Can anyone recommend an online source of bass instruction? Something that is methodical and doesn’t just jump around from topic to topic. I’ve looked at ArtistWorks and Scott’s Bass Lessons. I’m a little confused about the latter since it doesn’t seem to have a lengthy lesson plan for beginners. ArtistWorks seems like its more methodical but I’d like anyone to chime in who’s had experience with them. Or any other recommendations. I’ve tried books but don’t like them. Private lessons are too expensive and not conducive to my daily schedule. Thanks for any suggestions
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Best online bass instruction??
- Thread starter BigToeify
- Start date
Give Talkingbass a try. Sign up for a free membership and then go to the Free Lesson Map. There you will find numerous (Free) lesson categories. Jump in and get started. These lessons are well organized and quite comprehensive. Mark also offers paid courses at reasonable prices. All are highly recommended . . .
+1 to talkingbass.net
Mark's lesson playlists on his you tube channel are the best organized I've seen
Mark's lesson playlists on his you tube channel are the best organized I've seen
The trouble with online bass lessons is not everyone does them in a clear manner.
You've got one guy who uses gloves which make it easier to see his fingers work against the bass background,
but has crappy cameras and angles that don't really show what's happening at string level.
Got another guy which has the best camera setups giving a view of what/how he's picking and another cam watching the fingering,
but he uses a blond fretboard & light colored body with pasty pale fingers so you can't always make out what he's doing.
If they'd meld together & throw in some Slow-Mo & closed captioning, they'd have the perfect teaching setup.
Then there are guys who meander through their lessons getting distracted all over the place...
or confusing the BLEEP out of you by using technical jargon that no newbie is ever going to understand.
Then there are the ones whose voice is unintelligible or mumbling, or the mic is placed too far away...
and they REALLY need Closed Captioning, but don't have it.
And even In-Person teachers, when you tell them exactly WHAT you are trying to learn to do/learn,
proceed to push you into music theory instead of teaching you the basics of Fingerpicking and Fingering the Fretboard.
I dunno, teach me HOW to play a Chord, then another, then back & forth between those two chords until I get it right...
then add anther chord and work between the three...ya know, BASICS...Jimmy Buffet style.
All in all, it is a total crapshoot...never know what you are going to get until you open a few boxes.
Find out what you like, what you don't, who you want to learn from, who you don't.
Do you really want a monotone teacher that speaks like the guy who says "BUELLER....BUELLER"??
Of do you want a lively teacher who can engauge your mind?
Great thing about the internet is that there are TONS of options.
But a lot of it will be confusing if you can't ask questions during a canned lesson.
You've got one guy who uses gloves which make it easier to see his fingers work against the bass background,
but has crappy cameras and angles that don't really show what's happening at string level.
Got another guy which has the best camera setups giving a view of what/how he's picking and another cam watching the fingering,
but he uses a blond fretboard & light colored body with pasty pale fingers so you can't always make out what he's doing.
If they'd meld together & throw in some Slow-Mo & closed captioning, they'd have the perfect teaching setup.
Then there are guys who meander through their lessons getting distracted all over the place...
or confusing the BLEEP out of you by using technical jargon that no newbie is ever going to understand.
Then there are the ones whose voice is unintelligible or mumbling, or the mic is placed too far away...
and they REALLY need Closed Captioning, but don't have it.
And even In-Person teachers, when you tell them exactly WHAT you are trying to learn to do/learn,
proceed to push you into music theory instead of teaching you the basics of Fingerpicking and Fingering the Fretboard.
I dunno, teach me HOW to play a Chord, then another, then back & forth between those two chords until I get it right...
then add anther chord and work between the three...ya know, BASICS...Jimmy Buffet style.
All in all, it is a total crapshoot...never know what you are going to get until you open a few boxes.
Find out what you like, what you don't, who you want to learn from, who you don't.
Do you really want a monotone teacher that speaks like the guy who says "BUELLER....BUELLER"??
Of do you want a lively teacher who can engauge your mind?
Great thing about the internet is that there are TONS of options.
But a lot of it will be confusing if you can't ask questions during a canned lesson.
This is exactly why I point noobs to the talkingbass.net you tube Channel playlist page.
Each playlist is clearly labeled and the lessons relevantly organized
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OK books are out. That really leaves videos. I've had good luck asking Google to point me to specific videos.
Mark's stuff on TalkingBass.com gets my vote.
