Some noob from Alaska

[SteveX]

Hey all, my name is Steve, I'm 24 years old, and I come from Fairbanks, Alaska. I bought myself a Peavey BXP Millenium-5 almost three years ago, and I JUST picked it up and started trying to seriously learn to play.

I bought a Peavey MAX 158 15W combo practice amp recently, plugged in, and I am in love. I may be in love, but I can't really do much with it right now, but I'll keep on going!

Anyhow, greetings from some frozen hunk of rock in the north, glad to be here.

[Stumbo]

Here are a few links that I've collected along the way that I've found enlightening and hope you will as well.

GET THE MOST OUT OF TB
Read all the the FAQ's in each forum. Fill out your User Profile. Become a supporting member.

1. MUST READS
If I only knew then...
Best musical advice
Every bassist should know
Save your hearing
Custom ear plug primer

2. NEWBIES
~Basics
Intro/History of Bass guitar
First bass advice
First amp advice
Using two combos together
Upgrade bass/amp first?
Connecting an amp to a cabinet

Downloadable fretboard learning file utilizing Microsoft Excel or Excel file reader
Metronome info

Where to start
Beginners mistakes
What's a chord?(w/audio examples)

Online bass tuning
2 starter books
First Timer's Intro to Bass Guitar (picture based) w/CD

Find a teacher
How "good" do you have to be to be in a band?
Guitarist switch to bass

~Newbie Learning
Bass trainers/practice w/o amps
Pick/not to Pick?
Developing musically
"Go slow" practice method

What are charts?
Tips for writing sheet music

Tab website
Tab/not to tab?
Getting off tabs
Sight read standard notation(SN)?
Nashville Number System (NNS) Book
NNS chart example
NNS online tutorial

~Newbie Theory
What's "Theory"?
Easy understanding of chords
Music Theory for Practical People book
Online Visual Beginning Theory, ear trainer

Beginner's Bass Clef tips
"Name that note" online SN game
Downloadable read "bass clef" software
Online bass clef audio/visual trainer
print bass clef flashcards/staff paper

~Newbie Rhythm
1 Learn rhythm
2

~Newbie On-line Resources
Dmanlamius' beginner's site
1st bass lesson (click on Beginners)
Intro bass-learn songs,videos
Tab based (w/audio) lessons

~Newbie On-line paid lessons
$3/mo bass lessons
Cliff Engel online,correspondence,private lessons
Adam Nitti's online "class room" learning website
Play the bass now lessons

3. LEARNING
~Practicing
Technique forum
1 How to practice
2

Singing and Playing bass
Protecting your voice
Bassist's guide to singing

Odd time sigs

Headphone amps/mixers/trainers
"Band-in-a Box" software for practicing
"BIAB vs. Tascam Bass Trainer
Playing along with your PC

1 Good headphones
2

Help! My wrist/fingers are sore/tingling
Carpal Tunnel
Repairing cuts on your fingers
Cracked Skin-Preventing/Fixing

~Backing Tracks & Drum Machines
1 Drum Machines
2
3
Free, full-use,downloadable drumtrack software
Drum Tracks
Free backing tracks
Different methods to play drum tracks
Build your own backing tracks

~Instructional materials
Over 100 DVDs/books
Books, DVDs, all styles/ methods
Looking for the Bass "Bible"
MarlowDK's recommended books
"Best" theory/harmony book
TB Book Links
TB member Jon Liebman's books and more
Books, DVD's, equipment, accessories, etc. (by style)
over 100 books of transcriptions & more

~Online lessons
dmanlamius.com Dman's hands on videos and more
playbassnow.com MarlowDK's cool videos & more
Read music,lessons, online metronome,bass clef tutor & more
Studybass.com Sound files/tab/standard notation based lessons..more
thelibster.com Tech advice,drills, bass sound files & more
cyberfretbass.com Videos & more
activebass.com Lessons, backing tracks, articles and more. Xlnt site

