How to get started?

[Plissken]

How do I get started in becoming a solo bassist? What skills do I need? What do I need to learn to compose my own songs? I know these are broad questions but I really just want a general direction to move forward in.

I play bass for enjoyment, and taught myself how to read music. I recently finished going through the three part Hal-Leonard book by Ed Frieland and Mel Bay's Note Reading Studies for Bass (how I learned to read music), practicing scales with a Bunny Brunel scale book. Now that I finished the basics hal-leonard book, I'm kind of in a rut where to go next. I want to learn solo bass, how to compose solo arrangements and pieces for bass but material seems to be lacking, and what is available seems like it's too advanced. I've just been playing pieces from J.S. Bach for Bass in the meantime.

So, in short, where do I go from here to learn solo bass?

I don't have a teacher right now, and I'm not sure I can afford one (time and money) but I was thinking of Skype lessons with Aram Bedrosian or Lawson in the future.

 

[Michael Manring]

I'm glad to hear you're interested in pursuing solo bass, Plissken. Studying with a bassist you admire is almost certainly your best bet. Also I recommend that you continue learning as much about music as you can. Each bit of knowledge is a tool you can use and I think you'll find the learning process inspiring. There's no minimum skill set or particular knowledge base you need to become a solo bassist, but it's almost always best to give as much to the musical process as you can. Listen to as much and as many different kinds of music as you can.

Try learning some solo bass pieces by a bassist you like or work on arranging some other music you enjoy for solo bass. You can't go wrong with Bach, but there's no need to stop there!

 

[T. Alan Smith]

Yeah, trombone being my background, try finding sheet music for trombone, tuba, any bass clef instrument.