A lot of free time on my hands

[Ripper91]

I'll be leaving school shortly and I plan on getting some serious practice in on the bass, the trouble is I don't really know what I should be doing. I don't know much theory so I guess that would be a good place to start, how would I go about learning theory that I can apply in my bass playing?

My technique in gerneral could also use a lot of improvment all I really do at the moment is learn songs and play along to them so I guess I need some good excerises to do.

Thanks in advance

[onlyclave]

Find a teacher.

[jgroh]

Originally Posted by Ripper91

I'll be leaving school shortly and I plan on getting some serious practice in on the bass, the trouble is I don't really know what I should be doing. I don't know much theory so I guess that would be a good place to start, how would I go about learning theory that I can apply in my bass playing?

My technique in gerneral could also use a lot of improvment all I really do at the moment is learn songs and play along to them so I guess I need some good excerises to do.

Thanks in advance

If you can afford it (hint: parents ) I would take lessons from a qualified teacher. Doing it on your own with theory is hard...not impossible, but hard when you can easily put it down and switch on your CD and start jamming. I started with lessons for the first 3 years and then went on my own and I know that it helped me immensely.

[nickonbass]

Some ideas:

Get some lessons.

Buy a book or two for bass that goes into basic theory (and teach yourself).

Look up Berklee College of Music's website - I think they have some free online tuition on the net.

music dojo has good courses - run over the net with some of the best bass players/instructors on the planet running courses on there. And they do a theory course.

And if you just flat out have no $ to spend on anything, research theory on the net - there is a lot of stuff out there (a lot of it is crap or too many ads or whatever) but there is a lot of good free stuff on the net.

As a starting point - try and work this out (through researching on the net):

Learn how to harmonise a C Major Scale. Build 7th chords off each note off the scale. And then look into how modes are constructed.

Learn from the modes which give the major chords and which give you the minor chords.

Then look at a major pentatonic and minor pentatonic scale and compare the major and minor type modes and see if you can understand how the major and minor pentatonic scales are derived.

If you can work out the above you will be well on your way to understanding music theory.

That's my 2 cents.

Cheers,
Nick.

[fearceol]

All the above advice is good, especially getting lessons.

One important thing you could do on your own is learn the fretboard. Learn where all the notes are located on it. There are a few sites that have fretboard charts. Start on the E string and work your way up the board. Then go back down. Sing or say the note as you play it. Then do the A string ect.

[cowsgomoo]

don't waste your money on a bass teacher to learn the fundamentals of music theory... there are more comprehensive websites that give information about music theory out there than there are blades of grass in the world

you could even read a few TB threads on the subject

if you've got money to burn, then I guess you could pay for some guy to sit down and teach you what a major scale is and what diatonic chords are etc, but it's a darn expensive hobby

here at talkbass our stock answer is always 'get a teacher', but I think people should sometimes be obliged to go out and seek the knowledge they need, rather than expect it to be spoon fed... just knowing what major/minor scales are, what arpeggios and diatonic chords are, and where the various notes on your bass are gives you enough information for several months of practice... if someone doesn't have the motivation to figure out the basics by picking up a book or doing a web search, all the teachers in the world won't help them

you don't need a bass teacher to learn basic music theory

[fearceol]

Originally Posted by cowsgomoo

you don't need a bass teacher to learn basic music theory

True !

But you do need a teacher IMO to show you good technique. The net or a book cant correct you when/if you are doing something "wrong". A few lessons will avoid bad habits forming at the start.

The OP did say his technique needed improvment.

[Dbassmon]

Originally Posted by cowsgomoo

here at talkbass our stock answer is always 'get a teacher',

you don't need a bass teacher to learn basic music theory

Seasoned pros and top players will give you this advice. Get a teacher!
Why do you suppose this advice is given so freely?

The OP says he has lots of free time. Would that time be best spent with highly targeted and efficient practice routines that produce huge improvements in his playing and technique quickly or, try and teach yourself highly technical material, perhaps incorrectly or without context, with bad or improper technique at a snails pace.
Hummmm?

You don't need a teacher as the cowsgomoo points out, but given a choice, you should want the best teacher you can find.

If you live near a universtiy or music conservatory, call and ask the professor of bass studies if he will take a private student, or perhaps he has a top student that will. If you live near a major city, find out who the 1st call studio cats are and see if they would take a student.

[ksandvik]

Learn all Beatles songs. As well as the top-40 of blues and R&B and you will be busy as a bass player in various sessions. --Kent

[MrBorisSpider]

Make a list of 20 or 25 songs of varying styles and difficulties and learn them. For example: War Pigs, Barbary Coast, Autumn Leaves, The Thrill is Gone, Papa was a rolling stone etc etc.

[ryco]

Here's this and that from here to keep you outta mischief for a little while.