Help Me Evolve?

PoundinThunder · #1 10-21-2007, 08:19 PM

Hey everyone, im not quite sure if this is where im supposed to be but i need some help.

I have been playing since late december and i think i have gotten to be ok. by ok i mean i can lock in with a drummer and hold a steady groove. im not being cocky because i know there are many many people out there that blow me away in all different kinds of ways, but i have become the best bassist in my school (even though thats not quite a big accomplishment) anyways, i love slap stuff and have gotten kinda ok at it but for some reason, whatever i play, sounds the same. i always slap the note and pop its octave then kind of noodle in that little area if that makes sense. i cant seem to stray away from my habbits this might be due to the fact that i cant afford a teacher.
another problem i think i have is in my mind, i hear what notes sound "right" together and cant break the habit of needing them to sound right in my head. i only hear them agreeing in the same way. i think it might be kind of major scalish but i dont know. sorry for my ranting but im confused haha any suggestions besides getting a teacher? thanks

Grinky · #2 10-21-2007, 11:56 PM

Hey PT, sounds like you're stuck in a rut! It's a common especially among bassists since our kind tend to learn without a teacher. It's alright if you don't have one, as long as you've got ample quality influence around you to keep you inspired. But since you're already the best in your school, I guess you're gonna have to listen to records or Youtube videos. Try Youtube-ing Mark King! a favourite of mine is his Level 42 Love Games; it's worth a shot!

Don't just learn the song by memorizing visual patterns on your bass though. You're not going to learn effectively that way. If you've got some music theory knowledge, transcribe the song onto a bass clef stave and analysie his choice of notes in relation to the key and specific chord he plays in. This way, you'll be able to further internalise music out of your octave, major-ish habit of thinking that you have.

If you want, pick out certain licks from the song that you particularly like and add it to your own repertoire! Mark King is just one of the few slappers around so if you want to expand your playing creativity, hunt around and keep listening and analysing!

You can also invest in books to widen your knowledge of what notes to use where and when. The Jazz Theory Book by Mark Levine is one good book which focuses really on improvisation, and has been a great help to me to break out of the 'classical' thinking of scales and notes. If you say that you're stuck in a major-ish thinking, why doncha play in a... melodic minor key instead? It has greater melodic and intervalic possibilities than the major scale.

tswd · #3 10-22-2007, 09:10 AM

A pretty easy trap to fall into with slapping is to think that you need to play different bass lines because they're slapped. Slapping is merely a way of sounding the notes.

To expand your slap abilities, take non-slap bass lines and start playing them slapped. Mess around with which notes to slap or pop and have fun with it. It's perfectly acceptable to pop the E string or slap the G string, so don't be afraid to try different stuff. Mixing slap with slides and walking up and down the fretboard can be a lot of fun!

Audiophage · #4 10-22-2007, 09:10 AM

First learn the proper use of the word Evolve.

PoundinThunder · #5 10-22-2007, 12:57 PM

thanks to eveyone but audiophage. i will deff. look into some of the things suggested. i dont know how to explain my thinking, i know very little theory so i might be describing it wrong maybe i can upload a few clips of me playing sometime but thanks everyone.

Rasta420 · #6 10-22-2007, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audiophage

First learn the proper use of the word Evolve.

Change + time = evolve

RicPlaya · #7 10-22-2007, 01:26 PM

Feed your brain

Get into other types of music..push the envelope, play things that you are not comfortable with. Get out of your comfort zone with your playing and learning.

Audiophage · #8 10-22-2007, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rasta420

Change + time = evolve

I guess when you put it like that it makes sense.

funkalicious101 · #9 10-22-2007, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rasta420

Change + time = evolve

I actually think the correct math would be Change/Time = evolution

(change over time)

jefkritz · #10 10-22-2007, 06:00 PM

definitely listen to/play different styles. also, learn scales and modes (there are many books on this. i use "Jimmy Haslip's Melodic Bass Library," it's awesome). and jamming with people and listening and playing off of what they play is the best way to get better. good luck

grovest · #11 10-22-2007, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PoundinThunder

Hey everyone, im not quite sure if this is where im supposed to be but i need some help.

