I'm 32 and want to learn how to play bass guitar. No musical background really, played the guitar a "little" in my teens and stopped as real life started.
Do I start with a electric or acoustic bass? I'm not looking to join a band, just want to play for fun. My schedule is kind of busy so is there any good online instructions on how to learn the bass guitar?
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated
By acoustic bass, is this what you have in mind?
If so, I started out on one like this and would not recommend it. Not loud enough, might as well go on to the electric bass. If you were talking about a stand up double bass, go price them, I think you'll be back with the electric bass. I would like to have both electric and a double bass, but, would recommend you get your feet wet using the electric first.
www.studybass.com has already been mentioned. Hal Leonard writes good stuff. I got a lot of value from Bass Guitar for Dummies, and I bet your public library will have a copy.
The major scale box pattern and I are good friends, I recommend this route.
Here is a taste of what you can do.
Major Scale Box.
G|---2---|-------|---3---|---4---| 1st string
D|---6---|-------|---7---|---8---|
A|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
E|-------|---R---|-------|---2---|4th string
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Place the R (root note) on your fretboard and the 3 and 5 are always in the same spot waiting on you.
Music calls for a C chord - 90% of what we do is play chord tones one tone at a time so -- a C chord is made from the R-3-5 intervals of the C major scale so, drum roll, place the pattern over a C note and the 3 and 5 are waiting..... That was a big WOW for me.
Basic Chords
Major Triad = R-3-5
Minor Triad = R-b3-5
Diminished Chord = R-b3-b5-b7
7th Chords
Maj7 = R-3-5-7
Minor 7 = R-b3-5-b7
Dominant 7 = R-3-5-b7
½ diminished = R-b3-b5-b7
Full diminished = R-b3-b5-bb7
Scales
Major Pentatonic = R-2-3-5-6
Minor Pentatonic = R-b3-4-5-b7
Blues = R-b3-4-b5-5-b7
Major Scale = R-2-3-4-5-6-7
Natural Minor Scale = R-2-b3-4-5-b6-b7
Harmonic Minor Scale = R-2-b3-4-5-b6-7
Melodic Minor Scale = R-2-b3-4-5-6-7
Grab some fake chord sheet music and see what you can do. Here is what fake chord looks like.
Code:
C G
Happy birthday to you
C
Happy birthday to you
G F
Happy birthday to dear name
F C G C
Happy birthday to you
Start with just root notes, grab a C note and sing under your breath
when you get to the word "You" change to a G note. Keep singing
and playing root notes. One note per lyric word, i.e. Hap-py gets two
C notes as does birth-day, the word "to" gets one C and then you
change to a G note for the "you". Keep using the G note the way
you were using the C note and when you get to the word "day" change
back to the C note. That's step one, is there more? Sure, but, that's
enough to get you started playing songs.
Keep this as reference material and let Happy Birthday be your first song. Little more on fake chord. Musicians pass among themselves fake chord and lead sheet music. No one is going to hand you bass tabs on the songs the band will be playing. So --- learning how to play from fake chord or lead sheet music IMO is the say to go - AFTER you get all the fundamentals down. Fundamentals - how to hold your bass, how to tune it, how to get sound coming from it, how to mute some of that sound, fundamentals, things like that. Things you instructor will tell you about or you will pick up from
www.studybass.com and Bass Guitar for Dummies.
Good luck.