~Software: Notation, Transcribe, Slow Down, Loop, Record, Metronome,Utilities
1 Slow down
2
3
Taking transcribing to the next level

BestPractice-PC based, free, easy to use, slow downer/pitch shifter/looper/vocal remover/bass isolator/ backing track maker

1 Suggestions for music notatation software
2
Transcribe/read transcriptions free online
Let the computer transcribe your played notes
Transciptions examples
Taking transcribing to the next level

Making chord charts w/lyrics

Metronome-odd time sigs.
Victor's metronome lesson

Free music software
Cheap/good recording software
Guitar Pro

~Ear training
Goodear.com
Test your ear
Free downloadable ear trainer (basic/advanced) Solfege. Xlnt program
Trainers/tutorials. Music theory, ear training, read music, chords, intervals, etc.
Online Visual Beginning Theory, ear trainer
Discussion of Solfege

~Sight Reading
Bass clef to fretboard translation. Memorize this first
1 Learning
2
Improving
Practicing
Transcriptions to practice;many with .mp3 files
Free transcriptions

~Theory
Learning basic theory
Intro scale & chord theory
3rds & 7ths?
Theory links list
Theory (from the DB side of TB)
Useful music theory info with audio

Learning "modes"
Reason for modes
Using modes
Putting it all together (scales/modes)
Key signatures/Circle of 5ths/Cycle of 4ths
Circle/Cycle of 5ths/4ths (spreadsheet format)

~Getting creative
Where does creativity come from?

Creating bass lines
Target Approach
Walking bass line examples
Ed Friedland on walking bass lines
TB's Ed Fuqua's walking bass line book
How to really "learn" a tune"

For a jam
Jammin'

Playing scales

Playing behind/ahead of the beat
"Feel"
Playing "in the pocket"


~Song Writing
Chord progressions for Song Writers
Chords of Great Songs

~Going "pro"
Becoming a session player
1 Going pro
2
The musician's life
1 Expectations
2

~Teaching Bass
1 Teaching ideas
2
Becoming a teacher

4.COLLEGE MUSIC
So you want to be a music major?
Virginia Tech Music Theory Dictionary
Auditioning for jazz band
Audition dilemma
Classical sheet music (free)

[Stumbo]

5. STYLES
~Blues
Becoming a blues bass player
Blues progressions explained w/ audio samples
Basic lessons/free backing tracks
Getting into the blues
Slow blues

blues jam terms/progressions
Ice Cream Changes
Backdoor Progression
ii-V-I
more blues
Abersole's 35 blues variations
Improving the blues

1 First jam
2
3

Gig coming up

Blues bass player's club

Influential musicians (mostly) pre-1959
History and styles
20 important blues recordings & more

"Blues Bass" by TB member Jon Liebman
Ed Friedland's Essential Styles and Techniques
Blues books
"Complete Rhythm Guitar Guide for Blues Bands" by Larry McCabe
"101 Blues Bass Patterns by Larry McCabe
Turn arounds book for blues/jazz

~Funk, Slap, Groove, R&B
Links to over 20 funk,groove and R&B bassists

TB's Funk 101 list of funk tunes
Funk 102
TB's Old School Funk tunes suggestions
R&B set list tunes
50 songs to learn R&B on

Muted Grooves by Joaquin des Pres
Classic Funk and R&B by Joaquin des Pres
Bass Grooves by TB member Jon Liebman
Funk Bass "
Funk/Fusion Bass "

R&B/Funk book
"Standing in the Shadows of Motown" James Jamerson book/CD
Funk Bass Bible
New funk groups
Modern Funk bassists
Funk Masters w/James Brown Rhythm Section Book

The late, great, James Jamerson
1 Get that dead flatwound string sound
2

TB slap bass references/links
Over 60 slap/funk lessons by MarlowDK
Video lessons w/Dmanlamius

