Had to quit lessons, How do I proceed?

[prater]

So things got tight and I had to quit my lessons after only two months. However I don't want to quit learning, but I'm not sure how to proceed. I've picked up a book or two in the past that didn't really do much for me, I also tried a couple of DVDs but they too didn't help much. I'm in a weird place because, I can play decently well, if I memorize the song. I can't play by ear or jam along to a song I don't know. I'm pretty much stuck playing songs I've learned before and a few arpegios I learned in lessons.

So is there a particular book or video I should check out? Perhaps something on theory? Or should I bump up to an intermediate or advanced level book or DVD?

[keiththebassist]

Check out youtube, there's lots of great free tuorials, but also a lot of crappy ones. Stay away from anything by "Expert Village", those guys consider a minor scale in C to be "expert" level instruction...

[Marty Forrer]

There's a bazillion songs on youtube. Pick one, learn it. Pick another, learn it. Your pause button chops will get pretty good (j/k) but you'll build a repertoire at the same time as honing your ear skills. Best of all.... it's free! Later on when things pick up, resume your lessons. You'll be a LOT further down the track when you do.

[ray_yo]

yes. avoid expert village. keep learning songs. play along with your records. in many cases this is as good as using a metronome, since a lot of albums are recorded to a 'click track'.

[millsbass5]

Grab a $ hitload of CD's and a CD player,and get to work.

[ray_yo]

also if you have access to an organ, put weights on the keys to form a chord, then explore your fretboard to find notes that sound good with the chord. then change the chord.

[BassPlayer900]

Get some tablature.

[MalcolmAmos]

You may find this string helpful. HELP: I've hit a mental roadblock!

[dmusic148]

Originally Posted by millsbass5

Grab a $ hitload of CD's and a CD player,and get to work.

This.

[Ronbassman]

Find some people you could jam with and learn from.

[tangentmusic]

Originally Posted by Ronbassman

Find some people you could jam with and learn from.

My thought too. Join a band. On the job training.

[miltslackford]

If you need a substitute teacher in the form of a book, I'd choose the Hal Leonard Bass Method by Ed Friedland. It's so clear that you could work through it without a teacher and probably be ok and learn an awful lot in a really sound way.

That's if you have discipline. Anyone can watch youtube videos, but if what you're after is a teacher substitute then that's what I'd recommend.

If you're deciding to teach yourself, then I'd also recommend really starting to listen to how you sound and pay attention to whether what you're playing sounds good. If you are teaching yourself you really need to be objective about how you sound and be observant about what you're doing. That's what a teacher is really useful for, and you won't have that to help, so if you want to improve at a fast pace, you need to be able to break things down yourself, - identify areas where you can't pull off a good sound, break them into small parts, relax, work them out logically, play it slow, bring it up to tempo, etc. You need discipline and objectivity, and good observation skills to teach yourself effectively. It's totally possible.

[LayDownABoogie]

Get "the improvisors bass method" by chuck sher. ......and get busy

[Dmanlamius]

I have a lot of lessons at the top of this board that may help...

Lots of lessons at top of board.

[devine]

Hey man, I'd check anything Ed Friedland has written. They're great books that are really well written... not just a bunch of listed scales etc... stay away from these books they were simply written to make $$$ not to educate

I've also got a video lessons website that you might want to check out... all totally free...

Free Online Bass Lessons | ScottsBassLessons.com

Ez man,

Scott.

[beelzelboss]

Ed Friedland's books are amazing, his Bass Method books (1-3) goes through a lot of information, I just restarted it again and I'm determined to finish it this time!

What does "the improvisors bass method" by Chuck Sher teach specifically?

[schmig]

I would very carefully and slowly cop everything that Scott Devine (above) teaches. Get his lessons on string crossing, speed, pentatonics down...spend months on it if you have to.

[Ric5]

Get involved in a band ... your best learning comes from playing real songs with real people.

[dontay]

Teachmebassguitar. Com
Great lessons by Roy Vogt

[NoFretsNoWorry]

Here's what works for me:

1) even noodling develops ear/hand coordination

2) jam with as many people as possible....always!

3) sing what you want to play, also helps ear/hand coordination

4) learn sections of songs; learn the whole song later

5) online videos