LinksForNoobs

From TalkBass Wiki

Thanks to TB forum member Stumbo for creating this exhaustive list of links. There is a wealth of valuable information contained in these threads, useful to bass players of all skill levels. Enjoy.

Note: Please contact Stumbo on Talkbass.com when broken links/problems are found. Also, if you find a more current/better link, send those on as well. Thank you.

Contents 1 GETTING THE MOST OUT OF TB 2 MUST READS 3 NEWBIES 3.1 Basics 3.1.1 Maintenance 3.1.2 Books/Learning Tools 3.1.3 Practicing 3.1.4 Misc. 3.2 Newbie Learning 3.3 Newbie Theory 3.4 Newbie Rhythm 3.5 Newbie On-line Resources 3.6 Newbie On-line paid lessons 4 LEARNING 4.1 Practicing 4.1.1 Equipment 4.1.2 Software 4.1.3 Hands & Finger Care 4.1.4 How to learn songs 4.1.5 Vocals 4.2 Backing Tracks & Drum Machines 4.3 Instructional materials 4.4 Online lessons 4.5 Transcribing, Music Notation, Chord Charts, Software, Online 4.6 Ear training 4.7 Sight Reading 4.8 Theory 4.9 Getting creative 4.10 Song Writing 4.11 Going "pro" 4.12 Teaching Bass 5 COLLEGE MUSIC 6 STYLES 6.1 Blues 6.2 R&B,Soul,Slap,Funk,Synth 6.3 Latin 6.4 Jazz 6.5 Metal 6.6 Hip-Hop 6.7 Reggae 7 BEING IN A BAND 7.1 Band Mangement 7.2 Gigging 7.2.1 Joining a Band 7.2.2 Starting a Band 7.2.3 Cover/Tribute/Originals Band 7.2.4 Band Names 7.2.5 Auditioning 7.2.6 Replacing a band member 7.2.7 Leaving the band 7.2.8 Promoting/Advertising/Marketing/Managing 7.2.9 Gigs 7.2.10 Older musicians 7.2.11 Touring 7.3 Stage Management 7.3.1 Audience 7.3.2 Cables 7.3.3 Equipment 7.3.4 Sound 7.3.5 Stage Arrangement 7.3.6 Stage Direction 7.4 PA/Lighting 7.5 FOH 7.6 Accessories/Instrument Cables/Effects 7.6.1 Cables 7.6.2 Compressors 7.6.3 Pedals 7.6.4 Rumble/Sub-Sonic/High-Pass Filters 7.6.5 Stands 7.6.6 Straps 8 BUILDING/FIXING/SHIPPING STUFF 8.1 Cabs 8.2 Tube Amps 8.3 Speakers/Speaker Cables 8.4 Modifying/Setting Up/Repairing/Refinishing Basses 8.5 Shipping/Packing 9 OTHER INSTRUMENTS 9.1 Harmonica 9.2 Guitar 9.3 Keyboards 10 OTHER 10.1 Tips 'n Tricks

[edit] GETTING THE MOST OUT OF TB

Read all the the FAQ's in each forum.
Fill out your User Profile
Become a supporting member
Shortcut to TB abbreviations, sayings, slang & acronyms

[edit] MUST READS

If I only knew then...
Best musical advice
Every bassist should know
How to really "learn" a tune"
Save your hearing
Custom ear plug primer

[edit] NEWBIES

[edit] Basics

Where to start
First bass advice
First amp advice
Upgrade bass/amp first?
Using two combos (amp/speaker) together
Connecting an amp to a cabinet

[edit] Maintenance

Online bass tuning
Strings: Flats or Rounds?
Polishing/cleaning bass
1 Setup a bass
2 Setup a bass

[edit] Books/Learning Tools

Free downloadable interactive fretboard learning tool for Microsoft Excel
2 starter books
First Timer's Intro to Bass Guitar (picture based) w/CD
Intro/History of Bass guitar

[edit] Practicing

Beginners mistakes
"Go slow" practice method
Creating a practice schedule
Find a teacher

[edit] Misc.

Am I too old to learn to play the bass?
How "good" do you have to be to be in a band?
Guitarist switch to bass
Bass in a year

[edit] Newbie Learning

Bass trainers/practice w/o amps
CD Loop Players
Play along software search
Free backing tracks from TBr NickonBass=Nick Creswell

What do YOU use to learn songs?
How do YOU learn cover tunes?

Pick/not to Pick?
Pick advice

Developing musically
Metronome info

What's a chord?(w/audio examples)
What are charts?
Tips for writing sheet music
Sight read standard notation(SN)?

