Need your help.

[enpontus]

I´ve been playing the bass for maybe a year and have been playing with my band for as long time. i consider myself rather good. but i have this problem. when i play i feel like i´m shackled or something, i know were to start playing but don´t know were to continue to get the sound that i want when i´m jamming.

[Jimmy Bones]

What do you mean by sound?

You mean bass tone?

You mean creativity outside the root note?

Little more info would be helpful.

[enpontus]

what i mean is that i try to start with the root and then i know that you can play the major third and fifth. But i want a funky sound, with sound i mean notes that sound good together and with a riff that sound funky. but also i like melodic things that is slow and harmonic.

[Jimmy Bones]

Well, truth be told, I don't know much by way of theory, still studying up on that, but every so often, I can accidentally improvise something that sounds ok.

Maybe all you really need to do is let your mind do the playing and just let your fingers follow where they will. That's sorta how my improv happens.

[WillieJ]

Well, Jimmy Bones, you're likely to get as many answers/opinions as you get responders to this. You're sort of asking "How do I make up basslines." A big question. The quick (not so helpful) answer is: it'll come to you as you play longer than a year and half. More concretely: I suggest you listen A LOT to LOTS of songs with a groove you like, and play along and learn the basslines. Then play along with the song and vary the bassline a bit. Play around with it. Eventually come up with alternate lines of your own. And you'll start to get a feel for how to vary and 'invent' lines of your own that you like. How long's that gonna take? Something may start happening pretty fast. And then you can keep working at it until you go 6 feet under or arthritis catches up with you.

[Jimmy Bones]

Heh. Not my thread. :P