Learning stuff advice please

[Duckboy]

Hello, I am not currently a bassist but I am soon going to get one and learn how to play. I picked up guitar over the summer and am not really sure how much I'm doing right or wrong so when I learned about this I got pretty pumped.

Anyway, if there are tips and tricks/basic information that someone might fill me in on that would be wonderful.

I'm planning on getting a Yamaha rbx170. Anything special about that? Thanks in advance.

P.S. My biggest question is do I need an effect pedal or will it have a 'default' sound?

[One Drop]

Take some lessons. You'll avoid forming bad habits and progress much more quickly.

You don't need any pedals yet and there is a lot of info on the Technique forum and elsewhere here.

[soulman969]

Without seeing and/or hearing you play it would be pretty difficult to tell you what you're doing wrong on guitar, if anything. That's gonna hold true for the bass as well. As this applies to both this is all I can say about it to get you started.

1) Learn the fret board from top to bottom, ie; all of the places you can play an E note on every string and the same for every other note in the chromatic scale. This will make it easier for you to plot the easiest or the most creative way to play a bass line.

2) The guitar and bass have a major difference that's more than just two less strings (assuming a 4 string bass). What each does in ensemble is very different. The bass is, essentially drums with pitch. Timing is far more critcal here than on guitar so learn to practice those boring repetitive scales, triads, arpeggio's, etc. with a metronome or a tick track. You create the pocket everyone plays within.

3) Concentrate on fundamentals before wandering off into solo playing. Learn to play fingerstyle and with a pick before heading off for slapstyle land. Slapstyle only sounds good in the hands of someone who really knows how it's done and it's not exactly a simple technique.

That's about all I can think of for starters. I'm sure others can contribute more but it wouldn't hurt to get some instructional books and/or videos that show you the right way to do things. If you can't learn from those then consider some lessons.

Good Luck!

[MalcolmAmos]

Ditto what Soleman said about the bass being a drum that can change pitch (notes). In a lot of cases you will be playing with out a drummer, thus, you are the rhythm section. Gotta feel the beat. Practice that. Using this.
jam track boogie rock - YouTube Can you hear the chord changes? Can you feel the beat?

Yes you gotta know where the notes are on your fretboard. Might find the A on the bottom string 5th fret. The D is right above A on the 3rd string and the E is close by - 3rd string 7th fret.

So..... Online Bass Lessons at StudyBass.com and the lesson book Bass Guitar for Dummies will give you the other stuff you need - to get started.

As far as gear, buy the best bass you can afford, then you will need a case, a strap, an amp, a tuner, a bass stand, a music stand, and some lessons. Lessons; at least a couple of months to get started. Good idea to take a friend that plays bass with you to the music store.

Have fun and welcome to the bottom end.

[Jhengsman]

If you already have a guitar amp, don't play your bass through it. If you use picks on guitar try the heavier ones first with your bass.

[fearceol]

Originally Posted by Duckboy

Hello, I am not currently a bassist but I am soon going to get one and learn how to play. I picked up guitar over the summer and am not really sure how much I'm doing right or wrong so when I learned about this I got pretty pumped.

Sounds like you may have opted for bass because you feel you did not get too far on guitar, and that the bass might be easier to learn. Granted, it is easier to get up and running on bass. After that it depends on how far you want to go with it. Try to be sure in your mind that the bass is really for you. It is a different animal from the guitar, and has a different role in a band.

Having said all that, if you browse through the forums and stickys, you will find a wealth of information on all aspects of bass playing.

Best of luck with it.

[mambo4]

Originally Posted by One Drop

Take some lessons. You'll avoid forming bad habits and progress much more quickly.

+ a million. If you are at all serious about learning, do this. Even a single 1 hour session with a bass instructor will be worth an entire summer of posting here.

[Duckboy]

Originally Posted by fearceol

Sounds like you may have opted for bass because you feel you did not get too far on guitar, and that the bass might be easier to learn.

No, I just love music and bass is the only thing that I learned yet, so I wanna get it right.

[carlthegroover]

Originally Posted by Duckboy

Hello, I am not currently a bassist but I am soon going to get one and learn how to play. I picked up guitar over the summer and am not really sure how much I'm doing right or wrong so when I learned about this I got pretty pumped.

Welcome to the world of bass and I hope you enjoy your journey through the low end. Only a teacher or a more experienced bassist will know what you're doing wrong. There is no substitute for immediate feedback from someone else who knows his stuff.

Originally Posted by Duckboy

Anyway, if there are tips and tricks/basic information that someone might fill me in on that would be wonderful.

I back up what others said: do NOT approach bass like it's a longer guitar with less strings. You will soon find that the role and techniques to play bass are very different from guitar. For instance, as a bassist you won't be (often) expected to strum chords (3+ notes at the same time) but you will have to know the chords because you "outline" them, using the notes that make each chord as arpeggios.

Originally Posted by Duckboy

I'm planning on getting a Yamaha rbx170. Anything special about that? Thanks in advance.

Although I haven't had that particular model, I think a Yamaha is a good investment and quality instrument. May I suggest you to rent it first, if possible? You can then play with it for a while and see if you feel comfortable with it.

Originally Posted by Duckboy

P.S. My biggest question is do I need an effect pedal or will it have a 'default' sound?

It? You mean the bass? Yeah, it will have a "default" sound, which is what you usually need most of times. Granted, you can get fancy with effects pedals, but they work only with some styles (e.g. distortion for metal or grunge, but most often not for classic rock).