Have you ever had a moment of clarity while playing bass?

**gard0300** · #1 01-11-2011, 08:22 PM

I am sure if you play long enough this happens to everyone, but for me it was about 2 months ago. I have only been playing a couple years. I started the tab method of learning songs that I liked first. Then moved on to basic theory. I spent hours learning scale patterns. Minor, Major, Pentatonic, etc. Then moved to chords and arpeggios. Then dove in to the seven modes (Dorian, Mixolydian,etc.). I spent hours learning all of this but had no clue why? Pentatonics in every position, every boxed pattern ...but why. They were just patterns, numbers and notes. I really never figured out how to apply them. About a month ago, it all started making sense. Not all in one day. But each day, one stepping stone led me to another. To this day its still happening. I can now play those melodies and do those bass runs I thought were left only to professionals. Once I start playing what I want, when I want, I now have the time not to play. To stop thinking as much and let the song come to me. I can have one note played correctly and in the right spot and have the same emotional satisfaction as a catchy fill or turn around. I was just curious if you remember when the clouds parted and you actually started understanding it all. Its a great feeling and was worth all of the boring practices.

oldcatfish · #2 01-11-2011, 09:32 PM

Yes, it does happen to me like that too. I was a little different though, because I played guitar for years--in a variety of styles(electric lead-rock,blues; acoustic fingerstyle,bluegrass; classical, flamenco,etc.). I also play a little piano/keyboard. So I had a pretty good grasp of theory before I really started playing bass.

For me the big breakthrough happened when I stopped concentrating on the left hand on bass. I started thinking of the right hand like a drummer...really working grooves instead of just plucking notes. I often throw in muted/dead notes to match the snare...it really adds a percussive feel to the bass. The strange thing is...I didn't intentionally do it. I just sort of started whenever I improvised a bass line.

bassinplace · #3 01-11-2011, 09:39 PM

I'm getting there. Like you said, things learned in practice start coming to light in playing situations. Little by little. Nice to see some reward for all of the effort put in. Inspires me to want to keep learning! Like a snowball rolling down a bottomless hill, it can only get greater unless of course, it stops rolling.

bassinplace · #4 01-11-2011, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldcatfish

Yes, it does happen to me like that too. I was a little different though, because I played guitar for years--in a variety of styles(electric lead-rock,blues; acoustic fingerstyle,bluegrass; classical, flamenco,etc.). I also play a little piano/keyboard. So I had a pretty good grasp of theory before I really started playing bass.

For me the big breakthrough happened when I stopped concentrating on the left hand on bass. I started thinking of the right hand like a drummer...really working grooves instead of just plucking notes. I often throw in muted/dead notes to match the snare...it really adds a percussive feel to the bass. The strange thing is...I didn't intentionally do it. I just sort of started whenever I improvised a bass line.

I can relate, but for me it's just the opposite. I played drums for 16 years, so the right hand I've got down. And you're right, ghost notes can say a lot. It's the left hand that I'm really trying to get dialed in on.

oldcatfish · #5 01-12-2011, 07:59 AM

If you were a drummer first, you are ahead of the game. Once you get the left hand where you want it, you won't have any trouble locking in with the drummer...and that's the most important thing that you can do as a bassist.

On occasion, I still find myself listening to the guitar parts a little too much...I have to consciously listen to the drummer. Especially if it's a quiet drummer. That's why I actually like playing with loud drummers...you can feel that kick drum.

JTE · #6 01-12-2011, 09:06 AM

Several moments of that sort. First one was decades ago, on stage. I was playing a simple country song in G- just G, C, and D chords. And while I "KNEW" that those chords came out of the G major scale, it was right there on stage at The Oakland Bowl that I UNDERSTOOD the connection between the G B D, the C E G, and the D F# A of each chord with the G major scale. A light went on...

Another critical one was playing "Crossroads" one night with a blues band. On one chorus I just drove the A note across the changes. Nothing else, not the riff, no fills, nothing but pounding the A. It just took the guitar solo to another place and I started to realize the importance of juxtaposition between "busy" and "simple".

John

Qvist · #7 01-12-2011, 09:12 AM

I always thought theory sucked, and it was boring. It felt like... school/work you know?? Of course you gotta have your TOOLS ready! Not having any knowledge of the fretboard would be like juggling with no hands to me. I just learned where the notes are at, a pentatonic and a "blues" scale, that's all I know, I can relax and play what comes to me, while I'm having a blast playing with my band!

mambo4 · #8 01-12-2011, 02:02 PM

there are epiphanies all along the journey for me.
people will repeat the same cliches to you over and over as you learn
and for each one, there will come a moment where the light bulb goes off and you say
"AHA! it's all about..."
the circle of fifths...subdivisons...intervals...chord tones...modes....space...rhythm...lefthand...right hand... listening...ect ect

usually, multiple times for each concept.

**gard0300** · #9 01-12-2011, 03:57 PM

I think I dont press myself to make the bass parts interesting anymore, I look at making the song interesting and creative. If that is playing the roots or sweeping blues scales up and down the neck. haha. Its more about the emotion of song, than the bass for me anyway.

bassinplace · #10 01-12-2011, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gard0300

I think I dont press myself to make the bass parts interesting anymore, I look at making the song interesting and creative. If that is playing the roots or sweeping blues scales up and down the neck. haha. Its more about the emotion of song, than the bass for me anyway.

That's a great approach. Some bassists I really dig such as Tina Weymouth, Kim Deal they don't play anything too fancy, but damn, they groove.

paganjack · #11 01-12-2011, 06:20 PM

Those moments are the best!

Beginner Bass · #12 01-13-2011, 07:10 PM

The importance of subdivisions was pretty big. Once I was able to understand the importance of this, my reading got far better. I was finally able to sight-read all those really tricky old-style funk charts.

Buxtehude · #13 01-14-2011, 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beginner Bass

The importance of subdivisions was pretty big. Once I was able to understand the importance of this, my reading got far better. I was finally able to sight-read all those really tricky old-style funk charts.

Not that many subdivisions of 1/16th notes. Once you have them then it's all about the notes.

Plays_For_Dog · #14 01-14-2011, 04:36 AM

Yes, I had an "Ah-ha" moment when learning some theory stuff, but I've abandoned that road. I want to know how to play, not how playing works...

My most recent moment was learning how to tap notes. I'm not a big fan of tap and have rarely even attempted it. I don't really see the need, but figured I would give it a shot. Just so I can say "I can do it, I just don't because I don't want to". I fooled around with it a few times, and then one day it just hit me. I was hitting the strings at the wrong angle and not getting the sustained note. Roll on a little angle whilest tapping and wah-la! Got it. I'll probably never do it again. Not because I can't, but... because I don't want to

Mete · #15 01-14-2011, 05:02 AM

Yup, i guess we are all kind'a schizophrenic or it just works that way

hrodbert696 · #16 01-15-2011, 05:52 AM

I think I had one at practice last Thursday. New band for me, and we were auditioning a potential drummer. The guy was too loud and seemed to really have a hard time keeping the tempo steady.

I suddenly had this moment of clarity that what I was supposed to be doing was connecting the beat laid down by the drummer to the chords played by the guitarist. I kind of knew that in theory before, but I never really heard it until then. I think I realized it because with this drummer, I couldn't do it -- it was like a tug of war between the two sides and I couldn't quite pull the ends together to tie the knot.

With the drummer I've been playing with, it happened so naturally I never noticed it. The things you take for granted...