I am a recent guitar to bass convert (I still play guitar) and I have been working on technique, and my sight reading mostly. I am nowhere near the level I am on a guitar yet, but I am coming along ok I guess. Two weeks in and I can play Rage Against The Machine's Bombtrack no problem with the recording. I am going to start on Zeppelin's the Lemon Song next, but would like some suggestions on other songs that would be good to improve my current level of playing, but not too out of reach. I should also mention that I am working out of a classical double bass book and going through Slap It! for slap stuff. Any advice would be great. Thanks.
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- Thread starter Sabin
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I would say do a lot of fingering exercises. Dexterity is crucial. And also work on knowing the fingerboard up and down. This is done by knowing scales and where all of the notes are in all of their octaves.
You are on the right track playing along with recordings of your favorite songs!
A really great exercise is to put on a pop/oldies/classic rock radio station (so you don't know what song is coming next) and see how much you can figure out in the 3 minutes duration of each song. Maybe not so much the exact bass line note-for-note (at first) but can you figure out the key, the chord progression, important riffs/hooks, spots where the bass is responsible for leading the band into a transition? If you know the most common chord progressions (I-IV-IV, I-V-vi-IV, etc.) and can play the root on the downbeat in good time with the drummer, you are well on your way to being a good bass player.
A really great exercise is to put on a pop/oldies/classic rock radio station (so you don't know what song is coming next) and see how much you can figure out in the 3 minutes duration of each song. Maybe not so much the exact bass line note-for-note (at first) but can you figure out the key, the chord progression, important riffs/hooks, spots where the bass is responsible for leading the band into a transition? If you know the most common chord progressions (I-IV-IV, I-V-vi-IV, etc.) and can play the root on the downbeat in good time with the drummer, you are well on your way to being a good bass player.
Thanks guys.
I guess I should have mentioned that I teach guitar for a living, so I know the neck up and down like the back of my hand, and I figure songs out by ear all day so that isn't much of a problem either. I know my theory really well too. I guess I am just looking for bass specific things - things to teach me more about playing the bass like a bass player and not like a guitarist. My right hand hand still needs some work, but I can drill scales up and down the neck as 16th notes at 120 bpm or so, but I am looking for locking down more of a groove. Hard to explain I guess.
I guess I should have mentioned that I teach guitar for a living, so I know the neck up and down like the back of my hand, and I figure songs out by ear all day so that isn't much of a problem either. I know my theory really well too. I guess I am just looking for bass specific things - things to teach me more about playing the bass like a bass player and not like a guitarist. My right hand hand still needs some work, but I can drill scales up and down the neck as 16th notes at 120 bpm or so, but I am looking for locking down more of a groove. Hard to explain I guess.
It's all about feeling the groove for me. Don't worry so much about proper techniques; just do what feels right.
Personally, I've learned more about bass from watching guitar players than anywhere else. That may be sound heretic to a lot of players, but in my case it's true.
The best advice I can give to a guitarist transitioning to bass is this: less is more. You don't have to be right out front in the mix to be noticed. With guitar, people hear it. But with bass, people FEEL it. It's a primal thing. So lock in with the drummer and just groove!
Personally, I've learned more about bass from watching guitar players than anywhere else. That may be sound heretic to a lot of players, but in my case it's true.
The best advice I can give to a guitarist transitioning to bass is this: less is more. You don't have to be right out front in the mix to be noticed. With guitar, people hear it. But with bass, people FEEL it. It's a primal thing. So lock in with the drummer and just groove!
Welcome to the low end!
I don't know whether to tell a guitar teacher, but muting is the key to a better defined tone. Keep the unintended noises away from the pickups. Playing finger style, both hands are involved in the muting process (flying thumb, playing finger landing and resting on next string). Using a pick the fretting hand has to do most of the muting.
I don't know whether to tell a guitar teacher, but muting is the key to a better defined tone. Keep the unintended noises away from the pickups. Playing finger style, both hands are involved in the muting process (flying thumb, playing finger landing and resting on next string). Using a pick the fretting hand has to do most of the muting.
