Alright! i finally got my bass but... now what?....

Xalexon · #1 02-11-2010, 05:35 PM

Just this past Saturday I bought myself a squire

Yes I know, that's a bad word in bass forums but I figured I should start somewhere, right?
So after playing a few riffs off of the 20-minute instructional dvd, and of course learning a few riffs of of tabs i find myself asking...
Now what?
Not that I'm bored, not even close. In fact I plan on jamming with friends in the near future and I AM having fun with my tablature, but HOW DO I GET BETTER? How can I improve my skills, or rather, Where do I go from here? You can't become a skilled bassist off of reading tablature right?
So my question to you experienced (as in more than a week) bassists out there, WHAT DO I DO NEXT?
~Thanks

rosanne · #2 02-11-2010, 05:44 PM

Find yourself as good bass teacher.

Flyingaero · #3 02-11-2010, 05:45 PM

Learn your scales. I was at a roadblock and thought scales were for traditional bassists but If you want to solo or put your own parts into songs take the extra 5 minutes to learn the basic major and minor scales

Toronto Bassist · #4 02-11-2010, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rosanne

Find yourself as good bass teacher.

Yes, this. Get a good teacher, take lessons.

Xalexon · #5 02-11-2010, 05:57 PM

Perhaps I should have said it earlier, but I don't plan on taking lessons till the summer (when I get a job to pay for them). So until then I guess I'll learn the scales? A lot of bassists are self taught, so how did you guys get around learning bass?

ksandvik · #6 02-11-2010, 06:00 PM

Listen to AM radio, Radio Caroline (and/or Radio Luxemburg). Try to play along the bass lines with a crappy acoustic guitar. Try to hear stuff when commie radio stations sneak in to the same frequency with their marching music. Something like that.

nortonrider · #7 02-11-2010, 06:08 PM

Alright! i finally got my bass but... now what?....

Start by replacing the pickups in your bass,
then complain constantly about guitar players and that nobody respects the bass player.

That seems like what most people around here do.

silverburst · #8 02-11-2010, 06:10 PM

Ed Friedland's books are fantastic, if you do not have money for lessons until the summer you might want to pick them up. And a metronome.

Jim Campbell · #9 02-11-2010, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xalexon

Just this past Saturday I bought myself a squire

Yes I know, that's a bad word in bass forums but I figured I should start somewhere, right?
So after playing a few riffs off of the 20-minute instructional dvd, and of course learning a few riffs of of tabs i find myself asking...
Now what?
Not that I'm bored, not even close. In fact I plan on jamming with friends in the near future and I AM having fun with my tablature, but HOW DO I GET BETTER? How can I improve my skills, or rather, Where do I go from here? You can't become a skilled bassist off of reading tablature right?
So my question to you experienced (as in more than a week) bassists out there, WHAT DO I DO NEXT?
~Thanks

maybe check out some on line lessons ala marlowe dk or dmanlimus,aand have a read of jeff berlin's thread......****can the tabs and learn to read music until you start your lessons

MEKer · #10 02-11-2010, 06:19 PM

Good for you--Squires are just fine so no worry. Better? Noodle around, get to understand the fretboard and note positions and their relationships. Visit web sites that deal with theory. Use the search function here to find some of those sites also. Practice along with simple songs and get more difficult songs to practice on as you get better. If you can, find a buddy to practice with who is better than you currently are.
Practice, practice, practice.

FreddyCG · #11 02-11-2010, 06:22 PM

Seriously learn to read music. Yes you can get good off tab, Jimi Hedrix refered to notes as colors so you can get good but it's unlikely. Learn music theory, most of the music on the radio sucks for bass players so try so check out these bands for inspiration. Yes, Rush, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Weather Report, John Coltrane, Stanley Clarke, Les Claypool. A lot of younger guys started by listening to Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

wideyes · #12 02-11-2010, 06:26 PM

I think your best bet is to find some motivation. Why did you get a bass? Why pick one up? For me, I really get a lot from listening to other bassists, for feeling the bass' role in the music. If you have an idol or a player whose skill you aspire to match, that will help.

I know lots of folks around here would emphasize getting down the basics before attempting to play anyone else's lines, and yes, you have to know how to play a note. But most of all, you have to WANT to play, to ENJOY what you're trying to play. For this, I recommend getting out some of your favorite discs (minus the Vic and Jaco for now) and plucking along. Playing to music you already know and love will help you familiarize yourself.

Then, when you realize that you really kind of suck, you'll really WANT to practice!

emor · #13 02-11-2010, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xalexon

So after playing a few riffs off of the 20-minute instructional dvd, and of course learning a few riffs of of tabs i find myself asking...
Now what?

Get a gig.

badumpbump

cdginger · #14 02-11-2010, 06:46 PM

Use the beginner book that comes with it (If it still comes with that, i bought my squier like 8 years ago) and learn to read basic stuff, then get one of the ed friedland easy pop or easy rock, blues,jazz bass lines book. It helped me to improve fast. Then gradually move up.

bigntasty · #15 02-11-2010, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MEKer

Good for you--Squires are just fine so no worry. Better? Noodle around, get to understand the fretboard and note positions and their relationships. Visit web sites that deal with theory. Use the search function here to find some of those sites also. Practice along with simple songs and get more difficult songs to practice on as you get better. If you can, find a buddy to practice with who is better than you currently are.
Practice, practice, practice.

+1

mambo4 · #16 02-11-2010, 07:42 PM

Get an amp.

I only mean that half-jokingly: If you don't listen to yourself amplified (or headphone amped) chances are you will pluck waaaay to hard and develope other bad habits just trying to produce audile sounds. You can't accurately judge you're sound unplugged.

Xalexon · #17 02-11-2010, 07:45 PM

Wow, fast replies!
Thanks for the advise guys!
If you have something more to add, please do.

Mekanic · #18 02-11-2010, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mambo4

Get an amp.

I only mean that half-jokingly: If you don't listen to yourself amplified (or headphone amped) chances are you will pluck waaaay to hard and develope other bad habits just trying to produce audile sounds. You can't accurately judge you're sound unplugged.

very good advice here. I played for a LONG time without an amp. Finally got one, and realized I sucked hah!

Kept practicing, decided I wanted a good amp.

And realized I still suck!

in seriousness. Get an amp of any kind ( or maybe you got the squire stater pack deal?)

Also, I like www.studybass.com good theory stuff and good lessons on reading music.

Nothin wrong with a squire. I started with one, and just gave it and my practice amp to my best friend because he wanted to learn.

Keep with it!

Gintaras · #19 02-11-2010, 08:06 PM

have to agree about studybass.com

when I get bored, I go here and play along.

http://www.freejamtracks.com/

M0ses · #20 02-11-2010, 08:09 PM

Practice singing.

No, for real. If you learn to sing and play bass at the same time before you even know how to play bass, then your life will be a BILLION times easier in the future. That is, if you keep playing and gigging. I'm a decent bass player, I'm a good singer, and I'm driving myself crazy trying to learn to do both at once.