Musical Vocabulary

[kb9wyz]

Hey all.

So my question is simple: What have you all done to increase your musical vocabulary? I would like to get past where I'm at and do other things that will help me build up. I would like to be a good bass player, and it seems the key is having more ways to express emotion through my instrument.

I know a lot of people will say that they listened to other bassists doing their thing, so I ask that you share the recordings that really taught you something new to try/do.

Thanks a bunch.

[somedumbguy]

You want new ways to express yourself on the bass?

Then listen to different styles of music you wouldn't normally and pay attention to the bass/bass player.

I may not like a certain style or band, but I'll listen to them a few times just to really get a feel for how their bass player approaches his (or her) instrument.

[somedumbguy]

For example, here is a song that I wouldn't normally listen to, but pay attention in the verses to what the bass player does.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlOqXcPkUis

I really like the sound of that, so I try to incorporate what I can into the song where I can.

[Stumpy]

Originally Posted by somedumbguy

You want new ways to express yourself on the bass?

Then listen to different styles of music you wouldn't normally and pay attention to the bass/bass player.

I may not like a certain style or band, but I'll listen to them a few times just to really get a feel for how their bass player approaches his (or her) instrument.

+1

[Nashrakh]

Originally Posted by somedumbguy

Then listen to different styles of music you wouldn't normally and pay attention to the bass/bass player.

I'd go as far as suggesting to not pay attention to the bass track as a bass player would do, but pay attention to what other instruments do, like a sax or a trumpet.

[BassChuck]

Transcribe. I forces you to pay attention. You don't have to transcribe just the bass part... anything (and everything) will do.

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally Posted by kb9wyz

Hey all.

So my question is simple: What have you all done to increase your musical vocabulary?

Read the Cambridge Dictionary of Music!!

[Danny Fox]

I've learnt a lot from listening to horn players, their phrasing and use of chromatic passing tones. I bought the charlie parker omnibook, that's like a goldmine.

http://www.myspace.com/bassmandannyfox

[Mark Wilson]

Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield

Read the Cambridge Dictionary of Music!!

Clever, Bruce. lol

[mambo4]

+1 to listening to new styles.

Exploring Latin music really opened a lot of creative doors for me. Particularly sicn eI didn't really "get it" until I started learning ALL the rhythms...not just bass and clave, but conas, timbales, the bell pattern , the piano montuno...finally seeing how they all fit was beautiful.

I also got a lot of new rhythmic ideas from learning traditional west african hand drum patterns ( arguably the source of the Latin stuff)

Jamerson's Mowtown stuff should be required listening for all bassists.

these days I get a lot out of listening to music where the bass is "boring"...just seeing how simple and supportive lines can hold a song together....

[Danny Fox]

Originally Posted by mambo4

Jamerson's Mowtown stuff should be required listening for all bassists.

+1 definately

http://www.myspace.com/bassmandannyfox

[JimmyM]

I've been doing more sight reading. Got a little out of practice.