Any female bassists? Need motivation

matsri · #1 05-30-2009, 03:26 AM

Hi there, new here, well, I've been in love with the bass guitar for awhile and actually FINALLY decided to get lessons from a music teacher.

My friend and I were listening to a song and decided we would play it for my graduation which is sometime in November.

And I'm actually quite scared now. HAHA.

Does anyone have some tips in improving without straining myself too much? (It is my last year of high school

)

Thank you!

berman3313 · #2 05-30-2009, 05:23 AM

Congrats on all that you mention -
- You are working with a teacher
- You have a "deadline" to help the motivation
- You are scared
- You are a TB member

Maybe check out Tal Wilkenfield; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIFFR...layer_embedded

she's got a great story and a great drive and sound!

Good luck and let us know how it's going!

Orangeclawhamme · #3 05-30-2009, 05:55 AM

I can't give much advice about playing in general, but as far as teh song you want to play at graduation goes, do whatever you need to to learn your part of it. Tabs can be a help, but are not totally reliable. Once you figure out what to play, then practice, practice, PRACTICE! You might want to consider plaing that song at local open mics to get used to playing in front of people. Open mics, at least the ones I've ever been to, are tolerant of a beginner's growing pains.

Stumbo · #4 05-31-2009, 12:46 AM

You might want to check out the links in my sig. for some great TB info that may help you out.

iridiumrocks · #5 05-31-2009, 12:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by berman3313

Congrats on all that you mention -
- You are working with a teacher
- You have a "deadline" to help the motivation
- You are scared
- You are a TB member

Maybe check out Tal Wilkenfield; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIFFR...layer_embedded

she's got a great story and a great drive and sound!

Good luck and let us know how it's going!

You took the words out of my mouth. Tal Wilkenfeld is an amazing bassist. Check out some vids on her Myspace playing with Jeff Beck.

http://www.myspace.com/talwilkenfeld

Mike Shevlin · #6 05-31-2009, 01:23 AM

Listen to Janice Marie Johnson...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUclIoNpPO0

matsri · #7 05-31-2009, 04:41 AM

Thanks guys! Real helpful! I decided to borrow my brother's amp to help practice.

Jimmy Bones · #8 05-31-2009, 05:36 AM

My first super rule number one of awesome power and motivation:

Join Talkbass.

Check.

My second rule which almost equals the intensity, truth, justice, and lowend way of the first rule: Ask Talkbass how to start.

Check.

My third and final ultimate rule of power, knowledge, and groove: Never listen to Jimmy Bones when talking about technique or learning pracices.

Well, let's test that one out for completion:

First, pick a genre you like to play in that has a wide variety of bass lines in it. Personally, when I want to feel inferior, I check out some jazz and funk bass videos. Instead, when I want to learn how to emulate a style that isn't way too wicked, I go for some rock and roll.

But, alternately, when I want to practice picking fingers speed, I fret out a chord, or even just a root and its fifth, and I practice bouncing back and forth with my picking fingers. Then I might fret the same pattern a whole step up or down, or even ona different set of strings. after doing that a bit, I start to figure out a small melody or a good quick bassline with it and just keep doing it. Add one or two notes every time you feel you can nail what you were doing previously, and just keep it going.

This won't help your fretting fingers as much, but it will help you start to develop picking/walking speed.

You can try one here that I do regularly (warning, tab attempt ahead):

Quote:

|-----------------------------------------------------------
|--------9---7---5----------9---7---5----------------------
|--9^7---------------9^7----------------------------------
|-----------------------------------------------------------

|-----------------------------------------------------------
|---------5---5---5-------------5---5---5------------------
|--7^5-----------------7^5--------------------------------
|-----------------------------------------------------------

|-----------------------------------------------------------
|--------9---7---5----------9---7---5----------------------
|--9^7---------------9^7----------------------------------
|-----------------------------------------------------------

|-----------------------------------------------------------
|---------5---5---5-------------5---5---5------------------
|--7^5-----------------7^5--------------------------------
|-----------------------------------------------------------

|-----------------------------------------------------------
|-------9-9-------9-9------9-----9-9----9-9-----9---------
|--7------------7---------7-----7------7------7------------
|-----------------------------------------------------------

|-----------------------------------------------------------
|------7-7-------7-7-----7-----7-7----7-7------------------
|--5-----------5-------5-----5------5----------------------
|-----------------------------------------------------------

|-----------------------------------------------------------
|-------9-9-------9-9------9-----9-9----9-9-----9---------
|--7------------7---------7-----7------7------7------------
|-----------------------------------------------------------

|-----------------------------------------------------------
|------7-7-------7-7-----7-----7-7----7-7------------------
|--5-----------5-------5-----5------5----------------------
|-----------------------------------------------------------

|-----------------------------------------------------------
|-----9-----9-----9-----9--10---9----9----9----9--9-10--9-
|--7-----7-----7-----7-------------5-----5----5--5---------
|-----------------------------------------------------------

|-----------------------------------------------------------
|-----9-----9-----9-----9--10---9----9----9----7--7-10--9-
|--7-----7-----7-----7-------------5-----5----5--5---------
|-----------------------------------------------------------

|-----------------------------------------------------------
|--------9---7---5----------9---7---5----------------------
|--9^7---------------9^7----------------------------------
|-----------------------------------------------------------

|-----------------------------------------------------------
|---------5---5---5-------------5---5---5------------------
|--7^5-----------------7^5--------------------------------
|-----------------------------------------------------------

