I'm in a rut

toshiro94 · #1 03-21-2010, 08:28 PM

as to what to do with my bass. I've been learning songs, and can play http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbfDPkyt5ws
at almost full speed, and can play http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqcM5lVoteQ
with relative ease....
I've looked around for stuff that i can find tabs for, that i enjoy, that's not too easy and not too challenging. Something that will push forward my bass playing. I haven't found anything recently... suggestions for songs?
I decided that i need to get to know my way around the bass better, so i started writing out scales and playing them while saying the note names. I've also tried to play some of my sister's cello music, but that didn't work too well ahaha
Due to my schedule, i won't be able to have lessons for at least 2 weeks. I had one a while ago, then due to conflicts on both our schedules had to stop, but really want to start again.
Most times when i play bass now, i play riffs from songs i already know, or mess around... neither of which has gotten me very far. I'm a newbie ish bass player and want to get good, because I just started to fall in love with the bass... moreso than before anyway.
so basically, that's my situation... sorry for the long winded topic. Any tips on how to move my bass playing forward? help would be very greatly appreciated. Get me out of this roadblock

dalconthenovice · #2 03-21-2010, 08:45 PM

remember, just playing songs you don't learn alot, all you really end up doing is learning how to be a parrot you need to learn to speak musically not mimic musically, yous aid yourself playing other peoples songs having gotten you really far, i would recommend pickin up a few cheap books that may help you, theres a whole selection of books on this website that can help you

Fergie Fulton · #3 03-22-2010, 03:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dalconthenovice

remember, just playing songs you don't learn alot, all you really end up doing is learning how to be a parrot you need to learn to speak musically not mimic musically, yous aid yourself playing other peoples songs having gotten you really far, i would recommend pickin up a few cheap books that may help you, theres a whole selection of books on this website that can help you

SO true i'm afraid. Everyone i have ever met in a rut is there because of the absence on musical ideas and concepts.
If your playing is mentaly led by the concept of you read or are taught a new idea, learn it, then you apply it, the physical side always needs time to catch up and make the lesson learned. This may take a few minutes, few hours, few weeks, few months or a few years depending on what you learn.

If it does not then you are just running over and re-applying ideas that you already know under the illusion of learning new stuff, so you will end up in a rut because you start to question why you play and get not results like you should and let dispair and un-certainty rule your thoughts.
Again it is your mental side that has led you into this, so let it be the one to lead you out.
All great players think great, so play great.

ericw · #4 03-22-2010, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toshiro94

I've been learning songs... I've looked around for stuff that i can find tabs for, that i enjoy, that's not too easy and not too challenging...

Most times when i play bass now, i play riffs from songs i already know, or mess around...

In my opinion, this is not a productive or enjoyable practice routine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by toshiro94

I decided that i need to get to know my way around the bass better, so i started writing out scales and playing them while saying the note names...

This sounds like a start. I would pursue this (adding in arpeggios) along with/transitioning into walking/improvising over chord charts, reading/writing standard notation, and learning pop songs from ear rather than tab. That is just what I have been trying to do consistently. There are many other threads on practice routines and content that you could find through a search.

DudeistMonk · #5 03-22-2010, 02:21 PM

Start with Studybass.com, make sure you understand all the basic theory there...For rock and metal and the like that is all you really need, other than that join a band (its very motivating) and learn simple songs, when I started out I spent all my time building technique to play RATM and RHCP but I skipped all the punk and simple rock...I had to go back and learn that stuff and I'm becoming much better for it, understanding progressions is clutch.

dalconthenovice · #6 03-22-2010, 09:29 PM

another tip? sing,sing with your voice, and copy what you sing on the bass, play a few notes with your bass, and sing those notes, this is my favorite (and sometimes only) form of practice

JimmyM · #7 03-23-2010, 02:32 AM

learn how to play jazz and get a teacher that can show you how to develop a proper practice routine and not just teach you metal songs. that'll keep you busy learning for a few decades.