Tab website
Tab/not to tab?
Getting off tabs

[edit] Newbie Theory

What's "Theory"?
Intro to Theory website-easy to follow
Easy understanding of chords
Music Theory for Practical People book
Online Visual Beginning Theory, ear trainer
Beginner's Bass Clef tips
"Name that note" online SN game
Downloadable read "bass clef" software
Online bass clef audio/visual trainer
print bass clef flashcards/staff paper

[edit] Newbie Rhythm

Learn rhythm 1
Learn rhythm 2

[edit] Newbie On-line Resources

Dmanlamius' beginner's site
1st bass lesson (click on Beginners)
Intro bass-learn songs,videos
Tab based (w/audio) lessons

[edit] Newbie On-line paid lessons

$3/mo bass lessons
Cliff Engel online,correspondence,private lessons
Adam Nitti's online "class room" learning website
How to Play Bass. com

[edit] LEARNING

[edit] Practicing

Technique forum

1 How to practice
2 How to practice

Odd time sigs

[edit] Equipment

1 Good headphones
2 Good Headphones

1 Headphone: amps/mixers
2 Headphones: di/amps/mixers including iPhone and other apps
3 Headphones: Bass trainers/practice w/o amps

Tascam GT R1 Portable Stereo Recorder/Mixer/Trainer/Effects/Drum Machine
Metronome TempRef-hooks to drummer's snare

[edit] Software

"Band-in-a Box" software for practicing
"BIAB vs. Tascam Bass Trainer

Bass learning software the displays/plays midi, tab, standard notation, slowdown
Playing along with your PC

Play along software search

1 Slow down
2 Slow down
3 Slow down
Change pitch/key
BestPractice-PC based, free, easy to use, slow downer/pitch shifter/looper/vocal remover/bass isolator/ backing track maker

Other software
Metronome-odd time sigs.
Victor's metronome lesson

Free music software
Cheap/good recording software
Cheap computer/recording interface/sound card & software
Guitar Pro

[edit] Hands & Finger Care

Help! My wrist/fingers are sore/tingling
Carpal Tunnel
Repairing blisters/cuts on your fingers
Cracked Skin-Preventing/Fixing

[edit] How to learn songs

CD Loop Players
What do YOU use to learn songs?
How do YOU learn cover tunes?

[edit] Vocals

Singing and Playing bass
Protecting your voice
Bassist's guide to singing

[edit] Backing Tracks & Drum Machines

1 Drum Machines
2 Drum Machines
3 Drum Machines

Free, full-use,downloadable drumtrack software
Drum Tracks
Free backing tracks
Different methods to play drum tracks
Build your own backing tracks online
Build a song, upgrade by subscription

[edit] Instructional materials

Over 100 DVDs/books
Books, DVDs, all styles/ methods
Looking for the Bass "Bible"
MarlowDK's recommended books
"Best" theory/harmony book
TB Book Links
TB member Jon Liebman's books and more
Books, DVD's, equipment, accessories, etc. (by style)
100's of books of transcriptions & more
ii-V-I book and CD

[edit] Online lessons

dmanlamius.com Dman's hands on videos and more
playbassnow.com MarlowDK's cool videos & more
Read music,lessons, online metronome,bass clef tutor & more
Studybass.com Sound files/tab/standard notation based lessons..more
cyberfretbass.com Videos & more
activebass.com Lessons, backing tracks, articles and more. Xlnt site

TB thread on the Nashviller Numbering System (NNS)
Nashville Number System NNS Book
NNS Chart example
NNS Video Tutorials

[edit] Transcribing, Music Notation, Chord Charts, Software, Online

Making software chord charts w/lyrics

1 Suggestions for music notatation software
2 Suggestions for music notation software

Let the computer transcribe your played notes

[edit] Ear training

Goodear.com
Test your ear
Free downloadable ear trainer (basic/advanced) Solfege. Xlnt program
Trainers/tutorials. Music theory, ear training, read music, chords, intervals, etc.
Online Visual Beginning Theory, ear trainer
Discussion of Solfege

[edit] Sight Reading

Bass clef to fretboard translation. Memorize this first

1 Learning
2 Learning
Improving
Practicing

1 Sight reading source material
2 Transcribe/read transcriptions free online
3 Transcriptions to practice;many with .mp3 files. Click on Transcriptions
4 Free transcriptions
500 chord charts/transposable 5 Free transcriptions

Taking transcribing to the next level

[edit] Theory

Musictheory.net
Learning basic theory
Intro scale & chord theory
3rds & 7ths?
Tri Tone Substitutions

Theory links list
Theory (from the DB side of TB)
Useful music theory info with audio

Learning "modes"
Reason for modes
Using modes
Putting it all together (scales/modes)

Key signatures/Circle of 5ths/Cycle of 4ths
Circle/Cycle of 5ths/4ths (spreadsheet format)

[edit] Getting creative

Where does creativity come from?
Writing songs
Creating bass lines
Target Approach
Walking bass line examples
Ed Friedland on walking bass lines
TB's Ed Fuqua's walking bass line book
For a jam
Jammin'
Playing scales
Playing behind/ahead of the beat
"Feel"
Playing "in the pocket"

