OMG You just blew my mind with this.
I just recently learned the MILLPAD
and the pattern you posted,
E3-E7 GAB
A3-A7 CDE
D3-D7 FGA
Add to the bottom of that,
G4, G5, G7 BCD
That’s Mixolydian, or the M in Millpad which looks like
Whole step, WS, WS
WS, WS, WS
WS, WS, WS
1,2, 4
keep it going!
1,2, 4
1 ,3,4
1, 3,4
To add to this, for the 1st 5 frets.
Drop the 1st fret of the E string, starting at G, This is Locrian, or the 2nd L in MILLPAD
(Hmm formatting this is difficult.
_Nut|frets|
G |…|A|…|B|C|
D |…|E|F|…|G|
A |…|B|C|…|D|
E |F|… |G|…|A|
Keanu said it best:
You can do whatever you want, but my experience of playing bass is that playing with others has improved my playing and is fun.
If people want to play at home and never leave the house that’s great, but for me the feeling of playing a bass though an amplifier at volume with others is where it’s at.
Sitting playing through a Rumble 25 in a room at home, just isn’t the same feeling 
@Hann, bass can be a performing instrument, i.e., for use in an ensemble setting like a band.
But it doesn’t have to be.
Each player has motivations unique to that person. Some want to play with others because they have never done it before, and they find it exciting. Others play for and by themselves because it is personally fulfilling, joyful and immediate gratification without the need to involve others. And still others have had past experiences playing in band settings with other musicians, and no longer have the time or desire to it anymore.
The point is: you don’t need to perform to the satisfaction of anyone other than yourself.
That said, it’s entirely up to you how you choose to enjoy playing music. If it’s with a mammoth amp, in front of an audience, so be it.
If it’s with a headphone amp or 25-watt Rumble in your music room, fantastic!
From your post, it sounded as if you received criticism from the people you played with. Nobody needs that bullshit. So don’t measure your worth with anyone else’s values. Life is too precious for that. And so is the joy YOU derive from playing music. Not everyone is driven to perform, nor should they be, necessarily. It’s your life, your choice.
You have friends here, @Hann. Please let us know how we can help in any way.
This is true of basically all social media. If you’re comparing yourself to what other people are sharing, you’re comparing your average against everyone else’s best. And that’s why comparison is the thief of joy. Especially as a beginner, compare yourself against your past self instead and enjoy seeing how far you’ve come.
I just posted my cover of Hound Dog. I’ve been actively practicing that song near daily for two weeks. I’ve probably played it 100 times. The video I posted was, I think, my sixth take.
I’m editing my cover of Rock You Like a Hurricane next. Been working on it for about the same amount of time. That took me 8 or 9 takes to get something share-worthy (mostly because I was getting tired and hadn’t eaten).
The rejected takes would have been fine in a live setting. Missing a single note in the middle of a song, or playing the wrong riff leading out of a chorus, or playing the big slide too quietly will hardly be noticed at all live. But I don’t want to make a permanent record of those takes. And I don’t want to fix it in post either. I want to share an honest recording. So it took me a couple of hours to record a total of 6 minutes of audio.
Even though one person has had an extremely and unfortunately poor experience with joining a band.
I think there’s real value in playing with others. It doesn’t have to be a ‘band’. It can be with friends jamming in a garage. But making music together can be and is fun.
I’d hate for one really negative experience to put someone off from giving it a go.
Here’s our band rehearsing. I’m playing quarter root notes for the whole song. That’s it. No stress, just fun.
It is fun but again it’s not for everyone. It’s not the only path to having a wonderful time with music. I do think perhaps too much emphasis is put on it.
One benefit it has (in addition to the performance rush) is that playing with others is a forcing function for you to up your own game. But not everyone responds well to that.
What is critical, if you want to do it, is finding a group where you are completely happy and comfy to, at times, utterly suck in front of. Once everyone can be in that mindset and have a good time with it, it can be great.
If you can’t find that it will add to performance anxiety. It’s just a fact. Some people really dislike that.
I was lucky and had a good group of friends to work with. And even then, there’s definite ups and downs.
I did have a great time with it, but at the same time - no desire to do it again now, at all.
Hear, hear. ^^^
Playing with others is a blast IF they’re the right people AND if one has a suitable personality/confidence/desire to do it comfortably. All components that are necessary for really having fun doing it.
It’s a good point, but think about all that wonderful music that both you and I like. Most of it is made by more that one person.
It’s true. And I do think everyone should try playing in a band, for all the reasons you listed. It’s a great experience when it all clicks.
It also takes patience, a somewhat thick skin, and a solid ability to be able to take it as well as dishing it out, and laugh at ones own damn self. You and I have that. Not everyone has those attributes and it can be rough on them unless they find a really good group.
I had a teacher say exactly that to me!
It still makes me mad to this day.
It’s the absolute worst feeling in the world.
It makes any accomplishment feel small, and it makes any struggle feel like a failure.
So sorry you had a rotten experience.
I don’t think there’s anything I can say or type here that will add anything, other than I too have felt the anger and frustration and humiliation and rejection that goes with feeling like your playing is bad, like your musical scenario is bad, like you have some sort of musical deficiency - all of it.
I have had all of those thoughts, I have walked away from the instrument, decided I’d quit forever, all kinds of things.
I’d give it some distance and time.
I still love playing bass, but I’ve definitely needed time away, and I’ve also definitely needed a change of musical scenery to find the joy.
I hope you find some musical peace!
Bass is Simple, but not Easy. Those are two very different things.
Don’t listen to the haters. People don’t ever accuse brass or woodwind instruments of being “easy” just because they only play one note at a time. You don’t see people shaming Saxophone players.
You know what else is simple? Singing.
You know what is hard as hell to do well? Singing.
Glad you found some use in it!