DON'T think notes... think INTERVALS
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 31. 08. 2017
- Until I finally figured it out, I was constantly wondering what the great bass players are thinking about when they're laying down some serious grooves, or busting out an epic solo...
-- Are they thinking notes?
-- Are they thinking patterns?
-- Are they playing licks?
Some people players I studied with said they thought notes, some said they thought patterns, and the gag is... they're really doing ALL three of the of the above... but, the really great players are doing something else as well.
In this lesson I'm going to tell you exactly what it is + I'm going to give you a great exercise to help you start getting it into your playing.
This playing tip is HUGE. If you're not thinking like this yet, you NEED to get it into your bass playing. Period. It's that important.
As always, see you in the shed...
Scott
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The tone of the bass in this video is just brilliant .... what an amazingly warm and articulate sound, bravo!
Ahhh cheers David! :)
Scotty-what magic box r u using in those awesome 1st 18 seconds?
This changed my way to see notes, patterns and scales completely, it's a completely different dimension
Great lesson!
Scott, this is one of the best lessons you have ever created! And yes, the Academy is absolutely amazing! I have seen big progress in my bass playing and I look forward to push it further!
Wow - thanks for the kind words Christos, means a lot :)
Understanding the intervals of chords is the Rosetta Stone (Rolling Stone or Family Stone, or Flintstone, as the case may be). Learn this lesson, and everything else on the bass is easy.
SO COOL TO SEE THIS! I started thinking this way a couple years ago while I was in school (my professors never spoke about this too much) and it's awesome to see you speak about it Scott! Love the content!
As usual, a great lesson, clearly explained and built on a clever structure. Thanks Scott!
Cheers man :)
Hi scott! Im from far russia, and i want to say: thank you, because of you, bass in my hands again!
I started playing bass about 3 years ago, after playing guitar for 40+ years. I was always a chord player on guitar and never learned much more than that.
After picking up the bass, my programmer mind quickly realized that it's all about patterns.
I've always wondered what experienced players think about while they were playing. I know I always think patterns. Like you said, Scott, find the root and go from there because everything is relative. This video kind of validated the way I think while I play. I'm still not that good, but at least I know I'm on the right track.
Being on the right track is half the battle man - keep groovin'! :)
I started playing bass after figuring out that I like the deeper sound, I also love rhythm instruments so that helped. I find most of my inspiration for any small riffs I write just from listening to sounds around me. water drops, the ticking of a clock, the heavy growl of my truck, all of these have some pattern I can use as inspiration and it gives a little creative freedom.
also love your videos Scott. I had a lot of trouble figuring out slap before I found your exercises to help with that. I'm a leftie playing a righty instrument so slapping with my right hand has been rather difficult for me but I'm sure in a few more weeks of practice I'll have the motion down.
Jared Powell I'm a lefty playing righty, been at it for....jeeze, almost 18 years. You'll definitely get the hang of it once your muscles gain that memory.
I'm actually going to buy a left handed 5 string soon, I'll still be practicing right handed too though, not everyone has a left handed instrument to play so it will be useful If I want to play one of my friend's basses
Great lesson. đ Your videos are excellent when it's JUST focused on bass playing.
Excellent lesson. This stuff is just fundamental, and we bassists can take advantage of the pattern quality of the bass playing.
Love your stuff Scott.
Glad to see you had a shave for 'Question of Sport'.
This video opened my mind Scott. Thank you!
You re the best teacher , i love your courses !!
Should I be thinking letters when I speak?
I didnt start playing till I was much older. It's been hard to make any real progress. I feel like I need to be better to get real use from joining your school. I spend hours but i feel like somehow I'm missing something. You really do shed lite on things. Thx Scott
I'm self taught, and figured this stuff out, but it took a while. Wish I had had this resource 25 years ago. Thanks for teaching others.
I have never thought it that way, but sub-consciously I play interval all the time. Thanks Scott
10:50 thank you! Wish I had seen anderen known this 8 years before. At that time i was really wondering about that.
Brilliant explanation of root to scale note and the resulting patterns.
I thought in intervals before I really learned the notes on the fingerboard. I knew about Funk octaves, fifths for songs like School Days, sevenths for song like Prince's Let's Work, and so on.
just discovered your channel and I'm thrilled, cheers! x
As always, super helpful! Cheers!
Thanks. I had to go check out the harmonic layering lesson.
Probably the most useful lesson you've released on your channel.
This is a huge lesson, thanks Scott. I've got some serious work to do lol
Liked just for the title, haven't even watched yet. Such a good message.
I'm going to be a "D" here: A over a Gb is an augmented 2nd. A over an F# is a minor 3rd
Got me! ;)
lol Well done. You've passed the test.
Thanks for the lessons... Cherrs from Argentina đ
Ok, ok. One of the best tips I've ever seen in your channel. You decided to reveal THE secret! :D
Great lesson! Ever since University I hardly think in notes anymore its always in intervals.
Thank you for you great support .
Thanks for the tip. I think I might try the trial. MAKE IT RAIN!!! lol
Thanxs for sharing those concepts
Scott, Great lesson..
