New user full of questions.

[FugaziBomb]

Howdy y'all! I'm new to the group and wanted to introduce myself. I'm new to playing bass, but I've played guitar for 6 years now. I'm having a tough time with phrasing though. I seem to like "riffy" base-lines but I stick out like a sore thumb when I record my own bass tracks. Any advice?

Listen to the bass in music. Do this A LOT over and over again. Without knowing what music you're into, it's hard to suggest things. I'm sure you can recognize above average bassists in whatever you're into. Listen to THAT stuff a lot and learn to play it. Also, play along to drum tracks CONSTANTLY. It also helps to be finger drumming to music you're listening to. Sounds crazy, but I've been habitually doing it my whole life - to the dismay of those around me - and my right hand technique is killer.

This is all solid advice. I find myself playing scales a lot and it just doesn't have the right voice most of the time. I can hear it in my head better than I can translate it to my hands if that makes sense.

This used to happen to me because I was thinking of things in terms of being a guitarist. Don't do that. That Bootsy video a few posts back was a really great example of how to play around a scale on bass. Don't be linear, make big interval jumps - sometimes octaves. Do that all the time, unless it sounds bad - then stop doing it.

It's tough to unlearn a behavior and realistically, I don't have enough hours logged to find a voice in a band yet anyway. I'll keep thumpin' away and seeing what I can do. I can play Rage Against the Machine and Foo Fighters stuff and a handful of random country tunes; anything you think I should try?

No, get with other musicians IMMEDIATELY. Getting with other musicians will help you improve a lot faster than playing the same few Rage songs by yourself. Get out there. Cruise craigslist and have a few laughs. Go to open mic nights. Whatever you got to do, get with people. I can't stress that enough.

 

[jchrisk1]

I find myself playing scales a lot and it just doesn't have the right voice most of the time.

Instead of playing scales, try playing chord tones instead. Your voicings will sound better. Then start adding scale tones, or chromatic tones, as passing/leading tones. And, always keep it simple. No need for a lot of notes that don't support the harmony.

 

[Dana R Gregory]

Get thee to an instructor. Enough said.

 

[Kro]

My philosophy has always been that the bass is the glue that ties the drums to the rest of the band.

For any chord progression, listen to the drums, if you're like me, your brain will start assigning melodies to the drum parts that goes along with the chord progression. Incorporate any inspiration that comes to you along the way derived from melody parts (guitar, vocals, whatever), and you'll start creating your own groove oriented melodies and counter melodies that tie everything together.

I never think in terms of scales, but rather in terms of rhythm, melodies, and counter melodies. This approach might not work for everybody, but after years of introspection, I've found that this is the way that my brain approaches bass, and it seems to work for me! Good luck!

 

[superheavyfunk]

All the advice about finding the pocket and staying there is crucial, Bass Guitar 101 kinda stuff. But as true as that all is, there is more room to noodle than it may seem at first blush. The key is learning how to phrase things melodically and knowing the fundamentals of chord building.

A great example that I often share with people is Prince's "Alphabet Street." Have a listen:


This bassline almost isn't even a bass line. It sounds like he's noodling away in the background while the kick drum holds the groove together... but if you dissect it, you'll find that all the notes that he is playing outlines the song's chord progression and both supports and plays off of the vocals and helps to imply the chords that the guitar isn't playing - and all this in a very distinct and melodic way.

This is, of course, some advanced level bass business from a master of the songwriting craft but it serves as a good example that we needn't always stick to the "play with the kick drum, less is more" kinda mentality. Once you've got some bass skills under your belt - and even while you're learning the ropes - don't be afraid to stretch out and use the knowledge that you're building in strange and interesting ways!

 

[Knavery]

I started on guitar and switched when a band I joined needed a bass player. It was REALLY hard and took some time to switch modes. It's really a different way of thinking. Both have strings and are tuned the same, but what and when to play is much different.

 

[arbiterusa]

For me, I learned a lot from (don't laugh!) Little River Band in the 70's when George McArdle was the bassist.

I'm not laughing. That guy was freaking awesome. For that matter, if you wanted to learn about good songwriting, harmony vocals or mixing, you could do a LOT worse than listen to some 70s LRB.

 

[red_rhino]

I find myself playing scales a lot and it just doesn't have the right voice most of the time. I can hear it in my head better than I can translate it to my hands if that makes sense.

That makes perfect sense. It takes a while to learn how to play what you hear. Scales are not bass lines; they just provide a scaffolding. Your vocabulary will increase the more you play. Stick with it, it will happen.

Get thee to an instructor. Enough said.

This is the one piece of advice I would have given to my younger self. If you want to move things along more quickly, get an instructor. Someone who knows how to communicate and teach, not necessarily someone who can shred.

 

[Carl Hillman]

Howdy y'all! I'm new to the group and wanted to introduce myself. I'm new to playing bass, but I've played guitar for 6 years now. I'm having a tough time with phrasing though. I seem to like "riffy" base-lines but I stick out like a sore thumb when I record my own bass tracks. Any advice?

What do you mean by "phrasing"?

Are you talking about playing precisely in time? That's certainly one thing that would make you "stick out like a sore thumb".

on edit: You say you play Foo Fighters and Rage tunes.
I humbly suggest you begin your bass playing career by trying to exactly duplicate what is being played by the bass players on those songs.
When we are first learning to speak, we learn best by imitating others until we have enough vocabulary to put together our own unique phrases.

