Things to practise with a guitarist?

[niels125]

Hi ,

A friend of mine is learning to play guitar (he's pretty decent and into music theory) and asked me if I wanted to practise/play something together sometime...

I really like the idea of renting some practise space for a few hours and play together, but I have no idea what to play without a drummer

He's really into practising blues and scales, so is there anything we could do instead of playing the scales on top of eachother?

I was thinking of learning/understanding the 12 bar blues form and the I IV V chord progression so I could do walking basslines while he improvises solo's based on scales or something.

[Mayers]

You can do whatever you want, you aren't lock in a box like you are when there is a drum ... here is your chance to be more than a bass player.

[gmahoog]

Playing Blues would be a good start. Also find out if he knows any songs. You can always play just the root until you get e feel for each others ability and talent. There are always chord charts. Theory, scales etc. are great, but playing songs with other players will make you a better player. It doesn't have to be fancy, just make it sound good.

Concentrate on timing and groove. Doing that will give you both a sense of accomplishment. The scales and theory are helpful, but don't get hung up trying to do too much.

Originally Posted by niels125

I was thinking of learning/understanding the 12 bar blues form and the I IV V chord progression so I could do walking basslines while he improvises solo's based on scales or something.

[miltslackford]

Me and a friend used to enjoy playing blues jams around the circle of fifths. It's like playing tennis or something.

All you do is mainly use the pentatonic and then move round the circle of fiths every 4 bars, or 8 bars or 2 bars, or 1 bar even!

It keeps you thinking in a certain way but allows you to free up in others. Really good for just having fun.

[wrench45us]

i may be biased but I think learning walking bass lines with blues forms is an excellent starting point.
may I suggest Ed Friedland's Building Walking Basslines as this is precisely what he does in that book. I have 4 different books now on building walking basslines (I'm a noob to bass.) Each has its own qualities, but this is the one have stuck with once I caught onto the progression of teaching/learning. Learning to build walking bass lines is a mental training more than the usual learning a song.
But for a break from that, since it can be slow going, there are also some good specific blues books out there and they make it a little easier since they tend to come in tab as well as staff notation.

[HeadyVan Halen]

Do you HAVE to rent a space to practice with just a guitarists? It's whatever you want but maybe you could save some money if not..
Anyhow, do you guys know any of the same songs? That would be a starting point. If not maybe it would be a good time to learn. Personally, the older I get the less I like 'Let's Jam!'..I love improving but once we know the song..just make sure you don't play in E minor for 20 minutes..that won't make you much better.
Have a plan
Have fun

[niels125]

Well we both live in a other city (and work together), I don't see myself lugging my Ampeg BA 115 amp to his place, or the other way around .

So it's easier just to bring instruments and rent a practise space for a few hours

We could practise songs, but TBH I don't know any songs that use only bass and guitar, unless we use prerecorded drums.

I might play a a I IV V basslines while sitting behind the drums and just kick the bassdrum on the quarternotes

[MalcolmAmos]

Originally Posted by niels125

Hi ,

A friend of mine is learning to play guitar (he's pretty decent and into music theory) and asked me if I wanted to practise/play something together sometime...

I really like the idea of renting some practise space for a few hours and play together, but I have no idea what to play without a drummer

He's really into practising blues and scales, so is there anything we could do instead of playing the scales on top of eachother?

I was thinking of learning/understanding the 12 bar blues form and the I IV V chord progression so I could do walking basslines while he improvises solo's based on scales or something.

Let him run the blues scale - and you play the chord's chord tones. Both of you playing "melody" will get muddy. Let him do the melody notes and you do the harmony, the chord tone notes. Notice in this video the guitarist leads off with melody, but, when the harmonica comes in the harmonica starts playing melody and he switches over to chord accompaniment. Down Home Blues in 'E' - YouTube You guys could do that. Switch back and forth you play the blues scale and he accompanies you strumming the chords.

The blues chord progression is very predictable, thus, easy to follow. Here is the blues in A. jam track boogie rock - YouTube. I sent you here for the chord progression - order of the chords. It more boogie than blues, just pay attention to the order of the chords.

Most of the time the chords will all be dominant seventh, as in E this would be E7-A7-B7 in the same order as that site above. Four E7 bars then two A7 followed with two E7 and then the ending four bars. End on E7 or if you are looping and starting over end on the B7 which will pull you back to the E7 to start over.

Four beats to the bar (measure). That I IV V is the first, fourth and fifth chord in the key so.......
C = C-F-G or C7-F7-G7
G = G-C-D or ...........
D = D-G-A
A = A-D-E
E = E-A-B

What notes to use in your bass line? If y'all are using dominant sevenths, i.e. C7-F7-G7 the chord tones for those three chords are R-3-5-b7. Just move the root the other notes are in the same spot they always are. Start with just roots, when that is easy add the 5. When that is easy the 8 is one string up from the 5 so R-5-8-5 becomes easy. Work you way to a full R-3-5-b7.

Major Scale Box. 

G|---2---|-------|---3---|---4---| 1st string
D|---6---|-------|---7---|---8---|
A|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
E|-------|---R---|-------|---2---|4th string

If you are not comfortable with setting the beat. Follow his lead.

Check this out; Bass Lesson - 12 Bar Blues Walking Patterns - YouTube Not exactly as I said above, but, another way you can do the blues. Notice the right hand side of the screen. Check out some of those sites.

Go have fun.

[niels125]

Thanks alot!

[Jhengsman]

Originally Posted by niels125

We could practise songs, but TBH I don't know any songs that use only bass and guitar, unless we use prerecorded drums.

I might play a a I IV V basslines while sitting behind the drums and just kick the bassdrum on the quarternotes

Most songs begin with just a piano or guitar player and no drums, it is the band arrangement which adds the drums. The goal isn't to clone a recording but to play a song with what you have. Besides it is not a gig, just two friends jamming. A drum machine which comes with many amps and multi effect units should be fine for what you have described..

Your instrumentation may not be classic but Bluegrass has the reputation of not using drums

[MalcolmAmos]

Originally Posted by Jhengsman

Most songs begin with just a piano or guitar player and no drums, it is the band arrangement which adds the drums. The goal isn't to clone a recording but to play a song with what you have. Besides it is not a gig, just two friends jamming. A drum machine which comes with many amps and multi effect units should be fine for what you have described..

Your instrumentation may not be classic but Bluegrass has the reputation of not using drums

+1 Most of what I do is without drums.

[Von Felgenhauer]

How about practice in spelling and grammer

[niels125]

It's spelled grammar

[Von Felgenhauer]

See I spend too much time here and not enough studying myself. Damn addictions.

[T-Funk]

My present band initially started with just me, on guitar and vocals, and a friend, on bass. He and I played a lot of old school Funk, R&B and Soul songs with just the two of us, and it sounded pretty good. A few weeks later I persuaded a Drummer and Saxophonist, both old friends of mine as well, to join the jam sessions.

The point is that you do not have to limited yourself to songs that were recorded with solely the guitar and bass. Just plan ahead which songs the both of you would like to play, get together and jam. While having a drummer is great, it is not necessary for jamming with a friend.

As others have stated, the Blues, due to its standard structures, is a good place to start.

[Tunaman]

Turning down his volume