• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Easiest method to learn

S

Shaun Russell

Guest
Sep 10, 2014
14
1
60
#1
Ok,
I know I'm going to get a lot of different answers to this question. And to be perfectly honest that's what I'm looking for. I'm 48 and just picked up a bass and am currently learning how to play. I'm not a stranger to music. I've played trumpet in school and know how to play/read music. I put down the trumpet and picked up a drumset to be cool :). I've played drums off and on for most of my life and it's been pretty easy to learn.
But the bass seems to be a little more difficult for me to learn. With the drums I could listen and "feel" the beat and figure it out pretty quick. But with the bass it's different. I can hear the notes but I'm not sure where they are on the neck. As I said I'm a newbie. I'm currently practicing scales and exercises to get my fingers going and coordinated.
I know people have had success with learning different ways ie........private lessons, you tube,books...etc.

I just want to get a idea on what has made the largest impact in you learning?

Thanks in advance for your help,
"The newest on newbs"
Shaun
 
#2
Work on scales and arpeggios--across the neck, up and down each string, and in multiple octaves up and down the entire instrument. That will teach you the neck.

Recommended book--Rufus Reid, The Evolving Bassist.

Learn the music you like by ear. You mention that you know how to read musical notation, so transcribe some of those tunes.

Studying with a good teacher would be a great idea, as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lownote38
#3
My bass playing was done with out the aid of an instructor. However I did use an instructor for my short venture into piano and my longer venture with the rhythm guitar I used an instructor off and on for years. Because of that the move to the bass was not that steep of a learning curve.

Most of what I do with the bass is from fake chord sheet music, because that is the sheet music the directors hand out. I'm sure you have used fake chord. We are given the chord name and how we play that is left up to us. Your drum experience will be a great help. Think back how your bassist and you played together, you both augmenting each other and were the rhythm section. After you get your fingers moving to those chord tones the rest of what we do should click in right away.

Go to the sticky named Getting started, http://www.talkbass.com/threads/how-to-get-started.1098564/ Some great info on where the notes are and what to do with them.

You asked about what method - the major scale box and I are old friends and do everything together.

Major scale box showing scale degree numbers and the root note on the 4th string.

G~~|---2---|-------|---3---|---4---| 1st string
D~~|---6---|-------|---7---|---8---|
A~~|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
E~~|-------|---R---|-------|---2---|4th string

That site I sent you to will go into detail.​

Now I take all this one more step. I take the fake chord sheet music to Nashville numbers, because Nashville numbers and the 1, 2, 3's of the box go hand in hand. Here's an example of Nashville numbers.





Good luck.
 
Last edited:
#4
Your post looks just like one I put up a little while back.
Mine was "52 years old, former trumpet player, know how to read G clef music, play drums, just bought a bass...now what?"
I was encouraged to buy this series of method books, which I did. Worked through them and never looked back.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0793563836

I now play in two bands, a 5 piece originals band and a power trio, where we play Hendrix, ZZ Top, Cream... you know, fun stuff!
Anyway, those books are what worked for me. I can't say they were "easy" but they did the job.
Good Luck.
 
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
  • Like
Reactions: lstelie
#5
don't play the bass like the drums as my drummer does when he gets his heavy hands on my bass, use your trumpet skills , there are a couple of top bassist that have a background in trumpet , Flea , john Entwistle and Miles Davis .learn the major scale and the 3 minor scales ,natural, harmonic and melodic and the pentatonic major and minor scales . also and this is only my opinion , use your fingers rather than a pick. I started out playing with a pick but soon realised that I could do more with my fingers , things like double stopping (playing two notes at once) I play mostly using my thumb and index and middle fingers , but I still use a pick on some of the tunes I play .
 
#6
Major scale grids.

The bass neck has a ridiculously simple grid system for note/finger placement on major scales....if it's a 4 string and it's tuned E A D G.

Finger placements on the grids are identical up and down the neck for many scales.

So for instance if you know the C-scale upper mid neck , you can slide down and play the same thing in G or A because it's exactly the same as far as placement goes.

