What is the first thing to do ???

[Sara17jessica]

i just bought a bass and i learned how to read tabs and notes but how can i start on the bass like warming up exersices or something like that?

[vindy500]

upload pics.

check out www.activebass.com for some good beginner lessons

also try as hard as you can to get some real lessons

[Bryan316]

Best warmup I do is right hand, then left hand.

First, if you fingerplay, just do a slow walk with your index and middle finger. Just do that for a half-minute, then build up speed a little bit at a time.

Then, left hand. Starting on the E string, using the corresponding finger, fret the 1st fret with your index, then fret the 2nd fret with your middle, then 3rd with your ring, then 4th with your pinkie. Then, jump to the A string, and same thing. Walk all the way up the fretboard to the G string. Then, walk back down, backwards, 4th, 3rd, 2nd, 1st, then D string 4th, 3rd... etc. As you're going up and down, make sure that each note sounds as clear and strong as the others. This builds up your ring and pinkie strength to match your more dominant index and middle fingers. Go up and down the fretboard three, maybe four times nice and slowly. Then quicken it up a bit, three more passes, then faster again.

Last exercise, play 1st 2nd 3rd 4th with all four fingers, then slide your hand up and play 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, then slide your hand up and play 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th. Then backwards. Get your hand used to playing each finger, and sliding your hand down accurately to hit the next 4-note run. Do this once on all strings.

[crkempton]

look up some scales on the web, and practice working through those. Helps limber up your fingers, plus the scales will help out with song writing in the future

[bass_lord_mutha]

One of the best warmups I've come across is on the BassDay '98 DVD with Victor Wooten. He does this excersize where he plays a one-octave major scale (all notes fingered-no open strings) starting in the first position, then when he gets back to the root note, he starts the minor version of that scale, and instead of resolving with the root note, he starts the major scale of the next half-step above that (example: Gmaj, Gm, G#maj, G#m, Amaj, Am, and so on) and continues up the neck. That helps build hand strength, dexterity, and muscle memory in both hands and gets you familiar with the neck of the instrument. Plus, once you get it down, it's cool to show off to your friends by playing it real fast, hehe.

[Sara17jessica]

thnx you guys r a great help

[embellisher]

Sara, there is a ton to do and learn.

I would suggest checking out our General Instruction forum, where I am moving this. Also, check out the Technique forum, and over in the DB section, check out the theory forum.

I would also recommend at least one or two lessons, just so that you will be introduced to proper technique, and not develop some bad habits.

[Some Groovy Guy]

I'd recommend have as much fun as possible. Realize that it's a for of expression and that enjoying your time playing the instrument is the best thing you can do.

[YogSothoth]

Originally Posted by Some Groovy Guy

I'd recommend have as much fun as possible. Realize that it's a for of expression and that enjoying your time playing the instrument is the best thing you can do.

+1 to this.

First starting out, develop a love for the bass. Get tabs of your favorite songs, blast it loud and play along.

If somebody had tried to force-feed me drab things such as learning to sight read, time signatures, and other musical theory, before even playing a lick of music I actually enjoyed, well...

There is time and good reason to learn that stuff but it makes it more worthwhile if you spend your first few hundred hours simply using tab and rocking out, IMO.