I NEED A LOT OF HELP!! plz. (chords...etc)

[Anti-Cult Bass]

hey everybody out there. i need some help. I have been playing bass for a little more than a year, and until now i've just been a bass "player". i know i know its wrong. but i just played to enjoy myself and never thought any further. but now my need for knowledge has backed me into a corner. i need to learn some scales, chords, progressions.... so on and so forth. i only know like one scale (pentatonic) which i just move around the fretboard to make it sound different. thats all i really know. i am a good bassist, and i learn from tabs, but i do know how to read sheet music a little bit. i know the names of notes based on the fret it is on. so i would appreciate tabs if possible. if you want to post the scales/chords on here its cool, but if you know a website with them on it i would appreciate that too.

thanks for paying attention through all of my wandering conversation. im kinda retarded or something. lol.

thank you so much for any help. i am truly grateful because you have helped me in my path of bass enlightenment.

[ThomasG]

Hello. The first thing I would do is to obtain a great book on music theory ( does not have to be a bass instuction book). You want to first learn key signature and the major scale to each one of them.

For example the key of F ( only has one flat note which is B). So in the key of F, everytime you play a B it is flat = Bb.

The notes are arranged in scale degrees. For example in the key of F it would be = F G A Bb C D E ( 7 notes). Off of each scale degree you build your MODES. MODES are great scales to learn.

They go in this order ( look below)

Ionian, Dorian, Phyrgian, Lydian, Mixilydian, Aelion, Locrian so

in the key of F it would be as following ( look below)

F Ionian, G Dorian, A Phygian, Bb Lydian, C Mixlydian, D Aelion and E Locrian all in the key of F ( remeber the B is flat)

So F Ionian would be = F,G,A,Bb,C,D,E
G Dorian would be = G, A, Bb, C, D, E, F
A Phygian would be = A, Bb, C, D, E, F, G

Make sense, you simply start on the root note and go accordingly. So once you know all you keys you build the modes off each scale degree taking into account what notes in the key are Flat or Sharp.

So get a chart that show the various keys, write out the scale degrees, make note on what notes are flat/sharp and follow the guidlines.

On learning the notes on the fretboard, they simply repeat in logical order. Remeber that the B and C are always next to each other and the E and F are always next to each other. All the other notes are separated by sharps or flats. It is the same on the guitar and piano. Go to a piano and you will see the B next to the C and E next to the F, dont strain yourself on memorizing the fret, it follows mathematical logic.

ALso talk to Jazz cats, they got their stuff together, to play Jazz you generally have to have a control on harmonic knowledge.

Peace

[dlloyd]

There really is no shortcut.

First thing you need to do is to accept that you're going to have to understand written music and that tab is not very good at communicating the information you're after.

The very best option would be to get a decent teacher, but you can get some mileage out of books. I would recommend you look at some of the method books that are out there rather than looking for a theory book.

Ed Friedland's Hal Leonard Bass Method is a great example. That way you'll be introduced to the various scales, chords, etc. gradually and with real-life examples of where and how to use them.

Steer clear of modes for now, concentrate on the basics first.

[stagedive]

Take the time and learn the scales and why.. you won't regret it. Check out the book "Bass Grimoire." It's the best (IMO). Good luck
http://www.bassbooks.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=616

[Torch7]

Bass Guitar for Dummies, you will not regret getting this book.

[louieeadg]

A great website for someone like yourself is www.studybass.com

Just start at the beginning and work on 1 or 2 lessons a day. The guy teaches his stuff in written music and tab. As the lessons get thicker, he starts leaving the tab out. Great website. All the above books are equally great but I really enjoyed and got very much knowledge and enlightenment through his website.
luck,
and cheers

[fearceol]

+1 On the "Study Bass "website. I certainly learned a lot from it and often refer to it if I'm unsure of something.

[goolimari]

two books that will get you a long long long way

Music Theory for Dummies
Bass Guitar for Dummies ( Idiot's guide to the BAss Guitar will be an added bonus)

These two books will jump start your music theory lessons. i started 2 months back and right now can more or less understand most music theory. (two months ago i knew jack)

If you want it in a nut shell, here's what i did, and you should definitely do.


Learn ALL major scales. The first step to doing this is learning the Cirlce of Fifths. The above books will help you in understanding what i am talking about.

Dont just learn the notes in the major scale. learn the DEGREES. (i.e. in C Major, C is I, D is II, E is III, F is IV etc.)
This is of utmost importance.

i wonder why none of the books stress on learning degrees. learning degrees will make learning chord progressions a breeze.

when you have full command over a Major scale (its notes and degrees) under your belt, learn the relative minor of this major. ( for example, relative minor of C Major is A minor)

again, this might seem too much to do, but once you understand basics of music theory, all that i am talking about will seem like eating cake.

Once you have the major and minor scale for a key, learn their arpeggios (major and minor). ( arpeggio is a fancy word for playing the I, III and V of the scale, one after the other)

you are almost there! If you read the above books, you will realise that arepggios are nothing but chords, but only the notes are played in succession, not together like in a chord.

After you have the scales and arpeggios done, get into progressions.

the key to this is understanding what is called 'Harmonization' of a scale. This is acutlly quite simple. (very very simple in deed, if you know the mechanics)

once you have the harmonization mastered you are 99 percent done. believe me.

after this point, every thing else is jsut an extension of what you have learnt.

if you do what i have listed above (it will take you around 2 months) you will be a pretty good bass player who knows his ****.


and oh yeah, learn to read music. best thing you can ever do to sky rocket your playing skills.

[Just J]

Originally Posted by Torch7

Bass Guitar for Dummies, you will not regret getting this book.

I'll second this. If you want mine, shoot me a PM, few $ plus shipping and it's your's.

[Just J]

Originally Posted by goolimari

two books that will get you a long long long way

Music Theory for Dummies
Bass Guitar for Dummies ( Idiot's guide to the BAss Guitar will be an added bonus)

These two books will jump start your music theory lessons. i started 2 months back and right now can more or less understand most music theory. (two months ago i knew jack)

If you want it in a nut shell, here's what i did, and you should definitely do.


Learn ALL major scales. The first step to doing this is learning the Cirlce of Fifths. The above books will help you in understanding what i am talking about.

Dont just learn the notes in the major scale. learn the DEGREES. (i.e. in C Major, C is I, D is II, E is III, F is IV etc.)
This is of utmost importance.

<snip>

One thing to note that the person above didn't mention is when using roman numerals, you do need to pay attention to their case. For example, in C Major, C is I, D is ii, E is iii, G is V, etc. The casing means Major or Minor. Capitol is major, lower case is minor. You'll see progressions written using different cases.

I tend to learn things by finding patterns. The bass guitar is LOADED with 'em. Once you start to notice them, everything falls into place.