Where can I learn to play bass?

BuddytheReow

BuddytheReow

Moderator
I just my early birthday present the other day and super excited for some thumpin rhythms. Doing a google search “how to learn bass guitar” turns up all the beginner books and videos. I’ve been playing guitar on and off for 20 years now so I know a lot of fretboard work. I guess I just got to get used to the wider frets and different technique with my right hand. Can anyone recommend a good intermediate book or video course to get me up to speed? Oh, and it’s gotta be free. I’m a cheap ass

BuddytheReow
 
The Ramones

The Pixies (for sure)

Peter Hooke

Check out a band calle The Natural History their bass player was killer.

I mean there is stuff like Flea and Les Claypool and whatever, I don’t know where to get started on that stuff, but I think it’s not as hard as it looks or sounds to play like that.

Really the best thing to do is play either with a drummer, or at the very least drum tracks.
 
Lock in with the bass drum and learn covers like you did with guitar. Take that knowledge and evolve your own style. That’s how I started out, back before the internet…..
 
Coda said:
Carol Kaye does Skype lessons…
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No shit?! If so, then I have little doubt it is the best way to learn.

I should’ve include Motown on the list of material I made earlier. Kaye and Jamerson are amazing. I’m not a technical player, but I’d love to be able to come close to those skills.
 
Matmosphere said:
No shit?! If so, then I have little doubt it is the best way to learn.

I should’ve include Motown on the list of material I made earlier. Kaye and Jamerson are amazing. I’m not a technical player, but I’d love to be able to come close to those skills.
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From what I've read from people who had lessons with Carol Kaye she can be really condescending. A great player isn't automatically a great teacher, plus she seems really bitter and dismissive of bass playing that isn't her own style. Of course do your own research, don't trust me :)
 
You can often tell when a bass player is really a guitarist who picked up a bass and thought "how hard can it be?" I've played with a few too - it's not good. The good news is that if you do play guitar then you know a lot of the important stuff, like where the notes are. There are exceptions, but usually the best bass players play fewer notes than a guitarist would and make them count. They also lock in with the drums as very few guitarists do!

The advice above about listening to the Pixies is good. Kim Deal was never a showboat - she played what was needed with no flash. And if you want to hear how bass can propel a song, dictate how you listen to the other instruments and the song in general listen to Elvis Costello's song So Like candy. That song is a bass lesson in one.

Bass players I admire would be Martyn Casey (Bad Seeds) and Andy Rourke (Smiths) for their ability to make up killer bass riffs for any song. Paul McCartney for being able to play the perfect bass line while singing a completely different line. Robert Levon Been (BRMC) for his unorthodox style.

Don't listen to Ian Dury and the Blockheads until you've got some experience under you belt. It will depress you.
 
This will get you going…



www.talkbass.com

Bass playing for guitarists - tips & pitfalls?

Hello, I'm new to this forum. I have been playing the guitar for more than 30 years (classical, steel string, electric). I've been interested by the...
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www.premierguitar.com

How NOT to Play Bass like a Guitar Player Playing Bass

Pro bassists weigh in on the differences between how guitarists and bassists approach the instrument.
www.premierguitar.com www.premierguitar.com






https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fzX0srFLndk

www.guitarworld.com

A guitarist's guide to playing bass: 20 tips to help you think like a bassist

More at home with six strings? This guide will help you demystify the low-end
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https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6gLzShpVFcs

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PKh975x5j3M

guitargearfinder.com

How to Learn Bass as a Guitarist (Exercises and Tips) - Guitar Gear Finder

Find out step-by-step how to learn bass as a guitarist. Go through some simple bass exercises and learn what bass skills to focus on.
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5 Tips to Move from Guitar to Bass

Do you want to learn how to play the bass or brush up on your skills?
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Learn songs where the bass is the hook, but does it without losing its proper bass function —
https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=11&v=hwZNL7QVJjE&feature=emb_logo
“Stand By Me” as an example,

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dV3AziKTBUo
“The Joker” is another.

Since I don’t know your taste in music, check out Constantine Isslamow,
m.youtube.com

Constantine Isslamow

Welcome to Constantine's Bass World! Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned player, I'm here to help you take your bass skills to the next level. From bass covers of your favourite rock and metal hits to easy-to-follow covers, my goal is to inspire and teach. Don't forget to subscribe for...
m.youtube.com m.youtube.com
he has hundreds of diverse playalongs where you can cop the song 🤟 without the Bullchit “put your index finger on the fifth fret of the second string and play one long note then three short ones, then slide your ring finger down to the first string second fret …” 😤
 
Leeland Sklar started doing a bunch of stuff online where he plays and talks about bass. You can find him on YT. It's not like traditional lessons or anything, but he's kind of the quintessential bass player in my mind: the kind that makes everyone else stage sound better.

A focus on transitions (there are about a million ways to transition from one note to the next) and space (where to put it, when to take it) is what I've learned from listening to him. To me that's kind of the essence of bass playing and Lee Sklar is a master.
 
I hesitate as I don’t want it to look like a ‘shill’ (is that the correct phrase?) but TrueFire has turned my guitar playing around. I really like a couple of the teachers and I think that is half the battle, and so if you have a look at their bass lessons you might find a teacher or two that you click with.

They often have sales, in fact I don’t think I’ve ever bought anything full price, and I have now amassed quite a big library, picking up many course for just $5 each, although they’ve not done a deal as low as that this year.
 
Flying said:
I hesitate as I don’t want it to look like a ‘shill’ (is that the correct phrase?) but TrueFire has turned my guitar playing around. I really like a couple of the teachers and I think that is half the battle, and so if you have a look at their bass lessons you might find a teacher or two that you click with.

They often have sales, in fact I don’t think I’ve ever bought anything full price, and I have now amassed quite a big library, picking up many course for just $5 each, although they’ve not done a deal as low as that this year.
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Stu Hamm has some pretty good lessons there, I do their all access plan
 
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