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Who knows how many parts I'll do - possibly just this one, but we'll see...

Why would you wanna play bass?

  • To get started with, it's a bit less intimidating than a guitar, you can get up n jammin' with your mates a lot quicker (no pesky chords to distract you). THough, imho, advanced bass playing is a tricky beast - more so than guitar, but that's a debate for another day.
  • If you got dodgy rhythm, it really helps focus in on WHEN and for HOW LONG you play a note, instead of HOW MANY notes you can play. Forgive the caps, but that idea is pretty darn important to making music. And, imho, the most common thing that guitarists get wrong.
  • Bass playing is about harmony and rhythm, the link between guitar and drums. Without it, feet don't tap and asses don't shake. You only really notice when it isn't there. Trust me ?

So...where to start?

For me, rhythm studies are key to starting to get a feel for what bass does. The most useful thing I've found was www.studybass.com, everything in the fundamentals page is good stuff - but I reckon the concepts that will the most useful in the beginning are Rhythmic Pulse and Rhythmic Subdivision

Adam Neely sums up a approach for guitarists playing bass in this useful watch:

My thoughts after about 2 &1/2 years of hacking away on da bass

I like fingerstyle because it is the sound I like when I hear funky/groovy bass lines. Not that I Ignore a pick, I've got a lot of time invested in pick playing and (especially in the beginning) I was a LOT tighter (and faster) with a pick. In the last band (djenty metal) I played 90% pick and 5% fingerstyle and 5% slap. The sound you get from a pick, was what I needed most of the time, so ones uses what's appropriate.

Don't forget about guitar! Keep yer guitar skills maintained! I ignored guitar for the first year and that was silly. There's benefits to playing both.

Metronomes are cool, but drum loops (and backing tracks) are cooler. I hardly ever use a metronome, I find it soulless compared to a groove. The interactions of bass with kick and snare is pretty darn important in a jam/song and a metronome doesn't really do it for me.

Slappin' da bass, is overrated. I do a little bit of it, but really a good feel (rhythmic) is FAR FAR more important than banging away on the bass like a loon. Ok, it IS gratifying and it can wow peeps on occasion - but sitting in the 'pocket' of a groove is far more satisfying. And, if you don't have a decent rhythmic feel on the bass, slapping is gonna sound crappy anyways ?

Chords do work on bass, but not reallly...I rarely play em in jams and usually only if there's no rhythm guitarist. Double stops on the other hand can be useful for fills and 'punctuation' (E.g. you wanna annoy a guitarist).

Tunes to get started with - try and pick something you already know, makes it far easier.

  1. Any nursery rhyme/commonly used tune (Happy Birthday, Row your boat, etc...)
  2. Anything you already know on guitar, just play the root notes - Metallica tunes are FUN on bass!
  3. Stand by me - Ben E King
  4. In the Midnight Hour - Wilson Picket:. A fun n easy groove, useful intro to a bass arpeggio (major chord shape).

I've got a list of tunes I started out out (about 20, mostly funk/groovy ones), mostly I focussed on a riff from the tune and if got into it, I learnt more of the tune from there.

Comments/Questions welcome, otherwise happy jamming!

Question,

What was the one thing that accelerated your journey in learning the bass?

Ps. Adam Neely has some really good content. I've also posted one of his projects in the"what are you currently listening" thread.

  • V8 likes this.
  • V8 replied to this.

    RCVN What was the one thing that accelerated your journey in learning the bass?

    And that's a very good question.

    Short answer: Getting out the bedroom and being in a band - that had goals (learning songs, playing gig's, recording album). It helped keep me honest in constantly practicing and grinding away at shit that I just couldn't get easily.

    Longer answer: But it all started when I got fed up with guitar and guitarists. Wanted to get into the mind of being a bassist (though I'd been for lessons and gigged as a bass player before, I'd never taken it seriously).

    After about 6mths of grinding away on studybass and youtube - I got the chance to play in a djent band (my last choice as a genre, but the guys were really good musso's and nice guys as well).

    Eventually though, it became a hinderance too - because what I wanted to learn, wasn't what I needed to be real good at to execute 180bpm djent. But the time djenting was very well spent and I got loads of confidence out of the process - I can walk into a jam and know that I can throw down a groove as a actual bassist. ?

    RCVN Ps. Adam Neely has some really good content.

    He does! Though he loses me often as he geeks out on music, can't fault his passion and how dedicated he is. There handful of bass youtoobers I like, mostly technique or covers - he's the one that covers more esoteric musical stuff, which is fun too.

        V8 And that's a very good answer.

        Join a band - Noted

        I really enjoy the theory crafting aspect behind music (or anything actually), that's one of the reasons I went into Jazz. So I really enjoy the geek-ing out of sorts.

        And how can you not mention Mr. 504 himself?

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        • V8 replied to this.

            RCVN Join a band - Noted

            The Garage days thang, is also great - do try it out! It's regular, there's a list of tunes to learn and everyone is real into it - wish I was in that neck o the woods to join up.

            RCVN that's one of the reasons I went into Jazz. So I really enjoy the geek-ing out of sorts.

            Got into jazz by accident - when I went for guitar lessons the best place was The Jazzwork Shop - so I got infected by a jazz teacher. Eventually, because I was rhythmically challenged, he kicked me across the hall to the bass teacher for 6 mths - damn...that guy can play. Really got a appreciation for what bass (and keys - he plays both like a monster) do in jazz.

            I listen to a fair amount of jazz, do enjoy some of the complexities and geeking out a bit - though - I'm more of a - four on the floor, making booty shake - kinda guy.

            A.t.m I'n listening to Emily Remler, super feel on guitar - the whole band is killer (Bass line in Antonio is rippin')

            RCVN And how can you not mention Mr. 504 himself?

