The Best Thing Ever Learned...

[lang]

i think everybody has something that was really useful and maybe helped more than some other exercises, maybe a certain way to play scales or some kind of theory that opened up alot to you, can anyone share with me what really helped you....

thanks

[pretaanluxis]

best thing I learnt was to relax my muscles as much as possible when playing

[DaemonBass]

Originally Posted by lang

i think everybody has something that was really useful and maybe helped more than some other exercises, maybe a certain way to play scales or some kind of theory that opened up alot to you, can anyone share with me what really helped you....

thanks

Playin with a band. Playin to a metronome.

[62bass]

When I first learned basic chordal theory and how chords progressed and resolved. It completely changed my playing for the better and I started getting better, more varied, gigs and doing a lot of sub work.

[sync00]

Originally Posted by 62bass

When I first learned basic chordal theory and how chords progressed and resolved. It completely changed my playing for the better and I started getting better, more varied, gigs and doing a lot of sub work.

Could you explain how knowledge of how chords progress and resolve improved your playing?

[chaosMK]

One of the best things I learned was correct left hand thumb placement. You can't go wrong with basic theory though.

[ryco]

Learning about what some around here refer to as "guide tones", or 3rds and 7ths in a chord. 3rds outline the quality of a chord (maj,min)and 7ths propel the motion or direction.

Funnest to learn was songwriting and collaborating.

[Wespe]

Honestly? Having played for only six or seven months I think the two best things I ever learned were the pentatonic scale and major and minor arpeggios. It doesn't sound like much, but it's helped me out TONS in writing bass lines and even my own songs.

[whitedk57]

I am still learning it... but, trying to play by ear is what is helping me.

My bass teacher told me to play to the radio station songs and not to CDs or MP3s. He wanted me to try to get the basic bassline of the songs before the song was done. I still incorporate alot of ear-training into my practice. I can't get every song yet, and I don't really care about getting the exact bassline down. I am however trying to pick up on patterns and the basic bass riff.

Now, I am trying to add fills and runs on some of the songs that are really basic. It's really rewarding when I know I am hitting the same notes.

[62bass]

Originally Posted by sync00

Could you explain how knowledge of how chords progress and resolve improved your playing?

It improved my ear after playing through chordal progressions. Then I could hear better on various songs where the chords were going or were likely to go. naturally, this helped a lot when having to learn a new song quickly. Rock and Roll and blues of course are generally quite simple and it's very easy to hear what's going on. But for other things rather than 3 chord stuff.