CG Jones · #8 03-23-2010, 07:39 AM

I started out the same way, playing songs that I liked where I tried to copy the riffs exactly. Once the challenge went away, it became dull. I varied my playing by making up my own riffs (easier when I play blues or R&B) to the same songs and found that really expanded my skillset.

DeluxeRed · #9 03-23-2010, 08:19 AM

Whenever I get in a rut, I go back to Motown and let Jamerson give me a lesson. That melodic groove gets me inspired, and the more I learn about his contribution, the more I hear it in the music that has come since. If you haven't yet, check out Standing in the Shadow of Motown, not only for the history, but there are also lots of charts--with CDs--of what is some really challenging stuff.

Twocan · #10 03-23-2010, 08:27 AM

Turn on the radio and try playing with whatever comes on. Try different genres and push your limits. It's not all about reading music and naming notes. You need to be able to sit in with a band and play the unfamiliar.

turbo chicken · #11 03-23-2010, 08:45 AM

learn to play music also... not just songs...

my warm up the fingers and get into the right mindframe part of practice is to play thru a few simple songs... i mostly attempt to play orion or the parts i know then i say man i wish i could play every solo and part... guess i should study to get to that point.

then i do ... wait for it... ... ... exercises with both hands , fingering accurately the c major in at least 3 places on the board... no plucking and with a metronome, then i mute with my left and pluck with my right (with a metronome) all strings EEEE,AAAA,DDDD,GGGG ... then string crossing, Then i go to playing the open strings but making sure i mute approprately ... and i don't move forward until i can play open string EADG's to my satisfaction

some times just this takes 10 mins sometimes longer cause im sloppy and really try and work on my muting.

then i go to studybass.com and work thru all the lessons doing every exercise ... i got to where i could do all the exercises ... and i still do them.. and after 3 months im actually starting to memorize some of the theory.

but i find that going thru all of the lessons for me at least is enough variety to mix it up... and not get board even if i didn't have a 100% understanding of it ...

learn to play simple 12bar blues ... this had done wonders for me cause i've actually started improvising my own bass lines ... I can tell by the look on my wife's face if it's any good or not .. usually if i hit that first not of the bar correctly all is well!!!

TLDR - switch some of your focus to learning how to play music not just songs ... if your cheap like me studybass.com is a good resource to wet your appetite.

and simply playing something different is all that is needed as well... i suggest playing some james brown just awesome basslines

Minotauros · #12 03-23-2010, 09:00 AM

Being a learning guitardist as well as bassist, I have stacks of books with guitar songs. Some have bass lines, most are fake books: Bass Tab White Pages; Guitar Tab White Pages Vols. 1-3, I have Ultimate Rock 'n Roll Fake Book; The Ultimate Fake Book. The Guitar Tab White Pages Vols. 1-3 don't have bass lines, obviously, being fake books.

Half the fun and learning is building your own bass lines based on the chord rhythm and seeing how close you can come to making it sound like the song. Imo, that's making music. I'm no expert, being at bass only 3+ months, but I think this should keep me more than occupied for a very long time. Something like this might be worth looking into. Internet tabs are CRAP with all caps.

bergy9650 · #13 03-23-2010, 07:16 PM

pick a song with out much of a bassline and write your own. classic rock is the best to do work with along with primus.

lkbass22 · #14 03-24-2010, 11:31 AM

If your looking for rock to play right now here are some songs that got me moving along when i was just starting to really get into bass a few years back:
the whole album and out come the wolves by Rancid
Anything from the first 3 Metallica albums
yyz - rush
Hammer Smashed Face (the easiest but still not easy cannibal corpse song imo)
Most Zeppelin songs
also my teacher at the time had me play ALOT of Zappa songs which really helped me get better with odd times.

If your looking to play other types of music besides rock alot of motown songs have awesome basslines to learn. It can be helpful if you work on learning a few by ear.

Also i'd suggest looking into a simple jazz tune like Blue Bossa or a Blues in F or Bb.

Hopefully this is helpful