BASS LESSONS
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It is my hope to provide you a good, meaningful source of information on electric bass. I can't possibly tell you everything about the bass so why re-invent the wheel?
I will only touch very lightly on the following questions. You will find many many makes and models of basses in music stores. Please use links to web
sites that you can go to and make an informed decision.
(Disclaimer - I am not responsible for the opinions and content for the information contained on links to other websites. Take what you can out of any of the information contained on the web, but be aware that not all information may be truthful)
-Frank
Choosing A Bass Your first bass should feel good in your hands. The neck should be straight with only a slight bow to it. The strings should not buzz. Run your fingers along the bottom of the neck where the frets are. You should not feel any should not have razor sharp edges from the frets.
Choosing Bass Strings
Choosing an Amplifier
Amplifier Companies
Bass Links and Resources: dia Definition for Electric Bass
Bass Lessons
THE BASS
One of the most important instruments in a musical group, the bass is heard in classical, jazz, rock, pop, swing, soul, hip hop, country, country & western, ethnic, and every kind of music that is heard today. The bass player is a key player in any rhythm section. The bass establishes the foundation for chords, playing roots, fifths, walking lines and riffs, keeps time with the percussion or drummer to provide feeling and rhythm to songs, performs as a chordal and percussive instrument at the same time, and can solo to add it's own unique sound to music.
BASS PLAYERS
There are a lot of great bass players out there and I don't mean to that imply that any one player is better that another nor that stylistically any one style is better than another. I like to credit bass players for excellence in what they do. Laying down a groove!!!
Bass Players that have influenced me over the years are: Paul McCartney, Jack Bruce, James Jamerson, Ray Brown, Carol Kaye, Joe Osborne, Donald "Duck" Dun, the various players in Jethro Tull, Victor Wooten, Steve Bailey, Nathan East, Jeff Berlin and a whole lot of others that I've heard on vinyl, disk and radio.
SO WHY PLAY BASS?
Any reason is a good reason to play the bass. What is yours?
Because I want to!
I was chosen by god to be a bass player.
When I pay my bass I am one with the universe.
It is the mother of all instruments.
It soothes my soul.
It is fun!!!
For fame and fortune.
I like the low tones.
Nobody else wanted to.
It's good therapy.
It's cool.
I look cool doing it.
The babes dig the bass player.
The bass player is the good looking one.
The bass player is the intelligent one, etc....
MUSICIAN'S VOCABULARY
The first step to being a musician is to talk like one.
This a partial listing of " Musician's "Lingo".
Axe - Your instrument. "I'm gonna go blow my Axe".
Chops - A phrase that initially refers to one's lips, "I'm gonna "BUST
HIS CHOPS" (a punch in the mouth) in the case of a trumpet player, his
chops are what he uses to "blow into his horn". Transfer that to
whatever you use to play your instrument. In the case of stringed instruments,
to a bass player, your "Chops" are your fingers.
Blow - The act of playing your axe. " Man, I can't blow. My, chops are like
hamburger. or
" I can't play, my hands\lips hurt from playing so much."
Bread - Not the stuff that you eat, but rather what spending money is. Also
"dough".
Jam - Not the stuff that goes on your bread either. To Jam is to play with other
musicians in an unrehearsed setting.
Man - What you call everybody in the world. First person, present tense,
"Hey Man", Wuzup Man", " You know what I mean Man"?
Cat - People in the second or third person, past or present tense, anyone who
plays an instrument. " That Cat is really HOT". Check that CAT over
there with the cool threads.
Hot - A term to describe a player who is playing very, very well. "Man,
that Cat is HOT". "Like, wow man, that Cat is so hot, he's on
FIRE!!!!"
Cool - Acknowledgement, meaning, nice, affirmative, okay, right, great, groovy,
an envious position or whatever"
Gig - A job playing music. " Man, 'I've got this great gig tonight!!
Day Gig - A regular non-music job. " Don't give up your day-gig, man. A
phrase commonly said to people who either don't play or can't play very well, or
in other words (They really suck!)
ATTITUDE
One of the most important things in this life is to maintain a good attitude about yourself and what you do. Your attitude will show in your playing.
You may have heard this before, but to me it bears repeating. "If you are going to do anything, do it right!"
Whether you play for fun, play for a grade or play for money. Don't be afraid to play and play like you mean it.
Don't be afraid to make mistakes, everything is learning experience.
You attitude will carry you to success. You will look and feel like a million dollars when you strap on your bass.
Your bass is an extension of your personality. Show it off.
BASS LESSONS
1. HOW TO PRACTICE
There is an old saying. "Practice makes Perfect". Actually, this is only partially correct.
The correct quote is: "Perfect Practice makes Perfect".
Practice often and regularly. Set aside at least 30 minutes a day to practice your instrument.
Don't rush through a lesson. Start each exercise slowly, work on playing it correctly, then gradually work up to speed.
Work like an athlete training your body to memorize finger positions and your brain to memorize patterns that will eventually work like an automatic reflex.
Work on an one idea or concept at a time. Memorize it, make it a natural part of your routine and then forget it.
