Advice for me to give a teenage bassist?

[Fassa Albrecht]

OK guys I need your help. The brother of a friend of mine has approached me because he knows I am a bassist, and he is now asking for some advice and general guidance.
What advice should I give? This lad is a rock bassist who is in a 'band' with some friends of his, and is fairly new to bass.

[Johnny Crab]

Tell him things you wished someone would've told you long ago.

Real life example:
17 year old son is playing bass in the high school band. I got home yesterday and he said "Dad, I need a better strap...that skinny one cuts into my shoulder". I said "Now you know why I got a 4" strap and how my shoulder feels after every gig....and you've only got a lightweight Steinberger. You should try 4 hours with a Les Paul bass or a full-sized 5 string". So a spare 3" padded strap came out. Since they've started summer band camp(outdoors, south Texas = HOT & humid)...he got told about heat's affect on glue, avoiding sweaty hands/sticky neck with cornstarch baby powder, wiping down the bass after EVERY use, and shown some streching exercises Dad(me) uses to relieve the shoulder pain quickly.

He's been told over the past 2 years about:
Attack & finger position = sound
Use of tone control(s) on the bass and amp for different sounds
Avoiding(or using) interaction most 2 pickup basses get when both pickups are full up
Straploc use and what to watch for with them(circlips do come off sometimes)
Never leaving the bass anywhere he'd feel uncomfortable(i.e. in a closed vehicle for a long time)
etc...

Just remember what you know but never really have to think about as a bassist..........
then try to explain it in a way that can be understood and appreciated.

[Deacon_Blues]

My first bass lessons were all about technique. I wish I had taken those lessons much earlier than I did. They really boosted my playing.

Also focus on timing. Tell him there's nothing as important as timing in music. Nothing sounds good with bad timing.

And the most important thing: Playing bass is supposed to be fun. Practicing isn't always funny, but it helps you have more fun later on.


Good luck with the lessons!

[IanStephenson]

Taking care of his wrists!
Keep em straight, and warm up with some shakes and stretches before you play. Right now he things it's not going to happen to him - most older musicians have some health problems, and sorting out his posture now will mean he's still playing in 20 years - most other stuff he'll pick up as need be, but bad wrist angle is something you don't usualy find out about untill it starts hurting. Then its too late, and you spend the rest of your life with problems.

After that I'd work on getting him to learn enough patterns to play across the strings. Show him how with a bit more technique he can play the stuff he's currently playing with 1/10th the effort. Most newbie" bass players I see play everything on 1 or two strings, and so expend most of their energy moving their hand up and down.

Ian

[CraigG]

Listen to a wide variety of music and try to copy as much of the bass parts as possible. Lessons are great for learning theory and it's always helpful to know that particular "language". But focusing on developing an ear and the ability to create a solid bass line/improvise will go a LONG way! Technique - go with what is comfortable and works best (but remain open to learning "proper technique"; there are many innovative musicians that we have all heard or read about who have developed their own technique.

[peaveyuser]

Yes I have some great advice Lizzy. Just say to him

"Whatever I do on the bass, don't follow"

[morf]

Tell him to find a good teacher and take lessons regularly.

[IconBasser]

^
+ 1.

practice playing cleanly, IMO that's the most important thing for peeps just starting to play. I realized this with my students. As soon as they started playing cleanly, they got LOADS better.

[iplaybassguitar]

Originally Posted by Fassa Albrecht

OK guys I need your help. The brother of a friend of mine has approached me because he knows I am a bassist, and he is now asking for some advice and general guidance.
What advice should I give? This lad is a rock bassist who is in a 'band' with some friends of his, and is fairly new to bass.

tell him to ask someone wiser.

[Bryan316]

STRETCH THEM FINGERS. I do the prayer-stretch to flex back my fingers and wrists.

Mind your arm position. Try to play keeping your wrists straight. Helps to keep carpal tunnel from kicking in.

Fat straps. +100

Sit in front of the TV and pluck 8th notes while watching. Get the hand exercised. Like the difference between strength muscle fibers and fast-twitch muscle fibers. If he exercises his fingers/forearms for speed not strength, he'll be one quick player down the road. And climbing metronome practice as well.

Learn basic electronics. Ohm's Law, soldering technique, guitar wiring, all useful when gear breaks down. I no longer take my gear to repair techs unless it's something I simply cannot repair myself. Replacing microchips or new circuit boards are where I draw the line. But everything else is usually fixable.

Buy QUALITY gear. Screw trying to save a buck... buy an amp you know you'll use 15 years from now. Do research and learn why some gear is better than others.

Craig's List will help you find that quality gear used.

Find bands whose music is tougher than you're able to play, and FORCE yourself to be able to play it. Dream Theater improved a ton of my skills, especially natural harmonics and tapping.

DON'T BE BORING ON STAGE! There's a reason why musicians put their foot up on the monitors. Not for balance, cuz it's FUN! Interacting with an audience pays off more than you'll ever want to admit. Being entertaining while being awesome as a musician is key to being a talented band and being a successful talented band. A little rock star posing goes a long way.

And of course:

Cliff Burton
Steve Harris
Victor Wooten
Billy Sheehan
Jaco Pastorius

[Fassa Albrecht]

Originally Posted by peaveyuser

Yes I have some great advice Lizzy. Just say to him

"Whatever I do on the bass, don't follow"

Cheeky.....but I'll agree. I use such unorthodox techniques at times....plus, I seriously don't think anyone could copy me when I play Hooky-style.

[peaveyuser]

Originally Posted by IconBasser

^
+ 1.

practice playing cleanly, IMO that's the most important thing for peeps just starting to play. I realized this with my students. As soon as they started playing cleanly, they got LOADS better.

You teach? but your a month younger than me

[IconBasser]

big deal. I'm also one of the only bassists in my area that can read, has knowledge of chord changes, can play both electric and standup bass, and can play just as fast as any guitarist.

[HollowBassman]

^Just as fast as ANY guitarist?!?!?

[iplaybassguitar]

Originally Posted by IconBasser

big deal. I'm also one of the only bassists in my area that can read, has knowledge of chord changes, can play both electric and standup bass, and can play just as fast as any guitarist.

how many students do you have that are older than you?

[Visirale]

I don't care what you think, a 15 year old has no business teaching. You could be unknowingly passing on bad habits to them. Just because you can play doesn't mean you can play right. I'd never take lessons from someone who didn't have a college degree or experience equivalent.

Out of curiosity, what do you charge?

[morf]

Originally Posted by Fassa Albrecht

Cheeky.....but I'll agree. I use such unorthodox techniques at times....plus, I seriously don't think anyone could copy me when I play Hooky-style.

I started hooky style. Then I took lessons and realized I sucked and that was the worst technique ever. Learn to pluck, you'll never go back Fassa.

[morf]

Originally Posted by Visirale

I don't care what you think, a 15 year old has no business teaching. You could be unknowingly passing on bad habits to them. Just because you can play doesn't mean you can play right. I'd never take lessons from someone who didn't have a college degree or experience equivalent.

Out of curiosity, what do you charge?

big +1. I started 2 years ago and I know for certain I will not be teaching until I have at least 10+yrs experience.

[MysticMichael]

Advice for a teenage bassist:

Learn to play music - not just how to play the bass...

MM

[morf]

Originally Posted by MysticMichael

Advice for a teenage bassist:

Learn to play music - not just how to play the bass...

MM

bruce lindfield would be proud!!