TB noob, well bass noob really

[mikefromchurch]

Hi all, just wanted to introduce myself. A quick bio:
I started playing guitar about 18 years ago, self taught mostly. Can barely read music, but really want to study it more. A few years ago my wife and I started attending a wonderful church in Lathrop, CA. There was a need for a drummer, and since I can count to 4 I stepped up. After a month or so I told them I was really more of a guitarist, and got to sub in for second once a month. That's when the Bass bomb was dropped in my lap with nothing left to the fuse! Our bassist was having surgery and would be out for 3 months. I was given a 1980's beater p-bass copy and a week to learn 5 songs playing single whole notes in 4/4 . Not too hard. After a few weeks I figured I could run scales a bit. Now we have a second church where the old bassist plays, so I have been on Bass full time for 1 year.

I had acquired a carruther's sub-1 which had sat in the back of my closet collecting dust. So I got a cheap $100 bow and started teaching myself arco(I know I know) for some of the slower songs we do. I also have on loan a sound gear 4 string BG with emg's and a Gallen-Kruger amp pushing 4 10's. This I plan to purchase as soon as I am not poor which will be never. I found I like bass more than guitar(unless I'm playing alone). Its much more subtle, like the hint of spice on a cheese pizza. You miss it if it's gone, but never notice it's there.

Well so much for my SHORT intro. Anyways, I've lurked a bit, you got some good folks here, thought it time I joined y'all!

 

[MetroBass]

Welcome, this place alone has made me a better bassist!

 

[MalcolmAmos]

Post is a little old, however, if you are still around. I play Praise also. Love it. Here is how I do it, keep what you like and skip over what you do not.

We all play from the same fake chord sheet music. I get my copy Wednesday afternoon and then we rehearse Wednesday night and an hour before Sunday service.

I transcribe my fake chord's A, B, C to 1, 2, 3 Nashville numbers. and use the major scale box for everything.
Major Scale Box.
G|---2---|-------|---3---|---4---| 1st string
D|---6---|-------|---7---|---8---|
A|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
E|-------|---R---|-------|---2---|4th string

As you already know Praise will use up to six or seven of the chords in one key, in one song, so roots is just about all I have time for. I end up pounding out roots to the beat of the drummer's kick drum and change chords on the lyric syllable, i.e. dead on, not before or after, dead on. Very seldom is anything more than just the root called for.

Other than that it's grab your fake chord and your major scale box and hang with the drummer.

Good luck.

 

[mikefromchurch]

Thanks malcolm! I've been off here for a bit, so for an update: I went out and got an Ibanez SG505. I'm surprised at the huge difference between the SG with EMGs I was playing, and my new one with the barts! Way more punch and tone control.

Our singers tend to be in ranges with a lot of Eb and I got tired of going up, especially in songs that are simple Eb-F-G. The B progressions are fun to throw in a low B every once in a while, but it's too low for congregational to use all the time. It helps that our worship leader used to be in a metal band (osmium, still on youtube if you want to check them out) so we are moving into a lot more progressive christian rock. We altered "be thou my vision" to "you are my vision" and I play a little funky slap for most of it. Next new song we are doing is God's great dance floor. Going to be fun.