Like Magic!

[HosMan]

Not sure if I`m posting in the right forum but...

I`m so excited and stoked!!! During the past few weeks my playing and my ease of movement across the strings and on the fretboard has become MUCH more relaxed,natural-feeling and comfortable.I`m still an infant on this instrument but it is SUCH a great feeling when you can feel and hear yourself improving.Even my sense of timing and rhythm seems to have improved.For me the 'shot in the arm' proved to be just re-learning some of the simpler tunes I used to play and having fun making music.Man! I`d forgotten what a primal joy learning and playing music was.Even as a newbie it is a rush!

The other night I could`nt sleep and ended up practicing some difficult(for me) basslines...almost ALL night long!Great session.My goal now is to redirect some of that passion into learning the fundamentals i.e. scales,basic theory,etc.My "Bass Guitar for Dummies" book should arrive next week.

I even played a couple of songs for my 18 yr old daughter and her friend this evening!! They were impressed...and I was on Cloud 9. "Daddy,you`re good!!" Made my year!

Now,how can I keep this positive energy and passion alive?Any tips?advice?

Sorry if the post is too ADHD but I had to share.

[MalcolmAmos]

Your on a discovery high. Just keep learning. I've said this many times. The Internet is full of backing tracks now days, pull up some and play-a-long with them. That will point you to what you need to learn next.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkIpS...eature=related I like this one because I can hear the baseline.

Little advanced for now but good to know about.....
http://ralphpatt.com/Song.html
Gives the chord progression on hundreds of jazz standards then go the backing tracks in the tool bar and play along. BPM is shown anything under 100 is where I like to be.

Good luck.

[HosMan]

Thanks,MalcolmAmos! Great tips(bookmarked `em). Since my budget does`nt allow for me to have lessons...I`ll be using these great online resources for my "poor man`s" bass lessons.


It`s embarressing(but true) that when I played before I did`nt grasp the basics of octaves,roots and fifths,harmonics...*tsk tsk* This second time around I at least know how any note`s octave is 2 strings up/down and 2 frets over/back,12 frets higher on same string, or 7 frets higher on the next string[octave above].Understanding that the 12 musical notes(A-G)repeat up/down across the fretboard.Now I grasp the relationship between Roots and Fifths: the 5th above any root is on the next higher string and 2 frets higher--5th below any root is on the next lower string but on the same fret.Sorry for the lecture.

A youtube lesson taught me how to find what note each fret is(no E# or B#)and that a fret=half a step(semi-tone)with 2 frets being a whole step(tone).Sharps raise pitch by one note,flats lower pitch by one note(?).This is huge for me! Still have to count through them but it`s a start,no? Heck,I was even reading basic notation on studybass.com!(GREAT site!).

I`m very optimistic that understanding and learning these core concepts will push me towards being able to PLAY the bass...instead of my simply knowing songs/tabs by rote(me 10 yrs ago).

Still a bit mystified by scales and modes though.
Thanks!
HosMan

[Danny Fox]

Hey congrats man, that first breakthrough is a big step. Now run with it and never look back! A strong grasp of the basics will always serve you well.

[HosMan]

Thanks a million,Danny. I like that hat,btw.