Learning Bass Guitar

Subject: Learning Bass Guitar
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 04 Oct 06 - 03:08 AM

Can anyone recommend a publication or collection of advice for learning how to play bass guitar for English dance music?

Subject: RE: Learning Bass Guitar
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 04 Oct 06 - 03:13 AM

Sorry this thread is redundant I have just found the original!

Subject: RE: Learning Bass Guitar
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Oct 06 - 03:18 AM

Man decides to take up a hobby and learn a musical instrument. He eventually plumps for the bass guitar as there are less strings than an ordinary guitar. His wife agrees to buy him some lessons for his birthday, and off he goes for the first lesson.
When he gets back, she says. "What did you learm today dear?" He replies, "I learnt how to play a D". "Show me", she says, and he duly plunks away on the D string.
The following week, he gets back from his lesson and his wife says, "What did you learn today?" "I learnt how to play a G". "Show me", and he plunks away on his G string.
The following week, he gets home and his wife says, "What did you learn in your lesson this week?" Husband replies, "Oh I didn't go to the lesson this week". "Why not?", she says. "Oh", he replies, "I got a gig".

Subject: RE: Learning Bass Guitar
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 04 Oct 06 - 03:29 AM

No disrespect to anybody but I have been on a computer programme called Gigajam and most of the above is true. I even played with a 14 year old drummer in week 3. However she was a lot better than me, she had had 4 lessons and was well away.

Subject: RE: Learning Bass Guitar
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 10:05 PM

I"m a beginner , beginner if you know what I mean. I'm 44 years of age and all my life I just wanted to play the bass . Just for myself and maybe one day for the church choir. I brought a America fender jazz Bass and would like very very much to learn how to play if .My hand are I would say small for a man would this matter? Is there and good finger excerses that I can do ? Help what to bass player

Subject: RE: Learning Bass Guitar
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 10:39 PM

short scale basses are well worth trying..

usually only 30" neck scales
so easier length for more compact physical stature musicians..

.. or learning scales and riffs around the middle of the neck region
on a standard scale 34" bass neck
to avoid long reaches..

5 string bass is usefull for providing deeper notes in the mid neck region..

i can speak as someone who is a moderately competant electric punkfolkrock rythm guitarist

now making the emergency effort to get to grips with bass playing..


just in case we cant find a suitable replacement bassist
for the poor sod who's just fathered another baby
and cant spare the time for gigging in our band anymore..


btw.. so i recently aquired a 5 string 34" bass to get up to speed on..

and after a weeks intensive practicing..

my electric guitars now seem so tiny in comparison..

and as a unexpected side benefit..

i'm also finding my ability on standard 6 string elecrics has improved
from making my fingers stretch to play bass
and learning more precisely where to locate root notes and scales
in all areas of the neck...

i've also got a 6 string bass which i'm cheating on
by tuning it G -> g
for more folky excursions..

Subject: RE: Learning Bass Guitar
From: GUEST,Jeff
Date: 22 Mar 07 - 05:28 PM

Hey pfrkr,

Try taking up the mandolin as well. Have been playing guitar and bass for a long time and a few years ago while in Ireland I bought a mandolin. Making a study of it has greatly improved my rhythm playing on guitar. It's like playing bass up-side-down. Chord forms and note combinations opened up in way that never occured to me on guitar. While not being a virtuoso by any stretch I play all three well enough to get gigs and demo work. Have recently purchased a mandola and am learning it, too.

Good call about the short scale bass. Fender made a series years ago. I had one for a while and sold it. They're perfect for smaller hands, but you have to upgrade the pickups to gig w/them.

Subject: RE: Learning Bass Guitar
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 22 Mar 07 - 09:25 PM

"It's like playing bass up-side-down."

Not something that you see being done all that frequently...

Subject: RE: Learning Bass Guitar
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 22 Mar 07 - 11:09 PM

hi GUEST,Jeff..

too late.. i already got the mando bug a few years ago...

..and yes.. the 1st major revelation was when i was trying to work out chords,

and also realised it was the same as playing wrong way round guitar strings..

in fact.. i introduced a long time bass guitarist mate to mando last month..

and he took to it immediately.. he might have already bought one by now..

..now if i could only afford a custom luthier built electric bass guitar & octave mandola double neck..!!!!???

Subject: RE: Learning Bass Guitar
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 03:14 AM

I am not sure I am geeting much further but because I play guitar and can hear in my head what i want to play on the accoustic bass that I have.

Some years ago I but a book of Irish tunes that came with a CD. I put the CD on then follow the chords in the tune book simply playing G in G chord and D in D chord bars. Does that make sense?

It seems to sound ok.