How To Play The Bass Virtual DVD - Lesson 2

This is the second lesson of a series for beginners to the bass. The series will take the beginner bass player through the basic technique that they need to know and then quickly apply that learning in the context of playing real life basslines.

More information - including detailed PDFs - can be found at my website: http://www.how-to-play-bass.com

This lesson covers how to find your way around the fingerboard - view in conjunction with the PDF available at my website - and includes a great exercise called THE NOTEFINDER - which will soon have you familiar with all the notes and their locations on your fingerboard.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• bass
• guitar
• lessons
• how
• to
• play
• beginners
• tab

[dazzelya]

Nice. Just started the bass a couple days ago and I've been figuring out the major scales by ear (I play the piano by ear too). I'm sure some (if not all) of your lessons will quicken my progress.

Good stuff.

[howtoplaybassdotcom]

Thx

Just so you know - these videos (the ones with 'virtual dvd' in the title) were all done a year ago on a really crappy camera, with crappy lighting and no idea of mic technique!

If you see some of the later ones you'll see they've improved a bit in production quality! So take the early production with a LARGE pinch of salt!

Good luck on your bass journey!

[dazzelya]

@howtoplaybassdotcom

Hi,

I'm browsing through your vids right now and the quality is better indeed in the later vids. However, I'm sure that I will still get some useful info from the earlier ones too. :)

I'm looking for one in which you talk about scales.. Are there any available?

[howtoplaybassdotcom]

Nope.

It's a long story - but I've come to believe that the rote learning of scales is not something that helps you on the bass.

Which is not to say that you don't need to know how scales are built, which scales you use in which chordal situations, etc etc - but running scales will only teach you how to run scales. That's it. Time is our most precious resource - I don't believe in wasting anymore of it on scales. (Email for full story and the 1000 hours wasted on scales!)

[dazzelya]

I see, I personally like scales for several reasons. I've noticed that I've become a better (piano) player after practicing scales more. I only play songs I came up with myself (excluding the two or so songs existing songs) so it's good to know what to play on the instrument to get the note I'm looking for. I've also become a quicker and more accurate piano player after doing more scales. Perhaps it's different on the bass (which I will find out this year :p). Thanks for the video's anyway!

[howtoplaybassdotcom]

If you're playing bass lines focus on the chord tones - roots/3rds/5ths and 7ths. You can 'approach' them with just about any note and it will work and sound good.

James Jamerson who did all the Motown stuff was a master at using complex harmonic note choices and making them work in 'pop' songs. If you need to find an influence I can't recommend anyone higher...whatever style of music you like.

[iGEARzPROi]

im slowly starting to learn this is helping loads thank you

steven

[parkourer100]

where is your diagram of the fret board i cant find them

[blazix201]

i really want a bass guitar but i got no money, but when i do get one i will come straight to these videos

[CHEVAAN29]

I don't even know how to use my left hand...I'm getting frustrated.