Applying Bass Lines to other instruments

[sixwatergrog]

I'm a novice on an instrument called the (Irish) tenor banjo. For those who don't know, it's a 4-string instrument normally tuned in 5ths G-D-A-E like a mandolin or fiddle (it does not have the 5th string peg like on a bluegrass or clawhammer banjo). It's popular in Irish traditional music. You'll also hear it in old Dixieland jazz, but usually in a different tuning for that type of music.

I recently realized that a bass is tuned E-A-D-G, which has a lot in common with Irish tenor banjo (same number of strings and the same notes, just in reverse order). So I've been reading some bass books and it seems to me that the theory behind bass playing and bass lines is VERY applicable to my instrument. For example, when there is a hole in the melody I can fill that with a bass-line.

Does anyone know of non-bass players applying bass concepts to their instrument? It seems like mandolin players, and in my case a tenor banjo player using the mandolin tuning, would have a direct connection to the bass because of the similarity of the notes.

[MalcolmAmos]

I'm an old 5 string banjo guy that took off the 5th string and played dixieland with my banjo. Main difference with the bass and the banjo is we do not strum and the four string banjo does. Banjo plays chords, we play chord tones.

That said most skills on another instrument will flow, to one degree or the other, into another instrument. My keyboard experience helps my bass. No question my rhythm guitar experience helps my bass. Can't say that much has transferred from my clarinet, but, that's a woodwind and not strings.

But, music is music no mater what instrument you use. Your horizon is broadened with each instrument you play, thus your understanding of music is improved.

The banjo is a fun instrument I know you will enjoy your journey.

[Xwolf Okami]

Originally Posted by MalcolmAmos

Can't say that much has transferred from my clarinet, but, that's a woodwind and not strings.

Bass being my second instrument, (I am also a piccolo/flute player) I've found that simply being able to read sheet music has greatly helped my playing. I'm still a beginner at bass, but I've found my woodwind experience has definitely helped my bass playing abilities.

[sixwatergrog]

Cool. Thanks for the replies. One thing about tenor banjo - yes it's all about chords when played in a Dixieland style. However tenor banjo is also popular in Irish trad (think reels, jigs, hornpipes) and an Irish tenor banjo player can go his whole life and never play a chord. It's all notes - single note melody. That's kinda the way I started on tenor banjo, just playing melodies, playing the notes. Chords came later.