Adam, I could write a long dissertation on the best way to learn and what to study and who to listen to and what to play, but that fact is that everyone finds there own journey. You will find that many will respond to this post and say you have to do this and you have to do that. But the really there are a few things that I would recommend that you do and your bass playing journey will start.
1) Find a good resource- I would get a resource such as a good book and/ or DVD to help you navigate some of the information that will help you learn your instrument and give you the information needed to help you create your own bass lines.
I have 10 bass books out and would recommend the Complete Electric Bass Method Beginning and Intermediate books, both published by Alfred.
2) Listen to music and bass players and other musicians as much as you can- Find out what kind of music you are passionate about and listen to all you can of that kind of music. Try to imitate bass lines off of cds. This helps develop your bass line vocabulary in that genre and helps develop your musical ear.
3) Find a good teacher - This is not to say that you cant become a good player unless you find a teacher but it would help to find a good instructor to point you in the right direction and help you navigate the world of bass playing. There are good teachers and not so good bass teachers. FIND a Good One.
4) Commit to practicing- Playing an instrument takes dedication and commitment. To learn to play the bass very well and not just average takes a commitment to practice, passion and dedication. You will only get out of it what you put into it. Always practice something that you dont know and cant play. Dont waste practice time playing the same things over and over.
5) ENJOY IT!- If you are not having fun with it, it is not worth doing.
I hope this helps.
Dave