Books/Videos from
F. R. Prestia/Tower of Power
Anthony Vitti
Alex Sklarevski
Bill Dickens
Tony Oppenheim
Larry Graham

~Latin
Learning Latin music
"The Latin Bass Book" by Oscar Stagnaro/Chuck Sher

~Jazz
1 Learning
2
Improvization Primer (Book/Online)
Theory, soloing, videos by Ethans1980 website
Walking bass lines examples
Walking bass lines books
Jazz Scales
History of Jazz website

~Metal
Play Metal bass
Demystifying metal styles
Tuning your bass for metal discussion
How to scream/growl
Drop Tuning - which strings?

~Hip-Hop
1 Hip-Hop bass
2
Hip-hop bands with instruments
Hip-Hop Bass

~Reggae
Reggae bass
Best bass/setup for Reggae
Reggae broken down

Aston Barrett
Robbie Shakespeare
Errol "Flabba" Holt

~Urban Gospel
Examples of songs
Gospel/PW basses/rigs/strings

6. POPULAR SONGS BY DECADE
~Sixties
Essential 60's songs
~90's Funk
90's Funk

[Stumbo]

7. BEING IN A BAND
~First band
How "good" do you have to be to be in a band?
Joining your first band

~Starting
New band
3 piece band
Advertising for new member(s)

Cover band
Cover band setlists
Covers vs. Originals

Tribute band

~Joining a new band
Finding a new band
Questions to ask before joining a band

~Auditioning
1 For new band
2
Getting back in the game

Red flag stories
Hilarious/Bizarre audition stories
"Never got to audition"

~Replacing a band member
Firing a band member
1 Auditioning new member
2

~Leaving the band
Quitting
Giving notice
Getting fired
Quitting music?

~Reheasals
Wear ear plugs!
Band rehearsal/headphones

Learning a band set list
Learning songs quickly
1 Rehearsal tips
2 -efficiency
3 -how often?

1 Sound proofing/reduction
2-w/ room pics
3-w/ room pics Drummerworld.com
Build Recording Studio book- for pros or DIYr's

~Gigs
Getting gigs
Keeping track of gigs/rehearsals

The "art" of closing the deal
Gig pay
Advertising your band
Business cards

Gigging
Overcoming gig anxiety
1 First gig
2
3
Still gigging after all of these years
What to do if you don't know a song or forget your part

Gigs-stage management
1 Moving equipment
2
3
Coiling cables
Taping down cables

What's in your gig bag?
In-ear monitors
Going wireless
Getting your sound "live"

Music stands on stage?
Designing/Managing your sets
Managing sound on stage
Controlling your stage volume
Directing the band on stage-hand signals
1 On-stage Banter
2
Being asked to turn down the VOLUME
To noodle/not to noodle?

~Band management
Intro
Books
Book on "Bandalism"

How to handle a big band
Playing in a band w/o rehearsing
If your significant other is a non-musician
Democracy/dictatorship?
"Leading" a band
Band "funds"?
Why many bands fail

Originals Band "paying dues"
Is playing for "free" really "free"?

~Band names
Real band names
Infamous band names
Changing band name
1 Funk Band Name Thread
2

Bandnamemaker.com
1728.com

~PA/Lighting
First
1 What size?
2
Configuring
DIY monitors
1 Upgrading
2
What's your band runnin'?
QSC K series PA discussion
What mixer do you use?

Low cost lighting

~FOH
Working with the "sound guy"
Cheap vs. Expensive DI
1 Learn live sound mixing
2
3
Frequency ranges of band instruments
EQ primer (all instruments)
FOH vs. on-stage sound

Isolating Head/Cabs from stage/each other
Best wireless?

