I want to learn the bass guitar....

[Scoobs]

.....are there any websites that anyone knows of that will be able to teach a complete novice (me) to play bass?

[Speedy]

Good on ya!!!

don't know of any sites,can you play a 'normal' guitar? (6/12 string)

[fizzwheel]

I bought some music books and taught myself to play...

Theres plenty of stuff on the t'internet. If you can't read music like I can't you want "Tab" as this will show you where to put your fingers on the fret board.

Best thing I found was to get some music / tab for a song I liked and knew well and then just keep practising until I had worked it out.

[Treacle]

Scoobs! Check out www.activebass.com Its been helping me a bit and its got a track builder which is really good.

Hope it helps mate.
Matt

[northwind]

I learned by playing and tab, like Fizzwheel... Well, I say "learned", more "became less incompetent". Still rubbish. Learning bass is different from guitar, the actual fingering etc is simpler but the theory's way, way more complex. Unless you're happy to be the bass player that just thumps along under the guitar line, anyway. You can be an adequate bass player far faster than an adequate guitarist, but it's much easier to be a good guitarist than bass player.

Learn Wake Up by the Arcade Fire first :) Satisfying and very, very simple...

[Scoobs]

can you play a 'normal' guitar? (6/12 string)

Errr.....nope!

Like I say, total novice.

Thanks for the advice so far. Anymore info more than welcome.

[Viney]

can you play a 'normal' guitar? (6/12 string)

Errr.....nope!

Like I say, total novice.

Thanks for the advice so far. Anymore info more than welcome.
Dont do it. Learn to play the Tuba. Musch more fun :D

[cuffy]

I downloaded a "learn acoustic guitar" program from limewire for a mate, he got on ok with it, could always look at something like that.

As for me i got no musical rydum what so ever...even manged to **** the triangle up at school :oops:

[Halonic]

easiest way to learn to play bass is to go buy one, pick a song and try and learn it.

master it and then move on to a new song

repeat ad nauseum

the rest can be found in magazines and the great and powerful google

[fizzwheel]

Learn Wake Up by the Arcade Fire first :) Satisfying and very, very simple...

Good plan. I really like that song. Scoobs the other band who's base lines are mind numbingly simplistic are Oasis. Especially on "Definatly Maybe"

[Scoobs]

easiest way to learn to play bass is to go buy one, pick a song and try and learn it.

master it and then move on to a new song

repeat ad nauseum

the rest can be found in magazines and the great and powerful google

I've got a bass and I am going to get a little practice amp.

The question I have is which fingers to use??? Am I analysing this too much? Are there any websites which tell you which fingers to use and where?

[fizzwheel]

The question I have is which fingers to use??? Am I analysing this too much? Are there any websites which tell you which fingers to use and where?

Which fingers do you feel comfortable with ? Theres only so much you can learn from books. Otherwise you'll end up playing like the person that wrote the books. IMHO you want to learn your own style so that when you play you sound like you.

I'm not the best bass player in the world I tend to find that I can use my first and third quite comfortably without stretching to much. I can use my pinky to but then I have to stretch and it makes my hand ache.

When I started I just used my first and 2nd fingers. But then I found for me it was easier to use first and third as that felt more natural.

The strings on the bass are huge as you have no doubt realised. You'll want to keep your thumb behind the neck so you can press on the strings properly as you get more skilled you'll find you need less pressure though.

[Anonymous]

A guy went into a shop.

"Can I help you, Sir?" said the assistant.
"Yes please," said the customer."I want a practice amp - not too big, say about 100 watts, but one with a good frequency range and plenty of knobs to adjust the tone and volume etc."
"Ah," the assistant said. "You'll be a bass guitarist then."
"Crikey," said the customer. "How ever did you know that?"
"Because, "replied the assistant, "This is a greengrocer's shop."

[andyaikido]

A guy went into a shop.

"Can I help you, Sir?" said the assistant.
"Yes please," said the customer."I want a practice amp - not too big, say about 100 watts, but one with a good frequency range and plenty of knobs to adjust the tone and volume etc."
"Ah," the assistant said. "You'll be a bass guitarist then."
"Crikey," said the customer. "How ever did you know that?"
"Because, "replied the assistant, "This is a greengrocer's shop."

