Classical guitar style....

[magnusdeus123]

Wannabee melodic bassist here , in need of some advice from the bass pro's , even though this is an outlandish topic ;

I've been watching a couple of youtube video's here and there , and I've discovered a few style's which people play , which has really inspired me , and I need help figuring out on how I can move onto playing in that style . I've posted the video further below , and those who have the patience could check it out , please , atleast for a few secs , and tell me what exactly would you think this guys have gone through in order to play such a soothing style of bass playing....

http://youtube.com/watch?v=45or5ZVW9Jw

....any suggestion is really appreciated . Cheers .

[owensea777]

That was a cool link, thanks for it.
You will have to learn all you can about music theory. Learn keys, notes, intervals, scales, chords (and arpeggios), and how they fit together. Learn time signatures and how to read music sheets.
Practice the fingerstyle movements the guy in the video was using. As you can see, for much of the time he was holding chords or a specific pattern of intervals, and plucking downwards with his thumb, then upwards on the lowest string with his middle, and upwards with his index on the middle string. Sometimes he plucked the middle and index fingers in unison. His harmonics sounded good as well.
When you learn about intervals, you will learn which ones sound unresolved and which ones make your musical thoughts sound complete. He was pretty much playing a melody by himself as opposed to harmony in a band.
Try holding a fret on the A string with your index. At the same time, two frets up the neck (so that there's one fret in between the index and ring that's not fingered), hold two frets down on the D and G with your ring, or hold one with your ring and the other with your pinky. Then try to do the classical guitar-like fingerstyle method you see in the video. Move up and down the neck and experiment. Start slow, as it may be difficult to get your right hand fingers moving independently. Learn about key signatures, and stay within a certain key.
Also learn the different modes and which one's sound resolved and unresolved. You will start on a note/scale/whatever, move to an unresolved point, and then end up with a resolving point, which may be the note/scale/whatever that you started with.

If that's confusing, let me know, and good luck.

[magnusdeus123]

No , It all makes sense , because I do know a bit of theory

Scales , Chords , Intervals , Keys , Arpeggios and some more other stuff . Need to learn modes and the fretboard well enough along with sightreading , and I should be set .

I checked out the other thread I had ref'd this at , and I've got a suggestion similar to what you said , that the guy's been using a set of chord progressions which he seems to be Arpegiating over . I'll have to check that out . I'm still not that sure on how you can perform chords efficiently on the bass . If anyone has a link to a chord chart for the bass or something , it would be really helpfull...

[spindizzy]

I could only find on that is a tab oriented reference but maybe it will help you. Go to http://www.activebass.com/resources/revmain.asp?i=4483 to check it out.

Spin

[magnusdeus123]

It's actually quite helpfull , given me a start somewhat . I'll use it as a base and prepare my own chord chart , and probably print it on and post it on the door or something . Thanks .

[lomo]

I highly recommend Mike Dimin's book "The Chordal Approach" and his Bassics magazine video and article on solo bass arrangement for "St. James Infirmary". Chordal playing and harmonics on bass are sooooo beautiful to the ear!

[magnusdeus123]

Thats exactly what I'm talking about lomo . The only thing more beautifull than a Rhythm guitar playing Classical Chordal approach is a Bass playing classical chordal approach harmonically . I need to learn this !!!