[edit] Song Writing

Chord progression for Songwriters
Chords of Great Songs

[edit] Going "pro"

Nashville's Roy Vogt's TB thread
Becoming a session player
Going Pro 1
Going Pro 2
The musician's life
Expectations 1
Expectations 2

[edit] Teaching Bass

Teaching ideas 1
Teaching ideas 2
Becoming a teacher
Carol Kay's bass learning/playing advice

[edit] COLLEGE MUSIC

So you want to be a music major?
Virginia Tech Music Theory Dictionary
Auditioning for jazz band
Audition dilemma
Classical sheet music (free)

[edit] STYLES

[edit] Blues

Becoming a blues bass player
Blues progressions explained w/ audio samples
Free backing tracks from TBr NickonBass=Nick Creswell
Getting into the blues
Slow blues
Blues bass player's club

"Must know" blues tunes 1
"Must know" blues tunes 2

Blues jam terms/progressions 1
Blues jam terms/progressions 2
Blues jam terms/progressions 3
Ice Cream Changes
Backdoor Progression
ii-V-I
More blues progressions

First jam 1
First jam 2
First jam 3
Gig coming up

Influential musicians (mostly) pre-1959
History and styles
20 important blues recordings & more

"Blues Bass" by TB member Jon Liebman
Ed Friedland's Essential Styles and Techniques

[edit] R&B,Soul,Slap,Funk,Synth

Funk Masters w/James Brown Rhythm Section Book
Who played bass with Aretha Franklin?
The late, great, James Jamerson
Jamerson w/Marvin on Youtube

TB slap bass references/links
Over 60 slap/funk lessons by MarlowDK
Video lessons w/Dmanlamius

Playing behind/ahead of the beat
TB Synth bass thread
Getting a "synth" bass tone/sound
Really low frequency bass

Get that dead flatwound string sound 1
Get that dead flatwound string sound 2

Funk rock
Neo-Soul (1990's)

Books/Videos from:
F. Rocco Prestia/Tower of Power
Anthony Vitti
Alex Sklarevski
Bill Dickens
Tony Oppenheim
Larry Graham

[edit] Latin

Learning Latin music
"The Latin Bass Book" by Oscar Stagnaro/Chuck Sher
Afro-Cuban bass/drums grooves book

[edit] Jazz

Learning 1
Learning 2
Improvization Primer (Book/Online)
Theory, soloing, videos by Ethans1980 website
Walking bass lines examples
Walking bass lines books
Jazz Scales
History of Jazz website
Fake book-which one?

[edit] Metal

Play Metal bass
Demystifying metal styles
Tuning your bass for metal discussion
How to scream/growl
Drop Tuning - which strings?

[edit] Hip-Hop

1 Hip-Hop bass
2 Hip-Hop bass
3 Hip-Hop bass
4 Hip-Hop Bass

Hip-hop bands with instruments

[edit] Reggae

1 Reggae bass
2 Reggae bass

1 Best bass/setup for Reggae
2 Best bass/setup for Reggae

Reggae broken down

[edit] BEING IN A BAND

[edit] Band Mangement

Free legal advice
Intro
Books
Book - "Bandalism"

How to handle a big band
Playing in a band w/o rehearsing
If your significant other is a non-musician

Liability insurance
Democracy/dictatorship?l
"Leading" a band
Keeping track of gigs/rehearsals
Band "funds"?
Why many bands fail

Originals Band "paying dues" playing for free
Is playing for "free" really "free"?

[edit] Gigging

[edit] Joining a Band

First band?
How "good" do you have to be?
Finding a new band
Questions to ask before joining
Insuring your gear thread

[edit] Starting a Band

New band
3 piece band
Advertising for new member(s)

[edit] Cover/Tribute/Originals Band

Cover band
Picking songs for setlist
1 Cover band set lists
2 Cover band set lists
Covers vs. Originals

Tribute band

[edit] Band Names

Real band names
Infamous band names
Changing band name
1 Funk Band Name Thread
2 Funk Band Name Thread

Bandnamemaker.com
1728.com

[edit] Auditioning

1 For new band
2 For a new band
Getting back in the game
Red flag stories
Hilarious/Bizarre audition stories
"Never got to audition"
Audition didn't go as planned

[edit] Replacing a band member

Firing band member
1 Auditioning new member
2 Auditioning new member

[edit] Leaving the band

Quitting
Giving notice
Getting fired
Quitting music?

