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Originally Posted by BrandonBass Also, Ive been trying to learn some songs by ear via trial and error. I just keep trying until Ive hit the right frets, I dont know the note names. Is this useful or am I just wasting my time if i dont know **** about theory? |
This is fine. This is great. This is fantastic. Keep doing this. I use software named Transcribe! to slow down and loop songs, and I admit that even though I know all the notes, when I learn a song by ear the first time through I am doing exactly what you are doing. I listen and compare the note on the song to the note on the bass.
I do not keep the key or the names of the notes in my head, because sometimes that effects what I expect a note to be.
You would be amazed at the number of great musicians who played their instrument for YEARS without knowing the notes or being able to read music notation.
After a while you can start to even tell what string they are using. Each string has a different diameter, so the same note on two different strings sounds different.
Some songs I play a strict teacher would have me stay in a box and say for example keep in position and move up to the second string, but I hear the original player move up the third string. But try it both ways and see what you like.
I knew a guy who played bass in a punk rock band for years without learning a scale or note. And he was great.
In no way does the above mean that I recommend not learning notes, scales, arpeggios, or music reading. I am just commenting that it is fine to learn songs just by remembering the locations of the sounds you hear.
