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Since we're at the 50 page mark, I'd like to check in with everyone to make sure this thread is serving their needs. Should anything be added to or changed in the OP?
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Apr 18, 2010 02:25
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| # ¿ May 14, 2024 00:51 |
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A question for bassist songwriters: What instrument(s) do you compose on?
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May 3, 2010 18:22
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So a follow-up for both of you (or anyone else who wants to chime in): What sort of skills are important for guitar as a songwriting instrument? Just some basic chords and a good ear? I would think since you're not playing guitar to an audience or too frequently, technique isn't as important (although you probably have decent technique anyway if your bass technique is good). I ask because I've been sort of working on my bass and guitar skills at once and kind of getting tired of juggling them both. I want to play bass in a group setting, so that's what I want to spend the majority of my time on. Guitar frustrates me but I definitely can appreciate it as a songwriting tool, so I'd like to know what I should be working on, with the understanding that I only want to be "good" at bass. Rush_shirt fucked around with this message at 07:56 on May 4, 2010 |
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May 4, 2010 07:45
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Thanks for the advice on songwriting. I think I'm going to give the guitar a rest; it's just not my instrument and juggling it with bass is just turning me into a half-assed musician. I'm going to try to do more with pushing the songwriting abilities of the instrument. Who the gently caress needs treble anyways?!
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May 6, 2010 08:15
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A MIRACLE posted:You can take on any instrument in the group and you understand every player's role. That's usually a good thing, but I suspect what's most important is a musician's versatility within a single instrument. For example, what would be a better scenario? A. A musician who can play open chords on the guitar and root notes on the bass B. A musician who can only play bass, but knows scales, arpeggios, slap style, and harmonics Obviously you're going to get the best case scenario if you combined the two, but it seems like a musician who really knows the ins and outs of his instrument and can produce different sounds for different functions is infinitely more valuable than a novice "jack-of-all trades." And you can certainly understand your bandmates' roles without playing their instrument; in fact, that's one of the best skills a bassist can have. EDIT: Then again, this is just me defending my previous decision to focus on the bass, and I would like to open up a dialogue about the issue, so please respond! 
Rush_shirt fucked around with this message at 16:10 on May 6, 2010 |
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May 6, 2010 16:02
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Scarf posted:That's the difference between making collaborative music and writing/making compositions of music. That's awesome. Since you said you compose primarily on bass, how do you work in the other instruments? Do you write it all down? Do you noodle with a guitar/percussion while you're figuring things out? It seems like, after playing so long with other people, you definitely develop a sense for what works and what doesn't for other instruments (which isn't to say that you would know the limits of an instrument intimately without having played it for years and years).
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May 6, 2010 16:19
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Scarf posted:Well I do own a guitar and I will play on that as well. But that's where theory knowledge comes into play. A mode is a mode, a 3rd a 3rd, etc. etc. It doesn't matter what the instrument is as long as you know what role you want to play and what role the other instrument will play. I think I understand. The theory you learn on one instrument definitely transfers over to the other. You have to learn different chord shapes, but other than that, as you said, a mode is a mode, intervals are intervals, etc. I suppose the best way to improve my songwriting is to just keep at it with bass and the theory behind bass. Oh, and fun is also important.
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May 6, 2010 16:36
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| # ¿ May 14, 2024 00:51 |
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I finally took the plunge and got a teacher. Such a great decision. It took a while to find another bassist (as opposed to a guitarist who can "play bass") who shares my views on music and who could turn me into his protege. Turned out an old friend from junior high was offering lessons and we got to talking and everything just sort of clicked.
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Jun 20, 2010 23:29
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