Where do I go next?

[Billy Lowe]

I am 17 and I have been playing bass for around a year, improving by just learning songs and covers. This has helped so far but I feel I now need to do more to improve at the same rate, but I don't know how/where to start, or what to use to help me improve further, for example should i start learning more of the theory side of bass? as I am serious about the instrument. Thanks in advance!

 

[Stumbo]

Lessons.

If you do nothing else, learn to sing and play bass.

Welcome to the low end of the music pool!

 

[two fingers]

Welcome to TalkBass!

Yeah, either private lessons or online lessons would serve you well....if for no other reason than they give you the direction you seek.

 

[5544]

Can you name all the notes on the fretboard?
Do you know your scale tones?
Do you know how chords are constructed?

If not, use the money saved from the lessons you would have taken and buy a book on music theory.

 

[Chili_Time]

If you can't afford a teacher get these two books and use youtube teachers to supplement. There are other good books, I just have used these two so feel good about recommending them.

Hal Leonard Bass Method - Complete Bound Edition: Books 1, 2 and 3 with CDs by Ed Friedland (avoid kindle version)

Music Theory for the Bass Player: A Comprehensive and Hands-on Guide to Playing with More Confidence by Ariane Cap

 

[theduke1]

It really depends on where you want to go as a bassplayer.
I wanted to play bass and sing ever since I say The Beatles on TV. It's all I ever wanted to be in a band and perform.
So I took some lessons, but scales were not enough important as they are.
What I found was to learn songs as close to what I was hearing and add to it as I go.
I still practice that way to play along with the recording at the speed in which is is recorded and keep doing it until I can play the complete tune in time with no mistakes
I would suggest to learn to sight read and play by ear if you want to do pit band stuff
Welcome from The Wisconsin Bassplayers Club.
Duke

 

[MalcolmAmos]

Yes to lessons. Yes to theory. However playing with others will force you to get better. If a band is not in the picture, backing tracks or videos of the music you like ---- and play along to them can advance your skill level.

Yes, let Google find the chord progression for you and then play along using the bass line YOU COMPOSE. The root, third, fifth and seventh of the chord make a good bass line. Trick is to know how many of those notes to put into your bass line. Roots first, that takes care of Praise music, then the 5th, that takes care of Country and a lot of Rock, then the octave and the correct 3 and 7 fill out your bass line very well. The ole R-5-8-5 will play a lot of bass and as it is kinda generic - most all chords have a root and a 5th - so it will fit over most major and minor chords.

Theory - bits and pieces from Internet forums are just that, bits and pieces of the story. Get a theory book. Billy Greens' book that we normally recommend has some problems down loading. Perhaps the guys can give you a better address. If not I recommend Alfred's piano theory book. Theory is theory and works for any instrument.

 

[David A. Davis]

Learn to read notation. And, learn all of the notes on your fretboard.

 

[mambo4]

Theory, Reading Notation, Learning the fretboatd and Lessons if you are truly serious.

However playing with others will force you to get better.

In my experience, nothing ups your game like playing with others.
Seek better musicians than yourself and play with them.

 

[NullPorch]

I think theory is a great place to go. Learn keys, scales, and/or modes and then practice improvisation with them. Start applying that to learning songs by ear instead of using tabs or music online as practice for jamming with a band, and then jam with a band.

 

[dc-upright]

If you can't afford a teacher get these two books and use youtube teachers to supplement. There are other good books, I just have used these two so feel good about recommending them.

Hal Leonard Bass Method - Complete Bound Edition: Books 1, 2 and 3 with CDs by Ed Friedland (avoid kindle version)

Music Theory for the Bass Player: A Comprehensive and Hands-on Guide to Playing with More Confidence by Ariane Cap

These 2 books will take you a long way.

 

[Badwater]

Gig. Find a band, or create one, and learn from that experience. And, get into studio recording, it's as cheap as one hundred bucks for a interface and DAW.

 

[Stumbo]

Last but not least, you gotta put in the time.