[edit] Promoting/Advertising/Marketing/Managing

Advertising your band
Art of closing the deal
How to call Attention to your music - Derek Sivers PDF
Business cards
Getting gigs

[edit] Gigs

Gig pay

1 First Gig
2 First Gig
3 First Gig

What's in your gig bag?
How early to show up?
Overcoming gig anxiety
What to do if you don't know a song or forget your part

Protecting you and your bandmates from shock hazards and electrical shorts

[edit] Older musicians

Still gigging after all of these years

[edit] Touring

Touring advice
Out of country touring advice

[edit] Stage Management

[edit] Audience

1 On-stage Banter
2 On-stage Banter

[edit] Cables

Cables, Coiling
Cables, taping down
Managing cables on stage

[edit] Equipment

1 Moving equipment
2 Moving equipment
3 Moving equipment

[edit] Sound

In-ear monitors
Going wireless

Getting your sound "live"
Managing sound on stage

To noodle/not to noodle?
Controlling your stage volume
Being asked to turn down the VOLUME

[edit] Stage Arrangement

Music stands on stage?

[edit] Stage Direction

Directing the band on stage-hand signals

[edit] PA/Lighting

First PA
1 What size?
2 What size
Configuring
1 Upgrading
2 Upgrading

DIY monitors
Personal monitors

1 What mixer is your band runnin'?
2 What mixer is your band runnin'?

QSC K series PA amp discussion
Microphones

Low cost lighting

[edit] FOH

Working with the "sound guy"
Cheap vs. Expensive DI
Managing power cables on stage

[edit] Accessories/Instrument Cables/Effects

[edit] Cables

Cables: Instrument/Speaker Differences

1 Cables, Instrument
2 Cables, Instrument
3 Cables, Instrument
4 Cables, High end vs. low end

Cables/Wireless discussion

[edit] Compressors

Compression benefits
Compressor FAQ's and reviews

[edit] Pedals

Pedals that add rhythm guitar type sound

[edit] Rumble/Sub-Sonic/High-Pass Filters

1 Rumble/Sub-Sonic/High-Pass Filter Benefits
2 Rumble/Sub-Sonic/High-Pass Filter Benefits
3 TBr fdeck's v.III HPF/pre-amp

[edit] Stands

Bass stands
DIY digital lyric/music "stand"

[edit] Straps

1 Straps, Comfortable
2 Straps, Comfortable
3 Straps, Comfortable
4 Straps, Comfortable

[edit] BUILDING/FIXING/SHIPPING STUFF

[edit] Cabs

DIY Cab Plans info
Fitzmaurice (BFM) cabs
Greenboy fEARful DIY cabs/plans/builders
LoPhat Cabs-optimized for your choice of selected components-built to be intermixed
Low Down Sound(LDS) custom cab club V3
"Zaclite" 2x10 Fiberglass cab build

Cab coatings explained
Epoxy/Fiberglass for cab building
Cross-overs made to order
Insulating your cab 1
Insulating your cab 2

[edit] Tube Amps

200 watt + tube bass heads
Building tube amp
Learning to fix tube amps
Sunn 2000s amp
How to turn on/off a tube amp
Tube amp techs- recommendations

[edit] Speakers/Speaker Cables

1 Making speaker cables
2 Making speaker cables

Instrument/patch cable making

Speaker reconer recommendations

1 Upgrading/changing speakers
2 Upgrading/changing speakers
3 Upgrading/changing speakers
4 Upgrading/changing speakers
5 Upgrading/changing speakers

Comparing vintage JBL 15" speakers

[edit] Modifying/Setting Up/Repairing/Refinishing Basses

TB's Luthier's Corner
Bass repair
Bass Setup and Repair
Fix stripped neck/strap lock holes

Custom bass pickups/pots
Simple Vari-Tone control

Refinishing your bass
Refinishing paint/info/discussion board

Casting your own parts
Foam rubber string mutes

[edit] Shipping/Packing

1 Packing a bass
2 Shipping a bass
3 Shipping/packing a bass
4 Shipping/packing basses/amps

1 Best way to ship 98lb 4x10 cab
2 Best way to ship large 2x15 cab
3 Best way to ship large cabs
4 Best way to ship large cabs
5 Best way to ship large cabs
6 Cheapest way to ship large cabs

1 Finding boxes for shipping amps/cabs
2 Finding boxes for shipping amps/cabs 2
3 Photos of shipping box/cab protection

Problems with shipping cabs

[edit] OTHER INSTRUMENTS

[edit] Harmonica

Buying/learning harmonica
Types of harmonicas

[edit] Guitar

TB's Guitar Thread
Fingerstyle guitar

1 Best guitar forums
2 Best guitar forums

Visual guitar automatic chord finder website
Jazz guitar/chords/solos

[edit] Keyboards

Buying/learning/playing keyboards

[edit] OTHER

[edit] Tips 'n Tricks

Flashlights discussion
Free software/utilities
Gadgets/Gizmos
Improving your sleep
Lose weight
Instructions on everything
Save $
Tips for living
Rip DVDs