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Tips for scales and triads and such

J

Jtbass97

Jan 26, 2013
15
0
Boca Raton, Florida
#1
basically i've been playing bass for a couple years and i would say im pretty good. I play along to songs almost every day (mostly metallica). I know the basics like the major scale and minor scales and major and minor triads, but I have no idea how to interpret that knowledge into fill ins and such. I made this form to ask if anybody could give me tips at what i should be learning and practicing (I am very dedicated), like new scales and things on what to study to get better at bass with knowledge and theory other than just playing along with songs all the time. I also know there is a whole lot of different types of scales and I don't know where to start. Please Help!
 
#6
Jtbass97 said:
basically i've been playing bass for a couple years and i would say im pretty good. I play along to songs almost every day (mostly metallica). I know the basics like the major scale and minor scales and major and minor triads, but I have no idea how to interpret that knowledge into fill ins and such. I made this form to ask if anybody could give me tips at what i should be learning and practicing (I am very dedicated), like new scales and things on what to study to get better at bass with knowledge and theory other than just playing along with songs all the time. I also know there is a whole lot of different types of scales and I don't know where to start. Please Help!
Click to expand...

IMO, the best way to start thinking in terms of making your own bass lines is to start concentrating on CHORD TONES. There is more to "knowing" your scales than being able to play from root to root all over the neck. Do you know how chord tones are derived from scales ? If not, then IMO this is the direction you should take.

Jazz may not be you type of music, but learning walking bass lines will help you in forming your own lines for ALL types of music. There are lots of great books out there on this subject, but the one linked below is the best to start with IMO.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0786659963




Chord tones are covered very well in the link below (Study Bass). It is a great all round site and worth your while going through it from the beginning.

http://www.studybass.com/lessons/bass-chord-patterns/chord-tones-are-primary/




Here is a set of lessons from Dave Marks on walking bass lines. I think there are nine or ten in all. He starts with the basics and the lessons build gradually from there.


http://www.youtube.com/results?sear...1j9.10.0...0.0...1ac.1.11.youtube.uCyHtsOexLY


BTW, spending say twenty minutes a day learning to read music, would be time well spent IMO.


Best of luck. :)




EDIT : Malcolm's post (#4) in this thread is well worth reading. Make a copy of it for reference.



http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f22/beginning-bass-985884/
 
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#9
Jtbass97 said:
hey thanks for the suggestion but unfortunately I can't read
music but that did seen like a great book for what I'm trying to learn
Click to expand...

Learn to read music now while you are new. It is the best advice I can give you and I make $$$ playing bass. It's really not that tough and it will open up a ton of music to you as you will never have to deal with bad TAB or search for TAB again.

The thing about note reading is you learn to think in intervals quickly. You will see the triads instead of seeing numbers.

The old school Mel Bay book on beginning bass (no TAB) will teach you to learn notes in weeks and you will be off and running. Just do i..trust me. I hate that I waited so long, but it has paid off for me huge already.
 

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