LearnGospelMusic.com Community
Gospel Instruments => Bass Guitar => Topic started by: energy73 on June 05, 2006, 11:07:59 PM
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I am reading and studying but I just don't seem to have it. Need some advice on learning to play and develop my ear. i seem to fingd a teacher that knows gospel. i have enjoyed my time with you all here in the LGM family, thank you forall the help.
Energy73
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God will use your flaws as well as your good points. When I started out years and years ago I couldn't hear squat and I confused all the percussion instruments with the bass parts on the Motown stuff I was listening to and so i developed a style of playing a lot of notes just when 3 piece power trios came along and that's what people wanted to hear from bass players. So i got to play with some very good musicians, not because I was good, but because I had a bum ear for picking out bass parts.
Hang in there, you'll get there if you work at it. And if you use your talent in a manner pleasing to God, doors will open for you and your playing will be blessed.
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My first 3 years on the bass were spent wondering what I was doing and if it was "right".
Just keep praying and focusing on God. Remember not to play for yourself but for His praise and things will come together for you :)
Never give up and keep the following in mind.
(12) Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. (13) Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, (14) I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
(4:13) I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Hang in there...
God Bless,
-J
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The first 3 yrs. in a "musical" life for any musician is hard. I know from experience.
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I'm there now, 33 months. Some times are tough some aren't.
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Don't give up! Frustration means you are learning something NEW! I’m currently using this software from perfectpitch.com, which I’m teaching myself perfect and relative pitch. Check it out. One…
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Think of it this way, Victor Wooten says that music is a language. You didn't learn to speak the English language until approximately around the age of 18 +/- months old. You probably was 3 years old until you could speak the language where people could really understand what you were talking about. I don't know your age now, but I can bet that you don't know the entire English language, you are still learning new words today. With that said, you shouldn't give up on learning to play bass and developing your ear. It took you time to learn the english language, so it also takes time to develop ear. Every now and then, a prodigy comes around and contradicts everything that I said, but 99.9% of the musicians on this site will agree that with time and practice, you will get. Be bless and stay strong.
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I tried to do that twice...quit. Couldn't hear, couldn't play, couldn't hold time, nothing. Just junk.
The first time the MOM rejected my resignation, saying that God will provide me with everything I need in due time.
The second time, the Minister unknowingly ripped me to pieces during a sermon about people stepping away from their ministry. I was actually waiting until the service was over so I could resign.
Things are getting easier for me. But it's always a battle.
Who's playing with you? Are they good? If possible, try and stay in communication with the keys. During practice, see if he/she would spoon-feed you, occasionally...note-for-note.
Da Man
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All of the advice given by the members of this great forum is right on time. So, now it's up to you...If you don't like it and it does not work for you then quit...But if you are simply frustrated because... you are growing, join the crowd. We are all growing, I have been doing this for a while off and on for well over 15 years, and am still learning. Your ear will develop, what you need to do is listen to a variety of styles and go from there. Don't just listen to the bass lines, listen to what each instrument is doing and you will develop a FEEL that you MUST have as a bassist. Lastly, humble yourself and don't try to BE someone else, develop your own style and your music will flow. Anything worth having is worth the work you MUST put into it. Place God first in your quest and tell us how it is going exactly one year from now. We will be watching. This is ABSOLUTLY, WITHOUT A DOUBT, The best bass forum you will find anywhere. Food for thought, I can read music, but I don't because I don't want to be tied down to sheets, I play from the heart and hardly ever play the same bass groove on songs that I play all the time. Hope this helps. The next move is yours.
Peace
Groucho ;)
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I hope that you've prayed on this matter. God needs all types of bass players. Trust that he is giving you what you need now, and that you'll get exactly what you need in the future. Keep it up. Your commitment to God will be rewarded every day. ;D
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My flaws are timing and ear, GOD used that. Now I am very good with chord charts. I can read well enough to learn a song. I can sight read a chord chart and make it sound like I have played the song several times before.
I play mostly melodic bass lines.
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Think of it this way, Victor Wooten says that music is a language. You didn't learn to speak the English language until approximately around the age of 18 +/- months old. You probably was 3 years old until you could speak the language where people could really understand what you were talking about. I don't know your age now, but I can bet that you don't know the entire English language, you are still learning new words today. With that said, you shouldn't give up on learning to play bass and developing your ear. It took you time to learn the english language, so it also takes time to develop ear. Every now and then, a prodigy comes around and contradicts everything that I said, but 99.9% of the musicians on this site will agree that with time and practice, you will get. Be bless and stay strong.
Definitely respected, that's great motivational speaking ddwilkins. Wooten gave that speech on Bass Day '98, his inspiration helped change my view too. Stay up brother!
