How to Spice Up My Bass playing

[BadAspen]

Hey all.

I started out playing bass, went to drums, now I want to go back to bass because our bass guy wants to try out drums for a while. Both of us are still fairly entry level at bass and music, so I was wondering what things I could do other than simply playing the root note of each chords with a simple rhythm.

Don't be afraid to get somewhat technical with the response, I'm a fast learner. I spend most of my days at "work" reading various pdf textbooks anyway

[Blille]

Im going to assume you play some kind of rock.

If you don’t want to chase tutorials on YouTube my recommendation would be to get the Hal Leonard Complete Bass Method and work through it.

Other than that many bassists have done decent careers playing just the root note and the fifth of a chord

So for a C for example you would start with C but then play G.

You can also play the fifth of the note you’re going to play, maybe on the upbeat of the 4 if you’re playing 4/4. So if you go from C to Am you could play C G C (octave) E | A E A etc

[eclecticsynergy]

A slightly (or more than slightly) overdriven bass tone often yields a very different voice high up the neck.
Even in straight-ahead rock material, I like to interject a phrase up above the 12th fret every now and then.

[Clint 55]

The next thing to learn after root notes is the chord tones or arpeggios. These are home base notes for bass.

Click bait title but extremely accurate content.

[Securb]

The next thing to learn after root notes is the chord tones or arpeggios. These are home base notes for bass.

THIS! I am not sure how adept you are with scales but playing the scales that correspond with the chords being played is key (pun intended). I would first focus on learning walking basslines, blues, jazz, and there are plenty in rock. There are also some great walking basslines in Motown; learn a James Jamerson song or two. It doesn't matter if you are playing metal, punk or doom. These walking lines will give you the fundamentals and some scale familiarity.

[ICTGoober]

Learn your whole fretboard - play every E on the thing, and so on. Fingering exercises - from top to bottom across all the strings. Change it up by alternating fingers. The mechanicals of playing are as important as learning scales, modes, chord changes, music theory, and songs. You can sit in front of the TV and run them for hours to keep your hands in shape. During the commercials train your ear by playing any background tunes. Most of all - HAVE FUN!

[Mincer]

I say, listen to happening bass players...a lot. There are great players in every style to learn from.

[ErikH]

Lots of good info given already. I will add this. Lock in with the drummer. There are times when you will play along with the guitar and if there is one guitar player, you might do that during lead breaks to fill in the rhythm but for the most part, lock in with the drummer. This should be fairly simple for you since you've been playing drums.

[misterwhizzy]

Maybe spice up your love life, and that'll lead to better bass playing? It seems like funky bass leads to the best love-making, so maybe it'll work the other way around.

[NegativeEase]

Learn to play more up the fretboard longwise than up the strings width wise.

learn to bounce rhythmically from the open strings

-Basically -watch Chris Squire play.

[Demanic]

Learn to play more up the fretboard longwise than up the strings width wise.

learn to bounce rhythmically from the open strings

-Basically -watch Chris Squire play.

Geddy does both.

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[NegativeEase]

Geddy does both.

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Absolutely! and WHO do you think he learned to play bass from?

***answer Chris Squire**** -his music hero.

[Chistopher]

Well if you have playing the root note down, the next natural progression would be finding the things that can be played off of that. Adding a fifth, or an octave, or a major/minor triad (depending on what chord you're playing over).

Jamming really helps here.

[Securb]

Absolutely! and WHO do you think he learned to play bass from?

***answer The Ox**** -his music hero.

FIxed that for ya

[Demanic]

Absolutely! and WHO do you think he learned to play bass from?

***answer Chris Squire**** -his music hero.

No doubt that Squire was an influence. But then, don't forget the Ox.