really, how to be a better musician?

[Tampabass]

easy - incorporate more fiber into your diet.

 

[thehangingmist]

easy - incorporate more fiber into your diet.

thank you!

 

[Beginner Bass]

I felt similar to what you're feeling now. Then my guitarist gave me "The Music Lesson" by Victor Wooten.

If you can find it, I highly reccomend it, it has great advice about playing music.

In terms of what you're doing now, the transcribing will DEFINITELY help, and playing with people who are more experienced is also a great way to improve. Get out there, get amongst it, and have fun.

All the best mate.

http://books-videos-music.musicians...al-Search-For-Growth-Through-Music?sku=720084

 

[Schlyder]

"..Varunkapahi, you are living in the middle of one of the richest musical cultures in the world when it comes to rhythm. Have you considered studying Hindustani talas? You wouldn't even have to pick up an instrument, just learning the talas using spoken syllables would greatly improve your metronome sense..."

This.^
and get used to the fact that the process of learning and internalizing takes time.

Plus, you will always be learning if you truly want to be a master of your instrument.
And becoming a master means you are always on the journey to learning.
There is no destination... only a journey

 

[Thunderthumbs73]

the thing about listening is i habitally listen passively as in i listen to it as sounds and never try to focus on the musical part really.

I think this is whether the root of both your problem, as well as the beginning of an answer to fix the problem should lie. I really can't distill or boil the nature of the problem/fix down to anything more basic than this.

 

[HeadyVan Halen]

You're thinking to much...there are only 12 notes. Stop thinking about modes/scales/arpeggios/slash chords etc..just open you ears up and don't be afraid to make mistakes. I used to punch myself when I couldn't figure something out the 1st time (really did). Found out I only hurt my hand which would mean I couldn't play for a day. Pretty dumb.

Second, don't 'think' with your hands. In other words, when presented with new music, don't play ANYTHING..hum the line you hear. That way you are playing what you want to hear and not the usually pattern your hands fall into....You will find some of the best grooves are simple.

 

[JimmyM]

V, you just need some good old-fashioned hometown inspiration. Here you go:

 

[KillerQuebec]

there are only 12 notes.

+1

 

[thehangingmist]

http://books-videos-music.musicians...al-Search-For-Growth-Through-Music?sku=720084

i have read that twice over way back when it got out, maybe its time to do it again and this time i follow the advice and practice over those ideas or maybe not!

I think this is whether the root of both your problem, as well as the beginning of an answer to fix the problem should lie. I really can't distill or boil the nature of the problem/fix down to anything more basic than this.

so there is no way to fix it else than just forcing my self to listen actively whenever i do, mostly i just forget i have to listen actively

You're thinking to much...there are only 12 notes. Stop thinking about modes/scales/arpeggios/slash chords etc..just open you ears up and don't be afraid to make mistakes. I used to punch myself when I couldn't figure something out the 1st time (really did). Found out I only hurt my hand which would mean I couldn't play for a day. Pretty dumb.

Second, don't 'think' with your hands. In other words, when presented with new music, don't play ANYTHING..hum the line you hear. That way you are playing what you want to hear and not the usually pattern your hands fall into....You will find some of the best grooves are simple.

sometimes nothing really rings in my head, othertimes it does

V, you just need some good old-fashioned hometown inspiration. Here you go:

haha that is epic! lmao

 

[dalkowski]

1. Set goals.
2. Find a teacher who'll help you meet them.
3. Practice, practice, practice.

(I've got 1 and 2 nailed)

 

[Thunderthumbs73]

so there is no way to fix it else than just forcing my self to listen actively whenever i do, mostly i just forget i have to listen actively

Correct. Like you have to force yourself to be on-time to work or class. Yes. For such a small personal change (especially for a "task" which is already supposed to be enjoyable anyway, as listening to music should be), the benefit to your bass playing and musicianship is incredible.

That change will pay you more dividends than any lesson at any price.

 

[elavate7]

im in the same boat you are. i play for my church and a couple of other groups, but i dont feel like im making any progress at all. i practice and train my ear by listening and playing to music of all styles. the first try, i play the exact bassline. the second try, i create my own bassline to the music.

 

[Stumbo]

easy - incorporate more fiber into your diet.

Drink more water (eliminate soda), take a daily vitamin, get a great nights sleep every night. You'll up your thought processes and be able to learn more stuff more quickly and retain more.

