Learning Bass Guitar

Bass Guitar Plucking

Learning Bass Guitar — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 00:02:04 +0000

There are lots of different ways to pluck the strings of your bass guitar. None of these are right are wrong, but some are better than others. The best way to learn is to try out as many styles as possible and see what works for you. With that said, here is a simple step by step guide to the way I pluck the strings.

Before you begin plucking it is very important that you trim your fingernails. Then try to relax your hands and keep your wrists as straight as possible. You should ask your teacher to explain the best way to hold your wrists to avoid injury. Once you are relaxed let your plucking hand fall loosely, free from tension. You are now ready to start plucking.

The best way to develop your plucking style is to begin by alternating your index and middle finger. It may seem easier at first to only use one finger, but this will prevent you playing more interesting patterns and is a very bad habit to get into.

You should allow your thumb to rest on the top of the pick guard, a thumb rest or on a pick up. This is personal preference and wherever you place it you should feel comfortable plucking the strings.

When you get the hang of plucking the strings the next challenge is muting strings. This is almost as important as making them sound. This topic is discussed in detail in another lesson. For the moment check out this excellent video on bass guitar plucking.

How To Hold A Bass Guitar

Learning Bass Guitar — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 23:37:54 +0000

When you look at experienced bassists you will notice that there are lots of different ways to hold a bass guitar. Some of these methods may look very cool, but as a beginner you should really concentrate on learning what works. There is no point looking slick if you can’t get your hands in the proper position to play the strings.

The first time you get your bass it is best to sit down to adjust the strap. This will make the process a lot easier. Eventually you will be able to strap on your bass quickly and easily, but for now you will need to do everything step by step. This is because if you strap on the bass incorrectly two things can happen.

If the bass is too high your right hand (assuming you are a right handed guitarist) will feel uncomfortable as you play.
If the bass is too low your left hand will be stretched and you will place unnecessary stress on it as you play.

The correct position will guarantee optimum position for both hands whether you are sitting down or standing up. The 3 steps below explain how to hold your bass.

First of all attach the thick end of your strap to the strap pin on the bass guitar’s neck. Then attach the thin end to the end pin on the body.
Hold the guitar firmly with your left hand and place the strap over your right arm, shoulder and your head.
Adjust the strap length until the strings of the guitar are situated around your belly button. and then fine tune until you feel comfortable. Have a look at the video below for a better idea.

Learning Bass Guitar Tuning

Learning Bass Guitar — Thu, 21 May 2009 01:11:25 +0000

There are many different ways to tune a bass guitar, but by far the most important is relative tuning. This is where you tune the bass guitar so that it is in tune with itself.

This method can be difficult at first, but a little practice and effort now will save you a lot of time in the future.

The first step to tune a bass guitar relatively is to find a reference pitch. The easiest way to get a reference pitch is to find a second bass guitar and try your best to make the 4th strings sound the same. You can also use free internet tuners for this.

Once you have the 4th string tuned the rest of the strings are easy.

Play the 4th string of your bass on the 5th fret. Listen to the note. Play the 3rd string open. Do the two note sounds the same. If they do the 3rd string is in tune with the 4th string. If they don’t, tune the 3rd string until both notes match.

Now play the 3rd string on the 5th fret and try to make it match the 2nd string played open. Then play the 2nd string 5th fret and try to make it match the 1st string played open.

Have a look at the video below for more help with relative tuning.

Bass Guitar Fretting

Learning Bass Guitar — Wed, 13 May 2009 01:04:32 +0000

This post is all about using your fretting hand when playing bass guitar. There are lots of different ways to fret, some techniques are obviously better than others. This post explains some of the basics common to all the ‘correct’ techniques.

The first thing you need to do when is to trim the fingernails on your fretting hand. Longer fingernails will prevent you from holding down the strings correctly as you play. It will also lessen the chance of buzzing or clicking as you pluck the strings. Speaking of buzzes or clicks…

The easiest way to eliminate buzzing and clicking from your playing is to hold the string down as close to the fret as possible without actually touching it. You should be able to see the metal fret as you play.

As you are holding down the string in this position try to exert as little pressure as possible to make the string sound clearly. This is a must for any serious bass guitarist because pushing down on the string harder than necessary will sap your energy. Holding the strings lightly lets your fingers move with more speed and agility as you play.

If you’re a beginner pushing down on the strings will also make the tips sore. Don’t worry this is completely normal. The soreness will go away after a while and your fingers will develop calluses to protect them. It is vital to remember though that although pain in the fingertips is normal at first pain in your wrists is a serious problem and means you are doing something very wrong that can have serious long term consequences.