2. STRING NAMES E-A-D-G
An easy way to remember the names of your bass strings. E-A-D-G
From lowest sounding string (E) Pluck the open E string and let it ring , then pluck the A string and let it ring. The two tones played one after the other should sound like "Here Comes the Bride" Pluck the A string and the D string. They too should play "Here Comes the Bride", only higher in pitch. Same with the D string and the G string. Now you know your first tune!!!!
3. FRETS
There are frets on the neck of your bass. Each fret raises the sound of "Pitch" of the note by 1/2 step. These are called half steps.(Duh) In reading music a half step is many times identified by a sign for a sharp (#) of a flat (b) This will be explained in more detail in later chapters. There are between 22 and 24 frets on your bass depending on the make and model that have.
HOW FRETS WORK
The sound (pitch) will be higher as you place your fingers further up the neck of your bass. This is because you are shortening the length of the string to the point where your place your finger. For example, open E is the lowest note on your bass. If you put your finger on the 12th fret you are placing your finger halfway up the E string effectively cutting the length of the vibration of the string in half. The results is the E note will sound 12 half steps higher than the open E. This same note sounding higher is called an octave higher. Putting your finger on the 24th fret will result in cutting the string in half again making the string even shorter and raising the sound up another octave.
4. TUNING YOUR BASS
5. RIGHT HAND TECHNIQUE I
There are several ways to use you right hand to strike the strings on your bass. You can use a pick, your thumb, or the first two fingers of your right hand. Also, where you pluck the strings makes a difference in the sound that you produce. You can pluck the strings anywhere from the base of the fret board to all the way to the bridge.
In this lesson we will use the fingers and pluck the strings over the pick-ups.
1. Position your wrist loosely over the strings about where the pick-ups are on your bass.
2. Move your pointer finger across the top of the E string to make a sound.
3. Now do the same on the A string.
4. Do the same on the D string
5. Do the same on the G string
6. Do the same thing using your middle finger.
7. Play each string twice alternating between your pointer and index finger.
Note 1: Start slowly and listen to the sound that it makes. You want each tone to be clear.
Note 2: Make sure that each tone is clear and the two notes that you play sound even with each stroke of your two fingers.
6. LEFT HAND TECHNIQUE T(thumb) 1(pointer) 2(index) 3(ring) 4(pinky) I
Start on the E String. Position your hand like you are holding a small ball in the palm of your hand. Bend your thumb slightly and place it on the back of the neck of your bass.
Place you thumb in the center of the neck. Your thumb position be used by your fingers to apply pressure on the frets.
Place the pointer finger of your left hand on the first fret (1) and middle finger on the next (2) and so on until you have one finger on each of the first four frets. Use one finger per fret.
Practice placing and applying even pressure on the first four frets of each string. Start on the E string and play Open E 1234,
cross over to the A string and play Open A 1234, cross over to the D string and play Open D 1234, cross over to the G string and play Open G1234. Get used to this motion. Start slowly and play each note evenly and concentrate on getting a good solid tone out of each note. You fingers may not want stretch that far at first, but your fingers will eventually be trained to make the stretch.
Once
you place your first finger on fret one DO NOT RAISE IT OR LIFT IF BACK OFF THE
FRET (if you can*)!! Same with the second finger. Keeping your fingers firmly in
place on frets will give you better control and muscle support for your 3rd and
4th finger when you need to use them. *Don't worry too much about it if
you can't keep the first two fingers on frets one and two if you can't stretch
that far. You are working on getting a good clean tone.
7. OPEN STRINGS
Bass Lesson #1 Open String Exercise
Practice Bass Lesson #1 going up and back down the neck. Start slowly and play each note evenly and concentrate on getting a good solid tone out of each note. Your fingers may not want stretch that far at first, but they will eventually be trained to make the stretch.
Notice that the sounds that you are producing are notes that are going up a musical scale in 1/2 steps. On each string the first 4 frets lead up to the next string. The fifth fret of each string has the same pitch as the open sound of the next higher string. For Example: E5 (E string, 5th fret) = Open A A5 (A string, 5th fret) = Open D D5 (D string, 5th fret = Open G E5
Playing with a Pick
Fretted Notes
Notes on Your Bass
Major Scales
Minor Scales
Chords - How They're Made
Chords - How to play
Triads
Modes
Harmonized Minor Scales
The Natural (Relative) Minor Scale
Intervals Ear Training
The 12 Bar Blues
Creating a Bass Line
Leading Into Chords
Passing Notes
The Cycle of Fifths
Modulation
Turnarounds, Intro's & Endings
The Hammer-on
The Pull-off
Vibrato
The Muted (Dead) Note
Damping
Slap n' Pop
Improvisation
Solo Construction
Substitutions
Finger Aerobics
Speed Program
Double Stops
Octaves
Harmonics
Bass Care & Maintenance
Re-stringing
Intonation
Keeping Time
Foot Tapping
Time
Signatures
How to Read Music
Key Signatures
Intervals and Roman Numerals
How to Read Charts
Reading Bass Lines
So now you're ready to Jam
Your first Audition
Joining A Band