Ok, i've been playing bass for quite a while now, I don't practice as much as I should. I do play in a band, but we are just getting started and we play pretty simple stuff, so I don't have too much of a problem playing something similar to what the guitarist is playing yadayadayada
My problem is when I sit down and practice, I just fuck around, and not good fuck around, I play the same stupid riffs over and over (I've got them down great though
), but I am trying to get good at WRITING basslines, not playing other people's basslines. When it comes down to writing, I am worthless, I essentially just play random notes, and usually end up giving up and going back to playing those stupid riffs, because they actually sound good.
Analog Kid has told me to learn scales, I had a site with the scales, but the method the site used to tell you what notes to play wasn't tabs, and he did a good job explaining to me how to read it, but I ended up not understanding it
Any advice or suggestions?
My problem is when I sit down and practice, I just fuck around, and not good fuck around, I play the same stupid riffs over and over (I've got them down great though

Analog Kid has told me to learn scales, I had a site with the scales, but the method the site used to tell you what notes to play wasn't tabs, and he did a good job explaining to me how to read it, but I ended up not understanding it

Any advice or suggestions?