The mediocre bassist

[DaDrew2112]

I've been playing bass now for a while, since i was 13, now im 17 although i took a bit of a break for like 16 to 17. Anyway, a couple months ago i started getting back into it. I've been playing some Primus tunes, cause it's fun. (dont care what you think about Claypool's "overplaying" or whatnot ) I've got one's like John the Fisherman, Groundhogs Day and I'm currently working on Jerry was a Racecar Driver, which simply needs polishing now. I also really like to play the simpler stuff like The Hives and The Arctic Monkeys. I just feel very mediocre, or less. I mess around with slap and that just sounds like crap. I think my timing is off. Also I've been playing for this long and still don't know all the notes on my fretboard. I'd appreciate it if anyone has advice on overcoming mediocre and taking that step into sounding actually good. I mean, I can play the basic stuff without effort, and even the harder stuff when i try, but i feel like i'm missing something. Is there like a process that i haven't figured out of learning new techniques such as double thumbing and tapping. I'd really like to own that Fretboard too, but i just don't know how to go about actually learn this stuff. I appreciate any responses and look forward to taking part in this community

[littlepope]

Takes time to own the fretboard. What you have to find is your nitch. Victor Wotten plays fast and may tap, but it is not for me. Slapping is all about timing. Best thing to do is challenge yourself. Get into some other kind of music you vaguely have an interest in. Then see how/if you can apply some of that technique or sounds or instruments to your playing style. Verdine White (Earth, Wind&Fire) bassist always has a solid tone and never over play notes. Larry Graham (Graham Central Station) is singing bassist/bandleader/entertainer who help drive Sly & The Family Stone to stardom.

Learn strange things, like the 'A eventone scale'. (A-B-C#-D#-F-G-A octave). See where you can apply this in soloing or chords. Sometimes try composing on another instrument other than bass. Remember before U can play a zillion notes (and dazzle people) it is much more meaningful to hold 1 note for a long time with meaning & feeling, like the old material of Carlos Santana (Devadip). play on my friend, the world needs more players.

[fearceol]

Hi, and welcome to TB.

You have only being playing for three years by my reckoning, so give yourself a chance. Be patient with yourself. None of your bass idols got that good over night, but through long and hard graft. You move from mediocre to good and beyond, by regular (this means every day, no matter how short the time period, though I would recommend at least an hour) focused practice. Keep your goals simple, as raising the bar too high will result in frustration. Learn some basic theory. Chords and chord tones would be a good place to start IMO. In your case I would definitely recommend a few lessons from a good teacher. He/she can point you in the right direction and keep you motivated.

[MalcolmAmos]

What are you using, tabs, standard notation, major scale box pattern, or what. Are you playing from tabs? Tabs are OK, however in playing tabs you are playing by rote what someone has already written. If you want to get better you IMHO need to know why that person wrote what you are playing, i.e. some theory enters the picture.

Most of the time the music I like will only give me fake chord or lead sheet with tabs. No bass clef for me to look at so what I play depends on how much theory I've stored away.

Some theory and at least enough of your fretboard to know where to place the major scale box pattern. Then how to recognize a chord name and then play a bass line that fits under that specific chord. How many generic chord tone bass lines do you have in muscle memory now?

That's a start - you may already be there. We will be glad to go into detail, but, to help you "get better" we need to know what you feel you need to work on. Let us know specifically what you would like to start working on, someone will help with the details. Here is a list of things that are kinda important:

• What are the notes on my fretboard and why is that important?
• Should I be using scales or chord tones?
• Should I be playing the tune or laying down a beat?
• How do I lay down a beat?
• Etc. etc.

And yes, there does come a time, when sitting knee to knee with another bassist is the best way to improve. If you are teaching yourself, your instructor does not really know what he is doing.

Good luck.

[Setebos]

Patience.

Find a good teacher
Work hard with him and practice consistently

and again..... be patient

Comparing ourselves and our progress with top class players will only get you frustrated.
Compare yourself to yourself. If you are working on your playing skills you will see that you can do things now that were impossible some time ago.

my 2 cents

[DaDrew2112]

Hey thanks for the responses guys Theory wise I'm at a funtional point but not exactly where i want to be. I know basics like major scales and minor scales as well as simple chords like major, minor, major flat 5, and 7th chords. I also know other basics like I-IV-V-I progressions and the repective scales and notes for each. I actually took a music theory class in my high school (where i still go) and i was in the jazz band, which I quit.(it was horrible) I feel like I have to dig way too hard to use this information though, like its rusty and i feel like it should be very accessible.
My bass teacher is very good, he is a drummer bassist with extensive theory knowlege and has played in jazz bands as well as his christain rock band. Right now we still are going over the Claypool stuff because i like his style but i mentioned to him about diving into the theory aspect of things again because I want the ability to create intelligent and meaningful bass lines.
I'm just not sure how to go from mediocre to good now...

