Pure frustration...

BassCactus · #1 06-18-2008, 02:53 PM

Well, I've had my bass since around January, but I haven't been committed enough to learn thoroughly. I mean, I do have a book (Hal Leonard Bass Method: Complete Edition), but I haven't been able to concentrate well enough to just go through the book, learning it.
I'm really frustrated at myself for not being able to do this - and also frustrated at not learning more theory, not knowing how to read notation... and a LOT more.
What would be your suggestion to fix this?

PS: At the moment, I still can't really get a teacher. My parents, who bought me my bass (I'm 15) - I don't want to put them under any more financial pressure, if any. I'm still looking for a part time job to be able to afford it.

Dogbertday · #2 06-18-2008, 02:58 PM

Well why did you start playing?... I'll assume it was to play songs right?... Pick your favorite song and take it note by note and just figure it out... it'll take a while but doing this or just playing what you think sounds good but not knowing what it is can be a fun break from just sitting reading parts in a book. Theory will come later... It's a method of explaining why things sound the way they do ...so first you need to make the sounds.. once you can get a teacher then your work can become more formalized..

Lee. · #3 06-18-2008, 02:58 PM

http://www.bassmasta.net/

I can't read music at all.

Tabs FTW!

Just J · #4 06-18-2008, 03:00 PM

get a teacher, they're $15 a lesson here. I wouldn't call $60 a month heavy financial pressure.

HeGone · #5 06-18-2008, 03:01 PM

You may want to consider getting sheet music or a songbook (with tabs, if that helps) for a band or album that you like. When I first started out on bass, I tried to read books on theory and technique, but things didn't start to click until I got the big book of Beatles scores. It includes notation for all instruments used on each recording, including bass, and Paul McCartney's playing provided a good introduction to basic (and not-so-basic) basslines and fundamentals. And the cool thing about that way of learning, for me at least, is that it let me develop a greater understanding of their music, while I developed my skill on the bass.

Just J · #6 06-18-2008, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee.

http://www.bassmasta.net/

I can't read music at all.

Tabs FTL!

Fixed. DO NOT RELY ON TABS! Most of the tab sites are downright crap, and some of them are so far off you wonder if the author was totally deaf.

Learn songs by ear first, check them against tabs (or just ask here) if you're not sure.

gonzorob · #7 06-18-2008, 03:06 PM

It sounds like one of the things you are fighting here is time. As in having the time to sit down with your bass and get to know it. I started learning at a later age (27) and had a new wife and child to contend with. Its not easy to find the time in that setting to just sit down and spend 3 or 4 hours with your bass learning cool songs. My suggestion is to give yourself 1 hour a day to sit and learn something that you WANT to learn. Don't sweat all the technical stuff yet. You are young enough that you will probably pick most of it up my osmosis anyway. Playing the bass is supposed to be fun, not a second job. Always remember that.

Rattman · #8 06-18-2008, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just J

Fixed. DO NOT RELY ON TABS! Most of the tab sites are downright crap, and some of them are so far off you wonder if the author was totally deaf.

Learn songs by ear first, check them against tabs (or just ask here) if you're not sure.

Great insight here ... Roger that, I sure don't use tabs either.. Never saw any advantage to those 'aids'..

Get the CD.. tune your bass to "pitch" so when you DO start figuring out the actual roots, you'll have no oscillations when you fret those same notes.. After you get the roots figured out, then start digging down for the 'passing notes'.. that tasty interesting stuff that really fills it out in between the roots. Getting the 'Circle of Fifths' in your head wouldn't hurt ya either. Good luck... you are gonna be just fine in a short time, if you practice several times a week EACH week...

tZer · #9 06-18-2008, 03:19 PM

I don't want to sound like an old fart, but you need to have patience with yourself. Being 15 also means being in a hurry (at least it meant that for me). Getting good takes time and no matter how good you get, you'll always be aware of what you can't do more than you'll appreciate what you can.