Here is how to do a basic root-five bass line.
root five bass lines - Bing video
Find your root in the first 5 frets. That root's 5th is going to be up a string and toward the bridge two frets, or from your root note down a string same fret. Not a step for a stepper.
Thirty minutes a day with the basic theory paper in Mambo's post will be time well spent. http://www.lifesmith.com/VHS Web/Music Theory - Basic Level.pdf
Bass Guitar for Dummies has an E-Book I would recommend. I still use the patterns in this book.
What it all boils down to is follow the chords and play notes of the active chord in your bass line.
Yep, I let Google call up some fake chord sheet music on a song I would like to play using these search words; chords, name of the song.
Roots to the beat first. When that flows work on using a root-5 bass line. Come back and we'll get into some other chord tones to add.
Mark's stuff on TalkingBass.com gets my vote.
Here is how to do a basic root-five bass line.
root five bass lines - Bing video
Find your root in the first 5 frets. That root's 5th is going to be up a string and toward the bridge two frets, or from your root note down a string same fret. Not a step for a stepper.
Thirty minutes a day with the basic theory paper in Mambo's post will be time well spent. http://www.lifesmith.com/VHS Web/Music Theory - Basic Level.pdf
Bass Guitar for Dummies has an E-Book I would recommend. I still use the patterns in this book.
What it all boils down to is follow the chords and play notes of the active chord in your bass line.
Yep, I let Google call up some fake chord sheet music on a song I would like to play using these search words; chords, name of the song.
Roots to the beat first. When that flows work on using a root-5 bass line. Come back and we'll get into some other chord tones to add.
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Joe Hubbard. He has a beginner program as well as the 2yr bass mastery program. I have been through his 2yr program and it is excellent. I am now studying his new II-V-I program.
If I was a beginner I would definitely check out his beginner program. Joe knows how to teach and his material is the best online IMO.
If I was a beginner I would definitely check out his beginner program. Joe knows how to teach and his material is the best online IMO.
StudyBass is clear, beautifully organized, and entertaining . Andrew Pouska is a gifted bass teacher who knows how to write, produce excellent video, and build web pages that are a joy to use.
I'm in the same situation. About 8 years ago I decided to learn bass. Joined Talkbass as a gold member, bought a couple basses and a few amps. Then work went BAMM. I was suddenly having to implement an electronic medical record at my job without any support. Personal life went away and the basses went into the closet.
Now I am retired and ready to start again. I actually retired earlier than I planned. So, I'm selling off the basses and amps that I bought as a consolation for not having time to have a life. Just keeping one good bass and amp. My concentration is going to be on learning, not buying. Are their any suggestions for YouTube sites for people who know music, but want to learn bass? I play drums and keyboards and always wanted to learn bass. Now is my time.
Now I am retired and ready to start again. I actually retired earlier than I planned. So, I'm selling off the basses and amps that I bought as a consolation for not having time to have a life. Just keeping one good bass and amp. My concentration is going to be on learning, not buying. Are their any suggestions for YouTube sites for people who know music, but want to learn bass? I play drums and keyboards and always wanted to learn bass. Now is my time.
You can check out Ariane Cap: Arisbassblog.com. She has written a well received book "Music Theory for the Bass Player" and two versions of an accompanying online course to work in conjunction with the book. The first version is self paced and the second is a cohort course where you proceed through the course with a group. She has other coursed too like "Ear Confidence." She has also has many contributions, as well as Joe Hubbard, on the No Treble web site which is also a great resource for online.
Damian Erskine has a new website that looks very good, and at the price he's asking you just can't go wrong.
Bass Education
Bass Education
- Jun 15, 2005
- 160
- 74
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Skjold basses,Zon basses,Aguilar,D'Addario,GruvGear
Thank you!! You made my morning Jazzydad. 8)
Damian has just added Modules section to his site, one dealing with walking bass, another with rhythm, there will be those dedicated to improv etc.
As it seems, right now there is no better bang to buck ratio out there in online bass education websites...and I say this, despite really loving some of those others.
As it seems, right now there is no better bang to buck ratio out there in online bass education websites...and I say this, despite really loving some of those others.
OK, I know this is not bass, but damn, this is one really nice course, at a symbolic price!
Explorations in Pentatonic
Explorations in Pentatonic
Just signed up for @damianerskine 's Bass Education. One walking module in, and I still can't believe he's charging less than the cost of a meal at Arby's.
