I need a little help on what to do next

[GlennPagano]

I just entered my first year of college this past september. I have started playing bass in june and had a teacher for one month before school. Right now I am just playing different songs, making my own bass lines based off a chord progression and every couple weeks I go home and Jam with my friends. It feels as though I am in a slump and not improving. What do you suggest I do next? Any tips on how to practice so next time I jam with my friends I will be able to keep up with them? They have been playing music for many years and are very talented. Any help is greatly appreciated thanks.

[Michael Case]

Learn how to read music, transcribe some bass parts, keep making up bass lines through chord progressions. Try to find some musicians around school to play with too.

[bassandbeyond]

It sounds like you are off to a good start. If you've only been playing for a couple of months, then you're probably still "getting over the hump" of initial coordination/fingerboard orientation, so it's natural to feel a bit limited at this point.

Jamming with people who are more advanced than you is always frustrating, but it's also always a great way to improve. Hang in there and keep doing what you're doing! A good private teacher could help, too.

[fractal0243]

I've felt like I've plateaued (sp?) a few different times. Whenever it would happen, I would try to find ways to mix it up a little. Play a different style of music, play with different bands, etc. I played with the same band for 3 years and felt like I just wasn't improving anymore. I ended up playing with another band part time, and it was the best thing I've ever done to get over that hump. Just playing with a new drummer alone helped a ton. Good luck!

[G00D+~VIBES]

When playing in an ensemble, the most important thing you can start with is your TIME. Once you have a since of time, and can actually play ON time, then and only then, should you concern yourself with notes and things of the sort. And, whenever I feel like I'm in a rut or plateau, I usually try and find some Jaco piece to attempt to learn. It doesn't need to be Jaco though. Sometimes it's Rocco (Tower of Power), or Jamerson or whatever suits my mood at the time.

[mrwink]

slumps and plateaus happen - just keep going - find something interesting to play - maybe something you wouldn't normally play - or even... (gasp) a style that you don't particularly care for - you'll grow and even though you might not dig the music you'll be better prepared should a call come later to play that style.

Another thing I do from time to time is put my bass down/away for a while - just taking a break stirs my juices to get moving again!

[Stumbo]

Check out the links in my sig. for lots of good TB info that may help you along the way.

[MalcolmAmos]

Jamming - - recognizing the chord changes perhaps is the one thing that will help the most IMHO.

Google up some backing tracks and play along with them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkAA8...eature=related Notice what's on the right hand side of the screen.

Or here --- http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...xjC_vCw&page=2

You can always ask for the key and then watch the rhythm guitar's fingers and change chords when he does.

[GlennPagano]

Originally Posted by Michael Case

Learn how to read music, transcribe some bass parts, keep making up bass lines through chord progressions. Try to find some musicians around school to play with too.

There are a few that I semi jam with but one is not very good at playing and the other is too good and very technical. I am just going to keep practicing at school and then go home and jam with my friends.

Originally Posted by bassandbeyond

It sounds like you are off to a good start. If you've only been playing for a couple of months, then you're probably still "getting over the hump" of initial coordination/fingerboard orientation, so it's natural to feel a bit limited at this point.

Jamming with people who are more advanced than you is always frustrating, but it's also always a great way to improve. Hang in there and keep doing what you're doing! A good private teacher could help, too.

I will be getting a private teacher come summer. I just can't really find anyone in the immediate area to teach me since I don't have a car to drive.
Every time I do go home and jam with my buddies I can tell that I really excelled.

Originally Posted by G00D+~VIBES

When playing in an ensemble, the most important thing you can start with is your TIME. Once you have a since of time, and can actually play ON time, then and only then, should you concern yourself with notes and things of the sort. And, whenever I feel like I'm in a rut or plateau, I usually try and find some Jaco piece to attempt to learn. It doesn't need to be Jaco though. Sometimes it's Rocco (Tower of Power), or Jamerson or whatever suits my mood at the time.

I have been playing a bunch of classic rock songs and now I am going to move to the chicken by Jaco today.

I was thinking, I thought up another question. When jamming they usually give me the chord progression and the time sig and start off jamming. At first I play quarter root notes and then still playing quarter notes are start playing 3rd, 5th octave. What are some other things I can do to make my basslines sound unique and good?