How to get better at bass guitar?
Question by THISGUY YOUDONTKNOW: How to get better at bass guitar?
I’m trying to get better but I can’t afford lessons. I would if I could but I can’t. I know the basics like all the notes on the strings and there places on the frets. I know tab and a c major scale.
But I don’t know any chords or how to play staff and I don’t know where to get that info from at least detailed well explained rather than just looking at a chord chart.
Best answer:
Answer by Lamaka Lomoko
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What do you think? Answer below!
Reader Comments
Bassists don’t normally play chords except in certain limited settings (like playing solo). In a band setting they’re too muddy and sound like crap. Don’t worry about chords just yet.
Continue learning scales. Learn to play the major scale pattern from any point on the fretboard. Then a minor scale pattern. Then add other scales like the pentatonic and the mixolydian (starts like a major and ends like a minor, actually very common in popular music genres). You can get a book of bass scales for $ 10-15 or look them up online.
Learn all the major techniques of playing bass – fingerstyle, pick, and slap. Practice playing your scales and songs in all three styles.
Get a book called Bass Fitness (I think it’s about $ 15) and start working through the exercises in it. It will drill your accuracy, speed and finger independence.
Work on learning songs by ear – no tabs. Train yourself to hear the intervals and chord progressions and follow them.
You can also use http://www.studybass.com if you can’t afford a teacher.
Youtube might help you. Just remember, Practice makes perfect