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Post by fcmonk on Oct 11, 2005 13:32:15 GMT -5
After horsing around a few times at practices and jams, I have found that I really enjoy playing bass and would like to take it up. Right now, I'm pretty clueless, so I had some questions for the bass players out there.
1) Where are good places for lessons? Is online instruction the way to go?
2) Any tips on good basses and/or equipment that won't break my bank account? I'm looking for something that would be good for gigging as well.
I don't want to be Flea or anything; just a solid rock and roll bass player. But I want to learn correctly. I didn't when I started fooling around with the guitar, and now I'm hopeless. Any help the board could give me would be very welcome.
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jobu
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Post by jobu on Oct 12, 2005 6:59:05 GMT -5
Bass is a great, unsung instrument that never gets it's due. I'm glad your taking it up. When I learned, I took lessons, but you really needn't...
Decide upon whether you want to play with a pick or with your bare hands. I recommend the latter for it's tonal possibilities. Fingerstyle rocks. Next, grab your favorite album, put it on and see if you can figure it out. There's no better lesson than pushing yourself to learn something by ear alone. I learned to play by listening to "Moving Pictures" by Rush over and over and over and doing my best to play along with it. Sure, much of it was too difficult for me, but I pushed myself and it really made a difference in my playing. You can learn any album or song though. I have to go to work, but I'll give you more advice after my gig tonight. Good luck.
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Post by fcmonk on Oct 13, 2005 17:22:01 GMT -5
Thanks! I'm normally a singer, but I'm more interested in being the foundation of the music instead of the face of it. Kind of the opposite of how most people go, I guess. I did get to jam on bass a little with my old band and really enjoyed it.
What would you suggest for equipment? I'm going to borrow some from a friend of mine in the interim, but I'm looking for something that's both good for a beginner and gig-worthy when the time comes for that. One stop shopping.
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Post by Johnny 5 on Oct 13, 2005 17:54:01 GMT -5
You might want to look into a Peavey TNT amp. They're real cheap, but you can certainly play a gig with it. As far as basses, Ibanez makes some good cheap basses, check out their Sound Gear line. That's what I started with.
Maybe check out Daddy's Junky Music for some used gear.
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jobu
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Post by jobu on Oct 16, 2005 15:54:34 GMT -5
I agree, for the money, the Soundgear Series is pretty hard to beat. I played one for 10 years and it was very reliable and sounded great. The necks on those babies are incredible. There are a lot of nice, cheap basses out there for the beginner. Play a bunch and pick one that fits your budget, feels good, and sounds good to you. The TNT amp is also a good suggestion. My first amp was a Peavy Basic 60 that I got 17 years ago and it still works and I still use it as my primary practice amp. Peavy makes good "first amps". Best of luck. Let me know if There's anything else I can help you with.
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Post by fcmonk on Oct 17, 2005 6:46:49 GMT -5
Thanks a lot for all your help. I'm going to borrow my friend's Ibanez for a while just to see how things progress. Ever heard of the SX basses from Rondo Music? I've read a lot of reviews online that say that, for the money, they're pretty good. I'm going to get a instructional DVD at GC tomorrow and get started!
I know that it's different for every person who plays, but how long did it take you to get good enough to play out? I'm a singer by trade, but I'd like to add this to my resume, but I don't want to do it too soon. Like now, for instance!
I think I'm the only singer in the history in music who would rather play bass.
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Post by Johnny 5 on Oct 17, 2005 8:16:25 GMT -5
Well, I started off playing guitar, so I had a head start, but I was playing in bars at 14, and I started bass at 13. So, it shouldn't take too long if you're committed to learning on it.
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Post by Johnny 5 on Oct 17, 2005 13:02:04 GMT -5
Also, happy Bday!
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Mike
Scenester
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Post by Mike on Oct 17, 2005 16:27:14 GMT -5
I too would rather play bass than be right out front singing, but I started on the bass 18 years ago and never looked back.
I started on a Peavey foundation and a Peavey TNT 150.
I've had a few Ibanez basses and those are very solid and there are some really good ones inexpensive. Peavey Fury is probably in the same category.
As far as amps go Peavey and GK are good for starters. Ibanez makes a few as well but I would stay away from those.
Bottom line is that there are a ton of options and you just need to get out there and start trying stuff out, go with what YOU like, and most importantly; have fun with it.
And Happy Birthday as well.
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Post by fcmonk on Oct 17, 2005 19:26:16 GMT -5
Thanks guys! I was expecting cards with money, but your bass advice will do nicely!
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jobu
Supporter
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Post by jobu on Oct 18, 2005 6:26:01 GMT -5
As far as how long it will take you to be good enough to play out, that all depends on what you're playing. If you're playing roots all night and not going too crazy, you could be ready in no time! You probably won't be playing Tower of Power any time soon though. Of course it also depends on your determination and practice so you can get a feel for the neck and become comfortable with playing and making it sound good. You'll find that your hands will have to strengthen a little before you feel really good about playing for an extended amount of time like you'll have to at a show, especially since you've never played another instrument. Great to see someone so committed to playing the bass. Best of luck. More questions? just ask.
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Post by lowestfrequency on Feb 22, 2006 19:38:01 GMT -5
Ibanez makes great beginner basses for the money. When I started I played everything I could get my hands on to see what felt most comfortable and the Ibanez Soundgear kept coming out on top.
As for how to learn - it really depends on your dedication to the instrument. One thing I do recommend is learning at least *some* theory along with technique. Knowing how notes work together will shorten the time it takes to learn a song by ear tremendously and improve your improvisational skills.
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Mike
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Post by Mike on Feb 23, 2006 11:14:43 GMT -5
Ibanez makes great beginner basses for the money. When I started I played everything I could get my hands on to see what felt most comfortable and the Ibanez Soundgear kept coming out on top. As for how to learn - it really depends on your dedication to the instrument. One thing I do recommend is learning at least *some* theory along with technique. Knowing how notes work together will shorten the time it takes to learn a song by ear tremendously and improve your improvisational skills. +1 It sounds like the Soundgear basses are the winner of this thread and I couldn't agree more with that and the comments on learning.. |
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greg
Newbie
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Post by greg on Aug 23, 2006 23:04:10 GMT -5
www.studybass.com/Check that website out for FREE bass lessons that are actually pretty d**n good. I played Double Bass in school since 4th grade (now in 10th) so I was pretty much good to go for bass guitar. I went right into playing Les Claypool (Primus) riffs and RHCP etc. pretty tough licks that i was laying down pretty well. Now i'm in a band with my friends so i'm pretty happy with myself. My only bass I have is a Yamaha 170 RBX. It's the cheapest Yamaha bass you can get, and it's still really great. Only thing bad that's happened to it so far is the plastic cover that holds the jack for the amp cord in place cracked because i droped it on that spot when the cord was in, so i had to put like a washer over it for now. And one time i snaped my D string trying to tune it do a G lol.
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Mike
Scenester
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Post by Mike on Aug 24, 2006 8:10:14 GMT -5
Thanks for the website reference Greg. I've never heard of that one before and am always looking for stuff like this. Looks like there is some good reference material on there as well as the lessons.
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