worthless to you.

I repeat.

Can you sight-read a Bach cello suite?
Can you walk a bassline to Countdown?
Can you play a pop song after listening to it once?
Do you know the difference between (and can play) a cha-cha, son, mambo, merengue, and guaracha?
Can you play a three octave scale of every mode of the major, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scales(all 21 of them)?

slowly
i don't know the song, but probably
not note for note, and depends on the song, but i'm usually there within a few bars
no, and yes, badly
yes

So I guess my post giving you concrete goals to work towards was worthless to you.

I repeat.

Can you sight-read a Bach cello suite?
Can you walk a bassline to Countdown?
Can you play a pop song after listening to it once?
Do you know the difference between (and can play) a cha-cha, son, mambo, merengue, and guaracha?
Can you play a three octave scale of every mode of the major, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scales(all 21 of them)?

Just a matter of how you phrased it, I think. All I really did was restate your ideals, stripping the specifics. You used a fairly interrogative form of speaking, which can often lead to bristling emotions, feelings of 'competition', and bruised egos, whilst I was intentionally pretty casual, while emphasizing what I felt were critical points.

Sounds like you know the value of a good instructor, then. If I were you, and wanted to waste the least possible time in developing skills, I would find the best possible instructor in your area, and start taking lessons. Seriously, there is no single thing you can do that will help more.

No one can help you get better like someone who is a) being paid to, b) is sitting right in front of you, and c) has some background in helping people develop bass playing skills.

Part of the problem here, Brother Tupelo, is that you've come across as both confrontational and unwilling to learn (ie, looking for the proverbial magic pill). I suspect that such is not your intention, ergo my willingness to try and rephrase - but this is the internet, and no one can hear your inflections. I can guarantee that this has lead several folks who, who honestly started out trying to help, to be ... less than helpfully inclined.

I didn't honestly post anything new, either. The whole point to comments like wax on, wax off, isn't to poke fun at anyone's heritage, but to emphasize the importance of the mundane, and the repetitious. Seriously, if you want to become a remarkable bass player, you will be doing a whole heckuva a lot of 'waxing on, waxing off' as it relates to the instrument.

jesus, man. i didn't say he was being racist. i was explaining why it was getting on my nerves.
and i can't find a teacher. i'm in a country where i don't speak the language and the only bass player i know puts me to sleep every time he talks.

slowly
i don't know the song, but probably
not note for note, and depends on the song, but i'm usually there within a few bars
no, and yes, badly
yes

And there you have it.

To be a remarkable bass player, in HaVIC5's eyes, you know what you need to do.

Chances are, you have a different ideal, as I alluded to, and therefor, it would be best to seek out an instructor who can help you work on those elements of being a 'well rounded player' that you feel most lead you to being a remarkable player.

this thread was a waste of my time and a test of my patience. exactly what i didn't want to do.

this thread was a waste of my time and a test of my patience. exactly what i didn't want to do.

I sure hope you don't try to push your great album here when it's finally done and you're looking for listeners.

jesus, man. i didn't say he was being racist. i was explaining why it was getting on my nerves.
and i can't find a teacher. i'm in a country where i don't speak the language and the only bass player i know puts me to sleep every time he talks.

Then you have a different, and specific problem, that maybe someone can help with.

My 'wisdom' (thanks for your edit, BTW. I'm certainly not wise, and sure hope no one bows down to me. ask my kids - they'd laugh at the thought of it) would seem to indicate that the problem you are facing here is 'how can I find qualified instruction in a country where I don't speak the language, and I haven't been able to find any bass players I respect enough to try to learn from'.

If that's the case, there are probably some web based sites with very good learning material. Review the stickies. Perhaps, if you're patient, and have the ability to record yourself (visual and audio), you may be able to find an instructor willing to work with you online (I'm not familiar with any such, but they may well exist in this day and age). Otherwise, I'd suggest whatever local networking sites may be available, music stores, etc. Perhaps posting what you're looking for, specifically, in a new thread, including the name of the country, your chosen language, etc, may be helpful as well.

sorry to anyone who helped. i don't really care about the rest of you.

the irony of telling someone else to be humble is obviously one overlooked by you.

this thread was a waste of my time and a test of my patience. exactly what i didn't want to do.

If this thread was a waste of your time, it was a waste of time for everyone who tried to help you as well. If you already know all the answers, you can keep the questions to yourself (I apologize for my rudeness).

also, pointing out the blatantly obvious, like "practice more" is less helpful, funny, or worthwhile than you'd think.

the irony of telling someone else to be humble is obviously one overlooked by you.

Right.

You are.

Absolutely.

Right.

I'm done here. Best of luck to you.

same

also, pointing out the blatantly obvious, like "practice more" is less helpful, funny, or worthwhile than you'd think.

Well, there you go.

Go and find a teacher that scares the %$&# out of you by their reputation alone.
You can even do it online now through some good reputable Music Schools.
Get them to sit with you for 5 minutes (webcam) and watch what/how you play and then ask them for suggestions on becoming a "better" (subjective term I know) player.
It doesn't matter how long you've been playing - a good/fresh teacher does wonders for snapping you out of that comfort zone we all slip into time to time.
My 2 cents :)

This thread has been informative and comical all at the same time. What the heck, I'll jump in.