If you can't get a teacher right now then you have to be extra diligent, self disciplined, organized and motivated. There are lots of resources online that can provide you with exercises, scales, technique tips and more. You need to find one, pick a lesson, and work on it everyday. Keep in mind that you won't recognize instant results, but if you at least work a little everyday, you'll see results quicker than you think.

Good luck!

cowsgomoo · #10 06-18-2008, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dogbertday

Well why did you start playing?... I'll assume it was to play songs right?... Pick your favorite song and take it note by note and just figure it out... it'll take a while but doing this or just playing what you think sounds good but not knowing what it is can be a fun break from just sitting reading parts in a book. Theory will come later... It's a method of explaining why things sound the way they do ...so first you need to make the sounds.. once you can get a teacher then your work can become more formalized..

I agree with this - learn some songs, get yourself in a band and just enjoy playing... sitting down ploughing through theory and exercises can be pretty boring & frustrating... try to reconnect with why you took up bass in the first place

Thunderthumbs73 · #11 06-18-2008, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassCactus

Well, I've had my bass since around January, but I haven't been committed enough to learn thoroughly. I mean, I do have a book (Hal Leonard Bass Method: Complete Edition), but I haven't been able to concentrate well enough to just go through the book, learning it.
I'm really frustrated at myself for not being able to do this - and also frustrated at not learning more theory, not knowing how to read notation... and a LOT more.
What would be your suggestion to fix this?

PS: At the moment, I still can't really get a teacher. My parents, who bought me my bass (I'm 15) - I don't want to put them under any more financial pressure, if any. I'm still looking for a part time job to be able to afford it.

Listen to music and try to play along to it. In your situation, I would try to find some ballads, and try to play along to those. Why? Ballads move slowly. They help give your brain and your fingers to catch up to, or keep up with the music. Other music (like "your favorites") are cool, I'm sure, but also a bit dangerous. Like if your favorite is Flea and RHCP doing "Higher Ground" trying to play along to that may be an exercize in frustration.

Seriously, think about some ballads as some potential material to try to play along to, or some real simple, but cool songs (maybe some CCR/Creedence Clearwater Revival) which aren't ballads.

Books are cool and all. I highly recommend them, but also playing along with stuff is rewarding to train your ear and to help you learn bass without it seeming like such dry "work."

Just J · #12 06-18-2008, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tZer

Keep in mind that you won't recognize instant results, but if you at least work a little everyday, you'll see results quicker than you think.

Good luck!

+100001

I used to get super frustrated just doing scales, and I felt like I plateaued for some time. I always had this mindset that I couldn't play certain songs because I wasn't good enough so I'd write off learning songs and just continue being pissed and frustrated.

Eventually I learned a song I had considered hard and realised it was actually pretty damn easy for me to play. Once the intimidation factor went away, I realized how much I had actually been improving.

BillyRay · #13 06-18-2008, 04:45 PM

I started at around the same age as you and didn't get lessons either. I had a musical background, true, but I was next to clueless about how to actually *play* the bass. Trombone might be in the same clef as bass guitar, but their role in a musical setting are vastly different.

What I did was:
a) Find people to jam with as fast as possible. People who are better than you. The beauty of bass playing is that it can be a background instrument (I wanted to type should be, but...). This means that rooting your way through most covers is fine as long as you have good time and can mesh with the others.

Lead guitar, not so much...

b) Learn to sing. I'm amazed at the numbers of musicians who cannot even sing a true octave (or even two notes back to back in unison). Your voice is your primary instrument. Singing a line before playing it will insure that it's musical and that you don't fall into "box playing", ie. playing scales. You'll also be a bigger asset to a band if you can sing.

c) Reading is deceptively easy. Really. And it opens up a whole new world when it comes to chord voicings, intervals and inversions since it IS graphical. And it also forces you to know the notes on your fretboard. And you can use a fakebook.

The amount of knowledge you need to be a successful bass player is mostly non-theoritical. You need groove, taste and ear. Develop these and it'll make you a much better bassist faster.