            Easily...Davie is inspiring, but I'm kinda over the gimmick. I keep an eye on MarloweDK , Scott's Bass Lessons, Talking Bass and Cover Solutions - there's a few more, but those fellows have regular content and there's ton's to dig through.

                  V8 I wanted to join Saturday, but I ended up being in Rivonia till 12:30 - Its easy to lose track of time in a music store.. Got my rig sorted at least. Ampeg PF210HE Bass Cab with a Trace Elliott Elf. I'll replace the elf in due time. The two was sold as a combo deal for less than the selling price of the cab alone so I couldn't just leave it.

                  I'll have a listen, any other suggestions? I've listened to quite a bit of fusion and Miles Davis, but my range of music in regards to Jazz is quite limited.

                  • V8 replied to this.

                      RCVN I wanted to join Saturday,

                      Bass makes the most sense with other instruments - guitar I play solo, drums I have fun with backing tracks - but (for whatever reason, I have theories) I enjoy playing bass most with other peeps. Jams more so than band practice - but maybe that's just me.

                      RCVN Its easy to lose track of time in a music store.. Got my rig sorted at least. Ampeg PF210HE Bass Cab with a Trace Elliott Elf.

                      Bwahahaa, that's soooooo true! My sat's are usually spent entirely at music stores - whenever I say "only a hour", it's four or more hrs before I leave. That's a damn sweet rig, very nice - it'll take ya far :thumbup:

                      RCVN I'll have a listen, any other suggestions?

                      Well, now you've done it. I thought jazz was a dirty word around GT...though I'm no connoisseur, I like what I like (I seem to like groovey tunes or peeps who have great phrasing in/with their melodies) , Also, I typically enjoy albums and not artists (Emily Remler is an exception, I like everything she did).

                      If you havn't yet heard Chameleon, you are in for a treat - easy and fun groove on da bass

                      No bass in this one, perhaps not regarded as jazz, but...

                      The entire concert (Live at the Hollywood Bowl) is killer, Feels so Good is just amazing, but we'll leave Mr Meeks on the bass have the spotlight today.

                      The bass jazzcats rave about Jaco Pastorius - personally I don't get it, but this track was waaayyy ahead of it's time (loopers & fx)

                      Stanley Clarke is regarded a bass n jazz legend. It's not something I find alll that listenable, but you may enjoy.

                      Smooth, but interesting Piano jazz from Ryo Fukui

                      Sheesshh, I almost forgot Hugh Masekela- this whole album is ***ing great

                      I gots more if ya interested ...enjoy!

                            V8 Well looks like I've got some listening to do. Thanks!

                            • V8 likes this.
                              2 years later

                              And a bump, because it's useful to be reminded that bassists are (if only barely) humans too 😆

                              I wish I could, but I just can't. I think there's a certain way real bassists hear music that doesn't overlap with how I hear music. For an instrument that usually requires single-note playing, the relative sparseness of bass notes means a great bassist is almost invariably incredibly clued up on how music works, so that whatever he/she plays fits and makes maximum impact. But what really gets me about great bass players is their timing. They just put notes or stresses in places where I wouldn't think to. I bought a bass with the intention of using it to lay down grooves on my recordings, and ended up selling it quite soon after because I played it like a guitarist. I hired Jason Green (RIP) to do the parts and, well, that was that - I got real bass on the tracks.

                              Bluetone I think there's a certain way real bassists hear music

                              Really good point! I've had a bass for almost as long as I've had a guitar (but played it only about 10% as much) - so I thought I kinda did have a ear for the low end (I blame Sly and the Family Stone). Which was exposed as "no you don't" when I was in the djent band trying to get my head around a 5 string with the low b string. I just couldn't hear nor feel the bass in that lower register - which was both frustrating and interesting - because I had to really listen.

                              So I think perhaps I had a unconsciously developed a ear/feel for the bass in a standard (E A D G) tuning and then when one added in the low b, I had to get back to bass-ics (heh) and consciously listen. Which took quite some time (at least 6mths of actively practicing).

                              Bluetone They just put notes or stresses in places where I wouldn't think to

                              Nailed it - I've always dug ghost notes in a truly talented players style. But also being able to move the from the up to down beat at will. Making the kick &/or snare phatter or snappier at will. When I'm really playing sweetly, then that's happening pretty much on automatic - sadly that doesn't happen often - I guess so it's all the more rewarding when it does 😉

                              But having heard your challenge entry, you gots timing - I think acoustic guitarists in general are better as there's less place to hide. Usually a jazzcat can pick up a bass and play well, they pretty used to having to lay down a solid bass note to accompany the melody?

                                  Thanks, V8. Ja, I think what I really wanted to say was that I think there's a difference between consciously focusing on certain subdivisions to get a different feel and someone just naturally finding that different/syncopated groove. For instance, ten minutes into the interview with Dishan Abrahams on the That Pedal Show channel he starts playing a groove and the drummer falls in, and it just doesn't feel like a groove I'd play (if handed a bass guitar) naturally.

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                                  • V8 replied to this.

                                    Bluetone Dishan Abrahams on the That Pedal Show

                                    I watched a bit of that now - dude's got a great feel and a crystal clear view of a bassist role. Interesting his take (as a real bassist) and mine as a re-treaded guitarist learning/trying g to be a bassist is more similar that I could hope!

                                    I reallly dig his groove - kinda funk sleaze that I aspire too. Though, I cannot get with flat wounds - I know they are a thing, but just not my thing. I'd rather roll the tone off a bit, but I'm sure that's the guitarist side of me wanting to be be heard in the higher end 😅

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