Try playing all the major scales starting from the root note on the E-string from G on up the neck. (Utilizing the A and D strings also).

You will notice that the grid patterns are the same all the way up.

If you start with the root note of scales but now using the A string ( utilizing D and G strings as well), you will notice the grid patterns are the same all the way up the neck.

The only places this doesn't work are starting from the first fret past the nut and a couple of other places on the low end.....but they are easy to figure out.

You don't get this luxury on a keyboard, believe me.

Once you know the grid patterns of major scales you'll be playing bass to songs in no time at all......
 
#7
You could do worse than buy RockSmith 2014, available for PC,Mac,old and new consoles. Comes with a 1/4" to USB cable. A great way to learn all techniques like hammer ons,slides,etc. Comes with 55 songs,and there are 300+ DLC songs to buy.
I used it to get my bass playing up to speed after 20 years off and now I'm ready to gig again.
Artists include Rush,Iron Maiden,Boston,Green Day,The Who, Aerosmith....
It won't teach you the fretboard though,this you do on your own.
 
#9
While I still get embarrassed when I go into Guitar Center - I can hang with our praise team fairly well with roots, fifths, thirds and octaves. I know I need to improve my fingering but I am having fun - My humble advice - find a group to jam with as often as possible - playing with a band every week has been a blast.

I do try and watch Scott Devine's bass lessons online and try to learn new stuff often.

I also just plug my phone into my practice amp and play with songs I like for 20-30 minutes a day...
 
#11
There is no easy way. A good teacher and time are what you need.
Click to expand...
Sorry I wasn't trying to imply that there was a easy way to learn. I completely understand that it takes a ton of time and practice. I was just trying to find different ways that people have been successful with learning.

Bazztard- I wasn't aware of RockSmith 2014. That's exactly the type of out of the box thinking I was looking for. Thank you sir.

Thanks for all the input everyone!!!
 
#12
Spin Doctor said:
A good teacher will make the most impact. A book can't respond to the inevitable questions that will come up. Plus the books don't generally address the fundamentals like technique, good body positioning, finger independence, etc which will affect everything you play.
Click to expand...
Plus books and computer programs don't tell you when you are rushing, dragging or playing spot on. There is no substitute for a good teacher.
 
#13
Just starting out, I coupled up Ed Friedland's 3 Method books with a live local instructor that was/is very familiar with these books, AND of course lots of practice. Each week or two we would start and complete a chapter. For testing I'd play the lesson song(s) for him. It took me about 15 months to get through all 3 books - start to finish. Any good instructor will have a working knowledge of some Method - I found Ed's to be the most widely know in my area. I recommend you work on finding the best instructor in your area and use the Method he/she recommends as your lesson guide/plan.

Also, really, really, really learn where the notes are on your fretboard and stay away from TAB as much as possible.
 
#16
Yes Reddog I picked up a decent used guitar the other day. It's a six string but my hands are huge.
163_zps57a1c999.jpg

I've been going to the local Guitar Center's bass classes the last couple months but I agree I do need to find a good teacher.
 
#17
I second the idea of learning the Nashville Number System and learning to think in intervals and chord tones rather than scales.

Even if you have no aspirations of being a jazzer I would say to use jazz as a way to learn your way around the neck, harmonic structures, timing, ect. Learning to walk line has a natural progression where you can start simple and jump right in with just chord tones and then learn to use chromatic notes to fill in, which will carry over to a lot of styles. I believe this is what gave the session folks in early Motown and the Wrecking Crew such a foundation and big ears.

You'll need to learn the major scale just to know where the notes are on the fretboard and such, but a chord tone approach is going to be faster and easier than the modal approach than many use. Modal thinking is great for communicating verbally what is going on, but thinking chordally fees up more mental space and gets you using you ears faster, in my opinion.

It also allows you to start jamming faster because you can always just frame the chord progressions in almost any song with a much more limited knowledge. You don't care if the Dm7 is Dorian or not because you can just play it safe with playing the 1-b3-5-b7.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back