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Can't believe it took that long for someone to take the pi$$ out of bassists.

[northwind]

Must be a drummer :)

[keithd]

easiest way to learn to play bass is to go buy one, pick a song and try and learn it.

master it and then move on to a new song

repeat ad nauseum

the rest can be found in magazines and the great and powerful google

I've got a bass and I am going to get a little practice amp.

The question I have is which fingers to use??? Am I analysing this too much? Are there any websites which tell you which fingers to use and where?

there's only one way to play bass...

http://www.ashdownmusic.com/artists/artist_images/markking.jpg

[Halonic]

ok

assuming right handed

strap, attached to bass, whatever length who cares. bass over neck, poke shoulder thru. Fish for jack cable, **** headstock off nearby furniture, amp is already on so when cable goes on, ALMIGHTY CLONK NOISE. And lo we are ready.

Left "does" the notes, right hand plucks the strings. Thickest string to thinest, the bass is tuned E A D G (Or B E A D G C is you are a poncy **** like me). Easiest way to tune it to buy a little electronic tuner (jack cable goes in, select the note you want, aim the needle at the middle). Cheapest way is to buy a tuning fork, **** it on your head and hold it against the body of the bass, then tune till the string and the fork make the same noise. Then tune the other strings to that. The FIFTH fret (the second one with a dot in) on a string is the same note as the string above it. If you want a really poncy way, google harmonic tuning.

right, easy thing to practise, left hand. from thumb, count the fingers as 1,2,3,4. Thumb goes behind the neck, fingers push towards it. first finger, first string, first fret. push it in, then same string, second finger, second fret, third / third blah blah blah, yes the little finger is SUPPOSED to hit the fourth fret, work on it.

Then, right hand, shove thumb pad on edge of pickup (its lazy but its an easy start), same numbering system as left hand (from thumb), try plucking with 1st and 2nd fingers. hitting the right strings comes with time so get with the cocking up.

aside from that? Make with the loud

[Filipe M.]

ok

assuming right handed

strap, attached to bass, whatever length who cares. bass over neck, poke shoulder thru. Fish for jack cable, **** headstock off nearby furniture, amp is already on so when cable goes on, ALMIGHTY CLONK NOISE. And lo we are ready.

Left "does" the notes, right hand plucks the strings. Thickest string to thinest, the bass is tuned E A D G (Or B E A D G C is you are a poncy **** like me). Easiest way to tune it to buy a little electronic tuner (jack cable goes in, select the note you want, aim the needle at the middle). Cheapest way is to buy a tuning fork, **** it on your head and hold it against the body of the bass, then tune till the string and the fork make the same noise. Then tune the other strings to that. The FIFTH fret (the second one with a dot in) on a string is the same note as the string above it. If you want a really poncy way, google harmonic tuning.

right, easy thing to practise, left hand. from thumb, count the fingers as 1,2,3,4. Thumb goes behind the neck, fingers push towards it. first finger, first string, first fret. push it in, then same string, second finger, second fret, third / third blah blah blah, yes the little finger is SUPPOSED to hit the fourth fret, work on it.

Then, right hand, shove thumb pad on edge of pickup (its lazy but its an easy start), same numbering system as left hand (from thumb), try plucking with 1st and 2nd fingers. hitting the right strings comes with time so get with the cocking up.

aside from that? Make with the loud

What he said, but you can skip the tuning part. You're just the bass player, ffs! :lol:

Ok, if you really need to have it in tune there's two easier methods: the first, and somewhat more precise, is to stretch all the strings to the same tension. It doesn't matter what it is, as long as they're equal. The second method, and more fashionable, is the simple art of turning all the tuning pegs in the same direction.

Then you plug a noise gate to remove all the sustain from your sound and leave only the inital thump, you hit the strings hard with your rh thumb while attempting to press down on them with the lh fingers (don't matter which), and basically that's it!

Or you can ignore everything I just said and actually learn something! :lol: :lol:

[northwind]

there's only one way to play bass...

http://www.ashdownmusic.com/artists/artist_images/markking.jpg

With a really, really big hand.

[Filipe M.]

there's only one way to play bass...

http://www.ashdownmusic.com/artists/artist_images/markking.jpg

With a really, really big hand.

Heil to the King! :notworthy: :notworthy: