Beginning to Learn to play Bass.

I will be explaining on how to begin to understand bass. this is my first instructable, so be nice! I will not be using tablature teaching. so if you wanna learn fast, go somewhere else. and im sorry i dont have a camera...:(

Step 1 Materials

Sorry, this will be like a science experiment listing.. so ya
Materials Needed Are:
1) 4 string bass (i dunno 5 6 or 8)
2) Bass Clef Music that you would like to learn
3) Chromatic Tuner
4) a little patience.

Comments

[rocknrollskwurl]

ok, i am also learning to play bass and this lays it out great for a begginer(im no newbee on theory and bass cleff thanx to 4 years as a trombone player) but im glad you posted this! it was imposible for me to find anything on the internet when i started playing! i will say though that to help tunning the 5th fret on one string should sound exacaly like the string below it open. also easy begginer bass songs are lowrider-war, blitkrieg bop-ramones, animal ive brecome-threedaysgrace, pinkpanther-the movie/cartoon, and the usual like iron man and stuff. and for the makers of guitar hero a bass player IS more important than a mini fridge

[xZCodmaNZx]

try studybass.comhttp://studybass.com

[LearnToPlayBassGuitar]

You could also try this site to help you learn to play bass guitar

[old_bass_masta]

W00! they should make bass hero, and then drum hero, and possibly karaoke hero XD mini fridges are good. did you know that before the double bass was introduced, jazz combos had tubas instead?

[bounty1012]

Rock band 2 has all those

[wingman246]

well there is a game called Rock Band coming out (not sure when though) It is for XBOX 360 and PS3 I believe. But it is up to four players and each plays a different part, the four parts are vocals, guitar, bass, and drums, google it if you wanna know more.

[old_bass_masta]

like imma buy a ps3 or 360 tho

[bounty1012]

Get a 360 and dont get rock band 2 for the ps2, I got it and it sucks for the ps2 >.>

[xZCodmaNZx]

ps3

[wingman246]

well today i think i heard something about it being available for ps2 also.

[old_bass_masta]

ironicly i just got a ps2

[rocknrollskwurl]

ide love to get my hands on an old standup like in the old jazz groups

[old_bass_masta]

i will be making an attachment for my bass (see last step) to make it a standup, k think of this: Straplock with big metal washer with two metal rods goin like this \ / to a single rod with like a spray painted golf ball on the bottom

[sugg22]

dude, there is a much simpler way - <1) take at least two 2 liter sodan bottles 2) cut off the bottom part of one, and stick the other bottle in about 1-2 inches. 3) then take out bottle 2, and put glue around the area that you are attaching 4) cut a slit in bottle 2 the size of the bottom of your bass 5) sharpen 2 pencils on both ends (remove erasers first), and poke through bottle 1 (bottom bottle) going perpendicualr to the slit in bottle 2 6) slice open a tennis ball, stick it on the cap of bottle 1, and then tape it in place 7) put one large rubberband on one side of each pencil, then bring the band over the horns of your bass, then back down again to the other end.> This takes a bout 2 minutes, and is easily removable with no damage to your bass.

[rocknrollskwurl]

couldnt you just make a wood stand that it stands on so its not attached to the guitar?

[old_bass_masta]

haha, i assume youve never seen a straplock, they attach to a strap and lock into a strap button, and they are removeable

[rocknrollskwurl]

huh, that would be cool

[old_bass_masta]

i put the theory because you have to learn it to play well, I play everything, im thinking doing one about transposing music mentally oh well, and i know the 5 5 5 4 5 trick

[octopuscabbage]

Another cool trick i tought my friend, whos a begginer bassist who likes to jam with me, (me playing the guitar) is just to play the root of the chord. Now in non music theory terms its the lowest note (pitch wise) in a chord.

so if an Emaj chords bass note is just an open on the E (which it is) just play that and if your both tuned up it will sound good.

If you do not understand this just ask your guitar buddy (if you have the same scenario as us) what the root of his chord is.

Another helpful trick, i put my thumb on the string im not playing, in chords such as c, a, and d, to make sure that he understands im not playing the e string.

O and also if your doing that the dots on his fretboard correspond with the dots on the top of your fretboard and the dots on it.

[old_bass_masta]

You sir, are a smart man,
i haven't looked at this instructable in so long, that i forgot that i explained a crapload of theory.
I dont play bass regularly anymore, and when i do, i just fiddle around and just do the root and some rythym.

Bah. you make me feel bad about my music capabilities, havent touched a bass in 3 months, havent touched a guitar in 1.5, havent played piano since july.
Oh well. :P
Keep enjoying the music.

[octopuscabbage]

Hey man, You should keep with it. I actually liked this so much i sent it to my bassist buddy. When i play bass in my band (Even tho im trained as a guitarist) i just read it and If were jammin just play some scales and roots.


Could you maybe write some basic scales, maj, minor and all that good stuff.

Thats not really for him but more for me just cause i need it to write music.

[old_bass_masta]

www.scalerator.com . it generates more scales than i am ready (and have enough time ) to tab out, but at christmas ill throw an 'ible up on my scale secrets.

what to look forward to? Pentatonic minor, Blues, Major

[octopuscabbage]

Id be willing to help with that if need be. I have all the guitar scales in one book just no bass scales.

I can also help with blues scale secrets as i fancy myself a bit of a blues musician.

[SeMi_AuToMaTic]

second picture farthest to the right. what kind of guitar is that? just wondering. Nice instructable, though! i added it to my group, rock band. do you want to join?

[octopuscabbage]

that, sir, is a hofner violin bass. if ur interested in buying one www.musiciansfriend.com has them.

[xZCodmaNZx]

i think gibson viola

[bob.smitty]

That's a Hohner. Like OBM said, Paul McCartney used to play one like that (only in lefty.)

If yer hankering for one just like it, you'll have to settle for used, and pay a premium for the beast. If close enough is good enough, herehere they have one almost like it. and not that expensive eiter.

And, unless you like pain, stay away from the Hondo copy. It's not even good for firewood.

[jhorn51]

McCartney's bass was a German Hofner, not a Hohner.

[old_bass_masta]

Correct me if i am wrong, doesnt Epiphone make one as well as gibson advrtised as te McCartney Bass?

[xZCodmaNZx]

99% sure

[bob.smitty]

Can't correct you because i don't know, but I think it's very likely they did. McCartney was a Hohner, though, so I looked for that.

[old_bass_masta]

ah..lol well thats ok. :D hohner is cool too

[SeMi_AuToMaTic]

i thought epiphone just a sub-brand of gibson.?

[old_bass_masta]

it is.. but not made in usa..

[SeMi_AuToMaTic]

ahhh.....

[old_bass_masta]

violin bass, like the beatles. and yes i will join

[bounty1012]

Lol, F-Holes that sounds awful I think they called them something different on the violin and cello but I cant remember...

[knexguy]

Muzic theory, its boring, but a necessary evil!: Not if you use tab!

[old_bass_masta]

actually it is necessary, some day you may end up playing with a musician that goes: can you do an Eb aolean, and you are gonna be like: WTF??. so you do need to know the terms, the books i use have tab+music so i can get the timing without playing by ear

[xZCodmaNZx]

true