I have been playing since late december and i think i have gotten to be ok. by ok i mean i can lock in with a drummer and hold a steady groove. im not being cocky because i know there are many many people out there that blow me away in all different kinds of ways, but i have become the best bassist in my school (even though thats not quite a big accomplishment) anyways, i love slap stuff and have gotten kinda ok at it but for some reason, whatever i play, sounds the same. i always slap the note and pop its octave then kind of noodle in that little area if that makes sense. i cant seem to stray away from my habbits this might be due to the fact that i cant afford a teacher.
another problem i think i have is in my mind, i hear what notes sound "right" together and cant break the habit of needing them to sound right in my head. i only hear them agreeing in the same way. i think it might be kind of major scalish but i dont know. sorry for my ranting but im confused haha any suggestions besides getting a teacher? thanks

My advice is to get a part-time job or reduce your current expenses to a level where you can afford private lessons. Your teacher should start by verifying posture, then proceed immediately or soon after to scales.

**Mark Wilson** · #12 10-22-2007, 06:03 PM

Train until level 55 to become Dragonite!

Or, you can cheat, and get 99 Rare Candies by travelling to Viridian City, then travel up through it until you see an old man pacing backwards and forwards from left to right. He will then ask you if you are in a hurry. First of all, say yes. Then talk to him again but this time say no, you are not in a hurry. He will then show you how to catch a Pokemon. Afterwards talk to him one more time and tell him that you are not in a hurry.

Then fly to Cinnibar Island. Travel to the right side of the island and use a water Pokemon that has learned surf. Keep going up and down the right side of the island. Keep doing this until you run into a Pokemon which looks like a fuzzed graphic whose name is Missingno.

BEWARE! Do not catch this Pokemon because it can wipe your saved game. However if you do not catch it, everything will be okay. So just run away from this Pokemon. Once you have done this, whatever item you have on Item 6 of your item list will now be multiplied by a considerable amount, well over 100.

Hope this helps.

PoundinThunder · #13 10-22-2007, 07:32 PM

despite how useless ur reply was mark, thanks for the laugh and i think u might know a tad bit too much about pokemon. haha yeah, thanks to everyone that has given me USEFUL advice. i have been trying to expand my listining repitoire. i have watched youtube videos for hours on end and have had a slap bass dvd forever that i really never watched that i think i might pop in and check out. as for finding a teacher, im kind of out of luck, i have a job, but i need to buy a new car, finish up my rig, and like pay for college so a teacher is the last thing on my list. i have however seen a few vids regarding posture ad stuff. thanks everyone, maybe if i get the time, i can throw up some clips of me playin and you can tell me what i need to work on.

thanks again

**Mark Wilson** · #14 10-22-2007, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PoundinThunder

Hey everyone, im not quite sure if this is where im supposed to be but i need some help.

I have been playing since late december and i think i have gotten to be ok. by ok i mean i can lock in with a drummer and hold a steady groove. im not being cocky because i know there are many many people out there that blow me away in all different kinds of ways, but i have become the best bassist in my school (even though thats not quite a big accomplishment) anyways, i love slap stuff and have gotten kinda ok at it but for some reason, whatever i play, sounds the same. i always slap the note and pop its octave then kind of noodle in that little area if that makes sense. i cant seem to stray away from my habbits this might be due to the fact that i cant afford a teacher.
another problem i think i have is in my mind, i hear what notes sound "right" together and cant break the habit of needing them to sound right in my head. i only hear them agreeing in the same way. i think it might be kind of major scalish but i dont know. sorry for my ranting but im confused haha any suggestions besides getting a teacher? thanks

Alright! I'll rip ya apart now

If I sound offensive, I don't mean to!

