what to practice?

[shaymax]

Besides learning songs that you play in the band what are some other good things to learn so you can progress and build your knowledge on the bass?

[foal30]

fretboard navigation-

knowing all the names of the notes in each position. Call each note aloud as you play it

diatonic harmony-

knowing the 'rules' of both major and minor keys. This is where scales and modes are practiced. If you know this stuff it allows you more freedom in playing off the cuff. viewtopic.php?f=12&t=1184

Blues forms-

in all keys knowing the changes or form. There is a number of extremely well used forms in the Blues, you should know them.

Jazz Standards-

get some Aebersold playalongs!Entry level jazz improves your playing in every facet . Try getting the Real Book and The Jazz Theory Book, years of learning here.

Ear Training-

play block chords on a keyboard, can you 'hear' what is being played. Can you tune your bass by ear? Can you sing? Can you transcribe or pick up by ear cool riffs/songs/grooves? All of these improve your listening and by extension playing

Play stuff you don't like and/or genres that you don't understand- +
Go to gigs to watch other bass players

Favorite Player/Sound?

why is this person so good/cool/interesting? Read up on them/investigate.

[BluesBass]

- Practice carrying your bass, pedal board, amp and cab into and out of the gig all at once, because no other bugger in the band is gonna help you.
- Practice setting up and tearing the PA down by yourself, for same reason as above.
- Practice your visual clues (with drummer) to cues in your tunes, because you’ll be so drowned out by the guitarist(s) that you won’t be able to hear the drummer.
- Practice playing one handed for the time the guitarist(s) breaks a string and has left (or lost) his pliers behind and you need to fish yours out of your gig bag - stat.
- Practice tagging the intro section (and to a lesser extent – the outro) of tunes, because the lead singer will forget where to come in.
- Know your keys for that time the guitarist(s) or signer starts the tune in a different key to how you have practiced and played it 1000 times before.
- Practice searching a dark stage for minuscule bits of equipment such as capo’s, plectra etc… for time when your all packed up and the guitarist(s) says he/they have lost their favourite pick or only capo.

Then do what Foal says, and rock it baby \m/ !!

[Antz]

ha, like it

[john]

- Practice carrying your bass, pedal board, amp and cab into and out of the gig all at once, because no other bugger in the band is gonna help you.
- Practice setting up and tearing the PA down by yourself, for same reason as above.
- Practice your visual clues (with drummer) to cues in your tunes, because you’ll be so drowned out by the guitarist(s) that you won’t be able to hear the drummer.
- Practice playing one handed for the time the guitarist(s) breaks a string and has left (or lost) his pliers behind and you need to fish yours out of your gig bag - stat.
- Practice tagging the intro section (and to a lesser extent – the outro) of tunes, because the lead singer will forget where to come in.
- Know your keys for that time the guitarist(s) or signer starts the tune in a different key to how you have practiced and played it 1000 times before.
- Practice searching a dark stage for minuscule bits of equipment such as capo’s, plectra etc… for time when your all packed up and the guitarist(s) says he/they have lost their favourite pick or only capo.

Then do what Foal says, and rock it baby \m/ !!

At first I laughed, then I cried. All too familiar

[martyforrer]

Haha! Every word of what has been written here is the truth!

BTW: even if you have little interest in jazz, learning to play it is the road to excellence. Jazz contains every little bit of music you will ever need to know. Foal's suggestion of getting The Jazz Theory book by Mark Levine is pretty heady stuff and needs to be learnt one page at a time. I've had mine for ten years.... I think I'm up to page two....