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I'm new to BASS.

Discussion in 'General Instruction [BG]' started by Harry Lime, Sep 8, 2001.

  1. Sep 8, 2001 #1
    Harry Lime

    Harry Lime Guest

    Sep 8, 2001
    Rhode Island, USA
    Hi, I'm Harry Lime. I only just started to play bass and take lessons two months ago. Basically, so far we've gone over some scales. I'll show you which ones:

    C Major (closed):

    II

    G|-------------1-3-4-3-1--------------------------
    D|------1-2-4------------4-2-1--------------------
    A|-2-4---------------------------4-2-1-------------------------1-2
    E|----------------------------------------4-2-FS1-0-FS1-2-4-

    (1-4=L.H. finger; FS=Finger Stretch)

    Okay, so I got through and can play this scale and also the G Major which is similar but starts on the G at the low E string. I'm just starting on the D Major now which is a little more difficult than those two.

    Well, what I want to ask... What else should I being doing in my own time...Because just sitting there practicing these scales can get BORING. He did show me how to do a POP on the open E. But we didn't go into detail on POP or SLAP.

    I had to order a book called BASS TODAY--I'll pick it up tomorrow and bring it in to the next lesson. He was just giving me the scales until this book came in. Anyway, just wanted to ask, what you think I can do in between learning whatever is going to be in this book, and the scales. Thanks.


    ps: These scales, are they the most important to learn? ARen't there like thousands of scales based on C Major? Why are they all called C Major, G Major etc. but found all over the place? There should be like a C II Major, C III Major etc. What exactly is the importance on learning scales anyway? He explained it to me, but I forget a lot of the theory he tries to explain. I take in about half of it I guess. So if I see it written on here, maybe I'll understand it a little better. Thanks.
     
  2. Sep 8, 2001 #2
    Bass Guitar

    Bass Guitar Supporting Member

    Aug 13, 2001
    Hiya!

    Welcome to Talkbass - here you will learn a whole lot about bass as well as music in general.

    In terms of bass playing, there are 2 aspects to it: the technical side (fingering, technique, etc.) and the musical side (listening to music, learning music theory, ear training). Spent equal times doing both.

    A good place to start is right here on Talkbass. Again I refer you to Jazzbo's great scale basics page here: http://www.talkbass.com/articles/articleview.php?ID=19

    Also, try this site here: http://www.libster.com/

    As for your question about scales, yes, you need to learn them. There is only 1 C Major scale, not thousands. I think you are getting confused. There are different types of scales and modes with C as the root note though, for example C Minor, C Melodic Minor, C Diminished Scale etc. When you get your book, and start learning some music theory, it will make more sense.
     
  3. Sep 8, 2001 #3
    Freaky Fender

    Freaky Fender

    May 27, 2001
    Saunderstown, RI
    dude! your from rhode island too!?!? COOL!
     
  4. Sep 8, 2001 #4
    Harry Lime

    Harry Lime Guest

    Sep 8, 2001
    Rhode Island, USA
    Bass Guitar :

    Thanks, man. I just bought an amp today, a Fender Bassman25. I'm really getting into it now. I plan on practicing at least five hours every day. I'm just curious...you recommend me to sit down and listen to music and try to play along with it as my ear training? Any CD's in particular you'd recommend to me? My teacher hasn't recommended learning any songs yet.
     
  5. Sep 8, 2001 #5
    Bass Guitar

    Bass Guitar Supporting Member

    Aug 13, 2001
    The best CDs to play along to are the CDs you enjoy listening to - what type of music do you like? Listen to the songs, pay attention to the bassline, and play along with the song. In the beginning, listen and play along to what you normally listen to anyway - this way, you are playing music you enjoy, and you will have incentive to learn. Later on, buy some key bass CDs - like Jaco Pastorius' self-titled album etc. to listen to what the bass can achieve as an instrument.
     
