Playing Bass Guitar

The guitar is one of the most popular musical instruments on the planet. Not surprisingly then guitar players are a dime a dozen! Even good guitar players find it frustrating that they just don’t get offered gigs. So it’s quite common for six-stringers to convert to the four-string bass guitar. However that doesn’t make playing bass guitar a consolation prize. Good bass players are underrated and definitely hard to find. In playing bass guitar you are the foundation for everyone you’re playing with. If you don’t sound good you can be certain that they won’t sound good either.

Whether playing bass guitar as your first instrument or you are converting from another guitar style, playing bass guitar is an excellent way to make money as a gigging musician.

If you are going to learn to play bass guitar properly then do invest in a course of bass guitar lessons. The best home study guitar courses will have specific instruction in playing bass guitar within them for sure. Along with this specific instruction there will be any amount of help and advice about learning to play guitar in general.

Practice with a metronome. As you learn to play bass guitar you will find that your metronome is a bass player’s best friend. It’s a tool that forces you to play in time. Also, it’s a great marker for your progress. For example, one week you can practice an exercise at 80 beats a minute. Then make it a goal for next week to work it up to 90 and so on. After a few weeks you’ll be able to look back and see just how far you’ve come in only a short time.

Good time / make friends with the drummers. Here’s what separates the mediocre from the excellent musicians playing bass guitar: Good time. Frankly, there is no better feeling than playing a line that is in the pocket with and locks in well with the drummer, especially his bass pedal (or kick). Drummers will love you for it and recommend you to bandleaders. Musicians playing bass guitar and drummers tend to stick together because, as members of the rhythm section, they’re often situated close to one another on stage. So if you want to get called for the next gig, make sure you are the drummer’s best friend!

Keep it simple! The ability to play a simple line with a good feel cannot be overstated when you learn to play bass guitar. This is what separates a show-off from someone who is content to play a thankless instrument. While the ability to play fast lines and even take a solo may be impressive, it isn’t really practical unless you’re playing jazz. Otherwise you’re going to get hired mostly for your ability to stay in the background.

Fingers vs. Picking. There are many great players from both camps. Ultimately, the more versatile you are, the more gigs you’ll get. So practice both styles. When using your fingers, practice alternating between the index and middle finger on your picking hand. Playing with a pick is similar – alternate between downstrokes and upstrokes. It is worth knowing that most bass players prefer harder picks.

Listen to reggae music. While reggae music is very much great laid-back party music, it also features some killer grooving bass lines. A classic is Bob Marley’s “Legend”, which has great tunes with terrific lines. The rhythms are deceptively complicated so don’t get frustrated. With a little practice, you’ll learn to play and borrow from some very practical and great sounding licks.

So, when you get down to it, being a good bass player can be a thankless job. If you’re playing well, then chances are you won’t get noticed. If you do get noticed, then it probably means you made a mistake or you’re playing is too busy. However, if you’re lucky, your band mates (and maybe fellow bassists in the audience) will notice you for doing your job, which is to sound good, play with a solid feel for time and make them sound good too!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW FULL DETAILS OF THE LEARN & MASTER SPOTLIGHT BASS GUITAR COURSE