what music should i play?

cubsfan8677 · #1 10-11-2004, 06:46 PM

i've been playing bass for a year and i'm wondering what music i should try to play. i can play songs by weezer, greenday, blink-182, nirvana, and other bands like that very easily, but music like sublime and reel big fish is too hard. i can play some of red hot chilli peppers songs

RicPlaya · #2 10-11-2004, 07:17 PM

Play what you like and what will challenge you to be a better bass player. You can play the easy songs your whole life but in order to play the hard songs you have to try, and soon enough they won't hard songs anymore.

bryan bailey · #3 10-11-2004, 07:34 PM

Play the exact opposite of what you like.

And if you can still bring yourself to play bass after a while of that, go back to your preferred music.

Timbo · #4 10-11-2004, 08:09 PM

You would be suprised how easy sublime songs are. They are super groovy, and simple ( for the most part ). They were the first songs I learned ( prolly because I am a sublime junkie ). If you could get decent tabs I would try Date Rape, and Santeria. Quite simple, and they sound great.. Or if you want something really easy you could go Caress Me Down..

Oh yeah.. Always learn songs that you think are too hard.. Because when you can finally play them you get a lot of satisfaction, and also know that you have gotten better.. I mean I am trying to learn Donna Lee and I have been playing slightly shorter time than you. I do stress trying though.

Benjamin Strange · #5 10-11-2004, 08:27 PM

How about trying some scales? I hear they are good for practicing technique.

Dincrest · #6 10-11-2004, 08:30 PM

I'm with Bryan. Limiting yourself musically can work against you. Play stuff in all kinds of genres, even those you wouldn't even think of playing in. You never know when you'll need to call upon added skills in your repertoire of versatility. One example is if you're, say, called upon to fill in for a bassist in a cover band- you'd better be able to handle anything they throw at you.

I'm mostly a hard rock fan, and when I was taking lessons, my teacher had me learn a lot of jazz standards and songs I didn't know to enhance my reading skills and challenge me to play 'different' stuff. I learned to absolutely love jazz after that since it was so much fun to play. I enjoyed the challenge.

You never know when you'll be called upon to fill in, sit in, gig, do sessions, and generally be in a situation utilizing a genre totally different from what you like best or are accustomed to. When I was teaching kindergarten, I had to play a lot of Disney songs and various cartoon theme songs. I wasn't used to playing "kid" songs so learning and performing them was a fun challenge for me (especially since kids are a tough audience; if you suck, they'll blurt it out with no sense of diplomacy.)

I say try the challenging stuff. Not all at once, but perhaps a few bars at a time. Keep practicing till you get it down. You need to make sure to optimally challenge yourself and set reasonable goals. If a song is a tad harder than what you're used to, then go with it. With practice, you'll get it. Then move on to something a tad harder than that. Of course if you try to learn a super complex Anthony Jackson line your first week, then that may be self-defeating as you set an unreasonable goal. Work up to that. Make sure the path to your goals are "fun-tough" so you won't want to pack it in prematurely.

You won't get very far if you don't work hard and practice. When the stuff gets frustrating, that's an impasse all musicians face. You begin to hate your instrument, your teacher, music...if you can get through that you're on your way.

**Chris A** · #7 10-12-2004, 04:13 PM

This isn't really instructional. Let's take it to Misc.

Chris A.

Bigwig · #8 10-13-2004, 05:09 AM

if your working on getting your finger speed up..ratm songs can help alot..most of timmys stuff let your rock out and head bang.. but still gets your finger speed up.

i personally played with a pick for the first year and a half ive played bass...but 3 or 4 months ago i decided to start my finger style off..
its been hard as ever..its like starting again on your plucking hand...but it'll be well worth it in the future..2 months till i get my fender jazz, and boy i can't wait.

the one thing im very certain of is that i wont be able to teach myself how to slap..like flea does, which is one reason i do plan on taking lessons as soon as i pay off a new 4 x 10.

Diowulf · #9 10-13-2004, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benjamin Strange

How about trying some scales? I hear they are good for practicing technique.

+1

they help you develope sort of your own style.

{OE} · #10 10-13-2004, 07:59 PM

K, you can play the songs, but can you play them in a band situation? Playing with other musicians is worlds away from practicing on your own.

Find some other musicians to jam with, especially a drummer. Locking in with a drummer with a simple groove will be alot more fun and instructional than a complicated song being played while sitting in the bedroom.

Dont be concerned about your level of experience, just try to find others that are of similar ability. Developing your timing and the ability to "feel"/groove with other musicians will be useful no matter what musical situation you may find yourself in.

Bigwig · #11 10-13-2004, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by {OE}

K, you can play the songs, but can you play them in a band situation? Playing with other musicians is worlds away from practicing on your own.

Find some other musicians to jam with, especially a drummer. Locking in with a drummer with a simple groove will be alot more fun and instructional than a complicated song being played while sitting in the bedroom.

Dont be concerned about your level of experience, just try to find others that are of similar ability. Developing your timing and the ability to "feel"/groove with other musicians will be useful no matter what musical situation you may find yourself in.

+1 i thought i was a decent bass player until i started playing in a band, it just is so much different than playing along to a cd, you feel the drums, and the timing has to be perfect, in a few of my bands songs (were punk) we have three chord verses but i go off and set a bass groove down that although my bass doesnt cut through as well, adds miles of depth to the song.
remember, writing is alot different than learning other peoples stuff.
i couldnt write a bass line like matt freeman, but i certainly can write lines that please myself, and at the end of the day, thats what counts.

Brat · #12 10-13-2004, 08:36 PM

Go and find a song that makes you go "Crap! I can't do that!" and try and learn how to play it. If it's still too hard, the practice you got from trying to learn the song helps alot and helps you develop your own style.