learn to play the bass

How I did it: I decided, seemingly out of the blue, to play the bass, I went out four days before Christmas and spent my hard earned cash on a Fender- Squier jazz bass. No amp, no cables, no instruction books. Just the bass. I was so excited about having it, I almost forgot I needed to learn to play it. I started by getting simple tabs off the internet, learning to play them. My fingers hurt like crazy for the first few weeks. I sucked. But I kept going. I got an amp and cable for my birthday, I was pumped. After about four months, I was really getting discouraged, I wasn't taking lessons, and wasn't improving at all. So I went out and bought the Hal Leonard instruction booklets for bass. I started using them and began to improve. After learning basic theory and different styles of music, I was "ready". I played every day for several hours after school, it was all I did. Then, in the early summer I was invited by one of my friends (an excellent jazz guitarist who has taken lessons for 6 years) to go jam at his house. He was so patient with me and my fumbling skills. He showed me some theory and the basics of bassline construction. Over the summer, I played constantly, learning song after song. I joined the school marching band, where I learned to play a completely different type of music in the pit. This gave me so much more time to practice and work on my style and technique. At the end of August, my large (300-400 person) youth group held band tryouts. One of my friends forced my to go and audition for bassist. I made it!! I've been playing there now and it has exposed me to so many excellent musicians. The bottom line is, you don't need an instructor who overcharges you, or even a fancy rig. You just need time, patience, an instrument, and discipline.

Lessons & tips: 1. start with a complete rig (bass, practice amp) being able to hear yourself is a huge help.
2. use instruction booklets and complete them all the way. don't skip over the stuff that seems simple and too easy, that "simple stuff" will really matter later on.
3. jam with other musicians, especially drummers. jamming with others who have a higher skill level that you will force you to rapidly improve.
4. challenge yourself with new music and songs. listen to many different genres, try and pick out the basslines.
5. learn proper technique. alternate you plucking fingers. use one finger per fret. USE YOUR PINKY!! if you start using these correctly, it will make playing complicated stuff later so much easier.!! 

Resources: Hal Leonard FastTrack instruction booklets 1&2

Nov 23, 01:14PM PST | 0 comments