  6. Sep 9, 2001 #6
    Harry Lime

    Harry Lime Guest

    Sep 8, 2001
    Rhode Island, USA
    Well, I like everything pretty much. I've just sat down from practicing for three hours straight. I wish I could do this every day.

    I like The Police, Beatles, Zep, etc. I just don't think at this point I will be able to pick up on what a bass player is playing in a song. All I know are these three scales, and I'm playing exercises from my new book, learning how to read. I've learned how to read about six notes now while playing short exercises.
     
  7. Sep 9, 2001 #7
    Oysterman

    Oysterman Guest

    Mar 30, 2000
    Sweden
    Just don't let you bass playing only consist of scales and other theory. You have develop your ear, listen to what sounds good inside your head and how you can transcribe it to the bass. Jam, improvise, try things you never done before... in short, be creative! If you only study theory chances are that you will grow tired of it pretty soon. Of course, being creative in the way I described is not achieved by flicking a switch, so don't panic if you don't feel you're ready for it yet. :) But sooner or later you will have to put down the books and start jamming in a band to develop yourself as a bass player.
     
  8. Sep 9, 2001 #8
    Freaky Fender

    Freaky Fender

    May 27, 2001
    Saunderstown, RI
    Dude! i live in Narragansett to! but i'm on the south side.
     
  9. Sep 9, 2001 #9
    yawnsie

    yawnsie

    Apr 11, 2000
    London
    Hello Harry, and welcome to Talkbass!

    Er... I just thought I'd point out that the scale you put up there is actually B Major. C Major is one fret up. Pedantic I know, but when I started off I made a very similar mistake.

    Sorry to say this, but there really isn't that much else you can do at the moment - the first step is always the hardest, and it does get boring. But you'll appreciate doing all the tedious scale running now in the future.

    Get reading this. There'll be a test in the morning:

    http://www.talkbass.com/articles/articleview.php?ID=19

    I hope that this is of some use.
     
  10. Sep 9, 2001 #10
    Oysterman

    Oysterman Guest

    Mar 30, 2000
    Sweden
    See the "II" above the tab lines? ;)
     
  11. Sep 10, 2001 #11
    yawnsie

    yawnsie

    Apr 11, 2000
    London
    Bugger! Stupid arse strikes again.

    But what do you expect - I was too lazy to learn how to read tab, so I read music instead. ;)
     
  12. Sep 10, 2001 #12
    FatFunker

    FatFunker Guest

    Sep 6, 2001
    Rochester, New York
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7

    W W H W W W H W=whole step H= Half step

    1. Major =wwhwwwh

    2. Dorian= whwwwhw

    3. Phygian= hwwwhww ( i hope you see the patern developing)

    4. lydian

    5. mixolydian

    6. minor

    7. locrian

    learn all of those inside out backwards, forward, Sideways. you will eventually start to see the pattern. Learn that for now and then get back to us. good luck.
     
  13. Sep 15, 2001 #13
    Harry Lime

    Harry Lime Guest

    Sep 8, 2001
    Rhode Island, USA
    Hey, Oysterman! Another bass player from Gothenburg, Sweden! As I told the other Swede that posts here, I'd love to live in Sweden, but it's impossible to get a working visa for Sweden unless you have a degree in Computer Science and five years of working experience.

    I've added taht link with the scale theory to my favoites and was just reading it actually. Still working on my scales. I wasn't keeping my fingers down when I was practicing my scales, so now I have to relearn how to do them.

    YOU KNOW, speaking of that, some lessons don't get anywhere. We go over stuff we've already done...see, a lot of the time there is a lot of talking... so time goes by, I asked him if I could possibly start coming in for an hour. If someone cancels, I'll be able to do that.

    But for now, the time goes by so fast there isn't much time to cover a lot. In my theory book I had gotten up to a page I was having trouble with, which was with CHORDS. It was a little confusing. Oh, well hopefully next week.