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Jamming. just plain old jamming. HELP!?

W

WholeLottaLovin

May 5, 2008
53
0
35
East Coast, USA
www.photosbydevon.com
#1
Alright, I've been playing bass for a year- actually a year today. I've had a blast learning to play, going to my half hour lesson every week and playing for hours on end whenever I can. My problem is with jamming.

I want to be able to put on a drum track and have an idea of what to do, rather than sitting here rubbing my head. Obviously, I know practice is key, and I've been working on it A LOT. I've been getting a little better at it, but I'm using the same patterns over and over again.

In particular I want to be able to jump right into a groove. For example my friends have been working on a little jam and I'd like to make a bass line to go with it- not to jam with them, but just because I think the jam is pretty catchy and I'd like to learn how to jam to something like this track.

I uploaded the jam onto my website, maybe someone could give me some idea as to what key the jam is in, and what scales to try jamming with? Just something to get started with.... PLEASE!

<EDIT> I took the sound clip down to save me some bandwidth! Thanks for your help everyone! </EDIT>

Thanks for any tips, help, suggestions, whatever! :D
 
#2
 
#5
Well... there is A LOT to it but my tip is:
1. Learn to play challenging music and grooves you really love.
2.Take it to your lessons and understand them harmonically and melodically.
3. Then try to implement phrases inside a simple groove you know and try moving these ideas around different keys.
4. Learn how the dominating tensions in those phrases sound. that will later help with improvisation.
And Always have fun!
Peace
 
#8
The chords are E,C,D,E. (I think)

Try to stick to emphasizing the roots, fifths, and octaves of the chords until you get a feel for the song. Once, you have those notes under control, you can try adding other notes in. Those notes will mostly act as passing tones while the emphasis remains on the roots and fifths. You can experiment with emphasizing other notes, but once you do that you are entering melodic territory and your instrument is then going to take a more critical role in defining the melodic feel of the music, so take it easy.

The piece is basically in E minor, but it has an E major chord in it, so it makes it a bit tricky to just tinker in a scale. The guitarist can get away with just plucking around in E minor pentatonic (which is what he is doing) but you have to be a little more careful as a bassist because if you hit a G in the bass, while the guitar is playing an Ab, it's going to sound bad.

Nobody finds a good groove without hitting a few bad notes first, unless they have a very well developed ear and a lot of experience, so don't be afraid to experiment. If it sounds good to you, then you are on the right track.

Also, always remember that you are part of the rhythm section! The notes are only half of what you are playing. Lock in with the drummer and create a groove.
 
#11
i agree with the listen to several genres and also try breaking molds. Also, if you have little desire to learn chord theory, then take you normal lines, and invert or rearrange them. doing that, during songs, helps me break from a line, and then give new life, and once you are locked in, you can lead your band back to other previously used licks. The thing i love about bass is, it is the floor, you keep it solid, and where there is the floor, the guitarists and drummers will go, back all over the landscape of genres.
 
#13
Sounds good. When I jam I always ask the guitar players what key they're playing in and/or the chord progression ...or... look at what they're playing....and start simple. Just like if you were the drummer you wouldn't start with any crazy fills.
 
#14
Thanks so much guys. I thought it started on E but had no idea where it went after that.

The reason I didn't just ask the guitarist what he is playing is because we aren't really talking at the moment. I'm really interested in learning to jam, to make playing more fun and I know that eventually I will talk to him again and probably go through that song again... (we went from jamming every night to him getting frustrated with jamming with us and then finally he just started jamming with another group. We've been friends for years and I know he'll come around but yah.)

As far as listening to different genres, My top bands are Beatles, Metallica, Aerosmith, Incubus, Led Zep, Pink Floyd, etc. I'm currently expanding, I've started listening to some funk/soul/groove/ 80s stuff- Tower of Power, Sly & the family stone, James Brown, etc I'm really trying to broaden my musical tastes, even though I'll listen to almost anything already.

Thanks so much everyone, I really appreciate this forum and how helpful everybody is!
 
#15
Hey, if you aren't speaking with the guitar player, maybe he could write the chords down for you. :hyper:

You also might want to check out the link in my sig. Should be something in there to keep the fire burning!
 
#16
LOL... Yeah, he's just weird. :help:

Seriously though, our jams were the most wasteful blobs of time ever. I'm glad we're done with them so now I can really focus on what I thought we were working on, progressing in music; as a bassist and as a musician in general.

Really, thanks for all the help. I will be spending a ton of time reading everything you guys have gathered on this forum... Here is to many more years of BASS. :bassist: :p
 
#17
 

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