Just plain sucking

[aFrknPuertoRica]

I need serious help. I am not very good and am learning at too slow of a pace. I live in south carolina where there are like 5 people per square mile so bass lessons are totaly out of the question cause theres no one to teach me. So with no where else to turn to, i turn to the wise elders of TB forum for help. check out my youtube page on my signature and give me pointers. and just basic teach yourself techniques. thank you guys.

[jsingles]

my biggest advice to you is to buy a metranome and practice religiously with it. Your timing/rhythm will improve dramatically.

[dannster]

Motown Motown Motown Motown...

You need to feel it. stop thinking it. It may sound weird but if you can find somewhere to take dance lessons you just may find and unlock your inner rythm.

Metronome yes or a drum machine. There are plenty online that you can use without having to buy right away. Practice playing one note for one session. Figure out all the different ways you can think of but stick to one note. then try with two notes the next time. etc... Pick a note like A for example and find it on your neck in all the various places. do it till you don't have to think about it. Eventually do this for all the notes. Pick an easy song you know and figure out how to play it one octave up or 2 octaves up. Then figure out how to jump between all of them while still keeping the rythm.

Alphonso Johnson has some great online tutorials that are worth a look:
http://www.embamba.com/bass/

There are no rules, only tried and true methods. Find what works for you. Keep playing along with records and other people. Don't give up because one of these days, maybe next week maybe two years from now your going to have an "AHA" moment and it will have all been worth the effort. Hang in there.

Above all have fun!

[ShredderMaximus]

When i was starting, i found that the song Pawn Shop by Sublime helped me out alot with connecting to the groove of any given song, it has a very simple, groovy bassline that i would just play around with all the time, eventually getting to the point where i didn't have to think about my playing. From there i would just zone out, close my eyes, and groove, letting my fingers do anything they wanted, with no interference from my brain at all(the "Essence of Groove" if you will...) so anyways, i hope this helps, if you don't like this particular song, the whole self-titled album is chock full of awesome basslines, ranging from punk--->reggae, and all in between. I play metal and i can still relate to what i learned from the "Thunder God" Eric Wilson.
ShredMAX

[FrknPuertoRican]

thnx guys

[manbass]

A) - Demystify your fretboard...MI's "Bass Fretboard basics" book
B) - Jamie Aerbersold play-a-long books/cd's Vol#24 & #30B
C) - Practice every minute you are near your bass, make it so familiar you never have to watch the fretboard while playing (effortless)

-D

[lexxmexx]

Practicing with a metronome or drumbox helps a lot but I personally feel that tapping your left foot to the downbeats at the same time helps even more in keeping in time.

[XtreO]

Originally Posted by aFrknPuertoRica

I need serious help. I am not very good and am learning at too slow of a pace. I live in south carolina where there are like 5 people per square mile so bass lessons are totaly out of the question cause theres no one to teach me. So with no where else to turn to, i turn to the wise elders of TB forum for help. check out my youtube page on my signature and give me pointers. and just basic teach yourself techniques. thank you guys.

I never took lessons either. I just learned songs, and checked topics here on TB for pointers on how not to do it wrong. Like the left hand piling up thread, and the other newly posted topic on how-not-to-do-permanent-damage-to-your-wrist-by-bending-it-too-much would be worth checking out, as well as the demystifying metal styles-sticky and random threads made by others.
My best advice would be learn from others mistakes. Learn songs, and apply the knowledge you aquire here (and on the many usefull links posted here) = good bassplayer. Because TB is the best source of information for bassplayers on the web. Use it well :3

[oldrookie]

I started about a year ago. Teaching myself. Got completely frustrated about 8 months into it because I found myself locked into using TABs.

Went looking for book that would force me to learn to read music and found Ed Frieland's Hal Leonard Complete Bass Method (three books in one, with CD's.) Started over again. Finally starting to see some progress. Sight reading is coming easier and I am playing faster and easier.

I have the Tascam Bass Trainer for playing CD's and that has really helped.

Good luck.

