Mrblomme Mtp Thread - June Options

[Bogdan Radovic]

Hello MrBlomme!

Welcome to the new phase of bass mtp. Since you already had mtp, I'll check back topics and we'll continue where we left of. Tell me a bit about your goals and how you feel about your bass playing currently. Do you want to focus on something specific this time or wish to do a "bass course" type of mentoring we did before?

I'll post your first assignment tomorrow (1. june).
We'll have 4 assignments (weekly assignments that require audio and/or video submission) each month and a REC take that will be suitable to techniques/concepts we covered during that month!

Keep in mind that its not hard to keep up with the program, but in order not to fall back - you should work on assignments as soon as they are posted and record/write assignments on time. When you do an assignment I will immediately post a new one so you can leave time for monthly REC take recording.

Let me know if you have any questions and I'm looking forward to working with you!

[Mrblomme]

Hi Bogdan!

Glad I'm back in business .
Well since December I play bass in a band. The last weeks we're not that active because we have a lot of students that need to study but in the months I play there I"ve allready learned a lot.

My playing hasnt improved that much but the thing that improved the most is the theory behind it. The scales and stuff, I'm getting a hang of them much more now. And offcourse my playing is improved but maybe not that hard.

The things I would like to work on are:

1. improvisation
2. playing walking bass
3. start to slap that bass

Let me know if that's possible.
btw: dont know if I'm gonna make collab since I dont know the deadline? You've sended me a PM but in the topic there's no deadline.

Greetz!

[Bogdan Radovic]

Ok,let's start - the theme of this month will be improvisation.

Weekly assignment 1:

Using Root Notes In Improvisation

Lesson to practice:

Root notes lesson : http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/root-notes-lesson/

Goal : To learn what are root notes and how they relate to chords.

Purpose : Learn how you can use root notes effectively when improvising your bass line.

Instructions :

I want you to read all the text material of the lesson and to jam along its demo tune. All the time think about which chord is playing in the backing track when doing this. You want to get comfortable on following written chord progression and finding appropriate root notes on the bass neck instantly.

Requirements :

Post updates on your practice daily if possible, describing what have you done.
As the weekly assignment, I will post a short backing track (custom made) and give you the chords in its progression. I want you to record in audio (or video if you want) your playing over the backing track by using ONLY ROOT notes. Play those root notes in any rhythm you want.

Bonus assignment : If you want to make most of this weeks assignment, when recording don't play roots in any rhythm rather play root notes ONLY on the kick drum kicks in the backing!

Deadline to complete: 6th of June

Good luck and remember to post your questions and progress!

This post has been edited by Bogdan Radovic: Jun 1 2010, 02:40 PM

[Mrblomme]

I was wondering, you tell me only to use roots but I'm not quite sure about that.
So if I understand this:

at
Am I only can use A
B I can only play B

etc etc...

Or also 3ths and 5ths?

Probably a stupid question.

[Bogdan Radovic]

I was wondering, you tell me only to use roots but I'm not quite sure about that.
So if I understand this:

at
Am I only can use A
B I can only play B

etc etc...

Or also 3ths and 5ths?

Probably a stupid question.

For the sake of this assignment yes - ONLY ROOTS

If its a chord Am use A, if its C7 use C and so on.

I'll post the backing track for assignment tomorrow!

[Mrblomme]

Hehehe allrightie thanks!

Eh btw: I've allready did a REC on that lesson I think some time ago...

This post has been edited by Mrblomme: Jun 1 2010, 10:18 PM

[Mrblomme]

Voila first day -> first update.

I've read all the info in the lesson and also watched the chord progression and must say. I have no problems at all with them.

Afterwards I've played them in different positions and all went good.
Roots have no mysteries left for me.

This post has been edited by Mrblomme: Jun 1 2010, 11:50 PM

[Bogdan Radovic]

Hehehe allrightie thanks!

Eh btw: I've allready did a REC on that lesson I think some time ago...

I know but this assignment is different and goal is not to learn the lesson note for note rather about root notes and improvisation. You will need to improvise your own bass track using only roots (and in certain rhythm if you want to go for bonus work).

Here is the backing:  Week_1_assignment.mp3 ( 421.48K ) Number of downloads: 102


Progression :

A / D / E / C#m F#m / Bm7 / A

Let me know if you need any help with the assignment!

[Mrblomme]

Well my question in this is:

How can I improvise a lot when I only can use 1 note at 1 chord?
Ok I can play the note in a few ways but...