I love your videos, this has helped me allot
It's also worth noting that it's easier for most people to count forward and backward from any starting point the scale by its number position than by its letter name... food for thought đ€
Thanks, Scott.
Oh man. I've been thinking nuts all this time!
I'd love to see that bass with some kind of off-white/cream/desert-sand pickguard.
Great video
Thanks fucking lot. It's such a relief to know that my brain isn't super stupid.
Great!!!!!!! Thank You!!!!
Should I think of them over a chord or in relation to the current scale, without going into jazz?
What's the best way to support a guitar player in a rock band that plays exclusively power chords? I've tried arpeggios and outlining more chord tones, but which ones should I avoid and which ones should I emphasize?
I saw you did an interview with Victor Wooten. In his book he talks about this subject, and has a very different approach.
Great video! I usually let my muscle memory dictate what pattern I play at each note depending on where I am on the fretboard! Lmao
Edit: seriously that tone is freaking phenomenal!!
shitt thanks! i was always scared of notes. Now i have clarity:)
Thats is actually my technique for improvising bass and guitar!
Please can you do a video on counting rythms and subdivisions in most time signature illustrating it on the bass.
Thanks in advance
Another reason why the Nashville numbers system is key.
Thank goodness...that string was driving me crazy. 3:27
Anyone that plays Herbie Hancock riffs is alright in my book. Good work!
also bear in mind that numbers & letters are actually stored in different parts of the mind ,, that's why "Rainman" for example who cannot read & write but can work out equations that can send man to the moon ,, sometimes quicker than a computer ,
that goes into another part of music ,, oxygen supply ,, meaning that its harder to think in terms of letters than numbers because the mind has to supply Extra oxygen to one side oF the mind for letters ,,
all in all accomplished musicians like yourself who can read notation think in terms of notes as letters & numbers too etc thrive in very advanced music gigs ,,
oxygen supply is also key in singing & playing bass at the same time tho i do not know where the "vocal hardware is stored in the mind " ,, by relaxing left & right hand gives enough oxygen to sing .. & vice versa ,,
means that eg mark king kind of goes into auto pilot in gigs via hours & hours of rehearsing reducing the need to consume (thinking what note or verse is next ? ) oxygen ,, as everything is 100% memorized ,,
as a teacher it could be important to note ,,
not everybody will have the capacity to deul core quad core their oxygen supply at the same rates ,, no different than slapping thumbs up or thumbs down ,, we are all wired differently ,,
meaning when the lessons start to get mentally taxing ,, people need to stop & do something completly different eg go for a walk do the washing up for 5 - 10 - 30+ mins in order to get ( refresh ) music oxygen levels back to normal ,, thanks scott ;D
EDIT ,, maybe its the reason why some players like getting stoned / drunk ,, it could be neutralizing the rush to consume oxygen , for something else ?? cheers scot
Scott. Big fan of your channel. Ive long been thinking about subtitling your videos into spanish to give more people access to your content. Could we speak about how this could work? cheers
It's the open university of bass playing. Wouldn't mind seeing another video on fretless basses at some stage.
Here ya go Michael... fretless bass for ya... czcams.com/video/NKOUdzIYqT4/video.html
Hey Scott, should I leave my bass in a case when not playing? I heard it's not good to keep it out but I tend to play a lot more when it's on a stand. Thank you!
Dude... keep it out, I always keep mine out :)
Out of sight-out of mind. Keep that shit on display, bro. Instruments are also works of art and should be displayed at all times. If you have more than one show them off. Every time I look at mine I just want to grab it and rock that shit! Cases are only for travel.
I have the jazz bass and intend to get a Hofner ignition for it's light weight - was that your order of acquisition and reasoning thereof?
thanks for the informative reply - I should try the Hofner before I buy because I finger pick using thumb and three fingers and although a pick produces a nice sound I want to maintain my focus. The Squire Jazz I own is superb regarding build, tone, tuning and playability but as a recording musician I want something I can pick up and put down 100 times a day - glad to hear your enjoying your SBL lessons and practicing - he's a great teacher and player.
Sorry to jump in on your conversation, but I saw you mentioned your flea bass. I was skeptical of the flea bass (Mexi with an American price tag) until I played one, and I loved it! I waited for a guitar center sale and bought one, and I like it even better than my long time American Standard Jazz bass. American pickups and hardware, all around solid bass. Loved it so much I bought the road worn precision too! These are not your typical Mexican bass, but every bit as good as an American Standard. And with the nitro finish, I like them even better!
Am i weird when i got bit past that begginer category and just bought an Epi Thunderbird IV Pro because i see that only very small group of people even use Gibson / Epi basses so was it bad move ? Its true that i never had true J Bass in my hands .. but the T bird is really sounding and looking great so ....
Can you please start teaching FULL solos step by step so we can learn phrases and have a feel for soloing? Even short solos are cool :)
Thanks a lot!
i somehow got the feeling you were drinking that day :) the lesson is of great value and it's a interesting video that's not what i'm saying but the way you talk, is a little slower then usual like there's a slapback delay on your voice. you look also alittle bit more relaxed. Maybe had a nice party and got the idea to do a video and just rolled with it? anyway's great video! i'm learning alot from you guys. gonna have a drink myself now, cheers!
