How do I improve?

Evil Undead · #1 01-15-2010, 01:38 PM

I've only been playing bass for about 4 months but I want to improve and just get so good that I can play anything I want

Only problem is that I struggle so much with theory. The only time signature I can play in is 4/4 and I can't read music. I do know the notes of the fretboard in standard E tuning. I only know the minor pentatonic scale.

I've had all sorts of classes to help with this... piano, violin and classical guitar lessons, music GCSE... played guitar for 20 years and can competently play chords (including barre and power chords) and I've kinda resigned myself to the fact that theory is just beyond my grasp.

So anyway, after the long babble, I want to know if it's possible to become good with such a limited knowledge? And how?

Thanks, appreciate any advice

clmayhew · #2 01-15-2010, 01:42 PM

A little bit of theory never hurts, but it is only theory. Play what you like and go from there. Have you considered lessons?

rappa29 · #3 01-15-2010, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clmayhew

A little bit of theory never hurts, but it is only theory. Play what you like and go from there. Have you considered lessons?

Yep. Just shed your @$$ off PLAYING your bass for now. You've only been playing 4 months. Don't be so hard on yourself!

If you completely hit the wall consider finding a good bass instructor.

J. Crawford · #4 01-15-2010, 01:49 PM

Practice.

Mikebass6 · #5 01-15-2010, 01:52 PM

Lessons are a great idea. Also, play along with everything that comes along. Different time signatures are not as hard as they appear. Plus, you would be teaching yourself theory without having to think about it so much, which is what the end goal is anyway. Get a good feel for the bass in music and you'll be on your way to improvement in short order. Remember that 4 months on a new instrument is a very short time and you will always be learning new things no matter how long you play!

Dennis99 · #6 01-15-2010, 01:53 PM

I have also been playing about that long. I played guitar for several years first however. I have been using studybass.com and find that it's very good! I'd recommend setting a practice schedule and hitting that site often.

BigOldHarry · #7 01-15-2010, 01:54 PM

Get a good teacher.
4 months is not much time.

Evil Undead · #8 01-15-2010, 01:55 PM

I do practice a lot but usually just end up playing other peoples riffs lol

How could I structure my practice routines? I did buy a bass scales book a couple of weeks ago but got a bit disinterested by plodding through scales and then I forget them as soon as I shut the book haha

I got a bass teacher that I go to every 2 weeks (a bit less if I've got lots of work on). He's awesome, and a really good teacher. He makes me feel confident about my playing. Last night he got the drum machine going and we just jammed along to some beats... I played basslines that I just pulled from nowhere, and he riffed along with his guitar... much fun was had by all.

I wanna learn how to play heavy metal which is something he's not massively into though

clmayhew · #9 01-15-2010, 01:59 PM

Sounds like you're doing well as-is. If something is starting to frustrate you, take a break and come back to it later. You don't have to learn all the scales and chords at once. Work with one scale until you have it down and then go to the next one.

Mr. Mig · #10 01-15-2010, 02:05 PM

Lessons and practice go a long way.

standupright · #11 01-15-2010, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evil Undead

I do practice a lot but usually just end up playing other peoples riffs lol

How could I structure my practice routines? I did buy a bass scales book a couple of weeks ago but got a bit disinterested by plodding through scales and then I forget them as soon as I shut the book haha

I got a bass teacher that I go to every 2 weeks (a bit less if I've got lots of work on). He's awesome, and a really good teacher. He makes me feel confident about my playing. Last night he got the drum machine going and we just jammed along to some beats... I played basslines that I just pulled from nowhere, and he riffed along with his guitar... much fun was had by all.

I wanna learn how to play heavy metal which is something he's not massively into though

the boring part of playing bass by yourself is an exercise in discipline. scales and modes are boring. finger exercises for both hands are boring. it takes discipline to do them. they are important. they help in ways not immediately noticeable when trying to improve. i've been playing for 25 some odd years. i practice about an hour or so every day, and part of my practice are scales and finger exercises. it's a bit like wanting to get in shape. it takes a while to get there, and while some of the routine stuff you have to do may be boring, there are things going on that you may not see immediately that help in the long run. try to make your daily practice interesting by incorporating different disciplines. you'll get there....just takes time

Evil Undead · #12 01-15-2010, 02:08 PM

I have a little trouble with my slap on slap and pop as well.
Is it kinda early in my bass playing days to be learning slap and pop?

Danny Fox · #13 01-21-2010, 03:43 PM

Not really, I started learning slap as a technique right from the start. Just take things slow and remember, technique first, speed second.

Rudreax · #14 01-21-2010, 04:03 PM

If you can't read and you can't play in different time signatures, why not learn to read and learn songs in things such as 5/4? Reading is not that hard to get the basics down, and everything else just comes with learning more.

