Getting started on Bass-questions

[80'sDrummer]

Hey guys,

I've played drums for a long time
and I'm interested in learning to play bass guitar.
I started out playing drums & percussion in high school and college, so I have some "formal" musical background & do read music, though I never really learned to read bass clef. I want to get some fundamentals down before I start trying to teach myself too much.

Problem is, I live in a small town & there are few (if any) people around who could give me lessons.

Anybody here have some recommendations for some good books and/or DVD's that could get me started?

Also, what should I look for in an entry-level bass? I'm kinda on a budget & just need a good "basic" bass for now.

Thanks for reading,
-Mike

[Lowtonejoe]

Originally Posted by 80'sDrummer

Hey guys,

I've played drums for a long time
and I'm interested in learning to play bass guitar.
I started out playing drums & percussion in high school and college, so I have some "formal" musical background & do read music, though I never really learned to read bass clef. I want to get some fundamentals down before I start trying to teach myself too much.

Problem is, I live in a small town & there are few (if any) people around who could give me lessons.

Anybody here have some recommendations for some good books and/or DVD's that could get me started?

Also, what should I look for in an entry-level bass? I'm kinda on a budget & just need a good "basic" bass for now.

Thanks for reading,
-Mike

A good basic book is by Bass Builders.

It is called:
Building Walking Bass lines by Ed Friedland.

Here's a link.

It's in bass clef but it's simple enough to follow.

On a side note, all the charts that I have been given are in treble clef anyway. The key is to know how to construct a bass line over the chord progression so whether you learn that in treble or bass clef is not nearly as important as learning how to do it.

Which, after playing music for 20 years and just playing by ear, I am FINALLY in the process of doing.

Vids? I don't know.

What kind of budget do you have for gear?

What kind of music do you want to play bass to?



Joe.

[80'sDrummer]

Thanks for the info!

As for budget, I'm trying to get away with spending as little as possible right now; I guess maybe up to $300 or so for the bass itself. I buy a lot of drum gear from MusiciansFriend online & they have some low-end basses in that price range that I figure are probably good enough for me to see if I have any talent.
I've got an old Peavy KB-300 amp stashed away at home that I used to use for my Simmons drums; should be good enough for starting out even though it's not a dedicated bass amp.

As for music, I'm pretty open-minded. My style on drums is pretty simple, being more of a groove player than trying to be fancy. That said, I tend to like bass players who do more than just thump quarter notes all night long. Naturally there's a time & place for doing that, but I guess what I'm getting at is that it's good to let the bass do a little more.

I may get laughed off the board for saying this, but one of my favorite bass players is John Taylor from Duran Duran. A lot of musicians don't take them seriously, but they have some neat stuff, & John comes up with some really interesting bass lines.

Thanks for that link, I'll check that out!
-Mike

[Skeletomania]

There's so many books out there and I think it can be very confusing to which one to choose from. For me, I bought Hal Leonard Bass Method and Bass Guitar for Dummies. Bass Guitar for Dummies covers a lot on theories and technical aspect of the bass. On the other hand, Leonard Bass Method get you started playing bass with simple excercises you can follow. As for the bass, there's a lot of good beginner bass to choose from. Go to your local store and ask around. Have them play an expensive model and compare it to ones that are in your budget. Pick up a bass, fool around with it see if it's comfortable around your hands. For me, the first store I went to the guy recommended the Peavey Millennium bxp. The area I live in the stores only carry either the Peavey, the Squier P bass or the Ibanez GSR200. I have the same budget as you do, and with the online reviews all the bass seems really good. I just bought the Peavey because the guy is more helpful than the other stores. Plus, the quilted top with the transparent black is really beautiful.

[Lowtonejoe]

Originally Posted by Skeletomania

There's so many books out there and I think it can be very confusing to which one to choose from. For me, I bought Hal Leonard Bass Method and Bass Guitar for Dummies. Bass Guitar for Dummies covers a lot on theories and technical aspect of the bass. On the other hand, Leonard Bass Method get you started playing bass with simple excercises you can follow. As for the bass, there's a lot of good beginner bass to choose from. Go to your local store and ask around. Have them play an expensive model and compare it to ones that are in your budget. Pick up a bass, fool around with it see if it's comfortable around your hands. For me, the first store I went to the guy recommended the Peavey Millennium bxp. The area I live in the stores only carry either the Peavey, the Squier P bass or the Ibanez GSR200. I have the same budget as you do, and with the online reviews all the bass seems really good. I just bought the Peavey because the guy is more helpful than the other stores. Plus, the quilted top with the transparent black is really beautiful.

+1 for both books and the BXP!



Joe.