The NEWBIE REPORT - week two

[Popbumper]

Good day all:

Some two weeks ago I first posted out here with a LOT of questions for a beginning bassist. Unable to locate my original thread, I wanted to give an update on my progress. I will call this the "newbie report", and hopefully post from time to time as I progress.

Disclaimer - wow, picking up a new instrument is indeed difficult. For those getting started, please keep in mind that it's a road that must be approached with sincerity and desire, because the road is not an easy one, IMHO. Looking forward to "mileage on the Odo".

OK! Not to be a bummer at all, just being real. With the help of TUMENI NOTES here on the forum, and having picked up a Fender Squire and 50W Crate amp, here is what I have learned in two weeks, again, my experience only:

1) If you are a trained musician and can read music, consider yourself lucky.

2) If you are a trained musician, and have only ever used the treble clef, on the bass clef the "C" note is now "E", and it will drive you a little crazy. Oh - yeah - EVERYTHING looks different, ack!

3) If you don't like numb fingertips, run away.

4) Strings DO like to buzz on their "own" - it's calming them that's the trick.

5) Raking should apply ONLY to lawns.

6) Learning to play the first ten or so notes of an actual rock song feels pretty good. Hey - I'm just starting.

7) Learning to play along with an actual rock song that has three notes on the bass lines - and getting through the whole song - is even better. Pointless, but better - 'cause it's a small accomplishment.

8) Figuring out where to hold your hands in relation to the strings and neck is not immediately intuitive.

9) Alternating fingers on the right hand while changing finger positions on the left in unison is hard for >some people< .

10) Having an accomplished player like TUMENI NOTES only 10 miles away from you, and willing to have you visit his home, give insights, tips, tricks, and techniques is INVALUABLE.

Been a trip so far. More to come. Still staring at the sheet music for Rush's "Red Barchetta" and dreaming of the day I can BEGIN to tackle it.....

Chris

[totallyfrozen]

Click on your own user name, scroll down the pop-up list to "Find All Posts By Popbumper" and you will be able to find your original thread. Once you find it, if you subscribe to it, you will also be able to find it easier.

It will probably be easier (until you start getting several pages of replies) for everyone who wants to keep up with your chronicles if you post them all in one thread rather than making a new thread each week.

[Disco Batman]

Starting out is a huge pain. In the fingers too!.

Keep at it though man. The first time you play a song all the way through that you've been banging away at for a week feels great. It still does for me 15 years later.

I can't read music, I've never bothered to learn. But one thing that has really helped me out in the modern era is when your reading a tab or figuring something out by ear. If you are unsure simply do a youtube search for it. Chances are someone has posted them covering it. Good tool to see how people position their hands to hit notes when your starting out.

Good Luck!

[taphappy]

Originally Posted by Popbumper

Good day all:

Hey bud! Welcome to TB :) It's like crack for bassists. Watch, I shall quickly demonstrate by abusing the quote feature with frenetic overabundance.

Looking forward to "mileage on the Odo".

Slow and steady wins the race. I've seen some great players with only a couple years under them, and you've got a jump start.

only ever used the treble clef, on the bass clef the "C" note is now "E", and it will drive you a little crazy.

It's also a brick to the face when you've been remiss, and decide you want to be able to breeze over treble clef lead lines.

If you don't like numb fingertips, run away.

No worries, they'll soon turn into desensitized fingertips that feel like little rocks. Then you can chase after girls with em, going "EWWWWWW..."

Raking should apply ONLY to lawns.

*looks around for Jimmy...*

Alternating fingers on the right hand while changing finger positions on the left in unison is hard for >some people< :o.

Nah, it's tough across the board at first. We don't think of these things unless we sit down to help out some other new guy, and watch it happen to the poor bastard.

Having an accomplished player like TUMENI NOTES only 10 miles away from you, and willing to have you visit his home, give insights, tips, tricks, and techniques is INVALUABLE.

Sweet!! Good stuff, Tumeni :)

Still staring at the sheet music for Rush's "Red Barchetta" and dreaming of the day I can BEGIN to tackle it.....:D

Then it's on to the rest of the tracks on Moving Pictures...then getting the nuances of the Exit Stage Left versions...:)

Geddy's a great player. Playing his material is one thing, playing it clean is another. Sticking to fundamentals now, taking it slowly, patiently, will help you exponentially in the long run.

Don't trust YouTube for proper ways to play things. Great resource! But, sketchy. You can find five different competent players with five different right hand techniques, swearing that theirs the only way. Research, find what works for you. Talk to us. We'll confuse you even further 'til you give up, and most likely do whatever it is that you wanted to do anyways.

Do not trust tab. Even notation, especially when it comes to "progressive" styles of music. It'll get you way further than tab, but it isn't absolute, unless notated by the originator. Then it maaaaay be kinda close.

Oh, and btw. Don't trust us, either.

:)

-tap