Shawnvs
Hey all...
I just need to share this, because it was the pivot point where visualising the guitar became second nature to me.
I read through a bass student's hand book and paged thru the first lesson. The first thing they learn is inervals (before scales!). I was shocked. If you need some help ask and I'll take you step by step.
Keira-WitherKay
hhehehe why were you shocked...........
bass players use more intervals and chord tones than scales
(the most important theory for bassists is to know intervals and chord tones these are the notes which make up chords ...... so once you know that a major chord is I III V and a minor I bIII V and the different between dominant sevenths and major 7th and what notes make up augmented I III #V and diminished chords are I bIII bV bbVII....... since bass lines outline the chords being played by the guitarist or pianist
.. so once you grasp the interval and chord tones you can play almost anything ........ scales only really help a bassist when they solo......... and i'm sure thats the last chapter of the book........... .
btw i studied double bass and electric bass at music school and spent the first 10 years of my pro career as a bassist ........and i still teach bass and do studio sessions as a bassist just in case you think this is some arbitery comment from a guitarist ........ heheheh
enjoy it's a great instrument and has so much more scope than most people give it credit for.........
peace and light
keira
Shawnvs
Yip. There you said it.
I was shocked because I started studying at the Art school in 1997. I practiced for many many hours every day those three years (thanks to Luke vd Merwe's insane disciplline, but I love him for that? ). Only after playing pro for a while, did my fretboard start opening up (in my mind's eye). When I found that bass book; geez did I wish I also started with intervals instead of learning all those barre chords and arpeggio shapes like a parrot on cocaine. However, like I said in another post, I do not regret it, I would have been a better player quicker. Not that being very good actually matters.
