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Recent Thoughts on StudyBass.com?

Mcabe

Mcabe

Jan 7, 2020
251
564
New Jersey
#1
Hi all! Looking for an online source to help guide my practice and teach me some music theory that I can use while playing with others. I ran across StudyBass.com and was attracted to the linear nature of the instruction and the freemium pricing. I see that Andrew Pouska's site got some love on TB a while back, but have not seen much about it in the past couple of years. So what are your thoughts, worth the time?

A little about myself, I have been playing bass on and off for years. I am in a band that gigs and am comfortable learning covers and composing bass lines to original material. But I lack the confidence to solo/improvise or jam on new songs I have not practiced. I am looking for lessons to help me internalize basic music theory (probably focused on chord tones?) to help me move past root-5 playing on songs I have not practiced.

Style of music I play is rock/country/americana. Many of the online sources seem focused on teaching music theory for jazz players which might be overkill for what I need. Any, suggestions welcome, but I need something to help structure my learning and keep me focused.
 
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#2
I have never used StudyBass.com. It is mentioned all the time and I think you will get some value from the site. IMO theory is theory, they all say the same thing only difference is in how it is offered.

I like Mark Smith's Talking bass site. He and Ed Friedland write where I understand what they are saying and why they are taking me down this specific road.

I think you will find this string helpful. How to get started? | TalkBass.com Post number 4, 6 and 14 have some things I think will help. I also found the book Bass Guitar for Dummies to be a big help.


Good luck, and happy trails.

Little more. Want a happy good time feel. A major key, scale or chord gives this. I never did hear a lot of sad, just minor, but, want a sad or minor feel the minor key, scale or chord gives this. The I, IV, V give movement. The minor chords {in a major progression} give color and flavor. The diminished note or chord works like the V, but is in no hurry to resolve. So make a good start to a turn-around -- vii-vi-iii-ii-I.

Melody I let pentatonic notes do it for me. Pentatonic and the tune's recognized melody should keep you in a safe place, for any improvised solo you may have to give...

The drummer and the bass are not expected to solo, in my neck of the woods.

Fall in with the kick drum playing chord tones and don't step on toes.
 
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#4
A while back I spent about 1 year working through StudyBass. It appealed to me because it is well structured and progressive. In hindsight it was time well spent.

While StudyBass provides an introduction to music theory, I don't think it will help with your goal of improvisation. There are other courses or books that would be better to develop improvisation.

Still, I think you are on the right track to start with music theory first.
 
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#5
Teachers, especially when first starting, are a good thing. Even if you don't stay with them for a long time. They can get god habits started, like hand and playing positions. Once you have basics covered, I think it's ok to look at online stuff.
Anything with Ed Freidlands name on it is going to be good.
 
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#6
SteveC said:
Anything with Ed Freidlands name on it is going to be good.
Click to expand...

Couldn't resist the setup:
ed-ointment.jpg
 
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#7
Thanks all. Started working my way through the StudyBass site to see how I liked it. It starts out too basic for me, with things like how to hold the bass, pluck, mute, etc. But Andrew has a nice laidback style. His material is not overly produced, and he's not as animated as other online instructors I have seen, but he seems like a nice guy and a good teacher.

What I really need is a program that give me exercises to practice, so I can internalize the music theory and actually use it in my playing. I have a basic understanding of music theory (thanks in part to the great stuff @Malcolm35 and others have posted to TB over the years), but it is at a level where I have to stop to think about it. For theory to be useful in my playing, it needs to be innate.

Going to stick with StudyBass for a little while longer to see if the more advanced stuff gives me what I need. If not, I might try the chord tones lesson from the Talking Bass site. I also got the Ariane Cap book, which I plan to work through in parallel.
 
#8
Mcabe said:
...I also got the Ariane Cap book, which I plan to work through in parallel.
Click to expand...

I spent about a year working through the Ariane Cap Music Theory book. StudyBass is quite good to get a person started on bass. But for me the book was was far more enlightening on music theory than the website.

if you like Ariane Cap's music theory book, and if you see it through to completion, then it leads nicely into the Pattern System book. The Pattern System has a strong emphasis on improvisation.

I'm in a similar situation as you: I've played bass on and off over the years, I play in a band that gigs, I can learn covers, and I look for ways to improve. My playing has improved noticeably as a result of Ariane Cap's books.

You might find that working through a single resource is more productive than working through 2 resources in parallel. Whatever you decide, all the best!
 
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#9
I'd also recommend just jamming along to some backing tracks on YouTube. The only way you'll get better at it is to do it loads and loads... Backing tracks takes the pressure off you that a band setting may add... You're free to experiment and see what works.

Most music is really not that theoretical. Once you have a grasp of the basics, it's just trial and error of what sounds good. Also try humming a line in your head and then play it on the bass. I find I am far more creative in my head!
 
#14
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#15
Keep going with StudyBass.com

Skip over the first very basic lessons if you already feel you know those skills (ie how to fret and pluck)

The lessons and exercises are exactly aimed at you being able to develop and improvise your own bass parts as soon as practical. Seems to be in line with your goals stated here.
 
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#16
I will save you some time deciding about Studybass.com

Given your stated goals and ability, survey Poulska's lesson blocks and just jump ahead to... (obviously if it turns out u cant follow these, backtrack, but im pretty sure you are ready and wanting:)

Common (bassline) Patterns

Playing the Blues (even if u think u dont care about Blues)

I doubted myself and Poulska"s claim that I could be creative right from the start. I had never played before, so it did take me a week instead of a day, but I have been jamming since week 1!

Those sections are the golden heart and goal of all his beginning instructions. They are easy to learn, lifetime to perfect material. That give you a starting point to jam, improv and write.

So dont worry about perfection and total understanding, just go through that to the point where you get the idea behind the exercises...

Then go through songs you want to learn anyway that when trying you recognize have those patterns, and play those parts as warm up exercises instead.

Then as soon as you got it (just a basic handle on your bassline) pretend you are the star bass player jamming on a big 5 min instrumental in concert.

Eventually you will crash and burn, but you know what, often you will get a cool improv going, maybe even segway into references to another song you love, and bring it back home to the original song to close.

And the audience (just you) will go wild!
 
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#17
A late addition but relevant and I hope useful:

I've used a lot of on-line instructional resources for bass and I see Andrew Pouska's YouTube and studybass.com as absolute gold.

Whether one wants to work through his entire curriculum or just leverage elements of interest I think he's an outstanding educator who's created superb on-line educational resources for folks who want a broad, solid foundation on this instrument. If distance were no hurdle I'd definitely be taking in-person lessons from him.

As a related aside, and after looking through a few others, I found John Goodman's "Bass Theory: The Electric Bass Guitar Player's Guide to Music Theory"; it's clear, succinct, exactly what I needed, and I think it is outstanding!
 
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