Bass Learning Resources

[jeremyb]

Whose got some good video suggestions? Don't really want to play bass like a guitarist....

[WellyBlues]

https://www.talkingbass.net/

[sirvill]

Whose got some good video suggestions? Don't really want to play bass like a guitarist....

Worked for Geezer Butler.


Scott's Bass Lessons (Youtube) is pretty awesome

[Danger Mouse]

Don't really want to play bass like a guitarist....

Yeah because bassists hate it when you show them up

Although there is an element of truth to that joke, I used to play bass in a covers band and had a bass player from another band congratulate my excellent bass skills, but all I was doing was basically playing guitar licks on a bass.

[sirvill]

Best bass skill is locking in with drums and getting out of the way of the melodic instruments most of the time!

[jeremyb]

Don't really want to play bass like a guitarist....

Yeah because bassists hate it when you show them up

Although there is an element of truth to that joke, I used to play bass in a covers band and had a bass player from another band congratulate my excellent bass skills, but all I was doing was basically playing guitar licks on a bass.

I'm not a particularly good guitarist so it would be nice to learn bass properly, rather than be "just another failed guitarist" [tm]

[Danger Mouse]

Best bass skill is locking in with drums and getting out of the way of the melodic instruments most of the time!

I guess this is why I seemed to make a good bass player, my sense of melody is shit, but my sense of rhythm is excellent.

[Vince]

I'm not a particularly good guitarist so it would be nice to learn bass properly, rather than be "just another failed guitarist" [tm]

I think that's a terrible idea.

Just play lots with other people, develop your own voice and stop worrying about sounding like someone else's definition of what a bass player should sound like. It's supposed to be about expressing yourself, why on earth would you want someone to tell you how to do that? Seems very counterproductive to me.

[jeremyb]

I'm not a particularly good guitarist so it would be nice to learn bass properly, rather than be "just another failed guitarist" [tm]

I think that's a terrible idea.

Just play lots with other people, develop your own voice and stop worrying about sounding like someone else's definition of what a bass player should sound like. It's supposed to be about expressing yourself, why on earth would you want someone to tell you how to do that? Seems very counterproductive to me.

Hmmmm thats a good point, I've got my own thing going on with guitar...

[Mattallica]

I'd suggest learning songs that have sweet bass lines in them and practicing techniques other than picking

[calling card]

Have you been promoted?

[jeremyb]

Have you been promoted?

HA! Nope, purely for expanding my skills and trying to record some of my own songs at home

[jeremyb]

It's pretty easy if you know your theory and the chord changes. Just try to hold down the roots and outline the main chord tones with your arps. Try to spice it up melodically but always remember your going between the tones of the chords, don't get lost. Maybe record some bass, that's always a good reality check. Try to mix up more syncopated stuff with the usual eighth note stuff. I guess it depends on your genre really too. No harm in using some effects too.

Yeah theory knowledge is almost zero, really need to work on that

[calling card]

It's like changing gears except leave out 2nd. I mostly stay in 1st.

[jimi]

My 2c... Timing is everything. Learn to lock in with your drummer, always have some sort of timing thing going when practicing - drum loop / metronome / foot tap etc. Its not so much about what note you play, and all about when you play it - the wrong note at the right time sounds better than the right note out of time.

Learn to blame the drummer for your mistakes - the drummer is already blaming their mistakes on you, get some payback.

And check out Frey's Youtube link if you haven't already. Larry Graham is the man.