Hey guys help out an upcoming Bassist

[MNRJ]

So basically i bought a bass a week ago, started getting lessons all that jazz. Learnt some songs etc etc.
Thing is when i do play for i'd say 1Hr+ my wrists start to ache, then when i rest for 20 minutes, their fine.
I mean does this happen to everyone, im sure my hands are in good form but i will ask my teacher to correct me if im wrong.

Also how do i increase speed on both of my hands, more so on the fretting hand?

I mean i dont want to play really fast songs, more into R&B, Jazz, Soul you get the Jist.

Also whats the best way i can tune my bass without electrical equipment. I tried my best getting the tuning thing on youtube then trying to match it with mine.
I've tried my best but i want to know how to get it perfect every single time.

Thanks Guyz

P.S.
Any tips for starting out are most welcome
;D

[AwkwardLoudness]

Thing is when i do play for i'd say 1Hr+ my wrists start to ache, then when i rest for 20 minutes, their fine.

It helps to do stretches on your forearms before and after playing. You muscles + tendons will adjust the more you play. You might want to try other bass guitars with different size/shape necks to see which ones are most comfortable to you.

Also how do i increase speed on both of my hands, more so on the fretting hand?

Practice slowly and steady and gradually increase speed. It gets easier once you develop good dexterity in the fingers and callouses on the skin.

Also whats the best way i can tune my bass without electrical equipment. I tried my best getting the tuning thing on youtube then trying to match it with mine.
I've tried my best but i want to know how to get it perfect every single time.

No electrical equipment? You could get a tuning fork if you're Amish. I recommend buying a Korg tuner or similar tuner for $20. Plug your bass straight in and the tuner's gage will tell you when you're in tune with the intended pitch. A Korg tuner runs on AAA batteries, so it's 'electrical' but why should that stop you?

[S. Katz]

Your wrists shouldn't ache. Your arms and hands may generally ache--until you've built up the stamina--but sore wrists are a sign you are not using correct form. Let a teacher correct that NOW, or you will acquire habits that will limit your playing ability.

[waleross]

You mean you are playing electric bass without juice? Maybe an acoustic bass guitar or an upright bass will do the trick . Pllaying the electric without being plugged in , you tend to overplay and you can hurt your hand. If I was living without electricity, I would definitely have at least an acoustic bass guitar to study with. You could always hide a battery powered Pignose amp in the barn and then sneak it out to get it re-charged. Only kidding of course....................

[MNRJ]

Lol i do have electricity, i just want to build an ear for tuning my bass just incase i dont have an electrical tuner with me thats all. and i will sort out the form, see i cant keep buying bass's cus i ve just bought one and drained a lot of money from my dad
;D

[Jhengsman]

Sing the reference note then sing the note your bass is playing if you have to bring the pitch up or down adjust your bass string until you are singing the same note. You can also tune relative to one string by holding at the fifth fret

[Coop Soup]

Originally Posted by MNRJ

Lol i do have electricity, i just want to build an ear for tuning my bass just incase i dont have an electrical tuner with me thats all. and i will sort out the form, see i cant keep buying bass's cus i ve just bought one and drained a lot of money from my dad
;D

Get a tuner. I've been playing for over 20 years and have darn good relative pitch, but I'd never rehearse or perform without using a tuner.

[MNRJ]

So getting the 'ear' will just come in time ?

Oh and also do i have to learn scales to improvise.

In my opinion anyone can play an instrument its when you can imrpovise, solo without anything going wrong when you can truly play an instrument.

[fearceol]

Originally Posted by MNRJ

started getting lessons

Get your teacher to show you good technique. That is the very first thing a noobie like you should be taught IMO. Also, as previously stated by someone else, make sure you warm up with gentle stretches ( check You Tube for this ). Dont dive headlong into hard playing from the get go. Your hands need time to adjust to this new task being asked of them. Dont worry about speed for now. That will come in time. While it is good ear training to tune up without a tuner, it is handy to have one. They dont cost too much.

