Practice Tips for a Beginner

Axel15810 · #1 01-28-2009, 12:24 PM

Hello all,

I've been playing bass for a little over a year now but I'm still pretty much a beginner. I really would like to set up some kind of practice routine and goals so I can really advance my playing. What I've been doing for the past year is really just learning random songs, such as Hysteria by Muse, a bunch of 311 songs, Metallica, and other random tabs. I can move up and down the neck pretty well, but I realize that I need to do more than just learn tabs or I'm just going to be a human jutebox with no musical understanding. I've just started memorizing all of the notes on the neck, and I'm working on being able to read music in the the bass clef. Generally, what should I be practicing right now? What are some essential things I should be working towards learning that will improve my technique and bass knowledge? I'm just looking for an idea of what and how I should be practicing at this point.

Thanks.

mambo4 · #2 01-28-2009, 03:17 PM

the first thing you should do is get a metronome.

the second thing you should do is get a teacher.

I know it sounds trite, but 99% of TB will agree. Maybe not in that order...

investing effort in timing (metronome) and good technique (teacher) early on will pay out in spades further on.

BigOldHarry · #3 01-28-2009, 03:19 PM

Oh, Mambo4, Jeff Berlin would slap you!

However, I agree. Metronome & teacher and do NOT worry about your gear for at least a year or so. Spend time practicing, not money.

good luck

Axel15810 · #4 02-07-2009, 07:35 PM

Yeah I'm not too worried about having nice gear...I have a Yamaha RBX170 bass that was not expensive at all but sounds very good.

I really don't have the time or money right now to take lessons (I'm a typical poor college student) although I would like to. I've bought a couple of books and I'm doing pretty well learning the notes on the fretboard. One thing I'm trying to work on everyday is permutations to build hand speed and strength. I guess after I learn the fretboard I am going to learn the scales. I do need to pick up a cheap metronome. What else can I be doing...besides getting lessons? Learning the fretboard, doing the permutations, and occasionally learning tabs is my practice routine right now.

fearceol · #5 02-08-2009, 05:30 AM

I'd advise easing off a little on the tabs and trying to develop your ear by trying to figure out songs just by listening. When you have figured them out, play along with them. This will also help you to get a feeling of groove.

Axel15810 · #6 02-08-2009, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fearceol

I'd advise easing off a little on the tabs and trying to develop your ear by trying to figure out songs just by listening. When you have figured them out, play along with them. This will also help you to get a feeling of groove.

good suggestion. That's definitely something I should work on developing.

Captain_Arrrg · #7 02-08-2009, 05:09 PM

Get a metronome (or a similar program for you computer) and jam to in in whatever key you like. Add more keys when you feel ready.

Put on your favorite band and play along. It's doesn't have to be the recorded line or even good, just as long as you are keeping up time-wise. Once you have that, work on getting the note right.

READ TALKBASS! Scour it and add what ever makes sense to you repertoire, if it doesn't, ponder it and try to see where the poster was coming from. You can learn allot here.

DreadyDiggs · #8 02-09-2009, 12:48 AM

I learned a bunch through tabs, good and bad ones. If the tab was good, then I practiced trying to sing and play. If the tab was bad (IE I could hear my own mistakes) I corrected it using my hearing. I've learned a few songs by ear alone and always try to do that.

Practice different types of music, by ear and tab. I haven't taken any lessons yet, may or may not down the line, and I have a book to learn to read music and haven't really sat down with that.

Yea learn your notes, and you'll see the pattern, which will help you play songs easier haha. I've used this image from Wikipedia before.