That glove, is it special for playing a bass or what kind of material is it made of?I think it would really help my playing for sure.
When you said intervals I didn't think the number system but I almost only use the number system even though i still know my notes
I started playing bass after 'mastering' piano, and i thought in intervals the exact moment picking up my brother's self made bass
Okay, I'll be the party pooper.....at 10:20 you called A over a Gb a min. 3rd when technically it would be called an augmented 2nd...a min. 3rd over Gb would be Bbb....same pitches/sound of course but different names...and in music theory it matters what you call shit...lol. Okay, now I can sleep peacefully tonight having got that off my chest....I'm a long time guitar player but a beginning bassist trying to learn to play bass and not sound like a guitar player playing bass...and I'm really enjoying your lessons Scott...thank you!EDIT: I just read further down the comments and I see someone else 'busted' you on this....sorry!!
Great video, Scott. As always. But please set your camera to a fixed focal point. I thought my eyes were getting crazy until I realised it was your cam changing focus all the time. :)
FWIW I tend to think about what to do to compliment what the song or the groove is trying to say
Yess
I'd be down with a lesson on the first 19 seconds of this video. It reminds me of Segment by Charlie Parker
đđđshould I be thinking nuts too đ đ đ
Cadences must be important too, Scott, yeah? Within those patterns? :)
Hi Scotty! what is this bass? it is has a beautiful sound!
Great lesson, thanks. What pedal do you use in the intro?
Stefan Meier it's an octaver pedal, maybe a POG from EHX or s Sub 'n up
Awesome video, this is a great way for improv and stuff!
5:02 I think you meant to say DEFGA not DEFAG ;)
Oops, lol ;)
Oh, so the student has become the master? SILENCE! LOL
Get Ryan Martinie on your podcast or something. Finally released some work after like 8 years and he is truly a great bassist.
Scot is such a gangster
Scott don;t know if it is the right place to ask, but I have an 11yr son, and he started to show interest in playing music (bass hell yeah), so what approach you would advice to teach someone from scratch, greatly appreciated and a fan of your channel keep em coming!!!!
Join the academy. Totally worth it.
That bass color scheme is sick, body color, tort guard, and rosewood board. What MFG and what is the body color called?
Is that a pedal being used in the intro? If so, what is it?
The string hanging off his glove *really* annoyed me the whole time. That's what I was thinking about...
I only own a 6-string bass and I'm learning Jaco's bass line from "Teen Town". Should I learn it with his fingering or should I adapt it to using my B and C- string, and pretend that I have a 4-string? And why?
You're as great as always, Scott!
Yo Simon, if you're playing a 6 string I would utilise all the other strings for sure. Keep grooving man! :)
I will then! Thanks ;)
George is my dog's name too :)
scott! what do you think about 6 string basses? never seen you play one!
Love them man... the 2nd bass I ever bought was a six string... loved it!
Hm - I remember a video that's called "Why you should(nt) use a 5 string bass"...
Thomas Meyer i know, thats why i asked about the 6 thing :)
Scott's Bass Lessons cool! thanks for the reply :)
Well - let's ask about Warr guitars then.
I had to go through 5 videos to understand what Carol Kaye meant when she said 'Think numbers not notes'.
Very good teaching m8. Why do you wear this glove tho ?
MFotis10 focal dystonia
Why a viola/violin bass over a more common bass?
What kind of bass is that? It took me years to realize this and to realize my mind was naturally wanting to do this but I fought it for a long time trying to see notes instead of intervals and in some cases shapes. Hearing intervals is another freeing lesson to learn. Spot on lesson here Scott! Thanks!
I was about to ask the same thing. What bass is he using?
Scale degrees
Billy Sheehan
My brain hurts.
you need to be able to think notes before thinking intervals i think :), seems like a second layer
Este Haim
What bass is this
know anyone similar chanel but fo gtr????
Why do you refer to a note as the 9th rather than the 2nd, or 13th rather than 6th??
saying 9th 11th 13th is from piano and has just translated to other instruments. In piano you can't get to all the notes with one hand while playing chords so the right hand will get what the left hand can't and is in the higher register above the octave(8th) of the root. So in guitar and bass it is just used to refer to playing above the octave 8th.
If you play a chord, you will use the 9 (root + 1 octave and one note) not the 2nd; if you play the root and the 2nd, it will sound dischordant and weird on any instrument. Same for the 13 / 6 comparison.
Shouldn't music be organic if we don't think?
âWhat am i thinking when i am playing?â
âDOES THIS EXPERIENCE WARRANT THE DEGREE OF FACIAL EXPRESSION... RITE NOW IâM AT 11â
Man I wish I could follow your videos but I just don't know the damn notes
Yah ya need two play tha newts
Did you ever make a bad mistake playing live after a lot practice I did it's no cool
I don't think at all.
I follow the school of Bruce Lee: "Don't fink. FEEL."
teppolundgren itâs not feel. Itâs FEEEEEEEEEEL
Suppose knowing intervals is like knowing the vowels & consonants in English...oslt.