Just Picking up Bass again...

[dustklose]

so i know this kind of thread has been done before, but

I played bass for 4 years, all self taught, but never really got anywhere with it. I started a few "gag/comedy bands" and they all fell through when i moved 4 hours away for school. Well i got an opportunity to play again with a group of amazing musicians.

I never learned theory, i can only read tab. i'm pretty much noob. I usually play by ear and its always worked in the past.

I want some advice on what books or anything i should pick up to get going again.

Lee Sklar, Stephan Lessard, Flea, and Vic Wooten are some of my favorite players. if that means anything.

Thanks in advanced

[Phalex]

Bass Guitar for Dummies is a great book on bass. Don't let the title fool you.

[Jimtoonz]

Find a theory text that makes sense for you and study it. You might want to consider purchasing an inexpensive keyboard, as it will be very helpful in visualizing intervals, scales and chords. The more you learn about the "nuts and bolts" of the music, the better off you will be. In order to learn the technical execution of something on an instrument, it helps first understand what it is that you are trying to execute. When you see or hear a given chord being played in a song, know in your mind what you can play against that chord, how much tension will be created by the note(s) you choose, what are acceptable passing tones to play and how to get from that chord to the next one in a way that is musical.

Also, play as much as you can, but remember to spend proper time listening to bass lines, and weaving them into the theory as you begin to learn it. You mention Leland Sklar as someone you like. I can think of no one that is a more valuable influence to have. His lines are always musically interesting, solid, and fit perfectly in the "space" of the song he is playing. Pick several of your favorite Sklar bass lines and learn them, then get inside your theory text and see how they fit within the structure of the song. You will quickly see that while he is blessed with an extraordinary feel for the music and a great amount of technical proficiency on the bass, he also understands how the music is constructed. Pay close attention to how much (or how little) Sklar plays in a particular space. You will be hard pressed to find a bassist with a better sense of "taste". He is a master of knowing when to fill and when to leave space. Enjoy!