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I'm having trouble improvising

MovingPitchers

MovingPitchers

Jun 9, 2013
8,504
12,018
Canada
#1
So I play along to those backing tracks on Youtube...I know they're meant more for guitarists practicing soloing but why not bassists too to fill in that low end?

this one here:

It's in Gm...basically goes Gm Bb C and over and over again.

I want to add a few extra notes between note transitions but can't seem to get the right notes. Yes, before you advise me to practice scales, I do. I do a lot. That's the first thing I practice whenever I pick up my babies.

Any advice OTHER than practice scales?
 
#3
Arpeggios will help. Scales are not really useful except to help you to figure out arpeggios. Listen when you play them. Imagine creating a story with them. Then go back and try to tell a story with them as you play to the jam tracks.
 
#4
I'm heavily influenced by Geddy Lee and his playing and I also play bass for my worship band which often plays easy progressions. I mean EASy like G C Em D
C F Am G
Em C G D
That stuff. Simple enough, but I can't seem to get some notes sounding right. Like for example, I often play G to C with an A and B and then land on C on 1, but other than that, meh....:(
 
#5
What worked for me was to not worry about scales so much. Instead I focused on chord tones (the notes of the arpeggios)...play chromatically or scalewise around the chord tones, and when the chords change anticipate the change with a line that moves into the new chord. You can even try forgetting about scales and just playing chromatic notes. Use your ears to decide what sounds good.

And then you need some licks.
 
#6
List a couple of your praise and worship songs and let some of us come up with a couple of runs or tricks for you. Geddy says "anyone can play the bass, it's how and what TRICKS you utilize, set you apart from the rest."
Just keep doing what your doing and it will eventually kick in.
 
#7
this may sound kinda strange but Im kinda strange, with that being said, I wud suggest playing/learning the melody of tunes. forget what the bass is doing or for that matter what the bass is supposed to do. go grab a childhood song that you really like or are familiar with and play the vocal part of that tune. It helps, trust me. its not a quick fix but you'll definitely c results in time..........or.......maybe not..........maybe its just me. I just sayin
 
#8
Let me help you "Approach Notes" and chromatics.- So you would play G----------Open A then the Bflat, than you could play B natural to approach the C note. And then like "Smoke on the water" walk down back down to the G- Low E, F, F#, G. that would be a typical rock improvisation against this type of beat- Also you could throw in octaves on accet notes, etc.. and 5ths.
 
#9
bassrush67 said:
List a couple of your praise and worship songs and let some of us come up with a couple of runs or tricks for you. Geddy says "anyone can play the bass, it's how and what TRICKS you utilize, set you apart from the rest."
Just keep doing what your doing and it will eventually kick in.
Click to expand...

Next Friday we have a Christmas concert and my department's praise team was asked to open for the concert.

We are playing: cornerstone in C
Because he lives (north point version from C to D)
And great are you lord in A by all song and daughters.

I know the chord progressions well for each song but since we are opening for the concert I wanted to ensure we opened up with a bang.
 
#10
jazzonlyjazz said:
Next Friday we have a Christmas concert and my department's praise team was asked to open for the concert.

We are playing: cornerstone in C
Because he lives (north point version from C to D)
And great are you lord in A by all song and daughters.

I know the chord progressions well for each song but since we are opening for the concert I wanted to ensure we opened up with a bang.
Click to expand...

I LOVE Great Are You Lord. That song is my jam lol
 
#12
Start slowly with the F major scale and listen to each note over the chord progression. The F major scale will give you all the notes that fits over a G minor Dorian. The sound of the Natural minor (Aeolian) is another choice but on this particular track I prefer the sound of G Dorian / F Major.
 
#13
Groove Master said:
Start slowly with the F major scale and listen to each note over the chord progression. The F major scale will give you all the notes that fits over a G minor Dorian. The sound of the Natural minor (Aeolian) is another choice but on this particular track I prefer the sound of G Dorian / F Major.
Click to expand...


I only understood the first sentence. I'm not familiar AT ALL with dorian, phyrian ( I think), etc...I only know chromatic...as should everyone..:P
 

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