Can anyone help tell me where to go next?

[skeptikal]

So, I've been learning 'theory' in a nutshell. Most of the teachers around here want to teach you cover songs and charge $40/hr for it. I'm looking for something to give me a different way to look at or approach the bass. I tend to start a bass line then 9/10 it ends up being like a R-R-4-5 if you get what I mean. I use alot of 4-5 hammer ons. I feel like I get stuck playing almost the same bass lines over and over. I listen to a ton of music (pandora is gods gift to boring jobs) but I never really sit down and jam with the music.

I hate reading books but I might be interested in a new concept of music. I know I should probably jam along with the music and whatnot but I'm looking for more of a concept approach. I have a weird way of learning things. Once I understand the concept of a technique or theory I can begin to practice it and incorporate it into what I'm doing. I'm more of a "well why are you playing that" as opposed to "can you show me that again".

jeez.... I just realized how long that post was. Sorry guys! Any help would be greatly appreciated. I want to step it up a little bit and expand my technique/knowledge.

I recommend the bass bible by Paul Westwood - it's perfect to dip into and covers a huge range of styles.

[blue_in_green]

If you hate books at least take the time to look up your basic major and minor scales. The minor pentatonic scale is infinitely useful and simple. Memorize the relationship of intervals (the number of frets) between each note in each of those scales.

From there on out just sit down with your bass and work out each of the scales in all twelve keys. Once you have a grasp of scales, playing a bassline becomes much easier. It takes a long time, but it is most definitely worth it.

Also, perhaps listen to a slower song you like and see if you can figure out what the bassist is doing. It might give you some ideas.

[Stumbo]

Take a look at the link below in my sig. There's lots of good info there that might help you along the way.

Good luck.

[skeptikal]

I've been "jamming theory" lessons for about a year now. Basically my instructor played drums and said Jam in the key of C focused around the Drop D, or something to that extent. So i've got the major/minor thing pretty much figured out.

I'm focusing more on ear training now and listening to music (maybe not necessarily playing the exact bass line) trying to internalize the sounds and the chords/notes that can be played along with the song. I've got a good ear but I want to be able to get down after hearing only 5 notes by a guitard or something.

I don't feel like I've "mastered" the fretboard yet and I am kinda looking for a technique to help me with this. I mean I understand the fretboard but I want to be able to jump all around it without missing a beat. I feel like I stay in a 4-5 fret block of notes.

Thanks for those links Stumbo, I'll definitely check them out. It just sucks around here because alot of the teachers just want to teach cover songs or major/minor scales. I'm more into the philosophy and the "where & why" as opposed to the "how". Sorry if I'm rambling, I know what I'm trying to say I just can't figure out how to say it lol.

[BillyRay]

When I start to get in a rut of boring basslines, I usually do one of two things (or both):
a) Transcribe
b) Get the ole fakebook out and walk me some lines with only a metronome, not even a drum track*

Both of these exercises have you think about note choice, intervals, fretboard and groove. And start transcribing NOTE for NOTE. I could halfass my way through a song like nobody's buisiness before I took my hiatus, but now that I have taken bass seriously again, I have fought my way out of this "good enough" mentality. When a passage in a song always feels off no matter how you try to play it and you decide to fake it, you've just given up on "outside of the box thinking". You basically never can put yourself on autopilot and let the fingers do the work: you have to listen all the damn time and explore.

* This is so that it forces me to play in a melodic fashion. When you already have a sax, piano, fiddle or whatever playing the melody, it's easy to go in "walking mode" and approch the chords with hard-coded patterns.

[derekd]

Since you don't like to read, how about an instructional video? I am mostly a visual learner, so I have a ton of various vids. They never fail to inspire me. Good luck