BassCactus · #14 06-19-2008, 02:31 AM

Thanks guys. I think the problem I'm having is that I'm expecting a bit much of myself, to learn really quickly. I've got plenty of time to learn about bass.

I think for now I'll try to learn songs by ear. Probably something not too hard. I enjoy listening to Motown songs, and other older songs, likely because of my parents (they don't know how to play any instruments, but they sure love their music). I'll start from there, and find a few songs.

Thunderthumbs73 · #15 06-19-2008, 02:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassCactus

Thanks guys. I think the problem I'm having is that I'm expecting a bit much of myself, to learn really quickly. I've got plenty of time to learn about bass.

I think for now I'll try to learn songs by ear. Probably something not too hard. I enjoy listening to Motown songs, and other older songs, likely because of my parents (they don't know how to play any instruments, but they sure love their music). I'll start from there, and find a few songs.

Not that I'm pro-oldies all the time (there's great new and recent music out there), but My Girl by the Temptations is a good song. "Nowhere To Run" by Martha and the Vandellas is pretty nice too.

Good luck with it.

MEKer · #16 06-19-2008, 02:43 AM

All the above is good stuff and if even that seems difficult...slow down and just learn how to move your fingers on the fretboard, going up and down 1-2-3-4....4-3-2-1. Make up your own patterns, just to become finger nimble. You can even take, for instance,the 5th note on your E string (A). The note right below that is a D and 2 more frets up on the same string from that D is the E. So A...D...E :and that is the famous 1-4-5 pattern you can use for almost all blues for instance. Now take that pattern and put it anywhere else on your fretboard. Starting off like that is easy, you will have self-discoveries and grow forward from there. It will all come in time.

Johnny StingRay · #17 06-19-2008, 07:27 AM

May I suggest www.carolkaye.com. Go to her catalog section and order the "How To Play The Electric Bass Book". The price varies, but it's probably under $10.00. Also order "Easy Electric Bass" that is $6.26 Those two books will get you started playing bass right away without the frustration or all the baloney in most other tutors. Carol gets right to the point and gets you playing right away. After you get the books and if you have any questions, then you can e-mail her directly or ask on her forum. She is very quick to respond to all questions. Trust me on this one, OK?
Johnny

MarkTAW · #18 06-19-2008, 08:19 AM

Two things really helped me to learn bass early on.

1) I hated doing homework & would keep the bass nearby and use it as a tool for procrastinating. It's amazing how one chore (studying bass) can seem like less of a chore when compared to something else (doing homework).

2) I had a friend I jammed with. We started around the same time - him on guitar and me on bass - & would, by leaps, alternate with him getting better than me & then me getting better than him and so on, each of us pulling the other one up to the next level of progression. Having a friend to jam along with really helped.

the_hook · #19 06-19-2008, 08:53 AM

I'm in a somewhat similar boat in that I bought a nice bass a month ago but with family, job, and other things that need attention it's been more and more difficult to get time to play the bass.

What I do is try to get down what I want to practice the most (1 song, scale, whatever) and if there's time I try to do more. I'm learning out of books and just listening to certain songs, then figuring out what sounds right for the song and writing the notes down so I remember them. If posible down the road get a teacher. I may go for that in the fall when I know I'll have more free time to devote to learning.

I jam with a guy (me on drums) but will bring my bass at our next session. I learned drums far quicker and better from jamming and practicing at home than just practicing in isolation. I expect the same with playing bass.

DocBop · #20 06-19-2008, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassCactus

Thanks guys. I think the problem I'm having is that I'm expecting a bit much of myself, to learn really quickly. I've got plenty of time to learn about bass.

I think for now I'll try to learn songs by ear. Probably something not too hard. I enjoy listening to Motown songs, and other older songs, likely because of my parents (they don't know how to play any instruments, but they sure love their music). I'll start from there, and find a few songs.

Learn a simple Motown tune like I Can't Help Myself by The Four Tops. Great basic groove to learn. Then play along with the record and have fun. You should be inspired to work on more after that and it will make your parent happy hearing you play a tune they know.