The most important thing I've ever done (and I wish I had started doing it sooner) is, after you find a lesson or a song to play, record yourself and listen back. You can sort of listen for feel if you'd like, but I'd be more interested in the technical stuff. Are there any strings ringing, do you hear some muffled or slurred notes, etc. Billy Sheehan always advised to break licks down piece by piece, find the weak part, and then hammer it home until you can play it smoothly. If you hear some problems, then you can adjust your hands accordingly.

Now, as far as learning a bazillion songs and expanding your musical vocabulary, I'd hold off on that. I'm only starting now to learn to play guitar leads on bass (the song "Mourn" by Miika Tenkula of the now-defunct Sentenced, for example), but back when I started, I only wanted to play bass for heavy metal. No frills. I played music that was fun yet challenging - Iron Maiden. So, to you I say, listen to bands whose style matches yours. Extrapolate from there - it's a start.

slowly
i don't know the song, but probably
not note for note, and depends on the song, but i'm usually there within a few bars
no, and yes, badly
yes

Good, you see? By asking yourself these questions, you can see your weak points and where to improve. Being painfully honest with yourself is the best way to go about this. For example, sure you can play a three octave lydian #9 scale, but can you do it in thirds? fourths, fifths, sixths sevenths? And how fluidly can you make those shifts? How many fingerings can you come up with for the three octaves? Coming up with ways to practice material is the way the greats get great, not by having an instructor spoonfeed every single exercise into you. A good book for developing this kind of mindset is "The Advancing Guitarist" by Mick Goodrick. I guarantee you that this book will give you years of things to explore.

For the record, I very much doubt you, or anybody for that matter, could credibly sight-walk an bassline to Countdown at tempo. The late great Mr. Paul Chambers couldn't - the changes are so difficult and so complex that on the Giant Steps recording the rhythm section doesn't come in until the head out, and even then, PC is pretty much doing root notes. Have you ever shed Giant Steps? Countdown is Giant Steps in three different keys at a faster tempo. Jazz musicians (including myself) will regularly do nothing for a month except for practicing Giant Steps, and that's easier than Countdown.

Practice 10,000 hours
Listen to 500 hours of recorded music
Learn 500 songs
Listen to 500 hour of live music
Write 10 songs
Rehearse 1000 hours
Play 100 gigs

All's you need it time.
There's no magic to this stuff.

A month in the basement really won't get you there.
If you don't have the time...oh well.....

sorry to anyone who helped. i don't really care about the rest of you.

Which is well matched.

Well brothertupelo, I was just having some fun with you. I see you got some really good advice here. Honestly I believe that asking questions online about getting better as a musician is kind of futile. No two people will have the same advice, plus you never really stated your goals. Is the CD you want to record a rock CD? Is it jazz? Funk? Blues? Free improvisation?

To log onto an internet forum and ask people who HAVE NO IDEA WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU CAN DO to make you a better bassist is a JOKE period. And if you get annoyed by the practice more advice, then you're pretty far off the mark. All the advice given to you requires PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!

Plenty of people have given you good advice, now go and start working.

It takes about ten years of playing and practice to become a musician. Then being a pro musician is like any job and you need to put in about 40 hours a week. Twenty hour of gigging and twenty hours of practice.

I would say after about ten years of playing and at a musician level your practice is more about composing and experimentation and your instrument(s) practice is more part of the tools of composing and experimentation.


If the OP has played guitar for 15 years he should of been able to answer this question himself. Reading the OP's replies the line from Planet of the Apes comes to mind... Don't ask questions you don't really want the answer to.

As amusing as it is to take sage advice from a 70's science fiction movie, +1 to DocBop.

One thing that's helping me a lot is using a looper to make my own tunes. Pick a chord progression, either from a tune or your your own head. First play the chords high up on your bass, either plucked in unison or individually in a cool rhythm, then add a beat by layering ghost notes (plucked or slapped), then let the loop play and improvise your baseline underneath it. This is fun because you're making your own tunes, and will make you practice many facets at once. Limitless possibilities...

If you send me five thousand dollars, I'll turn you into a remarkable bassist.

Listen. Practice. Learn. Relax. (repeat)

Jon Liebman
Author, "FUNK BASS," "BASS GROOVES" and other books
www.JonLiebman.com

Why don't you just apply the methods you put into the other instruments you learned how to play and put it into terms with bass? Take a song you already know on guitar and play the bass part. Try playing the guitar part (melody) on bass. I've been playing & gigging for 20 years & still know there's plenty more to learn. There's only one way to learn something and that's with the basic fundamentals. Ya dig?

i have an ok ear from other instruments and i've been around for long enough that right now i can get by as a fairly uninteresting stand-in, but i don't do anything that well. turn me into a human god, a funky sex machine, a virtuoso, and a snazzy dresser.

go.

It will never happen. Your entitled lazy mentality ensures that. But don't feel bad about being a lazy mediocrity, really! Your competition loves people like you. You are appreciated after all! :hyper: