Bass Tips


Role of the Bass Guitar - The rhythm section of a band provided the foundation which the singer and soloist place their parts over.  The bass is quite vital to creating a good song for that reason.  Learn about the role of the bass in a band’s rhythm section.

Bassists Guide to the Musical Alphabet - When referring to notes, there are pretty much three ways to refer to notes, actually playing the note, referring to the fret, or using the musical alphabet.  Learning to use the musical alphabet effectively can allow a bassist to communicate with other musicians about parts quickly and easily, regardless of instrument.

Common Beginner Bassist Mistakes - Learning to play the bass guitar is a very progressive skill.  If you learn to play a very basic thing improperly, it will hurt your playing as you build upon the technique.  The longer that mistake is there, the harder it is to get rid of it.  Learn how to avoid some of the more common mistakes.

How to Hold a Bass Guitar - Part of learning to play the bass is simply holding it in a way that makes it easy and accessible.  What might be comfortable for a beginner isn’t necessarily a good way to hold the bass, since a beginner hasn’t experienced the range of motions needed to play bass.  Learn the proper way to make playing easier.

Bass Plucking Techniques: Plectrum vs Fingerstyle - While there are a variety of methods of plucking a bass guitarist, almost every bassist either ends up predominately using plectrum (guitar pick) or fingerstyle to play the bass.  Both styles have their advantages and disadvantages, and learning these can help a bassist figure out which to focus on.

Good Bass Practice - Practice is absolutely crucial to becoming a great bassist.  It is no coincidence that every virtuoso bassist happened to spent a lot of time practicing to become a better bassist.  Learn why this is so important to getting the most from your bass.

Learn How to Get Out of Your Bass Playing Rut - Does it feel like you are stuck writing the same bass lines over and over again? Want to write something new and interesting? Want to create something that sounds unique? Learn how to get out of your rut and start creating brand new bass lines.

Learning to Play By Ear - Learning to play bass by ear is a good skill to develop, but by no means is it the only way to learn how to play bass or the best way to learn to play for many people.  Learn about this skill and its advantages and disadvantages.

Learn How to Play Bass Chords - Using full bass chords is a somewhat unusual approach to bass playing.  However, good use of bass chords can make for some very interesting and innovative bass lines.  While it is somewhat unusual to initially learn for most bassists used to playing single note lines, the end results can be quite amazing.

The Importance of Groove - Getting a proper groove going is generally a vital part of the bassist’s role in a band.  However, it is not an area where there is necessarily a correct way of doing it.  Learn how to develop your own groove and why practice is so vital to being able to develop one.

No comments:

Post a Comment