Things that all new players should know.

[Against Will]

STRETCH

Warm-up, stretch, try to stay flexible and limber. You'll feel better and will have fewer back/neck/wrist trouble.

 

[jenderfazz]

STRETCH

Warm-up, stretch, try to stay flexible and limber. You'll feel better and will have fewer back/neck/wrist trouble.

Yeah, take care of those hands. I even put cream in the winter to keep them moisturized and in good shape. Stretching is good, as is warming up.

 

[GrooveSlave]

Set goals for your music and work in an organized way to achieve them.

As Pacman said. "It's a lifelong process...". Realize that there is no substitute for time and experience. Just mentally commit to putting in whatever time it takes to learn your instrument.

Play your bass EVERY day!! I shouldn't need to say this, but I'm amazed by the people I've come across in my travels who don't practice.

And finally - practice with a metronome, as much as you can. Bass is just a big guitar unless you make it groove!

 

[mrsal]

I agree with DaVEPe on the 'drag-the-teacher-along'. Really helped me!

But probabely the most important thing you should talk about to new players is: listen to decent bass players! A lot of kids out there who want to start with bass think it's as simple as hitting an E over and over again thanks to those crappy bands they have on MTV nowadays. Have them listen to complex basslines, you know: the good stuff. If they still want to play bass after that, you know they don't pick it up because they think it's easy.


And what exactly is a setup ?

yes dragging a teacher along is a good idea, i didnt, but i did end up going out of the store with a decent ibanez to start on, and later moved onto the fender jazz. and with part 2 of that, do have them listen to the complex lines. i started out when i thought that it was all rock and roll... ive been playing for 6 years, and i have nothing to show for it because of the constantly hitting the e over and over...

 

[dave64o]

... ive been playing for 6 years, and i have nothing to show for it because of the constantly hitting the e over and over...

Holy cow, the last post before yours was made before you even started playing bass!

 

[EdHunter]

Playing with other musicians (especially if they are a little better than you) is the single best way to learn and improve as a bassist. That and achieving 100% familiarity with the instrument are paramount.

 

[baileyboy]

I first started playing in 1980 when I was 15. I knew nothing about a bass, except changing the strings, which I figured out how to do. Since I was very shy, and didn't want to look like I didn't know what I was doing, I did not ask questions. There was no easy access to bass information, no Internet, etc. I knew nothing about set-ups, intonation, truss rods, had no idea that any maintenance was even needed. I played the bass until it didn't sound right and then traded it in or sold it. Thinking back, I went through lots of basses in those days because I was always looking for that perfect sounding bass. Little did I know that the Fender or Ric I was trading in really just needed a set-up On a positive note, I sampled many different brands of basses and was able to discern which models suited me best.

 

[Jim Nazium]

Don't hook up with the singer.