I just want to learn how to play bass

[Essayweb]

Guys i just want to learn how to play bass could you please help me out.

[wes stephenson]

practice...

[touji]

I want to learn how to play bass too.

[waidonchasaisew]

learn how to read tabs first. really easy way to get down in your mind what you need to play. look up tabs for some songs you want to play. ultimate-guitar.com has a lot.

[Alucard817]

Originally Posted by Essayweb

Guys i just want to learn how to play bass could you please help me out.

Well, I can tell you not to stick to any particular style.

check out some lessons online
here
http://www.activebass.com/lessons/lessdir.asp

[spaz21387]

Tabs are such a bad idea because you will just start to rely on tabs. get books and videos and if you can get a teacher

[EpiRipper]

Originally Posted by spaz21387

Tabs are such a bad idea because you will just start to rely on tabs. get books and videos and if you can get a teacher

+1

Also, most tab sites don't have many bass tabs and if they do, 90% of them are just plain wrong!

[Chris K]

Find a teacher
Learn to read standard music notation
Avoid bad habits (click on my link below)
Start slowly
but join a band ASAP

[Osprey]

Yep, join a band. If there's just one guy there who can point you to the chord structure in songs and if you listen to recording and work out some straightforward riffs you'll make a flying start. But then, if you want to be a serious player it's reading music and lessons to get the technique right. Someone has to show you which end you blow into.

[hrodbert696]

The internet will never teach you as well as a live human teacher can, so if you can afford it, go get yourself lessons. A local music store can hook you up with a teacher. If you can't manage a teacher for some reason, there are books like the Hal Leonard series and websites like www.studybass.com that can get you started. Then you can browse the "technique" and "general instruction" forums here to get more information or to post specific questions that come up. But really, getting a teacher is the best route.

[dalkowski]

Take lessons with a teacher who can help you set goals and systematically work toward them. Absolutely the best bang for your music education dollar.

And assuming you have a bass already, spend the money to have it professionally set up. Nothing will kill your motivation more than a hard-to-play instrument.

One more thing: Practice!!!

[lenosgood]

Originally Posted by dalkowski

And assuming you have a bass already, spend the money to have it professionally set up. Nothing will kill your motivation more than a hard-to-play instrument.

Found that out quick...

Originally Posted by dalkowski

One more thing: Practice!!!

...and more practice!

[saxman_singcan]

Not sure how old you are, but if you are in high school (or even middle school), listen to and learn from your music teacher - they could be the best "free" resource available to you. Even if you have to play a wind instrument or sing, it will help get your ears used to musical sounds (try to play bass in class). If you do play a wind instrument, try to get the trombone, bariton, tuba, or even bass clarinet or baritone saxophone. You can always change in to bass in the following years - you can always keep up with the wind instrument for an added dimension in you musicianship. Join school band. If you are out of school, watch some youtube videos. Jam with friends. Develop your ear (playing by ear). Consider reading music (notes) to make you a well-rounded musician. Read a lot of TalkBass. When you plateau, consider some gear to peak your interest again (like pedals, they are pretty fun). Good luck.

[dave64o]

A great resource might be looking for papers written on specific topics. I'm sure you could find numerous examples *here*.

[Vincent P]

Originally Posted by EpiRipper

+1

Also, most tab sites don't have many bass tabs and if they do, 90% of them are just plain wrong!

Agreed. I've seen most who start learning this way get used to this method and never really further themselves by learning how to actually read, which I think is essential.

Also, tab is fine if you know the song you want to play, if you don't then all your really learning is where to place your fingers.

I would suggest taking some lessons.

[JxBass]

You have to learn how to read music if you don't already but:

"Chord Studies for Electric Bass" by Rich Appleman & Joseph Viola, Berklee Press. It'll will keep you "learning" for at least a year or two.

[spufman]

Listen to music all the time, whatever you're doing, intently and in the background. Tap out a variety of rhythms until you don't even realize you're doing it. Let your brain create melodic counterparts to what you're hearing, as well as feel the groove that the rhythm section is establishing. Hum these parts. When you're out and about without music playing, make up your own in your head. Play the bass as much as you can. Feel it vibrate, assimilate the sound and feel of various intervals. Find some others to jam with and have a blast. Learn songs off recordings and make up your own. Keep at it, sacrifice some other time-hogs you may have. All this will help you with everything and before you know it you'll be a good bass player, too.

[martyman5000]

I learned the hard way by not really playing covers...learn covers of songs you really enjoy and then just improvise and have fun after. Learn the notes on the neck and just do repetition of scales with your fingers and pick.

[abstractart06]

One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was to sing everything you are trying to play. This will help develop your ear.

[dalkowski]

+1 to all the anti-tab comments. They'll add little more than zero to your education.