Ready for lessons, one problem no bass guitar?

[bobington]

Ok so i have money for bass lessons this week, and they have a spot for next week onwards, the only problem is i don't have a bass guitar to practice on or anyone i can borrow one off.

The guy at the store said i might be able to practice on a normal guitar till i can buy one (early july) hes just got to ask the bass teacher.

My brother also said when i got home without knowing what the guy said that i could pactice on a normal guitar.

See my mum and brothers worry is that i'll buy a bass and then won't want to play anymore, then it will be a waste of money buying one.

So i guess i'm asking, can oyu practice and learn bass at least for a few weeks on a normal guitar, just untill i can buy my own and reassure them that i'll stick with it (which ofcourse i will no problems).

Thanks.

[nboyer941]

sure you can. The first four strings are the same. You can work on learning the fret board, basic scales and how the notes sound within the scales. A few weeks is nothing if you'll be playing for years to come.

[barboom]

I say rent one for a bit. When I first started, it was on a beautiful white p-bass that I rented for a couple months before buying my cheapo yamaha fretless. Starting off on a nice instrument definitely helped a bit.

[bobington]

Thank you both for your quick response, Barboom, as far as i know theres no place where i live that rent musical intruments, also i only have enough money for the lessons this week and nothing else.

I'm still waiting for a call to get the go ahead from the teacher like i said, but if nboyer941 agrees with both my brother and the guy that served me, then there should be no problem i hope.

Thanks again

[Stumbo]

What about paying for lessons after this week?
It helps to have lessons for a year or so.
Are you going to teach yourself after one lesson?
Why do you want to play bass?

You might want to check out the links in my sig. below for some good TB info that may help you out in learning the bass.

[bobington]

Originally Posted by Stumbo

What about paying for lessons after this week?
It helps to have lessons for a year or so.
Are you going to teach yourself after one lesson?
Why do you want to play bass?

You might want to check out the links in my sig. below for some good TB info that may help you out in learning the bass.

I get paid on Friday, and the next open spot in on tuesday and i get paid fortnightly.

I was planning on having lessons with this place till i can learn no more.

No im not going to teach myself, except for when i learn how to read music properly, then i'll learn new songs that i want to play.

I want to play bass because i've always wanted to learn an instrument and i've always liked the sound of the bass guitar.

Has anyone else had experince with doing a few bass things on a normal guitar when first starting out?

Thanks.

[Cy_Miles]

just a couple thoughts

I see some imported bass brands for ridiculously cheap these days. save for an inexpensive bass to play while learning music theory basics and getting your fingers used to doing what you want them to.

And I don't see why you couldn't start on a guitar, but even though it is the same on the four bass strings so you can get oriented with the notes/scales, the feel is really night and day between a bass and a guitar. The strings are at least twice as thick and take much more strength and pressure to play.

I would suggest that if all you have is a guitar at the moment take 'guitar lessons'. I think you would get more for your money and most everything you would learn would be transferable to your bass when you finally get one.

Edit: I started with several guitar lessons, had always liked the bass, fell in love with a particular bass in that was at that music store, I bought it and started bass lessons. I now play bass and guitar, and some mandolin and the more I learn the easier it is to learn new instruments.

You also mentioned learning to read so you can learn new songs. That method will limit you to songs you can find the music for.

Learn scales, practice finger technique, learn music theory, and learn how to sound out music. Then you will be able to play whatever you hear, and you will be able to create your own bass lines.

Written music is as good as a road map. It can show you how to find a place but you can't drive the car while you read the map. And after you know the neighborhood you can find the shortcuts or the scenic routes.

And you can do the important part on the guitar, while mowing some lawns and squirrling some money for a bass.

[BanjoNoise]

I say buy your self a used enty level yamaha for about $150


And yes normal gtar will work

[cassanova]

Originally Posted by Cy_Miles

I would suggest that if all you have is a guitar at the moment take 'guitar lessons'. I think you would get more for your money and most everything you would learn would be transferable to your bass when you finally get one.

+1 When I was a kid my parents bought me an acoustic guitar and paid for lessons. Looking back on it, the way my teacher taught me to play the guitar was very much in a way the bass guitar is taught, by that I mean nothing fancy in the beginning, open string notes, scales, arpeggio's, etc. Despite the different physicalities of the necks the fingerings for the scales are the same.

IMO, be it a wacked out one on this, there is also a hidden advantage to taking the guitar lessons until the OP can afford a bass of his own is. The guitar has a B string, albeit a high B, nonetheless its still a B string. He will become familiar with it, hence possibly better prepping him for starting on a 5 string rather than a 4 string like most of us have. Which in turn will also save him money when he finally realizes he wants to switch to a 5.

[NortyFiner]

http://www.rondomusic.com

Good basic instruments at a price your mum shoudn't have a heart attack about.

[bobington]

Thanks for everyones replys.

Should i learn how to play a 5 string? I like rock and metal, so i'm guessing the answer would be yes.

I'll just say to the teacher that i'd like to learn 5 strings, although the starter packs i've looked at are only 4 strings, so i might not buy one of those and just buy the cheapest 5 string bass and amp i can get, not sure yet, i'll have to do more research online.

I'll stick with bass lesons though, as i'm already booked in and i don't want to lose my spot as it'll be at most a month befor i can buy a guitar.

Thanks for the link NortyFiner, but i live in Australia so i'd want to buy of an aussie site, i found one the other day actually that seemed alright.

Thanks again everyone.

[Cy_Miles]

if theres licks you need to play that you can't then think about a 5 string

you do not need 5 strings for metal or rock. most rock ever played is played on a 4 string.

that extra string only gets you 5 extra notes and in most situations they are just too low.

that said I am a 4 string nut and don't see what all those extra strings do...

[bobington]

Paid for my first bass lesson today, start tuesday night, also bought the lesson book they use.

With the 4 and 5 string guitar, what does metallica (Robert) use? Because thats what i'd like to learn eventually.

EDIT: I looked Robert up on wiki he uses a 5 string, i keep forgeting about that site lol.

[bobington]

Had my first lesson tonight, it went well. He said i have a good left hand and good timing and rythem, but my right needs alot of work with the strumming, but he said that would be because i havn't played a bass befor.

I have to practice struming with my two fingers on two strings while muzzling the strings so they don't keep ringing.

I also have to work to page 22 of my lesson book, i have about 12 notes to work on, plus learn to read them in both tabliture and note form.

I don't have a lesson again for 2 weeks as it's end of term, but hopefully when i go back i should have a bass of my own to play on. I used hes tonight and it sounded awesome, he's a very good player and showed me both strumming and slap styles.

Now i've just got to practice, practice