how to learn bass

[grassi55]

so im a begginner bass player but ive been playing trumpet for rouphly 7 years and i was hoping to find some advice on how to learn bass.

i know its a broad question but im just kinda at a loss. i know how to read music and im getting better with tab but i know their are things im missing.

no i dont take lessons and currently am far to poor to afford them so any advice is greatly apreciated

[spcjdoty]

My suggestion is to start at www.studybass.com

[grassi55]

how useful is it to have a private tutor
i mite have found somone that teaches and is affordable
30$/hr

[spcjdoty]

Very. A tutor can help with technique, give pointers and add things you may miss doing it in your own. I started on my own for the first 6 months. After I got a teacher/tutor I started seeing major progress. I still use study bass though.

[grassi55]

ya im familiar with study bass as ive used it prviously but im more intersted in finding out the drawn out process of what to learn and the propper order to learn it in

[prd004]

John Paul Jones said the best way to learn how to play bass is turn on the radio and play along. I'd say it worked pretty well for him!

[mambo4]

Originally Posted by grassi55

ya im familiar with study bass as ive used it prviously but im more intersted in finding out the drawn out process of what to learn and the propper order to learn it in

Definately seek lessons.

-learn the proper names for all parts of your bass
-learn to tune
-learn how to figure out which fret/string is which note(memorize eventually)
-learn to play the major scale in all 12 keys and be able to correctly name the notes. (Also write it out on the staff)
-learn the intervals, their proper names & fingerings.
-learn to play major and minor triads
-learn the minor , mixolydian and pentatonic scales(and how they relate to the major scale)
-learn to harmonize the major scale and begin understanding how chordprogressions and cadences work
-start exploring modes

At the same time spend a little time each day practicing reading.

In parallell with all of the above is to learn basslines you like and compare them to what you have learned
For analysis...and spend some time just messing around for fun of course.

[grassi55]

Originally Posted by mambo4

Definately seek lessons.

-learn the proper names for all parts of your bass
-learn to tune
-learn how to figure out which fret/string is which note(memorize eventually)
-learn to play the major scale in all 12 keys and be able to correctly name the notes. (Also write it out on the staff)
-learn the intervals, their proper names & fingerings.
-learn to play major and minor triads
-learn the minor , mixolydian and pentatonic scales(and how they relate to the major scale)
-learn to harmonize the major scale and begin understanding how chordprogressions and cadences work
-start exploring modes

At the same time spend a little time each day practicing reading.

In parallell with all of the above is to learn basslines you like and compare them to what you have learned
For analysis...and spend some time just messing around for fun of course.

thank you very much this is exactly what i was looking for.

[fearceol]

As is often the case when advising a noob... no mention of technique.

OP, before you put all the excellent advice received so far, to use, make sure you have a safe and efficient way to execute it. Good technique is important to learn, before bad habits develop. Not alone will it let you play to a high standard, but you will avoid possible physical problems later. While there are tried and trusted ways, nothing is written in stone. Just be aware of the importance of good technique. Here are links for R/H and L/H technique that you may find useful.

R/H ;

YouTube - Todd Johnson Bass Guitar : Floating thumb technique




L/H :


YouTube - Developing Safe Left Hand Technique for Bass Guitar

[delta7fred]

Originally Posted by prd004

John Paul Jones said the best way to learn how to play bass is turn on the radio and play along. I'd say it worked pretty well for him!

That's how I learned but it does take time. I am sure a (good) tutor would speed up the learning process. It will also help prevent bad habits, something I know I suffer from.

[Fergie Fulton]

Originally Posted by mambo4

Definately seek lessons.

-learn the proper names for all parts of your bass
-learn to tune
-learn how to figure out which fret/string is which note(memorize eventually)
-learn to play the major scale in all 12 keys and be able to correctly name the notes. (Also write it out on the staff)
-learn the intervals, their proper names & fingerings.
-learn to play major and minor triads
-learn the minor , mixolydian and pentatonic scales(and how they relate to the major scale)
-learn to harmonize the major scale and begin understanding how chordprogressions and cadences work
-start exploring modes

At the same time spend a little time each day practicing reading.

