Beginners Thread ^^

[Los90]

Hey ya'll ^^
Im pretty new with this wonder music box, also called Electric Bass.
Now I've only been playing along some songs (using tabs) and it's starting to get kind of simple.. and I really want to develop my skills in playing the bass guitar, but also as a musician.
And as you can see im too lazy to search for other threads (sorry for that )

So, what should I focus on? For example: play along songs without using tabs? I've heard many ways but I don't quite understand them
You pro's can give me some pointers if you feel like it

[Grueber]

Tapped harmonics and 4 finger-Mathew Garrison technique is what you need to focus on as a beginner... I'm just kidding


seriously now,
Obviously you should start learning about music and stuff, but since it's the technique forum I'll talk about that.
Learn to alternate your index and middle fingers on your right hand, and practice keeping it even. Also play scales and other patterns to get your left hand used to moving around.

Just go buy a begginer bass instructional book. They all pretty much cover the same topics.

Originally Posted by Los90

So, what should I focus on? For example: play along songs without using tabs? I've heard many ways but I don't quite understand them
You pro's can give me some pointers if you feel like it

Sure, learning songs by ear never hurts. Try to figure out what key the sing is in first(probably the fist note or chord of the song depending on what kind of music you listen to), and then just go one note at a time. You will have to keep pausing and rewinding, but you'll get it eventually.

[Los90]

Thanks alot for that advice!

Is there any kind of music that is easy to start of with? Like Jazz or Blues? Because i mostly listen to metal and i have trouble hearing the bass it kind of melts in with the guitarrs and drums. So i can only guess which note they're playing

[zazz]

any kind of music where you can acctually hear the bass as a distinct instrument...seriously before you were into metal what kind of music did you listen to??

[Los90]

Pretty much anything that was on the radio... and of course some rock 'n roll from the 80s.
Can you recomend any songs? To get me going

[zazz]

well there is a lot of music out there ....try this for starters.. get the police greatest hits and work out all the bass lines to that....sting is a great bass player but he doesnt play complex but the timing is great and the structure is threre and you can pretty much work it all out by ear!!

also go and buy a dvd called "modern electric bass" by jaco pastorius....you will learn a thing or two about a thing or two form that one.

[Grueber]

I learned a lot of Red Hot Chili Peppers when i started out

[PrimusNut]

i learned alot of ac/dc when i started... perhaps the easiest basslines you will ever hear/play..

[FaithNoMan]

Haha, I started out on Nirvana basslines

"Lithium"

The best part is if you got a crappy bass, you can celebrate once you learn the song by smashing it to pieces just like the original artist!!!



J/K!

[StarMountainKid]

How about "Sunshine Of Your Love" and "Crossroads" by Cream. "Taxman" by The Beatles. "Wild Nights" by John Mellancamp. These are kinda easy songs to learn by ear.

I've never used tabs, have always learned by ear. I think learning to learn by ear is the most natural and musical way to learn songs.

[avast_bass]

some of the best advice i've read on here is to have your bass sitting out all the time. When commercials come on TV or shows start, try and play along to what you hear. Even if you pick up a few notes before its over, you'll learn!

[Poop-Loops]

Black Sabbath? The songs have a distinctive bass and it's not really fast.

A lot of metal uses down tuned guitars, so they do kind of blend with the bass, so you might want to try some more mainstream music like hip hop or something.

Personally, I can't pick apart anything yet, no matter how much I hear it. I just can't tell what note it is. I've only been playing for like 2 or 3 months, though. I have a teacher and I find I learn best when I know what the hell I'm doing, i.e. theory. Sitting there and playing other people's songs is fine, but if I don't understand why the songs sound good or how they work, then it's just a waste of time for me.

[Los90]

Originally Posted by avast_bass

some of the best advice i've read on here is to have your bass sitting out all the time. When commercials come on TV or shows start, try and play along to what you hear. Even if you pick up a few notes before its over, you'll learn!

Really? But... I don't really know how the different notes sound really, I've only been playing for like 4 months now.
Should I learn all the notes by ear before i try this on? ^^
Thanks for all the great answers by the way, im really trying them on

[lilboo77]

Originally Posted by zazz

..........also go and buy a dvd called "modern electric bass" by jaco pastorius....you will learn a thing or two about a thing or two form that one.........

If you don't take it from the dvd player, smash it into byte size pieces, cover it in gas, and burn it...........If I only had an ounce of what he had!!!!!!

[flan]

Can any one please post some easy songs that are fun to play and are relativly easy, so i can find the tabs for them and learn then

thanks