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Definitely respected, that's great motivational speaking ddwilkins. Wooten gave that speech on Bass Day '98, his inspiration helped change my view too. Stay up brother!
He surely did, and it makes since. That's how I approach music now.
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ddwilkins, have you seen the Drummer's Collective DVD?
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ddwilkins, have you seen the Drummer's Collective DVD?
No I haven't.
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I tried to do that twice...quit. Couldn't hear, couldn't play, couldn't hold time, nothing. Just junk.
The first time the MOM rejected my resignation, saying that God will provide me with everything I need in due time.
The second time, the Minister unknowingly ripped me to pieces during a sermon about people stepping away from their ministry. I was actually waiting until the service was over so I could resign.
Things are getting easier for me. But it's always a battle.
Who's playing with you? Are they good? If possible, try and stay in communication with the keys. During practice, see if he/she would spoon-feed you, occasionally...note-for-note.
Da Man
I want to thank everyone for all of the kind words and I will keep trying to learn. I want to play so bad I can taste it but when I start practicing it sounds like junk. I have not been able to find a teacher here in the St. Louis area (not sure I could even afford lessons at the present time). I only have the program trotter was so kind to email and occasionally I have a keyboardist feed me some notes (once a month and he has to tell me where the notes are). I don't seem to be able to remember where the notes are except for the first open notes and c and f.
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God will use your flaws as well as your good points. When I started out years and years ago I couldn't hear squat and I confused all the percussion instruments with the bass parts on the Motown stuff I was listening to and so i developed a style of playing a lot of notes just when 3 piece power trios came along and that's what people wanted to hear from bass players. So i got to play with some very good musicians, not because I was good, but because I had a bum ear for picking out bass parts.
Hang in there, you'll get there if you work at it. And if you use your talent in a manner pleasing to God, doors will open for you and your playing will be blessed.
thank you for your kind words. what are 3 piece power trios and how do they work?
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My first 3 years on the bass were spent wondering what I was doing and if it was "right".
Just keep praying and focusing on God. Remember not to play for yourself but for His praise and things will come together for you :)
Never give up and keep the following in mind.
Hang in there...
God Bless,
-J
thanks, I will do just that because all I want to do is praise God.
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Think of it this way, Victor Wooten says that music is a language. You didn't learn to speak the English language until approximately around the age of 18 +/- months old. You probably was 3 years old until you could speak the language where people could really understand what you were talking about. I don't know your age now, but I can bet that you don't know the entire English language, you are still learning new words today. With that said, you shouldn't give up on learning to play bass and developing your ear. It took you time to learn the english language, so it also takes time to develop ear. Every now and then, a prodigy comes around and contradicts everything that I said, but 99.9% of the musicians on this site will agree that with time and practice, you will get. Be bless and stay strong.
thank you, point well taken eventhough I was in kindergarden at age 4. Thanks again and God Bless
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Don't give up! Frustration means you are learning something NEW! I’m currently using this software from perfectpitch.com, which I’m teaching myself perfect and relative pitch. Check it out. One…
Thanks, I will try that now. God Bless
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I tried to do that twice...quit. Couldn't hear, couldn't play, couldn't hold time, nothing. Just junk.
The first time the MOM rejected my resignation, saying that God will provide me with everything I need in due time.
The second time, the Minister unknowingly ripped me to pieces during a sermon about people stepping away from their ministry. I was actually waiting until the service was over so I could resign.
Things are getting easier for me. But it's always a battle.
Who's playing with you? Are they good? If possible, try and stay in communication with the keys. During practice, see if he/she would spoon-feed you, occasionally...note-for-note.
I will try the note for note as soon as I find a teacher here in St. Louis. And I am trying to remember where the notes are, I only remember a few. thank you for your kind words. God Bless
Da Man
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The first 3 yrs. in a "musical" life for any musician is hard. I know from experience.
thanks, God Bless you
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Energy 73
I know excatly where you are coming from being self taught I could even hear the bass line in a song but now I can, now the problem is hearing excatly what I hear to playing it note for note. I said that to say this "learning is a process". Most of what you hear other bass player do they have been doing it for 20-25 years and you have been playing for how long? Excatly! ;D Don't give up!
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Glad to see that you're not giving up :)
I also noticed that you said you have trouble remembering the notes. Here's a tip:
Don't try to remember all the notes everywhere on the neck. Start off by learning the notes in the first 5 frets. Once you've mastered that, you'll also remember where the octaves are for those notes....
