Music theory you actually need, none of the sh*t you don’t

Music theory - how the hell do you know what you actually NEED to know?

How much music theory do you really need to play bass? Spoiler alert - it’s probably less than you think.

So what’s the secret to using just the essentials effectively? In this video, you’ll learn the 5 Levels of Bass Player Theory, from casual jamming to full-on mastery.

Let’s cut through the snoozefest of classroom jargon and get straight to the theory you actually need. In this video, you’ll learn:

- The minimum amount of theory you need
- How to learn songs faster
- How to get good enough to play real gigs
- How to win theory debates on Reddit

#MusicTheory #BassBuzz

[BassBuzz]

What’s the one thing about music theory you wish someone had told you sooner?

[menhirmike]

“The bedroom is a no pressure space to explore the instrument and have fun” is pretty good relationship advice as well.

[doublea]

Favorite part of the video was the clips of musicians saying they don't know theory then gradually talking about the finer points of theory.

[imzyqx]

Dude the effort put in to this videos are unmatched

[Brookerbass]

My bass teacher in high school was actually an accomplished pianist. He taught me what I needed to know to play in jazz band at the time. That amount of theory has forever had me leagues ahead of most band mates.

[eeToe]

One thing to note about the circle of fifths: yes it is useless, but only if you want to play bass guitar and absolutely no other melodic instrument. For those who play several instruments it’s the best visual of intervals that can be used for any instrument.

[PsyX]

Remember : artists that DIDn't knew music theory (40 years ago at the start of their career) were surrounded by people knowing it ! And a lot of them spend time on their instruments, lots of them had perfect ears which help.

[briansong]

I cannot understate how much truth you've spoken here with no judgment. Appreciate you recoginizing that we all have different goals but also selling why the more advanced is still very helpful. Amazing work as always. Couldn't say any of this better.

[MC-qeqb]

Best humour based bass videos on YT. No one is close

[reesespuffs]

About tabs: there are several tablature formats that include rhythm notation. The rhythmless stuff is typically only found on Ultimate Guitar.

[manguitarletsgo]

I've played hundreds of gigs as a guitarist, many of which involved jamming, improvising, or depping despite having no formal training, no real knowledge of theory, and no ability or desire to read sheet music or tab. I _do_ know lots of chords and scales, and simply "read" their shapes on the fretboard, while using my ears to identify the key, time signature, and groove. For me, the best way to learn was in the bedroom, playing along with my favourite records, and then joining a band to play with people of similar ability.

[deejkeithanmusic]

The 7 modes of the major scale alone will take you so so far

[LowEndVibez]

Another quality content lesson.
🫳
🎤

[ChristianBenvenuti]

Music PhD here, and long-time fan of this channel - reading the comments, I can't help but think of that anecdote about how learning physics won't prevent you from enjoying a sunset, but will actually make you enjoy it with renewed wonder. Studying things like harmony, counterpoint, granular synthesis, music history etc opened up a whole universe of sound to me. Harmony was one of the things that blew me away, and I could never listen to music the same way again - the thrills are still there, but much enhanced by the little knowledge I gained through studying music. I may or may not be a better bassist after that, but I sure am a happier musician.

[gidsvids]

After playing for years in our church, I think the most important theory needed to learn is Nashville Number charts

in my opinion, it helps understanding the scales, chord progressions, arpeggios, hand communication during songs, learning songs fast and in different keys, and easier understanding of jazz chords

[TheGeoffable]

In my experience, bang on with the "learn what's useful to you" angle. I'm very much a bedroom player, been doing it for about 4 years, no desire to take it further...but scales have been useful, ditto tab, and yeah, an awareness of classical notation helps. And I'm a huge fan of the harmonic scale (yes, thanks to Bill Bailey), have struggled with the circle of fifths and don't really get it, and need to learn my fretboard better. Have I wasted time on theory? Yes. Have I found really useful things in music theory? Yes. Do I want to understand music theory in detail? Yes. Can I be arsed? No, it'd put me off just playing for fun, which is why I do it.

[erikhuot]

Josh is one of the best teachers in the world. This video demonstrates why his method is so amazing. He knows how to balance knowledge to help you progress, based on your needs. His beginner to badass course is thoughtfully designed and meticulously organized. It gave me just the sufficient amount of theory to understand stuff that I needed to progress and awaken my curiosity to learn more.

[tramai]

The amount of inductive gaps needed to jump over to learn anything related to theory when you first start learning bass is one of the biggest reasons people stop. There are very little resources that actually start from zero. Most assume you have some randomly varying level of knowledge that you then have to go out and learn to learn the thing you're trying to learn. This ranges anywhere from simply putting so much jargon in the "lesson" that it becomes unreadable to assuming you already know a ton about music structure, etc. Eventually I just quit *trying* to learn anything about theory and just ended up learning what was useful from theory by playing my instrument. Cool to see that validated, Josh. More people should really be open and honest about the actual importance of theory and where it should be applied!

[lennygemar]

Thanks for the great video! I wish I could have seen this 25 years ago when I first started learning. I'm around a Level 3 guy, playing occasionally in bar and party bands. I wholeheartedly subscribe to your practicality of levels and where they apply.❤

[randomguyontheinternet]

The one piece of knowledge that changed the way I listen to music and appreciated the culture that I feel like everyone should here:
Our knowledge of theory is entirely the language of European Classical composers, although often turned into something new: this is just one flavor out there. You can change the recipe anytime.