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Learning Songs

#2
Tab can be a beginner`s ally or enemy. Tab is great...when it`s right. So much of it out there is horrible. If your ear isn`t developed to some degree, you won`t know what`s right or wrong. As well, tab doesn`t give you the rhythm. When I started I bought a few tab books (no `net then :eek:) They were dependable, albeit simplified versions - they worked great for me. There is a fairly new website called Songster, I think. It shows the tab in real time as a MIDI version of the song plays. I`ve checked it out a couple times - seems pretty accurate. I think they have some sort of subscription plan that allows you to slow the songs down, loop sections, etc. Learning tunes in the beginning is what keeps the fire alive in your learning process, but don`t neglect learning the basics through lessons or books. Hope that helps ! :bassist:
 
#10
thorn94 said:
I'm fairly new to the bass. How do you guys learn songs you want to cover?
I can't read music or figure it out by ear so is tab the only option?
Thanks :)
Click to expand...
Tab will let you memorize 8 1/2 songs and then you start forgetting the first ones. Forget tab it's a dead end. That leaves you several options.

  1. Read standard notation. Even if you could read standard notation finding bass clef on the songs you want to play is hit or miss.
  2. Play by ear. Good luck with that - long time coming.
  3. Find some fake chord or lead sheet music on the songs you like to play and play chord tone interval numbers, i.e. build your own bass lines. Chord shown is C major. Bunch of C's would work R-R-R-R or R-R-8-8 or R-3-5-3 whatever fits the groove best.
  4. Get some basic theory under your belt, grab a cookie cutter chord progression, watch the rhythm guitar's hands, change chords when he does and jamm away - with your own bass lines.
  5. Combine all of the above.

Yep, use a little of each. Pick one and get started.
 
#15
Órale,
If you want QUICK gratification, but will in the end, not develope your ear, which in my opinion, is the most important ally you'll have aside from learning to READ REAL MUSIC, not tab( junk), and develope your sense of timing and groove, and developing a work ethic you'll carry with you your whole playing career, than tab away...:hmm: but if you want the proper tool's, than grab your disc's and player, MP3's, album's(?) and dig in!
Now you have youtube...to visually see hand placement, picking technique, notes on neck, ect...can you tell I'm fitty year's old?
 
#16
Initially, I was on the tabs bandwagon. Soon, though, I began to realize how plain wrong most of the tabs are. That's the major reason why I detest tabs. Ears FTW!

Using ears to learn songs may take a little time, but, simply put, with tabs you'll never really understand how to play according to what you hear. This will be a massive hindrance when playing with others.

Just my 0.02 :)
 

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