questions about playing with others

[Pete528]

my friends invited me to play some bass with them... i'm a beginning bassist and although i think my fingering isn't that bad, when it comes to the whole music aspect i'm lost

anyway, i have a few questions:

1. i can play with a chord really well, but what's the best way to play with chord changes?

2. what exactally is a musical key? Like, if something was in, say, the key of C, would I just be playing the notes based around the appropiate C scale or whatever?

thanks for any help!

[jschwalls]

1. i can play with a chord really well, but what's the best way to play with chord changes?
****You will get more respect from the other players if you keep it simple, play the ROOT note and lock into the pocket like a madman. Don't be shy about asking for a quick chord chart or something like that. If they know you are a beginner, they shouldn't mind doing that for you..

2. what exactally is a musical key? Like, if something was in, say, the key of C, would I just be playing the notes based around the appropiate C scale or whatever?
****If they tell you the key is C.. then you will be playing changes out of C major, it can get deeper than this but just stick to the root and you will do fine.

If you mess up really bad, just stop playing and act like your amp is messed up until everyone else stops. Then find the miracle cure and start a new tune.

More importantly just have fun...don't overlook this most important aspect of playing music.
JON

[Bassist4Life]

Keep it simple.

Don't be afraid to ask, "Hey, what are you playing right there?"

If it's an original tune, sketch out the chord changes on a piece of paper. Figure out how many measures (or beats) each chords will last.

Stick to the root until you feel comfortable enough to use the 5th of the chord.

If it's a C Major chord, you can use C and G. Emphasize C (especially on beat 1).

If it's an F Major chord, you can use F and C. Emphasize the F (especially on beat 1).

If it's a G Major chord, you can use G and D. Emphasize the G (especially on beat 1).

You never have to apologize for playing the Root.

Keep it simple. Have fun. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Be humble. Be ON TIME to rehearsal. Keep it real.

Peace and good vibes,
Joe

[Valerus]

Originally Posted by Bassist4Life

Keep it simple.

Don't be afraid to ask, "Hey, what are you playing right there?"

If it's an original tune, sketch out the chord changes on a piece of paper. Figure out how many measures (or beats) each chords will last.

Stick to the root until you feel comfortable enough to use the 5th of the chord.

If it's a C Major chord, you can use C and G. Emphasize C (especially on beat 1).

If it's an F Major chord, you can use F and C. Emphasize the F (especially on beat 1).

If it's a G Major chord, you can use G and D. Emphasize the G (especially on beat 1).

You never have to apologize for playing the Root.

Keep it simple. Have fun. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Be humble. Be ON TIME to rehearsal. Keep it real.

Peace and good vibes,
Joe

Wow. That helps so much!! Thanks.

[Pete528]

wow, thanks a lot everyone! I think this advice all really helps.

but let me make sure i'm just getting this straight: if, say, we're playing a song in C major, then i should just stick to the root (C) and play that regardless of chord changes, because it'll still sound decent? and then i can just throw in a 3rd of 5th or flat 7th or whatever if i'm feeling confident enough?

[envika]

it won't always sound good to stick to the c, especially for example when the chord is in d minor

when we say the root, we mean the root of the chord being played at the time, not of the scale being played in.

[Pete528]

Originally Posted by envika

it won't always sound good to stick to the c, especially for example when the chord is in d minor

when we say the root, we mean the root of the chord being played at the time, not of the scale being played in.

oh alright. gotcha

[Bassist4Life]

Play to the chord.

If the Chord is C Major: Root = C, 5th = G

If the Chord is D minor: Root = D, 5th = A

If the Chord is E minor: Root = E, 5th = B

If the Chord is F Major: Root = F, 5th = C

If the Chord is G Major: Root = G, 5th = D

If the Chord is A minor: Root = A, 5th = E

See how it works?

If the Chord is D Major: Root = D, 5th = A

The 5th is one string lower on the same fret.
The 5th is one string higher, two frets up.

Joe

[Dogbertday]

generally you can follow the right finger or lowest open string that the guitarist is playing... My guitarist knows no theory so when he writes a song i have to figure out how to play it that way. because it's usually power chords I learn the root notes then figure out the key and start adding more (sounds good keep it, sounds bad @#$% it)

[dcallred]

They will should tell you the key it is in. They may also tell you it's something like A, D, E or they might call it a 1,4,5 in A. Basically you will start in A and play the root or root fifth, A and E. Then it will move to the 4 or D and you will play the D and A, etc. A normal blues or common rock pattern is 1,4,1,5,4,1 or A,D,A,E,D,A. That is how the chords move thru the progression. Think Johnny be Good or If the House is a rockin type songs.

Start by following the chord progression just playing the root of each chord. Then try adding the fifth and the octaves.

Keep your head up and watch the other guitar. Look at his/her bar chord. The index finger will tell you what chord he is playing. If they have the bar at the 5th fret or second dot they are either playing an A or a D. Can you see two strings above the ring finger? If so it's a D If one it's an A. I'll bet you didn't know that you need to know the guitar chords as well as any guitarist. Only you need to see them backwards.

Most of all have fun. This is what playing is all about, playing with others.

[bassbully]

I have to say this.To all that have posted and helped this Tb'er kudo's..good job! Its not offen on here someone needs help getting simple quick ideas or tips when learning to play with others without someone throwing in confusing terms or theory ideas. My advice which worked for me is watch the guitarists hands and learn the chord positions backwards as said here. It is also best to have the songs charted out by verus,chorus,bridge,solo etc and the measures or beats for the chords.

[beyondhairy]

iv recently started with theory also, and i didnt realize how simple it was.... there are two things you need to learn first and everything will fall into place....


the major scale, and minor scale...


before i learned those two things, i thought i had to know 30 different keys lol,


but in a nut shell, minor sounds sad, major sounds happy

lets say you are playing A minor, the notes in A minor are a-b-c-d-e-f-g, when i first learned this, i thought that those notes were in every minor scale, so B minor would be b-c-d-e-f-g-a-, but i was wrong lol, B minor would be b-c#-d-a#-f-a-a#-b it might sound complex but its not, its a very simple pattern to remember....

here is a minor

-------------------4-5-7--
--------------5-7-------
--------5-7-8------------
--5-7-8------------------
--a-b-c-d-e-f-g-a-b-c-d

C major is an easy one also...

the notes are c-d-e-f-g-a-b-c

---------------------7-9-10
--------------7-9-10-------
------7-8-10---------------
-8-10----------------------
-c-d--e-f--g-a--b-c--d-e-f

just memorize these two patterns and everything will fall into place

and the difference between major and minor is literally a note or two