What bass lesson or tip changed your life.

[Fuzzbass]

It's an elementary tip, but learning to think of chords as numbers was a game-changer for me, common chord progressions suddenly made sense, I could transcribe to any key, communication with others was much easier.

Numbers was also a game-changer for me. For most gigs I bring my tablet that uses a setlist app that's basically a glorified notepad. It contains hundreds of "charts", all written in numbers. I include the usual key, but with numbers I usually have no trouble transposing.

The problem for me is that I've become too accustomed to numbers. Numbers work great for the vast majority of rock/pop/country/R&B (etc) tunes, but there are exceptions where they don't -- not on the fly.

One example: I was doing some sub gigs with an 11-member band (5 piece horn section). They would sometimes take requests for songs that I didn't know. They would usually play them anyway: because the band was so big, and had a keyboard player, it didn't matter if the bass player was faking it once/twice a night. The guitarist coached me through the unfamiliar territory. He initially asked "would you prefer letters or numbers", and I said "numbers, please!" Because I'm much better with them than letters. That worked fine until the requested tune was "Just You and Me" by Chicago: multiple key changes! Coaching that one was too tricky on the fly (letters or numbers) so I mostly sat that one out (and made sure to learn it afterward).

 

[Bartrinsic]

Improvisation. Someone made me do it.

 

[Fuzzbass]

I was self-taught the first 3-4 years I played bass... this was way back in the pre-internet dark ages. I progressed well at first but eventually realized I was stuck in a rut -- a number of ruts. So, I took music lessons from a guitarist who taught me how to play in any mode in any key in any position on the fretboard.

That was my first musical epiphany. I should have continued, but the bottom line is that I've always been a semi-pro hobbyist (never any intention of going pro) so I had what I needed to be a lot more efficient. I still consider myself a bass player and not a musician*, but a few years ago decided to take weekly theory lessons in hopes of expanding my brain further.


*Of course I'm not saying "bass players are not musicians" -- I'm only referring to myself. Reasons: I can't sight read, I have trouble reading trickier charts, I'm not much good at soloing, etc. But I'm slowly improving.

 

[Bobhmcs]

My current Bass teacher removed my right thumb and the taught me about my right forefinger and middle finger. Best piece of education ever afforded me.
Bob

 

[MrLenny1]

Learning proper fingering by a Classical Method book.
Turned my playing around 50% in one year.
Prior to that I was a sloppy rocker.

 

[d3mcgee]

MEMORIZATION Things change when you really know the Tune. I was a Horn player first mostly reading Music High School College when I started playing Bass in a Rock bands it was easy to memorize My ear got better I started to ear the music in my head "Getting off the Page" alot of great advice with this tread

 

[Joseguzman]

For me, Many, but

1) Learning to walk Autumn Leaves on upright., courtesy of Bill Miller, houston bass wonder.
2) learning to do "Perfect Practice". Courtesy of Carol Shiffer, a wonderful piano instructor at HCC.
3) Your time sucks... hopefully it is better after 22 years,
4) Key Center analysis, courtesy of Dr. Woody Witt.

I think, Tom Bornemann, has the best lessons I have seen so far. That is on Youtube.
Still, I do not like the way he moves his hands while playing, but the lessons are good.

 

[roccobass]

There’s 4 of themthat were suggested to me by some of my earliest instructors that stick with me today.Two are technical while the others are more philosophical.

1. Playing 2 two chords. Initially, root/octave which graduated to root/4th and so on and so on.
2. There’s more than one way to play a walking bass line. Seems like a no brainer? Nope. I was locked in a one track technic for awhile. Once I got over it,,the sky was the limit.
3. Harmonics. Need I say more?
4. Probably the most important. This what my best bass shaman told me.Listen to what your band mates are doing. Often times, I’ll hear something that inspires me to create. Doesn’t always have to be adding something. Subtraction does add things to the music too. You don’t have to play as expansive as Michael Manring or Jaco. Know what you need to get things done. You’ll learn new things when you want to or need to.

 

[Bobhmcs]

Best philosophical teaching was from my friend Harry when I was having trouble wit a fairly easy bass line.
"Don't take yourself so seriously. We are not trying to cure cancer here. It is just music. And, that is just a fricking bass!"
Bob

 

[IamGroot]

I think, Tom Bornemann, has the best lessons I have seen so far. That is on Youtube.
Still, I do not like the way he moves his hands while playing, but the lessons are good.

I cheked out Tom Bornmann' lessons and thought they were Excellent for begiiner to intermediate players that want to learn technique and sight reading.

What is your issue with handmovement.

 

[Rock Salad]

One other good one was (after learning and strengthening in one finger one fret,) when I heard about upright players fingering, first, second and fourth fingers over a three fret space. Taught me to shift my hand more. Once you start that- no more boxes!

 

[ryco]

Don't play so much. Leave space.

 

[bass_session]

I was self-taught the first 3-4 years I played bass... this was way back in the pre-internet dark ages. I progressed well at first but eventually realized I was stuck in a rut -- a number of ruts. So, I took music lessons from a guitarist who taught me how to play in any mode in any key in any position on the fretboard.

Wow! The same exact story here, but I'm still stuck in that "what do I do next" moment here. I guess each person has their own unique approach to learning.

 

[Fuzzbass]

Wow! The same exact story here, but I'm still stuck in that "what do I do next" moment here. I guess each person has their own unique approach to learning.

You're correct that we each have our own approach to learning. Also, what you should do next might depend on what you want to do.

I'll update my story. As noted, the "any mode in any key in any position on the fretboard" skill helped me become a much more fluent cover band player. I developed the ability to learn pop format cover songs much more quickly by ear. I'm now at the point where I can be ready for short-notice sub gigs, very little prep time required. I'm pretty good at faking, including adapting to unusual arrangements (which sometimes means the band is playing the song wrong ).

Big caveat: I rarely have to play any jazz, and when I do, it's simpler standards. Also, I've never been a soloist -- which has been fine: the vast majority of my gigs have been with cover bands, for which support is the priority. But this millennium I've found myself in situations where I'm asked to solo, therefore I decided that I wanted to be more creative than just noodling around basic scales/arps, and/or quoting melodies from popular tunes.

So, I've resumed music lessons. My instructor is teaching me jazz concepts, and also soloing techniques: phrasing, improv over chord changes (resolving from one chord to the next), and also how to be more creative when soloing over a 1-chord jam.

If I was more dedicated then I would also practice reading music with the goal of being able to sight-read, and I should also learn how to read trickier chord charts. But I don't often have need of those skills so I've been lazy about working on them.

I'm not sure if you'll find any of the above to be interesting or useful. Just offering some ideas.

 

[Joel Walter]

Very helpful thread. Thanks to the OP.

 

[5StringBlues]

"Dude, Chris Squire can't even make money playing old YES music, how the hell do you think you're going to?"

This was said to me around 1985.

 

[StereoPlayer]

@davie504_

epic...

 

[Spin Doctor]

Comment from a co-worker: "Forget all that Jaco Pastorious s*** and learn to play the blues..."

 

[Cernnunos]

He said, "Learn every chord shape in every position on the neck. When you don't have to think about it any more, you'll be there."

This is the next goal I've set for myself. Feels like a big scary task that's going to take forever.

 

[Spin Doctor]

This is the next goal I've set for myself. Feels like a big scary task that's going to take forever.

It does take a long time