Super beginner question

[spum]

Hey guys. I got a bass guitar from my girlfriend as a Christmahannakwanzaakah present. I've never played any sort of guitar before so I'm brand new to the whole thing. I picked up a book and a DVD that are pretty good teachers, but I had a quick question that I can't ask a book.

I have my bass set to the standard EADG tuning. Whenever I try to use the frets at the end of the neck on the E string, I get an extra vibration from the string. It looks to me like when I press my finger down on the fret, the string is hitting the next ... metal piece (don't know what they're called)... on the neck creating a horrid vibration that sounds pretty awful. Am I pressing to hard/soft on the string? Do I need to tighten the string (I'm afraid of breaking it which is why I didn't try this to begin with)? Maybe I'm putting my finger in the wrong place on the fret? Any ideas/suggestions would be appreciated.

And by the way, since this is my first post here, great site! I look forward to using it as a reference!

[steveb98]

First is the bass in tune, did you get a tuner with it, if not time to buy one. Those metal things are called frets. You don't press down the string on the top of the fret, your finger should be just behind the fret. You don't need to press very hard to hold down the string. Could be a lot of reasons you are getting fret rattle. Bass could be tuned too low. You might be plucking too hard or at wrong angle with your right hand. The bass could need a neck or bridge adjustment. As I said it could be a lot of things.

Do you know someone who plays guitar or bass. Hookup with them and they can give the bass a quick look to see if any obvisous problems. They can show you how to tune it. Maybe they can show you the basics of fingering and plucking notes. If no one around you might want to take a few lessons to get started.

[MarkTAW]

What Steve said.

The goal is to get the string to vibrate starting at the metal line (called a fret), so you don't want your finger to be exactly on top of it, but just behind it (towards the head of the bass).


-------------------------------------------Head--->

See how the finger is just behind the fret, closer to the head. That's where you put your finger (approximately) and it will vibrate from there, that metal fret, and hopefully not hit the next one.

If the bass is tuned to EADG, then the strings are exactly as tight as they need to be. Making them tighter would change the tuning.

[spum]

That was a big help, guys. Thanks a lot. I was doing the following wrong:

1) My finger was in the wrong place
2) I was pressing too hard
3) I was strumming too hard
4) The volume and tone settings on the guitar and amp needed to be tweaked

I never would have thought to look at some of those things on my own. But at least it's tuned correctly... I would love to get lessons at some point in the future, but it's not possible right now. I work full time, and I'm a full time student which leaves my free time after about 9 at night. Not to mention, I'm on a college budget. Thanks again for the help.

By the way, sorry I'm an idiot about terminology. That will get better in time.

[Scottgun]

Originally Posted by spum

I would love to get lessons at some point in the future, but it's not possible right now.

Get them if you can. Just a few lessons so that someone with experience can show you basic playing technique so that you don't have to unlearn anything later.

[arbarnhart]

If you haven't found it already, http://www.activebass.com/ is a great site for learning. Lots of online lessons. There seems to be more active and better organized discussion here at TB, but more lesson content there.

Originally Posted by spum

That was a big help, guys. Thanks a lot. I was doing the following wrong:

1) My finger was in the wrong place
2) I was pressing too hard
3) I was strumming too hard
4) The volume and tone settings on the guitar and amp needed to be tweaked

I never would have thought to look at some of those things on my own. But at least it's tuned correctly... I would love to get lessons at some point in the future, but it's not possible right now. I work full time, and I'm a full time student which leaves my free time after about 9 at night. Not to mention, I'm on a college budget. Thanks again for the help.

By the way, sorry I'm an idiot about terminology. That will get better in time.

[steveb98]

Originally Posted by spum

I would love to get lessons at some point in the future, but it's not possible right now. I work full time, and I'm a full time student which leaves my free time after about 9 at night. Not to mention, I'm on a college budget.

If you are in school just go over to the Music department office tell them you just started bass and ask if they could hook up up with someone to just spend an hour with you to get you started. They should be able to point you to some students that would be willing to help you get started.

[lesdeux]

Originally Posted by steveb98

If you are in school just go over to the Music department office tell them you just started bass and ask if they could hook up up with someone to just spend an hour with you to get you started. They should be able to point you to some students that would be willing to help you get started.

Oh man!.......He's new and your sending him to the musicians?.....Do you think he will........?

What would his folks say?