[Russell L]

Learn your theory well and you will be able to figure out the rest on your own.

Know what every note is on the fretboard. Pay attention that there is not a note between B and C, nor between E and F. Notes between the others can have two names, depending on which direction you wanna look from (e.g. C# = Db).

Understand arpeggios for:

major triad
minor triad
diminished triad
maj.7
7
m7
m7b5
6
m6
augmented triad
7aug. (second chord in Take the A Train---D7aug.)

For starters.

I can't stress enough for you to know basic theory. If you do, you can find all the rest of this if you just apply it. As for going from mediocre to good, that's purely UP TO YOU. There is no magic for that. You can know everything in the world, but if you don't apply it, you will be nowhere. That is, if you do nothing, nothing will get done. So, first of all, take what you know and put it to use in an intelligent and logical way. If there's something you don't quite understand, ask your teacher, he'll know. But when it comes down to the playing part, you have to have been playing your axe with this stuff in mind and working it out. I once taught a friend basic theory, and within one year he was the regions hottest player. All I did was give him info, he did the rest. You can do it, too.

[MalcolmAmos]

You are beyond the basics and technique is next. Technique comes from sitting knee to knee with an instructor that plays the type of music you want to play.

Looks like you are already doing that. Listen to what he/she tells you, trust your instructor, and enjoy the journey. It's a journey you can be on for the rest of your life, smell the roses.

Good luck.

[mambo4]

----------------------------------
LEARNING THE FINGERBOARD
---------------------------------------
when I first picked up the bass I memorized the open strings (EADG) and then memorized each "dotted" fret up to the octave:
open:EADG
3rd fret:GCFA#
5th fret:ADGC
7th fret:BEAD
9th fret:C#F#BE
Octave:EADG

With those notes memorized, I could quickly figure out "in between" notes based on the dotted ones.
If you can instantly find E then you can almost as instantly figure out where E flat is. It was enough to get me by at first.

I never made a deliberate effort to memorize the rest of the neck,
eventually I just absorbed the knowledge via experience.

It is worth noting that that experienced musicians are not constantly thinking "I am playing an A,now I am playing Eb, now I am playing B..." ect. as they play, unless perhaps first learning a tune.
Ideally, They are thinking of the sound they want to hear and the physical fingering needed to get that sound.
Personally I tend to think in intervals and chord tones: "I am playing the root, now I am playing the fifth, I am playing the major sixth...."etc.

If you want to master the notes of every key inside and out, check out the sticky thread on Pac-Man's sure fire scale practice method.

[MalcolmAmos]

Yes - interval numbers rule my playing. Set the major scale box over the root note then let the box take me to the intervals for this chord or scale. Using that I really only need to know the notes on the 3rd and 4th string the box takes care of the others.

Above the 12th fret - I only go there if the box takes me there.

[Russell L]

Originally Posted by mambo4

----------------------------------
LEARNING THE FINGERBOARD
---------------------------------------
when I first picked up the bass I memorized the open strings (EADG) and then memorized each "dotted" fret up to the octave:
open:EADG
3rd fret:GCFA#
5th fret:ADGC
7th fret:BEAD
9th fret:C#F#BE
Octave:EADG

With those notes memorized, I could quickly figure out "in between" notes based on the dotted ones.
If you can instantly find E then you can almost as instantly figure out where E flat is. It was enough to get me by at first.

I never made a deliberate effort to memorize the rest of the neck,
eventually I just absorbed the knowledge via experience.

It is worth noting that that experienced musicians are not constantly thinking "I am playing an A,now I am playing Eb, now I am playing B..." ect. as they play, unless perhaps first learning a tune.
Ideally, They are thinking of the sound they want to hear and the physical fingering needed to get that sound.
Personally I tend to think in intervals and chord tones: "I am playing the root, now I am playing the fifth, I am playing the major sixth...."etc.

If you want to master the notes of every key inside and out, check out the sticky thread on Pac-Man's sure fire scale practice method.

Absolutely. I don't think of every note. But I do think of the chords, so I think of the roots, unless it is an inverted chord.

[Stumbo]

Check out the link in my sig. below for more great TB info that may help you along the way.

Good luck.