Hello! Tips for a nOOb?

maggot* · #1 10-27-2003, 01:19 AM

The purpose of my post is two-fold... one is to just say "hey", I'm new to the forums and it truly looks like you have a cool bunch of people here!

Also, I'm new to the bass and wanted to get some tips/things to avoid from the more seasoned players/members out there. I've been a drummer for about nine years and, as a result, have developed a solid rhythmic sense - that part of the bass comes easy. However, this is my first STRINGED instrument (please spare me the "welcome to a real instrument jokes"

).

Anyhow, I've been playing about one month and am taking to the instrument relatively quickly and I just love it! I guess what I am looking for is advice as far as practicing: approach to practice and what has helped you be the most productive and advance quickly in your studies.

I've made an effort to be tough on myself early as far as hand positioning, proper posture etc. I am playing finger style on a 34" scale 2-octave (24 fret) 4 string Schecter Stiletto bass. Thanks in advance for your help and it's good to be here!

bassed dude · #2 10-27-2003, 06:59 AM

hey welcome to talkbass... good advise? leave now you still can.. this site is extremely addictive and WIL destroy your family and social life.. he he just kiddin'

erm .. btw.. congrats with switching to a real intrument.. (sorry someone has to do that.. cud have been me aswel as any of the 35,978 others that hang around here all day)

as for advise.. wait for experienced players to reply, i'm a n00b myself

goodluck with it

CS Bass · #3 10-28-2003, 12:44 AM

This approach helps me learn the quickest:

1. Get a teacher in the beginning.
2. Always practice with a metronome, even if you are a drummer.

3. Practice for 15-30 minutes intervals, with 5 minutes breaks inbetween.
4. Warm up before you practice, either using standard warm ups, (scales, arpeggios), or playing some kind of groove that uses all of your fingers.
5. The point of practicing is to get better. You will not get better by playing the same C Major scale for the entire time. You will also be wasting time by noodling around. Practice what you can't play.
6. Practice in a progressive order. If you can't play a major scale, how can you construct major chords? Learn the easy parts of songs first, then spend the real time on the difficult ones.
7. Practice consistenly, every day if possible.

Hope this helps

maggot* · #4 10-28-2003, 02:32 AM

Thanx CS!

I'm doing my best to practice every day, and I think I'm on the right track. I can't afford lessons right now (and I intend to teach myself the whole way as I did on the drums - taking tips as I can get them), but I'm utilizing some of your other tips already.

SO FAR my practice regimen is about an hour a day, with breaks like you mentioned. I try to learn 1-2 new scales every day and one song, or a piece of a song if it's difficult. So far I've learned 12 major and minor scales (6 of each), the movable scale formations that they are comprised of, and one form of pentatonic scale formation. I'll be adding more pentatonics to my repertoire tommorow.

So far I would say that 10-15 mins. of scale practice bookend my song and technique practice in the middle of my session. So it's:

10-15 mins - learn new scale(s)
30-40 mins. - song/technique studies
10-15 mins. - scale review. <-- Here I usually go over today's scales and pick a few scales at random from my documented "learned scales" list to keep me on my toes and make sure I don't forget.

Any other tips would be welcome - thanx for the input!

ChildoftheKorn · #5 10-29-2003, 03:59 AM

get lessons quicly :P you can find some for 15$ a pop you really should get a few because i got some after a year of playing and i had so many bad habbits it made my teacher weep hehe. good practice work with the metronome and improve your timing get some books. and have a blast welcome to the bass.

Huroshi · #6 11-01-2003, 07:27 PM

Scales? Am I supposed to learn those? Ive been playing since the 6th of October and just of been going by what I hear and reading tabs. So far im pretty good at it. Although, if somebody could point out some thing for me.

When im reading tabs, I see stuff like this alot:

-----------------------------
-----------------------------
------6h---------------------
-----or----2x----------------

The numbers were just random but Ive been seeing a lot of letters in there.

CS Bass · #7 11-01-2003, 07:37 PM

h means hammeron. x means a muted note.

Huroshi · #8 11-01-2003, 07:53 PM

hammeron as in hammer on my son, for you are a true rocker, or is it french, like all other music phrases mostly

ChildoftheKorn · #9 11-01-2003, 11:17 PM

bah dont read tab sure it seems good now but we need more muscians out there.

clef360 · #10 11-02-2003, 02:24 AM

hammer on as in hammer on.

P.S. The Majority of musical notation terms come from Italian. Man, Italian is a such a great language.