Soverntear · #15 01-21-2010, 04:43 PM

if you ahve some cash kicking around, id suggest getting a copy of hal leonards bass method. it teaches you how to read music and my playing has improved 10 fold since i started with it

whitedk57 · #16 01-21-2010, 04:47 PM

Get a good headphone and a bass trainer (ex. Tascam mp-bt1) and learn tabs, chords, and possibly sheet music of songs that you like. Find a bunch of guys to jam with or join a band that will let you grow, and get experience. Get a bass teacher as well. These are all some things to try to get better.

Minotauros · #17 01-21-2010, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evil Undead

I've only been playing bass for about 4 months but I want to improve and just get so good that I can play anything I want

Only problem is that I struggle so much with theory. The only time signature I can play in is 4/4 and I can't read music. I do know the notes of the fretboard in standard E tuning. I only know the minor pentatonic scale.

I've had all sorts of classes to help with this... piano, violin and classical guitar lessons, music GCSE... played guitar for 20 years and can competently play chords (including barre and power chords) and I've kinda resigned myself to the fact that theory is just beyond my grasp.

So anyway, after the long babble, I want to know if it's possible to become good with such a limited knowledge? And how?

Thanks, appreciate any advice

Mate, search for posts by MalcolmAmos. He's got some great simple ideas as well as ways of making basic theory understandable.

I've been "playing" bass just about a month. All I'm doing is fidoodling around with the root, 3rd and 5th note of the chord to make a bass line. Usually I'm just using the root. And when you have a chord progression in which the chords share notes, you can stay on one common note or switch.

For example, F#m and Bm share F#. When the chord changes from F#m to Bm you can stay on F# or switch to B, your choice. The same with Em and A. They share E and A. Your choice to play either note on either chord.

I'd say that at our stage the most important thing is to know the triads that make up the chords so that when you see a chord progression on a sheet, you know what notes you can play over those chords. Plenty of bassists just pound away on the root note.

Just make the rhythm sound good, feel it.

stratovani · #18 01-21-2010, 09:28 PM

Turn on the radio and play along to whatever comes on. Even the commercials. Remember, it's all about the music!

Valerus · #19 01-21-2010, 09:39 PM

The best thing I had was a teacher for 5 years. Then after that, I just learned to listen to a song and be able to either: figure out the bassline, or predict the bassline and whatnot.

Then I found pedals and all hell broke loose.

Main thing: Find a good bass teacher that will kick your butt if you slack off or have bad technique.

I cannot stress enough how much you need good technique for your fretting hand. 7 years of my bad fretting hand technique has left me with DeQuervain's Syndrome and it hurts to play sometimes. Like hardcore pain.

So I adjusted my fretting hand a lot and it has seemed to help a lot.

So in short, find a good teacher, practice a lot on your own, keep up good technique, and NEVER GIVE UP!

Britbonic · #20 01-22-2010, 12:25 AM

I had the same issue. Played guitar for years, theory never stuck and it was taking a long time to get better. Decided I needed to do something or I wouldn't live long enough to be a good bass player. Just playing a lot is fun and will have some payoff but here's what you need to do:

1. Get a teacher. Check out a couple till you find one that you feel comfortable with. Doesn't have to be someone that kicks your ass, just someone that will help you learn what you want.

2. Practice. Create a regular practice plan. Decide how much time per day/week/month whatever that you can realistically spend practicing. If you say you'll play 2 hours a day but you can only do 1/2 hour every couple of days that's not realistic. Smaller, shorter practices are better than occasional long ones. Also, be specific about what you're going to practice. Noodling around on your bass is not practicing. Divide up your practice time so you can focus on a small number of things. EG. 10-15 scales, 20 minutes reading, 20 minutes working on learning a new tune. Move on to new things once you've master some things, though scales and such should always be included. Kinda like stretching before playing a sport.

3. Figure out what you want to learn. Slap? Funk? Punk? Jazz? Blues? All good to know on the bass but you can't learn them all at once. Pick an area and focus your attention on it.

4. Learn from the masters. Once you've figured out 3, listen to the best players in each category and learn what and how they're doing what they do. A teacher can be a big help here and you can supplement with instructional books, DVDs, YouTube, etc.

5. Theory - How much you need depends on what you're trying to do. Certainly at least need to know the names of notes at least on the E and A strings to play even the most basic stuff. Also, basic rhythm and time - at a minimum being able to count so you know where to play the notes to be in time with the band. Don't be afraid of learning a few scales and practicing them. Yes, it can be boring but it will make a huge difference over time.

6. Time - Practice with a metronome. Always. Be aware of where the bass notes should be played relative to the tune. Record yourself playing to see if you are playing in time. Better to play fewer notes (eg. root, V, octave) in time then more notes that are not.

7. Find other people to play with, preferably people who are at a similar or even better level than you are. Always be looking for the next level of players to play with. Once you improve, you'll need to play with better players or you won't continue to improve.

If you do all or most of the things listed here for 1 year I guarantee you will be a much better player than you are today. Obviously, the more time you have to play the better but that's not realistic for most people. It's also less effective unless you have a plan for where you want to get and how to get there. I only wish it hadn't taken me so many years to realize it myself! Good luck, hope this helps.