 

[Stumbo]

It's tough to unlearn a behavior and realistically, I don't have enough hours logged to find a voice in a band yet anyway. I'll keep thumpin' away and seeing what I can do. I can play Rage Against the Machine and Foo Fighters stuff and a handful of random country tunes; anything you think I should try?

Blues, lots of blues. Until you can't stand it anymore.

Check out the blues section of my TB Wiki:
TB Wiki: Learning Links for All Bass Players - Blues and more

 

[kevindahl]

OP hasn't given a lot of info. He likes riff based bass lines but stands out like "a sore thumb". What does that mean? Are you not in time with the drums? Maybe keep on practicing your riffs to a metronome until you are in the pocket. You have played a stringed instrument previously so eventually it will come. Bass players think about melody as well as rhythm and locking in to the pulse is, IMHO, the most challenging and most rewarding thing to accomplish. If your brave enough maybe upload a snippet.

 

[Pilgrim]

It's tough to unlearn a behavior and realistically, I don't have enough hours logged to find a voice in a band yet anyway. I'll keep thumpin' away and seeing what I can do. I can play Rage Against the Machine and Foo Fighters stuff and a handful of random country tunes; anything you think I should try?

Listen to Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison Blues. Play that bass line, and nothing extra.



Then listen to Henry Mancini's original Peter Gunn theme, which is a classic base for jazz. Play that bass part and nothing more.



Those are two of the most minimal bass lines I know of. You need to learn the feeling that comes from playing just enough, and not too much. In both cases, if you drop the rhythm or fancy it up too much, you ruin the number.

Once you learn that sometimes it's OK to be simple, basic and carry the rhythm, you'll be a better bass player.

 

[jpmcbride]

I find myself playing scales a lot and it just doesn't have the right voice most of the time.

Instead of scales, try playing chord tones. One of the roles of the bass is to outline the chords.

 

[bolophonic]

Listen to the bass in music. Do this A LOT over and over again. Without knowing what music you're into, it's hard to suggest things. I'm sure you can recognize above average bassists in whatever you're into. Listen to THAT stuff a lot and learn to play it. Also, play along to drum tracks CONSTANTLY. It also helps to be finger drumming to music you're listening to. Sounds crazy, but I've been habitually doing it my whole life - to the dismay of those around me - and my right hand technique is killer.



This used to happen to me because I was thinking of things in terms of being a guitarist. Don't do that. That Bootsy video a few posts back was a really great example of how to play around a scale on bass. Don't be linear, make big interval jumps - sometimes octaves. Do that all the time, unless it sounds bad - then stop doing it.



No, get with other musicians IMMEDIATELY. Getting with other musicians will help you improve a lot faster than playing the same few Rage songs by yourself. Get out there. Cruise craigslist and have a few laughs. Go to open mic nights. Whatever you got to do, get with people. I can't stress that enough.

+1 to the listening and finger drumming over here. Whenever I am away from my instruments, I listen to music actively, in order to be constantly learning more about what works and why. I also spend a good deal of time inventing and improvising all sorts of finger drumming rudiments in a way that has become automatic and subconscious. The results after 30+ years of basically playing air bass, or visualizing bass lines all day long have been dramatic. It has even helped preserve my chops during times when I was unable to physically play.

 

[RoaDan]

I’m sorry, but that is terrible advice from Billy Sheehan.

????? Please explain how this is bad advice. Of course it always depends on the genre but for the basics the advice is spot on... Bassists who do not listen to the drummer are usually playing some sort of free form jazz, or whatever, but if you want the feet to hit the dance floor you had better lock in with the kick!

 

[Vinny_G]

You're playing bass like it's a guitar, which tends to happen when guitar players pick up the bass. I don't know what to suggest to help with that, but that's probably what's happening. You are there for groove, not to riff and play flashy. Less is more.

1) Bass is a guitar. They operate in a different range, that's all.
2) The groove is good in Blues and R&B, but not all music is based on African rhythms.
3) Less is just less. Sometimes more is better.

 

[LT131]

For mainstream Rock, Blues, Country, etc. think about what you want to play and cut it about 50%. Outside that maybe 30-40%. When I learned to leave space within a song is when I started getting calls. Only took about 25 years!

 

[fdeck]

One of my college roommates played guitar. He told me that he never really noticed the bass in music, until he heard me practice my bass. Listening and noticing the bass is a good start. Ignore the guitars.

 

[Stumbo]

One of my college roommates played guitar. He told me that he never really noticed the bass in music, until he heard me practice my bass. Listening and noticing the bass is a good start. Ignore the guitars.

Turn down the treble on your audio source.

 

[Michedelic]

Howdy y'all! I'm new to the group and wanted to introduce myself. I'm new to playing bass, but I've played guitar for 6 years now. I'm having a tough time with phrasing though. I seem to like "riffy" base-lines but I stick out like a sore thumb when I record my own bass tracks. Any advice?

What kind of music are you most interested in playing? How wide are your tastes? If you think you’re going to pursue the instrument for a long time, look forward, and consider that you may be liking/playing a different style in 10-20 years. That’s when you need to look back; as Stumbo mentioned, dig deep into the blues. Sure, you may not ever play in that genre, but the basic vocabulary...the lines, riffs, walking, chord changes(and variations), and feel, have formed the basis of, or trickled into, so many other styles. That stuff is in the basic DNA of ‘popular’ music. What might be happening today, musically, didn’t happen overnight.