how to play/jam

[felman]

good day..im kinda new here and a new bassist as well..i've been practicing scales and inversions etc but my problem is i dont know how to apply it in jamming or how do i use them..what i know is only going back to the root everytime there is a chord change..apart from that im dumb...could anybody help me or could lead me to a post here that discusses this kind of topic or any books or dvds that concerns this? lots of dvds and books deals with technique only..pls help..

[Nestea]

I started pretty recently as well. I also had this problem when starting. I think what helped me most was being with a band. It's amazing how much drums and the rest of the instruments help you hear for the groove. It didn't come quickly though, I had to work with it. Usually the best way for me is for the drummer to start a beat then I follow. I don't know if this helps you, but the main thing is it took me time to develop an ear for what I was doing.

[mutedeity]

The answer you are after is long and complex. It involves experience, preference, technique, concept development and so on. Learning as much theory as possible is really the best way to get a grasp of what works for you and why.

As usual my best advice is to find yourself a good teacher if possible. Someone who will explain relative diatonic theory as the basis and go on from there, rather than someone who will just teach you a couple of scales without explaining the context. There are a lot of resources on the internet as well.

[cowsgomoo]

you need to be able to recognize the type of chord that is being played (major/minor etc) and the 'sound' of chord movements so you can instantly recognize what's happening

if you're jamming with guitarists this should be easy because 99% of them only use about 3 different chords...

[Bhuti]

It's different for everyone, so here's what i'm doing:

I completely stop playing major and minor scales from the root. Start from ANY position but the root. So that would be Modes.

Chords, i arppegiate from ANY position but the root. 3rd, 5th, 7th, root, 9th. ETC

When walking through jazz tunes, i aim for the 3rd of the chord. or the 5th, or the 6th when it's cool.

But THEN! all of a sudden i test myself and hit root's every other chord and different positions on the other.

When your jamming/playing, your not supposed to think of these things. It's my understanding that it's your job to break blood vessels thinking about this stuff at home then leave it there. Then it weasles its way into your playing on stage.

It's just a dexterity thing, but mostly putting it underneath your fingers.

REMEMBER, it's different for everyone. So hopefully it works, but don't be suprised if it doesn't. That's the sucky thing about music, only your path will work for you.

[fearceol]

Another good idea would be to listen intently to cd's of the music you are interested in. Listen to how the bass and drums interact and lock in together. IMO training your ear is almost as important as scales ect. The ideal thing is to pay close attention to both.

[zazz]

you do need to have some strong opinions about what you would like to produce ..that you can play out in your head...and then the trick is to try and bring that to reality.

try and hum a bass line that you like that will fit with what you are hearing .... (just loud enough for you to hear ..otherwise people might think your a bit odd!)

and then try and find out where the notes are on the fretboard...

[felman]

your insights are very much appreciated! different opinions and suggestions which means much to learn and more additional knowledge for me and others on this stage of bass playing..just when i thought i hit a brick wall and nowhere to go...now with your help ill be able to ponder and try more things..hope you'll continue helping beginners like me....thank you guys!!