[Bogdan Radovic]

Well my question in this is:

How can I improvise a lot when I only can use 1 note at 1 chord?
Ok I can play the note in a few ways but...

Since MTP lasts for 3 months, this month we'll cover basic improvising approaches , next month we'll do walking bass and then slap bass.

Root notes are key for improvisation and you need to be very comfortable with jamming along backing tracks in a certain way.By listening to the track and watching chords progression written on paper you need to be able to instantly find root notes on your bass neck and play them without much prior practice with the backing. Maybe its only one note (in many different places on the neck), but its a strongest one and you have to be able to improvise a good and groovy bass line and to find those roots on the spot (fingerboard familiarity!). Rhythm possibilities are endless too and that aspect also covers improvisation.

Now what you can see in the bonus assignment, I asked you to play roots ONLY on kick drum pattern, they can be different in length but make sure you attack the note exactly at the same time with the kick drum. Its a very important concept technique to master in order to be able to play groovy bass lines.

Hope I managed to explain why are we practicing this

Let me know if you have any further questions etc...

This post has been edited by Bogdan Radovic: Jun 2 2010, 12:05 AM

[Mrblomme]

Allright now I understand!
Will have the backingtrack a go tomorrow!

This post has been edited by Mrblomme: Jun 2 2010, 12:07 AM

[Bogdan Radovic]

Allright now I understand!
Will have the backingtrack a go tomorrow!

That sounds great! Regarding a bass collab, deadline is not set yet (but we should finish it soon). Maybe once you record this assignment, you can apply it and play the same approach on the collab's backing track too??? I think it would be a great practice and I'm missing straight roots groove uploads there

This post has been edited by Bogdan Radovic: Jun 2 2010, 12:12 AM

[Mrblomme]

That's a deal!

[Mrblomme]

OMG... I was practicing my excercise and ... my A string broke

It didnt really brake but at the tuningparts it snapped a little (I hope you know what I mean).
So when I turn at the screws the tension gets higher but at a certain moment the tension is gone so the string hangs without any tension.

Hope I will find a single spare bass string... €35 for 4 strings... pfff

[Bogdan Radovic]

OMG... I was practicing my excercise and ... my A string broke

It didnt really brake but at the tuningparts it snapped a little (I hope you know what I mean).
So when I turn at the screws the tension gets higher but at a certain moment the tension is gone so the string hangs without any tension.

Hope I will find a single spare bass string... €35 for 4 strings... pfff

It happens...Generally strings for bass last long time when you put new on. If it snapped at tuning pegs, try to shorten the string (cut it) and rewind at the tuners (if there is enough length of the string left) or just try to find a spare one around. You don't have to buy whole set, some stores sell bass strings as spare ones (by 1 string) or find some really cheap strings...They will all work nicely...

[Mrblomme]

Yeah the string is to short to rewind, I'm going to the musicshop by tomorrow!
And now I'm not playing a 4string, not a 5string, not even a 6string bass.
Playing my own unique 3string!

[Bogdan Radovic]

Yeah the string is to short to rewind, I'm going to the musicshop by tomorrow!
And now I'm not playing a 4string, not a 5string, not even a 6string bass.
Playing my own unique 3string!

ahhahaha that is the spirit Who needs 4 strings ))

Just try to get a single string pack if they have one - or get a cheapest standard gauge full pack... I'm sure they all will sound good and last a long time...

[Mrblomme]

Et voila, couldnt buy just one string so had to buy 4.
But! I went to another store and... the same strings that I payed €35 for are only €20 in that store.

[Mrblomme]

Allright early update:

Today I've jammed with the roots, first without BT and now with. It's going quite well and I'll maybe record it later on the evening. It's quite fun to improvise, even if you can only play roots!

[Bogdan Radovic]

Et voila, couldnt buy just one string so had to buy 4.
But! I went to another store and... the same strings that I payed €35 for are only €20 in that store.

Allright early update:

Today I've jammed with the roots, first without BT and now with. It's going quite well and I'll maybe record it later on the evening. It's quite fun to improvise, even if you can only play roots!

Excellent! 20e is a very good price for bass strings!

I'm glad you are working on the BT. Idea with this improv is to explore some rhythmic ideas and how you can best utilize only one note in improv. Another very important aspect is to learn to just watch written chords on paper and follow the backing instantly without knowing the progression by heart. We'll use that concept a lot when playing walking bass.

Let me know when you record the first assignment (and collab possibly since its a same topic). Then I can post a new one for you...We'll discuss what could be your rec take for this month...

Keep up the good work!