Here are some links on R/H and L/H to get you started.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeRoQuXlj9w



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPVMBPmrblU

[Slyonbass]

Lots of good advice here. I'd simply say have fun with the instrument and find some friends to play with. PLaying with others is where the magic happens ( or doesn't ;-) )

[GeddyNCliffRule]

Originally Posted by MNRJ

So basically i bought a bass a week ago, started getting lessons all that jazz. Learnt some songs etc etc.
Thing is when i do play for i'd say 1Hr+ my wrists start to ache, then when i rest for 20 minutes, their fine.
I mean does this happen to everyone, im sure my hands are in good form but i will ask my teacher to correct me if im wrong.

Also how do i increase speed on both of my hands, more so on the fretting hand?

I mean i dont want to play really fast songs, more into R&B, Jazz, Soul you get the Jist.

Also whats the best way i can tune my bass without electrical equipment. I tried my best getting the tuning thing on youtube then trying to match it with mine.
I've tried my best but i want to know how to get it perfect every single time.

Thanks Guyz

P.S.
Any tips for starting out are most welcome
;D

practice practice and more practice.... that will make both of ur hands faster. plus keeping a good mentality throughout also helps. If u dont have a tuner, the only real way u can tune effectively is if u have a clear measure of the pitches in ur head. We're all different so cant judge ur wrist pains, but chances are ur probably strumming at an awkward angle.

[stratovani]

Originally Posted by MNRJ

So basically i bought a bass a week ago, started getting lessons all that jazz. Learnt some songs etc etc.
Thing is when i do play for i'd say 1Hr+ my wrists start to ache, then when i rest for 20 minutes, their fine.
I mean does this happen to everyone, im sure my hands are in good form but i will ask my teacher to correct me if im wrong.

Also how do i increase speed on both of my hands, more so on the fretting hand?

I mean i dont want to play really fast songs, more into R&B, Jazz, Soul you get the Jist.

Also whats the best way i can tune my bass without electrical equipment. I tried my best getting the tuning thing on youtube then trying to match it with mine.
I've tried my best but i want to know how to get it perfect every single time.

Thanks Guyz

P.S.
Any tips for starting out are most welcome
;D

I don't know if your teacher has covered this with you (he should have), but if your wrists are hurting you after playing, check your bass' position. Your bass should be positioned so that the neck pickup, or thereabouts, should be over your bellybutton. That way your wrists should be nice and straight, with no strain that could cause serious problems later, such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Here's a picture of Marcus Miller, notice how straight and relaxed his wrists are, simply because of where he puts his bass.

[Billnc]

I think you should get a tuner. But spend some time tuning the bass by ear (using the A reference tone for the a string) then checking to the tuner.

[Testing_123]

Oh and also do i have to learn scales to improvise?

Improvising with other players is a musical conversation. It's virtually impossible to "speak the same language" as those you're playing with without basic knowledge of scales and the application of those scales. This isn't just about the physical patterns/positioning of scales on the fretboard -- it's understanding the relationships between notes, how notes fit within chords and progressions, etc.

Learn scales, immerse yourself in music theory, and practice until these things become routine. When you go play, forget it all (or at least put it in the back of your mind) and wail.

Get a metronome too. Any bassist worth his/her salt, in any music genre, has a good understanding of time -- playing on the beat vs. slightly ahead or behind, how playing with that can drive a groove or determine the feel of a tune...

[djhend1]

You check out my bass site here http://www.understandingjazzbass.com/.

I also provide free lessons on youtube.

[HeadyVan Halen]

Yes everything that was said...at least get them in tune with each other if you cant get the E in tune..but yeah, your wrist shouldn't hurt

as to increase speedractice
I still (sometimes) end every practice session with finger work..usually I just start at fret 1 (F) and go 1234 so it would be F-F#-G-G# and then up a string to Bb-B-C-C# and continue up to G string..then come back down..make sure your form is good and the notes are clear

Set it up like working out 3 sets of 100 or do it until the commercial break goes off or whatever..no short cuts.

[Samsound]

Well, I guess I'll be the first to say it - slow down. You've been playing for all of a week.
It's good to have lofty goals, but baby steps, man. You're setting yourself up for some frustration if you're expecting to be like Eric Revis next week. Crawl, walk, run, bro.