How did you learn?

ImitationCheese · #1 09-25-2001, 03:45 PM

How did you guys learn at first, did you have lessons, teach yourself, or anything else? Right now I'm teaching myself.

Dave Castelo · #2 09-25-2001, 03:51 PM

i HAD to taught myself to play because there are no good teachers here in my town...

but since you are in US you can easily search for a teacher... it will help you a lot...

the internet has been my main teacher (including TB of course

)... also some books that i have bought in some trips to the USA.

i´m still waiting for a good teacher to come around here

Punk_Princess19 · #3 09-25-2001, 04:13 PM

I am teaching myself.. but with the help of videos and books. I also watch of ppl play bass.. and learn from them... I know a guy who was in a band around nova scotia like 15 years ago.. and he and his wife can play bass really well. So i already learned alot from him telling me different things about basses.

But some day soon im gonna spend a day at his house and he'll teach my stuff im having trouble with and ill get to use his basses.

Punk_Princess19 · #4 09-25-2001, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave Castelo

the internet has been my main teacher (including TB of course ).

Same here.. Tabs are a real big help and really easy to learn.

ColdYinTiger · #5 09-25-2001, 06:52 PM

I was lucky enough to play with a band right from the start and a month after getting the bass, I got a teacher, he's a guitarist, but the theory is the same for any instrument. He's helped me out alot and we both like the same music. METAL!!! That and listening to cd's and playing along to them.

bailstric · #6 09-25-2001, 07:02 PM

i take lessons and it helps so much and i also take theroy lessons which is alot harder to learn by yourself

Woodchuck · #7 09-25-2001, 07:19 PM

I started teaching myself, because every teacher that I found wanted to start me off with "Coming 'Round The Mountain", and I didn't wanna learn that (arrogance). So, pulled out my CD's, and got started. 4 years later, I still haven't had a teacher, but I will get one. Jeff Berlin said it best, "There are some things you just can't figure out on your own."

lobster_boy · #8 09-25-2001, 08:00 PM

I'm teaching myself becuase im too poor to have lessons, it's a sad musical exsistince

Oysterman · #9 09-25-2001, 08:30 PM

The hard way.

godsmack · #10 09-25-2001, 09:08 PM

yeah i tought myself also.

melvin · #11 09-25-2001, 09:19 PM

I took lessons for around a year until that guy moved to Cali for a producing job (very musical person he was) then I took "lessons" for another 6 months, I say "lessons" because it was manely jamming or whatever came to his mind to work on. So I guess with that guy it was lessons on how to play better with other people. That guy moved too.

Now there are no more people that give lessons (only know of one more bassist here that might be able to teach me stuff)

Bass Guitar · #12 09-25-2001, 09:59 PM

I learnt the organ and piano as a kid - hated it, but glad that I did it now. Picked up the bass 10 years ago to play for church - have been playing weekly over that period. Self-taught from different instructional books and videos, as well as from playing in various bands and settings. May take lessons soon to tidy up my technique as I am recording more now.

SuperDuck · #13 09-25-2001, 10:42 PM

I STARTED by myself, but then took lessons (well, AM taking lessons... it's a gradual process.). And, I must say, lessons are worth every penny. You get more progress out of one session with a teacher than probably a year by yourself.

td1368 · #14 09-26-2001, 02:15 PM

I started with lessons but never took the instrument serious so I just jammed or tabbed out grooves. I'm taking lessons and starting to gig. So the lessons are invaluable for playing with others and being able to communicate musically.

Prague77 · #15 09-28-2001, 02:15 PM

I tought myself to play bass five years ago. Never had a teacher, except the internet of course. It seems much more fun to me to try and explore the bass by myself and not have people show me. kinda fuuny though because i would "invent" techniques that i didnt know already existed like double stroking and double thumping. i would get lessons if ummm wooten could teach me

otherwise i belive im somewhat too advanced for the local teachers to teach me anything.

PollyBass · #16 09-28-2001, 02:21 PM

I taught myself. i dont know of any teahcers, or any bassplayers around where i am. it was fun though. Learning on my own. i would say for anyone teaching themselfs, when you first pick up your bass, learn some songs you like, or else you wont like ANY insturment. we all know that its a good thing to learn scales. but how fun are they to play.....so learn some songs first. so you WANT to keep playing it, and then hit the books.

martininpv · #17 10-02-2001, 02:44 PM

Self-taught.

I played clarinet, bass clarinet, and alto sax in my high school band. Three of us (high school band members) were learning guitar on our own. After a few months we decided to start a band. One guy said "I'll play lead", another said "I'll play rhythm", I said "What's left". They said "Bass" to which I replied "What's that?"

Up until that time (9th grade), I had never heard of or knowingly seen a bass guitar (I led a sheltered life).

I started learning bass lines by playing them on a six string electric (not a bass). I quickly learned to read bass clef notation and played all the bass lines from a Beatles' music book. The first few times we performed, I played the six string tuned down an octave running through 4 department store beginner guitar amps chained together at the inputs. The first time I saw a bass guitar was 10 minutes before we were to perform for the high school. One of our guitar players borrowed a bass guitar and huge bass amp and brought it to the school. The first time I played a bass guitar was during that performance.

**embellisher** · #18 10-02-2001, 10:31 PM

Self taught, with a little guidance from a couple of friends and God.

Learned to play in my dad's church 20+ years ago.

Dave Castelo · #19 10-06-2001, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Punk_Princess19

Same here.. Tabs are a real big help and really easy to learn.

well i didn´t mean that!

i mean TB as a way to learn by reading post by really talented people here!

I.'.I.'.Nakoa · #20 10-06-2001, 01:37 AM

i started out, with a teacher, but not with him for very long. he showed me the bassics

fingering, left hand technique and slap. was only with him for a few months. then on my own for a year or 2 then took some(or tried) from a guy i met, found out that i did better by myself.