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Jamming - Total Disappointment

#21
Originally posted by wannabe_bassist

I know folks who listen to music more than me yet cannot remember the beat or lyrics to a song. Even before I picked up an instrument, I could remember the notes in my head to virtually most songs I have heard. I seem to have the right memory for this stuff.
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your one step ahead of me then! i can't remember how a song goes. it sucks because i have a pretty good ear but just can't recall the time or notes of a song without hearing it.
keep practicing with the band, you'll come a lot farther than you will without them. it's great that they are understanding and patient, you don't find that a lot...
 
#23
Yo, I started playing at the start of this year and the first jam or 2 was a total writeoff. so don't worry

A problem that you mentioned with tabs, that "one bar had 9 notes, and the next had 7.." is one that i had too.

until i learned to used tabs as a guide, rather than law, just to find the progression, and make up the lead in notes yourself.

These days i use guitar tabs to learn a song (they are generally more reliable, and have the chord progression layed out, they even have diagrams of the fretboard of the notes used, which makes impro. easier).

And Recently, trying to do without tab at all!, just by listening and what some would call "noodling", to find the progression and basically how the song fits.

I just think that taking a less scientific/perfection approach to learning (as you seem to have been doing with all the repeating scales and whatnot..) can really take your playing to the next level. ;)
 
#24
You also said something about lessons and how you were turned off by teachers. Dont let one jerkoff at Mars Music turn you off of teachers all together. They are like anything else in life, some good some bad. He was one of the bad ones IMO.

Heres a link for you to try and help you find a good teacher in your area.

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#26
Hey, no worries there. No-one plays perfect or even good while jamming for the first time. Start from the root up - literary, play the root and then try to slip in something small at first. In time, you'll get the hang of it.
 
#29
Originally posted by Gabu
Another thing I forgot to add was your biggest obsticle may just be confidence.

You guys are all friends and there are no penalties for mistakes. Just have fun! If you get a bit lost, try to play it through. Don't stop.
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Agreed... another suggestion I have is that when you get lost or overwhelmed, ASK THEM TO STOP. Then, ask what chords they're playing, and if possible, ask them to give you a general outline of the tune. Write it out if need be. Spend time with just the guitarist or whoever is playing the primary chordal instrument (outside of your jam session perhaps) and lock in with him/her harmonically. If they're blowing through the tune and not waiting for you, chances are they don't fully know what they're doing and don't want to have to explain it, perhaps in fear of damaging their egos/reputations, etc. Music is a collaborative effort, and if they're not willing to help you in the slightest, it might be time to work with others so you can get better in a more supportive situation. Early on, you have to spend the time one-on one with someone to get the general idea of what's happening, but you also have to just dive in and try things as well.

Also, you mentioned having trouble playing along with records... When I started playing, I'd spend hours and hours on maybe the first minute of a tune trying to get it right... I didn't know the notes on the neck yet or anything, I just knew their sound and their feel. Use your ear and figure out what's going on in a very basic sense when you play along with a CD. You'll hit bad notes, yes, (you'll feel and hear them) but in the process you'll narrow things down and find the right ones in due time. Don't be afraid to sound bad! Just pick one song at a time to work on, no more. Don't overwhelm yourself. In doing this you'll plant the seeds for an improvisational feel/approach, and you'll be training your ear.

Hope these suggestions help...
 
#30
This may seem stupid and simplistic, but try to appreciate the fact that you have friends to play with that care about you and are willing to work with you, and ENJOY! Nobody sounds great at first, and it takes years to be good. I've been playing for over 25 years and there is still a universe of things I can learn and improve upon.

It sounds like you have a situation where you're not being criticised and put down (I've been there, and it sucks....), so talk to your jam-mates about your concerns. I bet they will be willing to help you out.

Playing with others is a very intimate thing. It is like making love; you're not great at it the first time, but if you feel comfortable with someone, you get better at it. I think it is good to be aware that you are creating something with other people, which is a special thing that many people never experience. Again, enjoy it, and don't get down on yourself. It will get better!
 
#31
Thanks folks!

I appreciate the supportive words. I will take all the advice forward with me to the next jam session.

I will also try to get them to NOT play Ozzie/Randy fast metal this time.

I would like them to attempt some Police songs (like Roxanne, Message in a Bottle, etc.) where the tempo is not as fast.

Thanks again for all your support!

:)
 
#33
Great suggestions in this thread.

Just my two cents, but I recommend getting some great classic blues CDs and playing along. Playing along with BB King, Albert King, etc., will eventually give you great instincts for chord changes and timing. If you can really master the blues (which ain't as easy as some think) you will be able to handle most rock.
 
#34
Well good luck trying to play anything off kinda blue..great record but i find very hard to follow bass wise..just hang in there i was in the same boat and i decided to learn 10 of my favorite cds..that was my entire practice for a long time..but when i finished, jamming kinda came easy cuz i had a better ear and knew the way a song progressed..youll be amazed how well your ear will be from this method..but thats just the way i overcame it..dont give up..
 
#35
wannabe, it takes time, and I agree with SCH, get some blues, old Stevie Ray is good also.Don't try to cop the licks all at once. Figure out, or get the chords from guitar tabs to the song you want to work on. Just play the root along with the cd or mp3. Now put the bass down. Sing the bass line, get it into your head, do that a couple of times for the song. Now turn off the cd, and pick up your bass. You know the chords to the song, find the first chord C or G or whatever, now try to work out whats in your head, sing it as you play it, try the next chord and so on. Then go back to the cd and see how close you got it. It might not be right on but it will be close. Sing those bass lines in your head first, then pick up the bass and try to do it. You'll start to see patterns after a while. Good luck, and go slow, speed will come with time.

George
 
#36
Wannabe, this may help.

As I was unpacking a box yesterday, I came across a CD I picked up on eBay a few months back and then promptly forgot:

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It's a CD full of basic blues and blues-influenced jams minus the bass parts. The liner notes are pretty basic, mostly just chord changes and a few comments.

I was messing around with this for three hours yesterday! (All on two tracks, too!) This is a great way to learn basic blues jamming skills - you can play it straight or with frilly turnarounds - whatever suits your fancy. And each track is long enough (5 minutes or so) that you can experiment without having to restart the CD. It makes you think about song structure and bassline building, since there's no bass track to fall back on at all.

Highly recommended!
 
#38
I'm there with you most Tuesday evenings ! I'm not a great melodic player so I tend to concentrate on the rhythm and put root and fifths against the drums - I usually concentrate on the kick drum first.

Good luck with your gigging - why not learn the bass lines to a couple of your favourite numbers and lead the band when playing these.

If the rhythm guitarist is playing riffs, it is well worth getting him to scribble them out and try to "double" them on the bass. If he's playing chords then ask him to double your bass riff line on numbers you think this would suit.

Good Luck and don't give up.
 

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