YMMV,IME,IMO...etc.

 

[big90sbasshorns]

I wholeheartly would suggest trying to find a Fender B-dec amp. It's a bit of an investment, but I'm pretty sure they were discontinued a year or so ago, so maybe there's good deals to be had on them now

 

[tZer]

1.my ear is really no good at the moment...

Training your ear takes time and patience. Relying on tabs is definitely a crutch and while it can get you to play a song more quickly, it does so at the expense of training your ear.

One of the best ways to train the ear is at a piano. Playing a root note, then adding harmonies and hearing how they sound and feel is a start. Playing chords and their inversions - then hearing how moving the various voices around is another great step. But they both take time, diligence and patience. Everyday, for a number of minutes, if you spent time at the piano training your ear to recognize intervals and how chords and harmonies sound, your ear will improve.

2.lessons/teacher: i cant find one here...

That's a real problem. With a good teacher you can realize improvement very quickly. Without one, you can end up practicing very ineffectively and nurturing some bad habits. If it's at all possible, find a teacher.

3.sometimes i want to lock myself in a room and really start working on things i know i'd really like to improve at...

See above comment. It's one thing to woodshed effectively - another to spend hours solidifying mistakes or bad habits.

4.the things i am working at: ear training (figuring out songs by ear and soflege), speed training, reading, theory.

Learning songs by ear is sort of 'ear training' - but the real ear training comes from the exercises described above where your ears are trained to recognize intervals, harmonies and the nature of chords.


But you've only been playing for a short period of time so cut yourself some slack. It takes time and since you are so serious about your own musical development, I am sure you'll improve much more than you probably are willing to give yourself credit for.

It's also important to realize that as musicians/artists, we all tend to be our own harshest critics - sometimes unnecessarily. I've found that getting on a regular lesson plan where you have a series of skills to develop over a measured time, you are able to look back into the recent past and easily see measurable improvement. That, coupled with knowing that you are putting in the sweat equity goes a very long way toward feeling better about yourself as a musician.

Always remember - there's ALWAYS someone you'll feel is better than you AND someone who feels you are better than they are. That's no way to accurately asses your own 'worth' as a musician - only to see yourself in comparison to others.

 

[cnltb]

Listen... Always listen and try to hear.
Then listen some more.

 

[thehangingmist]

I wholeheartly would suggest trying to find a Fender B-dec amp. It's a bit of an investment, but I'm pretty sure they were discontinued a year or so ago, so maybe there's good deals to be had on them now

i bet that amp has auto tune feature

Training your ear takes time and patience. Relying on tabs is definitely a crutch and while it can get you to play a song more quickly, it does so at the expense of training your ear.

One of the best ways to train the ear is at a piano. Playing a root note, then adding harmonies and hearing how they sound and feel is a start. Playing chords and their inversions - then hearing how moving the various voices around is another great step. But they both take time, diligence and patience. Everyday, for a number of minutes, if you spent time at the piano training your ear to recognize intervals and how chords and harmonies sound, your ear will improve.



That's a real problem. With a good teacher you can realize improvement very quickly. Without one, you can end up practicing very ineffectively and nurturing some bad habits. If it's at all possible, find a teacher.



See above comment. It's one thing to woodshed effectively - another to spend hours solidifying mistakes or bad habits.



Learning songs by ear is sort of 'ear training' - but the real ear training comes from the exercises described above where your ears are trained to recognize intervals, harmonies and the nature of chords.


But you've only been playing for a short period of time so cut yourself some slack. It takes time and since you are so serious about your own musical development, I am sure you'll improve much more than you probably are willing to give yourself credit for.

It's also important to realize that as musicians/artists, we all tend to be our own harshest critics - sometimes unnecessarily. I've found that getting on a regular lesson plan where you have a series of skills to develop over a measured time, you are able to look back into the recent past and easily see measurable improvement. That, coupled with knowing that you are putting in the sweat equity goes a very long way toward feeling better about yourself as a musician.

Always remember - there's ALWAYS someone you'll feel is better than you AND someone who feels you are better than they are. That's no way to accurately asses your own 'worth' as a musician - only to see yourself in comparison to others.

Listen... Always listen and try to hear.
Then listen some more.

thank you both will keep this in mind

am really looking for a teacher all around my city. i met a guy but he couldnt teach me much, everytime i'd ask him a question he'd be like you practice this and you will know for yourself :-/
so now am looking for some one who is older and experienced