Axel15810 · #9 02-09-2009, 01:18 PM

Yeah, I have a similar image from Studybass.com

To learn the fretboard and to learn how to read music on a bass I've been working my way through the essential elements for electric bass books. Probably not the best books to use since they're not written specifically for bass, but I've used them to learn how to play oboe and clarinet so I'm really familiar with it. I like how they work too...they basically teach you a few notes at a time, give you exercises to become familiar with them, and then move on to more notes. It's working well for me so far.

santucci218 · #10 02-09-2009, 02:05 PM

LEARN TO READ MUSIC

I wish I had done this instead of the road I took. Now I play Victor Wooten songs and I can drool when you put 12 bar blues infront of me.

mambo4 · #11 02-09-2009, 02:53 PM

+1 to reading notation. As a beginner, you have an advantage if you start early.

sure, it's not necessary to be an effective bassist, but consider the difference between being able to read English versus only being able to speak it, as far self expression goes... Music-wise, it's very similar.

Ephminus · #12 02-09-2009, 03:11 PM

I am self taught so I can only tell you how I learned.
I know it's not the right way, but here it goes.

I started learning parts from tablature, guitar tab because way back then they didn't even offer bass tab in the mags. I also used to go to the guitar shops and I would quietly watch other people playing bass. I'd pretend to be trying out amps and stuff. Remember there was no Talkbass or Youtube back then so I made do with what was available.
I did that for a while, just learning easy riffs and patterns and then a band in my highschool was looking for a bass player so I joined even though I knew next to NOTHING.
The guitar player in the band took me under her wing and explained to me the evils of tablature. She helped me to learn parts by ear instead of remembering number patterns.
I took that little bit of knowledge and used to sit in front of the TV and radio just picking out bass parts or melodies to any tune that would come on. I'd gotten to the point where I could learn a whole song in about 15 mins just by recognizing common note combinations. Then I stumbled onto making up parts over other bass parts and discovered "soloing" which helped learn how to write music without ever learning music theory. In all that time I managed to teach myself guitar as well which helps to jam with a band by visually recognizing chords.

Now through experience I understand more about the theory of why things work within songs from jamming with other musicians.
One of the guitar players in my last band was a stickler for theory and was amazed that I would write something intricate for bass and guitar and had no clue about the theory involved. Last thing he was surprised about was the fact that I was using an F# in the bass of a D chord or something like that in a guitar part I wrote. I still don't know what he was talking about. I just said that it sounded right to me.

Damn did I ramble on.....jeez.

dragon6 · #13 02-12-2009, 11:17 PM

Get out and see some real bass players in live gigs.
You can learn a heck of a lot from them.

zuokinis · #14 02-14-2009, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ephminus

I am self taught so I can only tell you how I learned.
I know it's not the right way, but here it goes.

I started learning parts from tablature, guitar tab because way back then they didn't even offer bass tab in the mags. I also used to go to the guitar shops and I would quietly watch other people playing bass. I'd pretend to be trying out amps and stuff. Remember there was no Talkbass or Youtube back then so I made do with what was available.
I did that for a while, just learning easy riffs and patterns and then a band in my highschool was looking for a bass player so I joined even though I knew next to NOTHING.
The guitar player in the band took me under her wing and explained to me the evils of tablature. She helped me to learn parts by ear instead of remembering number patterns.
I took that little bit of knowledge and used to sit in front of the TV and radio just picking out bass parts or melodies to any tune that would come on. I'd gotten to the point where I could learn a whole song in about 15 mins just by recognizing common note combinations. Then I stumbled onto making up parts over other bass parts and discovered "soloing" which helped learn how to write music without ever learning music theory. In all that time I managed to teach myself guitar as well which helps to jam with a band by visually recognizing chords.

Now through experience I understand more about the theory of why things work within songs from jamming with other musicians.
One of the guitar players in my last band was a stickler for theory and was amazed that I would write something intricate for bass and guitar and had no clue about the theory involved. Last thing he was surprised about was the fact that I was using an F# in the bass of a D chord or something like that in a guitar part I wrote. I still don't know what he was talking about. I just said that it sounded right to me.

Damn did I ramble on.....jeez.

This looks far better to me than having that fretboard picture. I believe one should know where the sound is on the fretboard rather than knowing the symbol location.

Always listen to yourself when youre practicing or warming up.

Check out Best musical advice thread on General instruction forum.