|-----------------------------------------------------------
|--------9---7---5----------9---7---5----------------------
|--9^7---------------9^7----------------------------------
|-----------------------------------------------------------

|-----------------------------------------------------------
|---------5---5---5-------------5---5---5------------------
|--7^5-----------------7^5--------------------------------
|-----------------------------------------------------------

|-----------------------------------------------------------
|-------9-9-------9-9------9-----9-9----9-9-----9---------
|--7------------7---------7-----7------7------7------------
|-----------------------------------------------------------

|-----------------------------------------------------------
|------7-7-------7-7-----7-----7-7----7-7------------------
|--5-----------5-------5-----5------5----------------------
|-----------------------------------------------------------

|-----------------------------------------------------------
|-------9-9-------9-9------9-----9-9----9-9-----9---------
|--7------------7---------7-----7------7------7------------
|-----------------------------------------------------------

|-----------------------------------------------------------
|------7-7-------7-7-----7-----7-7----7-7------------------
|--5-----------5-------5-----5------5----------------------
|-----------------------------------------------------------

|-----------------------------------------------------------
|-----9-----9-----9-----9--10---9----9----9----9--9-10--9-
|--7-----7-----7-----7-------------5-----5----5--5---------
|-----------------------------------------------------------

|-----------------------------------------------------------
|-----9-----9-----9-----9--10---9----9----9----7--7-10--9-
|--7-----7-----7-----7-------------5-----5----5--5---------
|-----------------------------------------------------------

|-----------------------------------------------------------
|-------9---------9---------------7---------7------------9-
|--7---------7---------7----5----------5---------5----7----
|-----------------------------------------------------------

Anywho, sorry for the sloppy tab. May not have even tabbed it right, since I did it from memory - and I can't indicate note lengths or anyything. If I could write it using standard notation for you, I would.

Another thing that might help you is doing a few exercises to enforce the one finger per fret rule. The easiest one to remember, obviously, is just the major scales. Another one that helps me is this bassline to one of the songs my band wrote:

Quote:

|-----------------------------------------------------------
|-----------------------------------------------------------
|---5--0--5--7--0--7--8--0--8--10--8--10^12--12--13--12-
|-----------------------------------------------------------

|-----------------------------------------------------------
|-----------------------------------------------------------
|---10--12--10--8--10--8--7--0--5-------------------------
|-----------------------------------------------------------

Then repeat. It's the intro to our song, Hush. Anyhow, this helps with the one finger per fret rule, as well as helping you get used to moving up and down the neck. It can be done across strings too, but this is the way I find most helpful. It also introduces a slide on a non-main fretting finger if done right, which may help you build a callous on that finger.

And finally, I might suggest using a finger exerciser, one of those spring loaded exercise doohickies that provide resistance to your finger to help with finger strength.

Hope this helps and isn't too confusing.

billm · #9 06-01-2009, 05:46 PM

Hi and welcome to Talkbass. There are a number of female bassists here so you're not alone.

Take a look at Anni Piper for a little more motivation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpj4iWlewCM

LowDown Hal · #10 06-01-2009, 05:50 PM

Congratulations, and Welcome.

What song did you choose?

neatobassman · #11 06-01-2009, 06:02 PM

I like Rhonda Smith alot. She played with Prince, so you know she can groove

Foamy · #12 06-01-2009, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Shevlin

Listen to Janice Marie Johnson...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUclIoNpPO0

Oh.
My.
Gosh!
Look at that guy at 1:50.
I had (honestly) forgotten all about that era of dancing until now.
Now....where's the nearest open window.
Hasta!

NickInMesa · #13 06-01-2009, 10:01 PM

Corinne Marienneau played bass with Téléphone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCiRvyUi16E

I like to plug them once in a while.

Chris Gordan · #14 06-03-2009, 12:24 AM

Since you asked for inspiration from female bassists, I can't believe that no one has mentioned Carol Kaye yet!

She has over 10,000 album, movie, and tv credits- she is one of the most recorded bassists of all time, and for good reason. Wait till you see those lists of hit songs as well. I guarantee that you've heard Carol hundreds, or maybe even THOUSANDS of times.

Any bassist, male or female, who doesn't know about this legendary player, has really missed out.

www.carolkaye.com

Mike Shevlin · #15 06-03-2009, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foamy

Oh.
My.
Gosh!
Look at that guy at 1:50.
I had (honestly) forgotten all about that era of dancing until now.
Now....where's the nearest open window.
Hasta!

Ok, ok...here is a more current clip. don't go jumpin out of a window.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAw-H...eature=related

celtic tig · #16 06-03-2009, 05:43 PM

I'm a female bassist.

I didn't start with a teacher. I just started and picked it up as I went along. I have a good ear, and already played guitar. About a year ago I decided I wanted to get serious with it.

I listen to bass lines on everything, watch the bass players in every band I see, and PRACTISE EVERY DAY. Without fail. The only time I didn't practise in the last year was the 3 day festival I went to.. and in that one I checked out the bass players in at least a dozen bands.

A year ago I was average. Now I'd say I'm not too bad. That's because of daily practice.

lowfunk99 · #17 06-06-2009, 11:05 AM

One important thing I was told was to learn how to sing your part. If you can sing it you should be able to play it.

Find the groove of every song.

Listen, listen, listen!!!!

CrUiSeR · #18 06-06-2009, 11:19 AM

Hi!
I'm not a female; but I'm sure I've been confused for one from
behind at a distance(the hair, not the behind)!

Forget the tab, learn to read and train your ear(s).

http://www.talwilkenfeld.com/Tal.html