Here is a very easy way to get good .
Behold , The A pentatonic scale:
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We now want to work with ONLY FOUR notes. G, A C, and D which are in the A scale.
On your lower E string find The G on your 3rd fret and the A on your lower E 5th fret.
G and A on the lower E string-A million rock songs were built using those two notes.
Now find C and D on your lower A string. This will be on the 3rd fret and the fifth fret of the A string.
So we have G and A and also C and D on the string above it.
4 notes that are in the A Pentatonic scale.
Those four notes are 90% of Rock Music right there! Its insane how many songs are just those four notes!
Now...Find a drum track with just drums. You can search Wikiloops for drum only tracks in "Rock".
Once you find one, any speed and every drummer will be different...make a song using only those four notes.
Use G and A for your Verse.
Use C and D for the chorus of the song.
Make a simple song playing with the drums. Its all your creativity HOW you play those four notes. Play them any way you feel pleases you.
Try to blend in with the drummer because as a bassist, the drummer is really the only guy in the band you really need to concern yourself with as you and he are the foundation of the songs rhythm.
Create a "groove " that sounds good. It doesnt matter the style of music you play those notes in (You can try to sound "Reggaey, or "Metalish"...etc..) Change them any way that you think your song sounds good. In any band or musical style the drummer and bassist are the all important foundation. It shouldnt matter if the guitarist is playing like Eddie Van Halen or BB King. You should find the drummers "pocket" where you and he mesh perfectly like a well oiled machine. The vocalist and guitarist and all other band members become secondary in your role as bassist. You and the drummer "set the groove" of the song or in metal music...the "thump".
If you feel it isnt happening with that drummer , find another one and try with that drummer. Maybe one drummer you feel you "CONNECT" with . That happens all the time in bands. Certain players you will be attracted to others not so much.Playing music is an extremely personal , cerebral thing . Its normal to prefer a certain players style over another ones.It doesnt mean any one is "bad", it just means you work better with one person rather then another.
Once you make a song out of those four notes. Replay that song and figure out from the scale what notes AROUND the notes you played , you can use as "fills".(Fills are little patterns of the scale used to make what your playing blend the song better. Kind of blend in sections better. They are usually short and "spice" up your playing . -Maybe like three notes that you throw in after you are done with the A and are now going to the C and D part.
Those four notes have created thousands of number #1 songs. Use creativity and imaginatrion and try to find a "pleasing groove " while playing those four notes with a drummer. You can play with several drummers and get several completely different sounding songs but yet...its still just those four notes.
Learn to change the pattern around with each drummer and then slowly when you are comfortable , add in notes that surround those four. Look for notes close by , in the A scale , that when played at a certain time , maybe add to the song and make it even more pleasing to you.
It should be FUN , not tedious and boring.
Scales are the roadmap to playing any style of music. The Pentatonics are the most commen scale you hear on the radio. The key is to know them so well , your fingers automatically know where to go once you know the songs key and you know the corresoponding Key scale . You can be confident knowing the key and the keys scale , most anything you play will "sound correct" in the context of the song. You can also figure out songs knowing the scale because you will know roughly whereabout what the other person is playing.Its your key to the fun and enjoyment of making music you are proud of .
I am not discouraging further study of music theory howver I just gave you the laymans guide to learning bass. You can read and study and nothing wrong with that but bass is an "ear" extensive instrument. You have to learn to get loose and funky and a book cannot teach that.Nor can you read about "bonding with a drummer to create a groove or lay down the "thump" in a metal song". You just have to do it.
Play , Play and play some more.
I learned guitar playing to my brothers Led Zeppelin IV album when I was 12 . Picked out the notes. Even the solos and can still play that album note for note all the way through start to finish. If i was confused or had trouble , I would go to the music store, find the sheet music and roughly get an idea of what chords were being played at the part and then figure it out from there.
So have fun with it and always look for FUN ways to learn. Music is about freedom and pleasure. Make what you play, even if only one note...FUN to listen to.
Edited by
LittleWing on January 04 2019 08:03