~Mixing/Recording rehearsals/gigs
Recording rehearsals/practice/gigs
Recording/Mixing
Recording software recommendations
Cheap but good studio mics
Home Recording

8. COOL RIGS, EQUIPMENT, INFO
Upgrade bass/amp first?

~Amps, Heads, Rigs, Speakers, Cabs
Amp FAQs
Pros/Cons of Amp Design
How many watts do you gig with?(poll)
Amp "watts" vs. cab "watts"
Benefits of vertical speaker cabs

>30 light-weight cabs,amps, combos
"Light weight" tube heads

1 Buying a combo
2
Opinions/experiences-great small combo amps
The ultimate custom built combo?

Combos vs Head/Cab
Pre-amp/Power Amp vs Head/Cab or Combo
"I want a monster amp!"
Powerful,reliable rack amps

1 10s v. 12s v. 15s v. 18s
2
4x10 vs. 2x10/1x15

1x10's that do the job
Using a full range cab (Carvin LS1503)
1x15/6.5 custom cab
Big cabs
Rig for low F#

1 Happy with my rig
2

Micro-rigs of doom
Mini-rigs of doom
Rigs of doom
Cheap rigs of doom
Ulitmate fantasy rig

~Accessories
Polishing/cleaning bass
1 Setup a bass
2
Strings: Flatwound vs. Roundwound
Bass stands

1 Buying cables
2
3
4
High end vs. low end
Difference between speaker/instrument cables

1 Comfortable strap
2
3
4

Benefits of compression
Compressor FAQ's and reviews
1 Benefits of a rumble filter
2
Best D.I.

Gear insurance thread
Buying road cases

9. BUILDING/FIXIN' STUFF
~Cabs
1 Upgrading/changing speakers
2
3
4
Cabs
fEarful Cabs(plans included) + discussion
fEarful 15/6 pre-cut kit assembly discussion
Bill Fitzmaurice cabs
Low Down Sound (LDS) custom cabs website
Low Down Sound custom cab club
Cab coatings explained
Fiberglass cab

~Amps
Building a tube amp
Learning to fix tube amps
Sunn 2000s amp
How to turn on/off a tube amp
Tube amp techs- recommendations

~Speakers/Cables
1 Making speaker cables
2
Speaker reconer recommendations

~Basses
TB's Luthier's Corner
Custom bass pickups/pots
Simple Vari-Tone control
Bass Setup and Repair
Fix stripped neck/strap lock holes
Getting your bass refinished
Refinishing paint/info/discussion board
Casting your own parts
Foam rubber string mutes

~Misc
Digital music "stand"

10. OTHER INSTRUMENTS
Buying/learning harmonica
Types of harmonicas
Fingerstyle guitar
1 Best guitar forums
2
Visual guitar automatic chord finder website
Jazz guitar/chords/solos
Buying/learning/playing keyboards

11. OTHER
~Tips 'n Tricks
Packing a bass
Shipping a bass
Shipping/packing bass/amps

Free software/utilities you can't live w/o
Gadgets/Gizmos
Instructions on how to do a whole bunch of stuff

Tips for living
How to save $
Improving your sleep
Lose weight the TB way
Flashlights discussion
Spruce up TB posts with animated gifs.
Monster gifs

[SteveX]

First off, thanks for the reply, and just o.O at that list of information, I have some reading to do it seems!

[Stumbo]

Glad you're here. Lots of great stuff to learn. Just take it one step at a time.

Good luck!

[SteveX]

Will do, I heard that learning music notation is leaps & bounds ahead of just learning Tabs, so I should learn to read music notation first, learn some basic scales after that? (I know the strings, how to tune, some basic chords, that's it atm.)

I have pretty small hands though.. I did try out a 4-string in the local music shop and liked the feel much more than the 5 I have.

Once more, thanks, might make some posts in the other forums soon, maybe pics if I can find my camera.

[Stumbo]

Yes on the learning notation. You'll have to learn to count rhythm as well, of course. Once you get it down, you're golden. There's a section in my "Bass Knowledge" links on sight reading.

If the 4 feels better, get one. Don't be uncomfortable.

PM me anytime if you have more questions.