Scales Ala Mode
I went over to the local music store for my second bass lesson last night. Between the time when I get off from work and my lesson, I usually have a few minutes to kill so I spent some time chatting with the guys as well as had one of them take another look at Trevor.
We raised up the action on the D just a touch and that seemed to do the trick with the buzzing second fret. I am a much happier fish, as you well might imagine and now I find my urge to procure another instrument back within manageable levels. It still didn't keep me from pulling a couple off the rack, but I did so with a stronger sense of detachment.
The guys had also asked me how I liked the new amps. I told them that me and Squid really liked some of the features on the guitar amp, but that I hadn't really played too much with the features on the bass amp. I had tried them out at home, but found them a bit distracting while I was practicing.
Then it was time to get to business. The new lesson was on modes. Take a scale and basically shift your starting position within that scale and you have one of seven modes. Each mode alters the feel and the mood of the music. We had gotten through the first two (Dorian and Phrygian) when time elapsed. In wrapping up, he gave me homework to practice going up and down the different modes and then also practice shifting between modes in different parts of the scale.
He also gave me some positive feedback on my technique so far. He said that I looked relaxed and that my hand position was pretty good. Needless to say, I found the comments encouraging.
On the negative side, it looks like it will be another two weeks before my next lesson. Depending on how my homework goes, I may try to work out the rest of the modes and work them into my practice. Regardless, I think I will find a way to fill the time.
We raised up the action on the D just a touch and that seemed to do the trick with the buzzing second fret. I am a much happier fish, as you well might imagine and now I find my urge to procure another instrument back within manageable levels. It still didn't keep me from pulling a couple off the rack, but I did so with a stronger sense of detachment.
The guys had also asked me how I liked the new amps. I told them that me and Squid really liked some of the features on the guitar amp, but that I hadn't really played too much with the features on the bass amp. I had tried them out at home, but found them a bit distracting while I was practicing.
Then it was time to get to business. The new lesson was on modes. Take a scale and basically shift your starting position within that scale and you have one of seven modes. Each mode alters the feel and the mood of the music. We had gotten through the first two (Dorian and Phrygian) when time elapsed. In wrapping up, he gave me homework to practice going up and down the different modes and then also practice shifting between modes in different parts of the scale.
He also gave me some positive feedback on my technique so far. He said that I looked relaxed and that my hand position was pretty good. Needless to say, I found the comments encouraging.
On the negative side, it looks like it will be another two weeks before my next lesson. Depending on how my homework goes, I may try to work out the rest of the modes and work them into my practice. Regardless, I think I will find a way to fill the time.