Firstly, don't let your ego get to you. Everyone has one. I posted a thread exactly like yours a few years ago, and they ripped me apart!
Now, it's good that you feel like you can lock in with a drummer, but if this drummer has bad time, locking in with him is a BAD idea! Or, if you have bad time!
What I suggest first off is practicing scales, one and two octaves, WITH A METRONOME.

Now, with your slapping, try using Tritones. Tritones are great! But, don't tell that to a Classical musician

When I slap, I basically use 1, b3, 5, b7, Tritones, and 10ths (3rds up an octave)

Any questions, let me know.

PoundinThunder · #15 10-23-2007, 04:47 AM

haha i know all about over-egos i try not to be egotisticle but the honest truth is, i am the best in my school. i dont go parading around saying that tho. my guitard does that enough about me lol and i hate it. umm and the drummer thing, i have played with about 4 diff. drummers pretty regularly and i practice with my drum machine feature on mr digital recorder a lot too. umm yeah, i have no clue what a tritone is haha. the only thing i have it an arpeggio book and a few scales that i know. thanks

**Mark Wilson** · #16 10-25-2007, 11:23 AM

Well, your ego is getting ahead of you.
if you didn't care, you wouldn't have even told us.

if I tell you that a major scale is 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8.
All the different intervals are just the distance between notes.
So, 1 - 5 is a perfect 5th,

A TRITONE is 1 - #4 (or b5)
Basically, move up a string, and then the next fret over.

Grinky · #17 10-26-2007, 02:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Wilson

Well, your ego is getting ahead of you.
if you didn't care, you wouldn't have even told us.

Now now, ain't that getting a little too harsh?

Anyway, I suggest you really really get some theory lessons from any tom dick and harry if all you know are a few scales and arppeggios. There's a ton of stuff to learn, including different types of scales, e.g. the Blues scales, the Pentatonic scale, whole-tone scale, half-diminished scale among others. Practicing these will most definitely help you break out of a major/minor mindset and move on to playing notes you never knew about.

As for arppeggios, you've got your major, minor, dominant, major7th, minor 7th, dominant 7th. Those will fit over any major scale. Figure out the rest yourself!

And remember: practice in every key.

JimmyM · #18 10-26-2007, 02:48 AM

You have to make it hard for yourself. Getting better as a player is a constant struggle to challenge yourself to get better. A good qualified teacher is the best investment you can make in your bass equipment because they know what you need to do to challenge yourself, and it will save you tons of time trying to figure it out by yourself. But if you can't afford one, you can't afford one. I would recommend getting a book/DVD combination so you can at least hear and see what's going on in the book. Not as good as having a teacher but better than only having a book.

PoundinThunder · #19 10-26-2007, 04:45 AM

i looked into getting a teacher, but i think it might be hard for me to find one i like because i really have no interest in reading music. i know i know im gonna get a new one torn for that. but at this point in my playing, i feel like if i were to try to read music, i would pretty much have to forget everything i learned. i dont know, i understand how good it is to know how to read music but i judt dont like it. sorry if that like angers anyone haha thanks everyone, ill figure it out with time i guess

edit- my stepdad is best friends with a guy that played bass for brookes and dunn (sp) and i guess he has like 23 years under his belt. i think im gonna give him a call and ask if he wants to show me some stuff. even tho im not a fan of country haha

RicPlaya · #20 10-26-2007, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PoundinThunder

i looked into getting a teacher, but i think it might be hard for me to find one i like because i really have no interest in reading music. i know i know im gonna get a new one torn for that. but at this point in my playing, i feel like if i were to try to read music, i would pretty much have to forget everything i learned. i dont know, i understand how good it is to know how to read music but i judt dont like it. sorry if that like angers anyone haha thanks everyone, ill figure it out with time i guess

edit- my stepdad is best friends with a guy that played bass for brookes and dunn (sp) and i guess he has like 23 years under his belt. i think im gonna give him a call and ask if he wants to show me some stuff. even tho im not a fan of country haha

That's not totally true

Most teachers would want to show you how to sight read..not all would make you do it. A teacher would help, there is so much to learn besides reading music.