Jay J. Posted December 13, 2002 Share Posted December 13, 2002 ok, I have been playing bass now for about 4 years and I would say that I am a very good technical player. I can play just about anything I put my mind too and pretty good. but my musical ability is not that good. my music theory knowlegde is not much, I know some scales and enough to play with people but I don't know a whole lot. I'm not looking to be a theory master or anything I just want to improve musically. I have good playing ability but my musicianship could use a lot of work. I'm woundering what to do. are there any good books to read or do you really have to get lessons of some kind. my experiance with bass lessons has not been very good yet. I have done them for a while but the guy us usually about my age and I feel like I don't gain much from them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustdbassslo6 Posted December 13, 2002 Share Posted December 13, 2002 I'm running into my 6th year of playing the bass and I didn't start to really dive into music until about two years ago (which is about where you are I guess). The way I got into learning theory was writing music, I wanted to know what I could do to write better songs. I was also taking lessons from a local violinist that focused on jazz theory and improv rather than technic that most bass lessons will get you. I found that learning theory out of books can get old and is easy to just put down, whereas lessons (from a good teacher) can get you motivated to learn. I also picked up another instrument while learning music and that helped a bit too. I'm a sophmore in college and I took music 101 last year, intro to music theory. Just from my lessons I knew everything we did in the class plus some, and my lessons were once a week from June to September. Maybe I was just lucky, but look into private lessons, or even classes at a JC or something. Best of Luck! If you're ever looking for me, a don't go too far. Cause if you really wanna find me, you know where I are... with me and my bass guitar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattC Posted December 13, 2002 Share Posted December 13, 2002 You should learn much more than just technique from your teacher. He should be somebody that you really look up to in both technique and theory. I'd suggest looking long and hard for your teacher. Books will only take you so far. Can you learn calculus from a book? It's not likely, unless you've got somebody there to help you look through it. If you want to improve musically, I'd suggest looking for some older, more experienced players (bass and whatever else). Let them guide you. They will take the theory that you know (or will learn) and give it a sense of practicality. ...think funky thoughts... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJR Posted December 13, 2002 Share Posted December 13, 2002 I've been playing bass for about 24 years now. I've learned more from playing/gigging with others , than from any single teacher or lesson(s). Timing, listening . Still learning, and lovin'it !! PJR 5CentMary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davebrownbass Posted December 13, 2002 Share Posted December 13, 2002 Originally posted by Peter J Romano: I've been playing bass for about 24 years now. I've learned more from playing/gigging with others , than from any single teacher or lesson(s). Timing, listening . Still learning, and lovin'it !! PJRSo true, Peter. Just remember, everybody, that the truly great teacher might not "teach" you all that much...but they open up your head, so you can fill it with theory, technique, self-confidence, beauty, spirit, righteousness... Look for the teacher that blows the top of your head off, rocks your world, goes in deeper than you think is possible. "Let's raise the level of this conversation" -- Jeremy Cohen, in the Picasso Thread. Still spendin' that political capital far faster than I can earn it...stretched way out on a limb here and looking for a better interest rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wraub Posted December 13, 2002 Share Posted December 13, 2002 Originally posted by davebrownbass: Look for the teacher that blows the top of your head off, rocks your world, goes in deeper than you think is possible.I knew there were people who charged by the hour for doing this, but I thought they were called something else... Peace, wraub I'm a lot more like I am now than I was when I got here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kooky Mogessi Posted December 13, 2002 Share Posted December 13, 2002 Originally posted by wraub: Originally posted by davebrownbass: Look for the teacher that blows the top of your head off, rocks your world, goes in deeper than you think is possible.I knew there were people who charged by the hour for doing this, but I thought they were called something else... Peace, wraubDirty Dirty Wraub. shame on you. didnt your mother teach you any better than that?? "Cliff Burton (the "Major rager of the 4-string mother f***er", from Metallica)" Direct quote from Wikipedia (censored out of respect for the forum) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wraub Posted December 13, 2002 Share Posted December 13, 2002 Originally posted by Penguinsarebirds: Originally posted by wraub: Originally posted by davebrownbass: Look for the teacher that blows the top of your head off, rocks your world, goes in deeper than you think is possible.I knew there were people who charged by the hour for doing this, but I thought they were called something else... Peace, wraubDirty Dirty Wraub. shame on you. didnt your mother teach you any better than that??Yes. Yes she did. But I moved out a long time ago, and I blame society. Besides, I was thinking of Psychoanalysts. What were you thinking? Peace, wraub I'm a lot more like I am now than I was when I got here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay J. Posted December 14, 2002 Author Share Posted December 14, 2002 thanks for the responses. if anyone happens to know a good teacher in the Portland (OREGON) area that would be great. I think I'm pushing my luck on this one though. but I am going to start looking around for a teacher. I was also thinking about getting a guitar, and mabey taking a few lessons there, mabey getting into that area would help me to work better bass parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattC Posted December 14, 2002 Share Posted December 14, 2002 too many guitarists, me thinks... If you want another instrument to help your bass parts, I'd lean toward percussion. I never really was able to lock in with a drummer until I was able to play those parts that needed "locking in with." ...think funky thoughts... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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