Ok, I would like to not suck at this.

Chaospuppy

I just bought an Ibanez SR-405 5 string bass. I have no clue how to play, but have tons of determination. How do I not suck at it?

Pyke

you'll probably here this a million times... but its the truth ( and I get to say it first)

Take Lessons

Playing the Bass is 10% technique 90% music theory.

you could even get away with taking a cheap entry level music theory course at a community college.

know your scales

know your fretboard and where the notes are

play other musicians material, and dont limit it by the type of music. (the BLues are a great learning tool)

Stay away from TAB... learn music by notes and ear

in a couple months throw yourself into crash and burn situations (trying out for bands, play open mic nights) you'll feel horrible if you mess up, but it makes you better. those are the mistakes you learn the best from

and most importantly... practice!

Learning a new instrument is one of the most discouraging activites one can engage in next to college level calculus. Just keep setting goals for yourself and the rewards of achieving them will be great.

Best of luck

PYKE

bassmaster · Goldfish Joined: 07 Jul 2003 Posts: 60

as much as u hate to hear it , the above message is very true. reading tabs will let u do one thing and that is play what is on the tab, shredding and being good technically doesnt matter at all if u dont have n e knowledge of notes of scales. the one thing i will advise is to pick up and acoustic guitar too, the one thing thats made me the bassist i am today is knowing guitar chords. if u can look at ur guitarists hands and know what chord they are playing then u can transfer that to ur bass and u are all set
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rock on!

supermau · Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2003 7:41 am Post subject:

...another note on tabs, I mentioned this a while back. A lot of the tabs you find on the net are WRONG! I learned this by reading some myself. I thought it would be a quick way to learn some covers that I had to do for a gig. I was amazed at how many were just plain wrong. Stick with your ear.

*Inner-Self* · Sea Monkey Joined: 05 Jul 2003 Posts: 14 Location: Israel

thanks for the advice
i will stay away from tabs...
although i did all of the other things you recomended
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The Misery Never Ends

SAguitar · Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2003 7:49 pm Post subject:

Right on! Then just keep on keepin' on...
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Tone. It's what's for dinner.

"Arroooooww!"

jessehart · Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2003 2:00 pm Post subject:

NOt to dog on you or anything but why would you buy a five string bass if your a beginner. Confused

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\m/heavy metal all the way\m/

Nocturnalis · Newbie Alert Joined: 10 Aug 2003 Posts: 1

I think it is time for me to go back to reading music. I leanrt how to when I first learned to play guitar, but then when I picked up a bass I went to tab...

Dolphinbass · Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2003 7:15 am Post subject:

SAY NO TO TAB!

Get your ears working...feel it!
If you are thinking about what you are playing, you need to nail that tune more.
It's always better when you can cruise through a tune with total confidence.

YOU KNOW IT MAKES SENSE! Laughing

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Find a good bass and commit.
Don't spend all your time goofing with different basses - Marcus Miller

Dolphinbass · Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2003 7:17 am Post subject:

MEEEEEEEEEEEEOW!

Just been made a kitten!
Surely not the best move in a house full of BassDogs Laughing

_________________
Find a good bass and commit.
Don't spend all your time goofing with different basses - Marcus Miller

SAguitar · Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2003 6:19 pm Post subject:

Sorry 'bout that, dude.

I don't write Tab
I don't do Tab.
I don't play Tab.
I don't smoke Tab.
I don't drink Tab.
Tab will paint you in a corner, and you'll never be a real musician going that way. There, I said it. Thank you very much.
_________________
Tone. It's what's for dinner.

"Arroooooww!"

TweetyNick · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2003 10:45 am Post subject:

I don't even know how to read tabs (at least not fast enough to do any good), so I have no problem there. I learned orchestra instruments first, so I had to learn notes then.
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Don't try to stop me!!! #Mad

SAguitar · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2003 4:00 pm Post subject:

Right on! I didn't learn nothin' about music when I was a kid. Didn't even start on guitar 'til I was 21. Then I played by charts and a bad ear for almost twenty years until I decided I'd have to learn to read music. I'm still not great at it, but it's a great challenge!
_________________
Tone. It's what's for dinner.

"Arroooooww!"

bassman80189 · Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2003 2:41 pm Post subject:

I knew how to read music first from Cello and Piano, but when I started playing Electric Bass I learned tab. Then when I started to try to listen to lines by ear it was really hard. My rule is learn how to write tab before learning how to read it if you know what I mean. Writing tabs is good for ear training though.

Nuclearrabbit17 · Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2003 2:55 pm Post subject: You all suck

I use Tabs whenever I need to cover a song. I don't care if it screws up my ear playing ability. As long as I write my own material then I'l be fine.