ATTN Bass guitar players

[GTScoob]

I'm talking mainly to the guys who are serious about it. Are there any good method books for bass guitar techniques? My roommate plays guitar and has a bass for me to practice on but doesnt know any music theory and cant read music. I've got over 10 years experience in band instruments and music theory but no guitar experience. I've got some older trombone books that I was playing music with but nobody wants to hear you rocking out "Hot Cross Buns" on bass guitar. I picked it up pretty quickly by running through all of the major scales and arpeggios but I think a solid bass guitar method book would help me out a lot.

I want to start out just playing rock but I think learning some slap bass for some funk would be fun. Any good sheet music you'd recommend picking up?

[Lucky DAWG]

if you ever want in a band, you're guaranteed a spot
no one ever wants to play bass in them lol
all the idiots want to be the rock god lead guitarist so they can get all the poonani like in the movies

power to ya though, it shouldn't be too hard to pick up on, especially with ur music theory experience

[mrt0mjones]

4 5 or 6 string.. it may sound silly but each has a different style really.

dont listen to anyone that says hal leanord books are good.

they are trash.

!

[mrt0mjones]

oh yea, if you get a chance, pickup classical guitar (if your not afraid of a little nylon) it will increase speed and clarity a whole bunch, i've been playing for a little over 8 years, and classical just increased my playing ability so much more than anything.

keep me informed, i'll let you play on my bass sometime

[GTScoob]

I really have no aspirations of wanting to play anything on a normal guitar, all of my band experience has been with low brass (trombone, baritone, tuba). Anything you recommend in particular? I've got a whole box full of low brass method books ranging from beginner to pro level stuff that I think I might just practice the music with I just need to know good techniques for actually playing the guitar.

My roommate has a 4 string but if I get good I'd probably pick up a 5string.

[Sol-Badguy]

If you want to learn any kind of jazz, funk playing, look up Mr. Victor Wooten. My friend basically idolizes him, I love him too, but you can find some of his lessons on YouTube.

He is the man.

[SpecV_Scott]

Are you just looking for more physical technique? If that's the case, I'd look for an intro to slap bass video.

You might even want to go to Guitar Center and ask their bass guy what he recommends. I'm pretty much self taught. As far as slap...I just listened to a lot of Primus back in the day and did my best to emulate that sound. You can hear how I turned out if you check out my old band:

www.myspace.com/killradius1 (the song that plays on that page is really bass heavy...the main riff is all tapping, and the chorus is all slap)

[green91]

fortunately both trombone and bass guitar are bass clef so you can already read music for it. i play bass and electric guitar both, i learned the most bass technique by playing rhcp songs lol.

[mrt0mjones]

Classical Guitar +1000000, take lessons to get some structure with plain fingers, slap is a highly used technique but i rarely use it in style.

i mainly play classical guitar, but when i goto bass its so much easier.

Obviously Flea, and wooten are pretty nuts, not to mention claypool.


asking around on bass technique from my theory friends, i never used a book, just watched alot of videos, and picked it up over time.

[green91]

another good idea is to download a program called guitar pro, it shows tab & notation and it also plays the song in midi, so u can watch the tab/notation and play along with it. i use it daily with new songs im trying to learn and helps with tempo

[Sol-Badguy]

Guitar Pro will help you out a lot.

I forgot about Flea, I've just been listening to a lot of Wooten lately. Hell, he's even my Myspace music right now.

[BABY J]

http://youtube.com/user/musicmaestro88

[green91]

nice bumping a thread just over the 1 yr stale mark!

edit: i just sold my ibanez soundgear bass alot like yours a few months ago

[Revmaynard]

If you want more for music theory, check into the Bass Grimore.

I'll go look at mine and see if that's how it's spelled and whatnot. But it has EVERYTHING.

Also, if you're a fan, the Stadium Arcadium(Rhcp) bass book is a very fun book to practice through, it's released by the band, it's 100% correct and there is plenty of stuff with differernt techniques. It also comes with both discs of the album with raw recordings of only bass/guitar. $30 on Amazon.