Anything I need to learn?

[LowNoteRyan]

I have been playing bass for 4-5 years. I learned my notes in my first year, and then started playing songs by ear. I thought I wouldnt need notes if I could learn it by ear. I am pretty sure I have forgotten my notes, so I am going to start learning them again. Does anyone have an advice to a "newer" player who is re-learning his notes and anything at all that I should learn while im learning with my notes? I have great skill when it comes to playing, but I feel like I need to learn more and more about notes and musical theory.

[Stumbo]

Check out the links in my sig. below for some great TB info on learning notes/theory.

Good luck.

[MalcolmAmos]

Wow, where do we start. There are several ways to proceed with what you have asked.

1. Reading standard notation and knowing the notes on the staff and then where they are on your fretboard is one way. That's the best way to go IF you can find bass cleft sheet music on your type of music. I'm Country and finding published bass cleft is almost impossible. Fake chord and lead sheet - everywhere - bass cleft - sorry. Pop and Rock fall into this same category.
   
2. Playing by ear is another. Good luck with that.
   
3. Then there is playing from fake chord or lead sheet music where you know the chords being used. Once you know the chords being used then you only have to know how to write a bass line that will let you lay down a beat and groove using those chords. This walks you into the World of box patterns and chord tone interval numbers, aka R-3-5-8, etc.
   
4. One more way to consider and that is a combination of the above three.

Pick a way - If we know which way you want to go - then we can focus on that way and not confuse you with bits and pieces from all four ways.

Good luck.

[Michael Campbel]

> Reading standard notation and knowing the notes on the staff and then where they are on your fretboard is one way.

I just happened to resurrect a good thread on learning the notes of the fretboard. Learning the Fret Board

[Beginner Bass]

I would suggest http://www.amazon.com/Mel-Note-Readi.../dp/0786602473 for notes. After that I would suggest picking up http://www.amazon.com/Real-Book-Hal-...0086670&sr=8-1 to work on treble clef. Learning to read coupled with a good ear will allow you to write the lines out, which I do quite often when I'm messing around with melodies so I can come back to them before I forget.

[LowNoteRyan]

Thanks guys, I forgot to mention, I had 3 bass books. 1 for learning the notes, so I dont need anything on that, but it only goes up to 4 frets of teaching those. The other 2 are books with songs in it to learn. I will review all those links you all sent me, Thanks!