(http://guitar-and-bass.com/fivestringbass/images/charts/basics/basics-letternames-cmajor-1.jpg)
God Bless,
-J
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Okay, there you go!! Bullitt gave you something concrete to work with. What you could also do is find a song (I noticed that a very large amount of the gospel songs are rooted at the first note of the major scale) find a song, a slow song would be better, and see if you could match it to that chart Bullitt provided you with.
From the 'Bullitt-pattern,' use the "C-to-C" pattern, from the low string to the middle - AND THAT'S ALL!!! Or the "C-to-C" pattern from the middle string to the high one - AND THAT'S ALL!!! Do not venture outside of the octave yet.
Whatever song you listen to will more-than-likely NOT be in the key of "C". So, move the pattern to start where you think the root note is. Music seems to move around and come back. Move around and come back. Wherever it sounds like it's coming back to is the root note. Of which ever pattern you picked, place the "Low C" part of the pattern on the "assumed" root note of the song.
See if you can follow the song using that pattern. At this moment, the operative word phrase is "SLOW song". That way you won't feel rushed. You also would have time to observe what you're doing while you're doing it.
Most of the main notes of the song structure would be in that pattern. Like I said, I noticed that a large number of Gospel songs are based on the major scale. There are times where the song WON'T match the pattern. That's because the song uses a different pattern instead of the basic major. But that's another story (part 2). So if it's not working, pick another song.
This is enough to get you started.
Da Man
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Da Man is right. Pick a nice slow song with a simple yet effective bass line. I would suggest something like "Now Behold The Lamb" by Kirk Franklin or just about any of his earlier songs (like the KF & The Family days lol)
Another good song to try is "Lord I Lift Your Name On High"....if nothing else, just mess around with the chorus. When we play it at church I usually start off playing it in a pretty basic fashion and as the Spirit moves, add a little more spice ;)
You'll get the idea from there.
God Bless,
-J
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Keep banging! Sometimes its best to stop playing and just listen. Digest the patterns you hear. Don't worry about being able to repeat them musically right away, recognition is the beginning of a lovely musical journey. It will come, but it doesn't happen overnite for most of us.
Listen and always leave space when you're playing. The fills & runs will come.
One of the best books you can get is "Ultimate Ear Training for Guitar & Bass" by Gary Willis. It costs less than $15. Initially, you'll do a lot of work w/o your bass but it pays dividends in the end.
Suggested bassists to listen to for some of the simplest grooves but they hold it down and get their point across if need be:
Jerome Allen - Early Kirk Franklin CDs
Me'shell Ndegeocello - Plantation Lullabies
Pino Pallidino - D'Angelo's Voodoo
Hub Hubbard - Roots Things Fall Apart - The Next Movement is a classic. Every bassist has got know how to groove.
Hope this helps. Focus on God, when your heart is right it's all good to Him!
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I know this is cliche but practice, practice, practice! Everyday
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Whatever you do DONT QUIT!!!! If you quit then you have proven that you aren't strong enough to play bass. I bought an Ibanez 5-string 2 years ago, played around with it only to quit, just like you are contemplating. Then God blessed me to be able to find my dream bass, Fender USA 5-String Jazz Deluxe, on Ebay selling for only$450.00. I took that as a sign that God wanted me to try my best to get this bass. I bought it and have been playing now for six months. Yeah its hard sometimes because as a bassist you have argueably the heart of the band, but you have to put in time. Thats is something that I realized that I had not been doing the first time I tried to play. Now I practice about 2-3 hours per day, everyday. Do scales, modes, chords, progressions, and most importantly THEORY and READING. Put in the work and I promise you will become a better player. I know because in the six months that I have been playing seriously, I have recieved 5 offers to play at different churchs. Just dont quit.
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Glad to see that you're not giving up :)
I also noticed that you said you have trouble remembering the notes. Here's a tip:
Don't try to remember all the notes everywhere on the neck. Start off by learning the notes in the first 5 frets. Once you've mastered that, you'll also remember where the octaves are for those notes....
([url]http://guitar-and-bass.com/fivestringbass/images/charts/basics/basics-letternames-cmajor-1.jpg[/url])
God Bless,
-J
Thank you and God Bless you
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Da Man,
Any suggestion on a slow song? I can hear the bass line in songs, my ear is not developed so I don't hear notes. What about Stand? Or Bless Me?
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Da Man,
Any suggestion on a slow song? I can hear the bass line in songs, my ear is not developed so I don't hear notes. What about Stand? Or Bless Me?
Who made those songs? Who are they?
Da Man
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Stand by Donnie M. and Bless Me (Enlarge my territory) by Lawernce and the City Singer
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Stand by Donnie M. and Bless Me (Enlarge my territory) by Lawernce and the City Singer
Those are interesting songs...Give 'em a try.
Da Man