In parallell with all of the above is to learn basslines you like and compare them to what you have learned
For analysis...and spend some time just messing around for fun of course.

Mambo4 covers it well. As a Classically trained brass player who switched to bass myself the best advice i can give you is remember it is music and all you are doing is representing the sounds you hear and read on a different instrument. As a Trumpet player you will (or should) have learned to transpose on sight music notation ( depends on age i suppose) but work in the two clefs of treble and bass. please do yourself a big favour and use tab as a reference and nothing else, you will learn all.
you need from standard notation.

Fearceol makes good points as well so take them on board.
I never had any real bass playing lessons because my Classical training covered what i needed to know musicaly. Watching good bass players gave me the ideas of what techniques work and what ones don't...talk to them, you will find players love to talk about what and how they do stuff.
I use three fingers on my right hand to pluck, always have, never been a problem.....the reason is playing valved brass instruments ment i was building my fingers, so they were toned and ready for action because i had touch and control in them when i started playing. I was told to drop it to two, but i knew the benifit of three so kept it.

Trust your instincts, the past 7 years of playing trumpet gives you a 7 year start or others that begin bass, so use it.

Any questions drop me a PM...( see we just love to talk about what we do)

[mambo4]

Fearceol is spot on with his comments about the importance of developing good technique.
While there is not one single absolute "correct" technique, there is definitely good and poor technique
-especially because it quickly becomes habit, so you don't want to develop bad technique which may ultimately harm you down the road.
An instructor can be indispensable for quickly identifying and correcting technique issues.

I think the 2 most common technique mistakes made by beginners are:

1.)Bending the wrists too much (more than say 45 degrees).
Extreme wrist bend + finger motion + repetition overtime = bad wrist health issues.
It also weakens the finger pressure. This stands for Left and Right hands.
The length of your strap and the angle of your neck can be set to make mostly straight wrists easy and comfortable:



2.) Left hand Death Grip: using Waaay too much muscle to fret those notes.

More you tube technique vids:

how hard to fret: (Death grip cure)
YouTube - Gary Willis On Finger Pressure

Safe Righthand Technique
YouTube - Developing Safe Right Hand Technique for Bass Guitar

[Floyd Eye]

Step one: Acquire bass

Step two: Turn on radio or put in CD

Step three: Play bass

[fearceol]

Originally Posted by Floyd Eye

Step one: Acquire bass

Step two: Turn on radio or put in CD

Step three: Play bass

If only life was that simple !!

[pbass888]

a coach or tutor is the fastest way to learn good habits which will get you where you want to go in the shortest amount of time. Get your coach to work you hard (like a boxer or other athlete ) and man you will be amazed. Not just listening , but how what and where to listen etc.

I really am sold on finding someone whose playing you like and get them to teach you. Now with the net you are no longer restricted to your neck of the woods. Try to get the best teacher money can buy and there are some great ones here on TB!
cheers

[Floyd Eye]

Originally Posted by fearceol

If only life was that simple !!

Being a broke kid growing up in the early 70s in a world without tabs or the internet or a dime to my name, it was not only that simple, it was the ONLY way.

[delta7fred]

Originally Posted by Floyd Eye

Being a broke kid growing up in the early 70s in a world without tabs or the internet or a dime to my name, it was not only that simple, it was the ONLY way.

+1, but make that the 60s.

You could buy the sheet music to songs in the charts but most of it was fairly inaccurate. It was always transcribed for piano so was never in the key on the record. After wasting our money on a few sheets of music we came to the conclusion that the only option was to work it out for ourselves.

Still doing it.

[Fendbassfan]

A great book is Mel Bay's 'Complete Jazz Bass Book'. It says jazz but it will you everything you need in terms of fundlementals.

[Fendbassfan]

Hand positioning is key to becoming a great bass player

[grassi55]

ya my hand positioning was pretty poor sop thank u for the videos and i will pick up that jazz bass book this wensday along with some motown sheet music