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High School Band

T

TheTestvb

Jun 21, 2001
14
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#1
Hey Hey
I'm a new bassist u can say i'v bene playing for ow... two months. Well I am a trumpetp layer of 5 years and will be entering my 2ed year of highschool/ band. But this year in band i hope to play bass. Does anyone have any sugjestions on what i should learn befor the school year starts.
I know i need to learn Bass clef and i'm worknog on it but like how much should i learn (please odnt say all) and what else should i work on?



P.s I have to tell my dirctor i want to paly bass dunno if he'll let me :-/
 
#5
Ahh not to worry, i make drummer mistakes all the time. :p

Welcome to Talkbass. ok i am going to get soooo shot for suggesting this but Bite me! :)

Ever thought about tab as a starting point? Just to get you really familiar with the fret board etc. Then move to Chord charts, you know you go to Olga.net and find the chordpro of songs?

Then get a teacher? I dunno dude, i am self taught and am rattling off whateveryone else usually says!
:D:D

Merls
 
#6
we are one in the same. i played trombone in the regular band and decided after a year of nagging i should play my bass in the jazz band. i thought it was just going to be one of those things that isnt worth getting up early for. i was completely mistaken. i love every min of it. i would definitly learn to read music in the bass clef and know where the notes are on your bass. my band director didnt really know much about stringed instruments so it was a good thing that i knew what i was doing. while playing jazz i very seldom play what is written on the page. i just follow the chord symbols and do my own thing. but as you being a begginer i doubt that will come as easy.just listen to your director and you will do fine. i learned very much about chord structures and patterns than ever from my director. im sure youll like it.
 
#7
get so that you can read bass clef very well & remember where the notes are on the fretboard. I started reading bass music from cello [cello tuned in 5ths] & it screwed me up @ first-so i dropped cello for this year and am playing in Marching Band, Jazz Band, and show band. Learn as much as you can and it will be a blast. thats all
 
#13
I'm also going into the band at school to play bass....I have no band past.......and this is what will get you through!This is what got me there.

Scales
Reading(bass clef.....important)
Ear training
Chord structure
technique(basic rest-stroke and slap/pop)
DESIRE!!

those will get you through......but will only come through hours of practice.Again this is not to play Pro. There's a whole lot more there.....but this should get you through HS Band!!
 
#14
I'm in High school band but I don't play bass in it. I play the trombone, but I think it would be cool if we had a little less traditional instrumentation, so I could play some bass stuff. We have like 250 in our band and we're in West Monroe, LA. So have said we may be the best in the state. Our symphonic band is really good, but we lack in the area of a jazz program. Luckily the choir director is starting a contempory rock group as a class next year and I'm playing in that, even though I won't get a credit for it (he scheduled for the same time as marching band class). I'll be trombone section leader and I'm one of the only "decent" bass players in my school. I think the key to playing in band is scales and reading ability. I had no problem learning bass clef, but if you want to learn to read pretty well, the Standard of Excellence books for beginning band is pretty helpful. It teaches you the notes and where they are on the fingerboard in relation to the staff and has some good technique excercises for bass. I guess i'll be going now.

Dirk
 
#16
West Monroe is in the northern portion of the state. Although we play a lot of south La schools and even a couple of Mississipi teams in football. I hope I get a chance to hear you one day. I plan on attending the All South Band Conference in Hattiesburg next Feb. That's about the only time I'll around Miss.

Dirk
 
#17
I go to Lafayette Jefferson High School. Play in Marching Band, Show Band, and Jazz Band. I think we're one of the best in the state. Also-watch the holly wood christmas parade to see us-i'll be playing cymbals. thats all
 
#19
Well, we've seen lots of LA bands in the previous years, but this year were focusing more on the Georgia area cuz we went last year and we've been invited to lots of contest in that area since then, i guess we made a good impression. Watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC this thanksgiving, our name is grenada high school band and i'll be the snare drummer in the middle of the nine man snare line.
I play drums for the marching band and indoor show drumline, pecrcussion and upright bass for the symphonic band, and electric bass, electric guitar, and drumset for the jazz band.
 
#20
i live in dumas, texas and play tenor sax in the varsity band (i'm a freshman). i would love to play bass but our marching band only has about 150 or so. split in that in half contest season. i might try playing bass in the jazz band if that ever follows through, but i love playing the sax. theres my two cents. have fun.
 

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