[WhiteKnuckles]

Where in SC are you? I might could locate you a decent teacher.

[Lucas G]

get yourself a copy of this:

[professor_bills]

Hey on the bright side..... with nly 5 people per sq.mi. you wont have much competition on bass.

[Drifta]

Learn the fretboard, play witha metronome. work on your root-5ths for a LONG TIME. get it down. Practice 2 notes a day. for instance Today find where G is, and C. Play G all up the neck, same with c . start making a grooves with these notes. learn your chord tones, major and minor, then the scales. tommorow, work on Bb and F . and so on.

[Drifta]

Oh and remmeber, this bass playing thing, ain't going to happen over night, so don't get so frustrated. Work hard and don't give up.


When you hit a plateau, instead of gettting frustrated, embrace it, plateau's are good it means you are working hard, and you just need to keep learning things and it will come together, some of the BEST improvements came shortly after I got frustrated hit a plateau and broke through it, things will start to "click".

[SpaceYourBass]

Originally Posted by ShredderMaximus

When i was starting, i found that the song Pawn Shop by Sublime helped me out alot with connecting to the groove of any given song, it has a very simple, groovy bassline that i would just play around with all the time, eventually getting to the point where i didn't have to think about my playing. From there i would just zone out, close my eyes, and groove, letting my fingers do anything they wanted, with no interference from my brain at all(the "Essence of Groove" if you will...) so anyways, i hope this helps, if you don't like this particular song, the whole self-titled album is chock full of awesome basslines, ranging from punk--->reggae, and all in between. I play metal and i can still relate to what i learned from the "Thunder God" Eric Wilson.
ShredMAX

Ah, Pawn Shop, my first bassline. What you say is very true.



I say start simple. Try this line out:

G---------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------
A----------------------55555-----------
E--55555-----77777-------------33333-- (then start over)


Eventually you can embellish on that

G-----------------------------------------------
D-----------------------------------------------
A-----------------5-----------------------------
E-55555---77777-----7--5--33333---1h3---55555

The 'h' stands for hammer on, as in play the E1 with your index finger and while holding it, hit or 'hammer on' the E3 with your ring finger.


Learn how to play one note well. Just play one note over and over but experiment with different patterns. Think in your head "one, one two, three, four." The first 'one' and the 'four' would be played for the same length of time. The 'one two' would be played quickly in a row. The 'three' would be played longer than the first 'one' and the 'four'. Then, switch notes and do the same thing. Or make the 'one two' part a different note, etc. That might be confusing, but I'm sure you get the jist of what I mean.

What part of SC do you live in? I'm guessing you're not close to Greenville, Columbia, Charleston, or any place like that.

Also give a link to the Youtube video, I can't find it. Hope this helps.

[Drifta]

ah pawn shop, another sublime cover song

[scootron]

+1 on Motown. When I picked up bass and knew absolutely nothing, it started coming relatively easy because I could always feel the beat. Staying locked with the drummer was not a big problem. I think it mostly had to do with listening to a zillion hours of Motown, James Brown, Funky Meters, etc....all groups in which the groove was paramount. Once you get that down, playing a rock bassline is not that hard to do.

I think a metronome is a great idea, too, but it promotes exactly precise timing rather than groove timing, which I think is a little different thing. I may be wrong here.

[moomoocajoo]

Can't +1 motown and old RnB stuff enough.

In those old songs you can find the essense of bass.

[cheesemonkey]

go out and buy a metronome... whenever you can (which should be almost always.) practice with a metronome... and everyday you should just take 3-5 minutes to just clap with the metronome and get your rhythm nice and tight. You might also want to go out and buy a bass book... liked Idiots guide to bass guitar or Bass Guitar for Dummies... I have Idiot's guide to bass guitar and its pretty helpful... i mainly take lessons now but it have some nice little excersizes and some tips and what not... and if you aren't taking lessons the whole book will be helpful in general.

[FrknPuertoRican]

i was over exagerating on the 5 people per square mile. I live in the Pawleys Island, Georgetown area. Its smack in the midle of Charleston and myrtle Beach