Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Very glad to hear that, Greg. That's weird, I was just thinking about this thread yesterday and was planning to post a query re: How is it coming along? to see how you were doing with all that.

Let me know if you would like a little CD of more varied beats to jam to. I would be happy to throw something together in ProTools for you with my drum machine and keyboards, etc.

That would be great Jason. The same beats get just a little old over time, and they are just drums. I'd love to try whatever you feel like putting together for some variation.

Thanks!

Greg

Cool. Now I have something to do after watching "Heroes" tonight.

Wow. Good episode of Heroes tonight. But that's for another forum probably...

Check the new thread "Jammin' with J Dog" for something new.

Got it Jason. Thanks for whipping that up! Who's on the piano? Sounds great.

Kind of a late comer to the threat and what not. But I would say, scales and fretboard mapping. Being able to play the scales anywhere on the fretboard. Fretboard mapping is how I learned where all my notes were. If I know where one note is I can quickly without thinking find it in a different octave or just a different place.

I dont know. Seems like nothing to what the other guys said. But i suppose its alright for novice to novice advice.

That's yours truly. And I kind of cheated. I played the 12-bar section twice through and looped it.

Great job Jason. You sound like a pro!

Aw, shucks... thanks!

Wow Jason, I had no idea your knowledge was so deep. I am very impressed!

I have had the pleasure of meeting many great musicians over the years, some known, most unknown. The thing they all had in common was the ability to play what is in their heads. This is something I have struggled with from the start. I can imagine wonderful melodies but can't always get them out of my head an onto the fingerboard. There is a serious disconnect between my imagination and my chops. If I could ever find a way to hook them up I might actually become a musician! In my case, my imagination works best when I am not holding my bass. It is weird - almost like a switch. As soon as my bass is in my hands my musical imagination vanishes and I immediately revert to very basic musical grammar. I admire players like Jeff Scott. Playing is as natural to him as breathing.

You mentioned Charlie Parker earlier in this thread. I have read that Cherokee was at the center of his musical epiphany. He is said to have worked out his head-to-chops connection during one performance of that piece.

for improvisation there are 2 things to learn ...

1st - melody ... McCartney started on guitar and went to bass and he made the bass melodic ... Entwistle started playing horn in a jazz band and then went to bass and applied the jazz horn experience to his bass playing ...

2nd - technique ... practice speed and styles ... learn as many different styles and techniques as you can on the bass ... slapping, fingering, picking, etc ... also try advanced techniques like hammer on, harmonics, etc ...

Interesting, I played the trombone and I do the same thing.

I played trombone for twelve long years. Haven't touched it in about five years, except for one night a few months ago. It sounded pretty bad.

French horn for me......

I started on bass ... but I approach it with a guitar sensibility ...