Need resources to learn bass.

SxE Punk

I've been playing the bass awhile now, with a few minutes practice I can play just about any tab I see, and I can write simple tunes by analyzing various tabs and using their structure as templates.

But I've never had any formal training, teaching or learning. When someone tells me to play a chord or whatever, I'm like "just give it to me in numbers and letters".

So basically I need a site or a decent book recommended that I can learn more formal techniques. What I'm saying is that I know my way around a bass, but I can't read a map, ya dig?

I need help.

Rigsby

Tabs are fine up to a point, but to progress further you need to know some basic theory. When you say you "know your way around the bass", do you mean you know where every note on the fretboard is ? If not that's a good place to start. If you can afford it, a teacher would be your best option. Also develop your ear and try to learn bass lines by listening to a piece of music. If you can do this you wont need tabs so much. A good site for basic theory is :

www.studybass.com

SxE Punk

When I say I know my way around a bass, I mean that if I'm told a tab, I can play it, it doesn't take me all day to find ****. To make an analogy, I can touch-type, I just don't know how to form sentences properly, ya know? I can take apart and assemble them too.

But as for notes, scales, chords etc, I'm clueless. And as you said tabs only take you so far, and I feel I've hit that wall.

Thanks for the site, I'll check it out.

Dord

+1 on the link that Rigsby gave. I love that site.

Another good one is http://www.wheatsbassbook.org although thats mainly on theory but using tab. Some great reading there.

My last suggestion is that you go find a teacher. The right teacher can help you understand the theory, obviously its up to you to want to learn it though.

SxE Punk

403 error on Rigsby's link sadly.

I'll check out your's now, thanks Joe.

Rigsby

SxE Punk wrote: »

403 error on Rigsby's link sadly.

Pity, 'cause it's a great site. Try : www.activebass.com




As Joe and I have said already a teacher is your best bet. IMO you can learn more in an hour from a good teacher than in a week from a book or the internet.

SxE Punk

I read through a good bit of that link last night Joe, good stuff on there!

I'll try active bass later on Rigsby, thanks.

Parsley

www.talkbass.com is brilliant. Forum with loads of pros, and serious musicians that know what they're talking about. I don't think there's a question you could ask that they wouldn't be able to answer.

SxE Punk

Hey, thanks for the links everyone. Wheat's bass book especially(thanks Joe) has been hugely helpful already, I've learned tonnes from it.