It's not that I think "everyone" is a moron.

I went to school for visual arts.

I naively took a "theory for non majors" class at the Music School.


I was assigned the task of transcribing something so I choose a Louis Armstrong solo to work with.

I got most of it figured out but there was this one note or section of notes that was driving me crazy.




After a few days I figured out Louis was playing the very same note repetitively and that I had searched for a match every where but.





It was a powerful lesson and one I apply when playing bass.



best regards,
mike

rsp@odyssey.net


  It's not that I think "everyone" is a moron.

 
It's a good idea if you want 3 or 4 wives though.
 
 

I found I had to think different conceptually when I picked up guitar.

It's not a matter of "simple" verses "lead"; it's a matter of where things sit in the big picture. A bass guitar is not the same as a guitar an octave lower and vise versa; it's a different instrument.

I always think of it in terms of Jimmy Page wailing (and posing) in the spotlight while JPJ is smiling at and grooving with Bonzo (but not necessarily playing "simple" lines) in the background. One guy's out front and on top of everything and the other's in the background playing either underneath or in the middle of everything. 

SteveStrummerUK


Playing bass guitar is a lot like making love to a beautiful woman....

 
So Bapu might get arrested for being with Am?

jamesg1213
nailing jelly to the wall.

How did you know the name of my next prog piece?

SteveStrummerUK

jamesg1213

SteveStrummerUK


The best way to appreciate exactly what the bass adds to a song is to EQ it out.

I always do that with Ed's tracks...

I deliberately left out the word 'permanently'
 
 
 

LMFAO!!!!

At the risk of being in the "moron" class.....

I've heard that many bass players are nothing more than frustrated guitar players who for one reason or another decided bass would be easier than learning to play 2 more strings and play chords and leads and things.....

I have known a few who did fit that category. 

Then there are the ones who know less than nothing and somehow or another managed to learn the 3 note pattern to a RR or simple country song and that's how they play everything. By memorizing the notes and their positions.  I played in a band with a guy like that too.... he owned the PA and the truck.... and he told me that he bought them so he would be "needed" in a band. He actually had a pretty good memory and I was able to teach him some pretty complicated tunes in this manner. In the end.... it worked. 

Then you have the guys who actually know how to play... I mean really play the bass. 

I have owned a bass or two in my time....and playing it, while on a basic level is fairly easy... to get it to sound good without buzzing the frets and sloppiness..... does take some effort. 

jamesg1213 

 When you know what you're doing, you can start to bend the rules. 

I thank my high school art teacher, Mrs. Anderson, for driving this point home many years ago.
Me: Why , oh why, do we have to do these stupid drills?
Mrs. Anderson: So that when you spread your wings, you will know how to fly.
She was sooo right.

As I'm sure you know, I picked up the bass a couple of years ago because there weren't enough bass players around.  Once I found the C, G, C, G bluegrass rhythm, I 'got it.'  Fortunately I have some good bass playing friends who help me take it to the next level.  

Funny thing is, there's another bass player around here that I really admire...he sounds amazing and I love what he plays. But when the leader wanted to play two bluegrass songs, he had no idea what to do.  It was bugging me, so I played it for him on the piano.  He said, 'oh yeah,' but still didn't get it.  That's one time when I really wanted to take that bass from him and play it myself.  Guess he's just to young to know that style or something.  :)