What is it about learning bass guitar beyond all other styles of guitar grabs your particular interest?
Possibly it is that the the particular respect afforded to the bass guitarist appeals to you Whether you like it or not as a bass guitarist you will be one of a particularly special set of players.
It is the lead guitar that usually takes the plaudits as the face and voice of a band but back of that it is the bass guitar that contributes the pulse that gives life to that same band.
Working together as a unified rhythm section it is the base guitarist and the drummer who take on the important task of setting and maintaining the rhythm and pace of their band.
Although it is the case that most gigs that are played the limelight and the excitement is centred upon the lead guitar and vocalist with the drummer from time to time breaking up that monopoly with a display of his skills with a periodic fast and furious solo routine
Tirelessly back of all of this frenzied activity the bass guitarist steadfastly goes about his craft keeping the heartbeat going that gives life to the whole body of the band.
Seldom the star but often the hero the bass player dependably keeps his cool as he continues to give out that life giving beat to the music.
The depth and richness of tone flowing from a correctly tuned and well played bass guitar is a very addictive sound indeed. To be the originator of that sound and actually to be a part of that sound on your own bass guitar is an even greater pleasure to have.
So if you have now convinced yourself to become part of that exclusive club of bass guitar players and want to make a start learning bass guitar what should your next step be?
Before you start playing any form of guitar be aware that initially you will get sore guitar fingers! It does take a little time and perseverence to toughen up your finger tips as they work the fretboard. The advice is to take it slowly and practice in short sessions at first. As your fingers toughen up extend the periods little by little.
If you are going to start learning bass guitar you had better get yourself kitted out! Now it is time for the most exciting part and one you should take your time over and not do impetuously, its time to choose your new bass guitar!.
A specialist guitar retailer is for sure where you will get the best advice and the best selection of guitars to look at. Get them to not only show you all the different options, but permit you to hold them and find out which ones are most comfortable for you. A bass guitar has a bigger body and longer neck than other types of guitar and it is important that you are able to hold it and reach the farthest frets comfortably. Don’t forget that as you learn bass guitar you are going to spend many many happy hours with what will likely become your best friend .So it cannot be overstated how important it is to get it right. Having found a selection of bass guitars that you like the look of and that are comfortable for you to hold and play, ask to have each one plugged into an amplifier so that you can hear and get a feel for how they sound.Each of these steps taken with care will ensure that the bass guitar that you take home with you will be the one that is the best one for you and that it will continue to be right for you through the years ahead.
Selecting your new bass guitar is the starting point of your dream As splendid as it is you won't be able to play it unless you find a way to hear it!. every electric guitar needs to be played through an amplifier. Again get the retailer to show you a selection that fits within your budget and ask him to connect your new guitar up to them so that you can hear the soul of your new bass guitar connecting with you. See it, try it then buy it. That’s the rule. Not, see it, buy it then try it or buy it, see it then try it! As we have already said, you will be investing a lot of time at this new set up and you will be putting a lot of your hard earned cash into buying it. So no tears, get it right first time.
There are still some things on the shopping list to buy before you can get down to begin learning bass guitar. You will have to get a guitar lead to connect the guitar to its amplifier. Also buying yourself a comfortable guitar shoulder strap will be money well spent.
You will soon realise that your guitar needs frequent tuning and the easiest way of doing this is with the aid of an electronic tuner. Tuning your guitar is made very much easier if you make use of one of these and they are not necessarily over costly.
A last point. Learning bass guitar will need you to appreciate the importance of timing.
Appreciation of good timing is a fundamental skill of the guitarist. When the time comes for your first audition it will be your appreciation of timing as much as anything else that will get you through selection.
By far the best way of learning how to play a new song with your guitar will be to start playing it at a slow pace and then as your familiarity with the song develops you gradually increase the speed at which you play it.When you start learning new songs for your guitar you will have the most success if you play the number at perhaps half speed until you feel comfortable with playing it and then little by little increase the speed up to the normal pace for the song. So if you will only take notice of one piece of advice away from reading this article it really must be, buy yourself a metronome!
Metronomes are still made as the traditional mechanical device but battery operated versions are great value for money now. Be sure to listen to those you see for sale as cheaper ones can have an aggravating tinny click or bleep rather than a nice satisfying woody tick. Also it is well to obtain one with beat increments of one beat per minute allowing a very measured increase in tempo which will be more suitable for you when learning bass guitar songs.
As you travel along your path learning bass guitar you will learn of all sorts of accessories and hardware that are available to expand your horizons and guitar playing experience but those are best left for another time, you dont want to confuse the issue at this stage of your journey.
Now that you have assembled together a fine bass guitar and bass amplifier how will you now go about the very important next stage of making it all work for you to realise your dream of learning bass guitar
Undoubtedly the very best results will come from taking lessons with a dedicated guitar teacher on a one to one basis. If you are able to locate such a teacher close to your home and you can afford his fees and can fit his lessons around your lifestyle then this is the route you should take.
You can of course take a more affordable path.
For not much more than the price of a couple of private lessons you can invest in a truly comprehensive multimedia home study course that can deliver fantastic results.
These courses are arranged for you you begin learning bass guitar at a pace and at times to suite your existing lifestyle whilst still delivering outstanding results.
As always some deliver better results than others and some represent a greater investment than others.But having made your commitment in equipping yourself with a really good new bass guitar it makes sense that you should now continue to invest in yourself and get a really good course of instruction and start learning bass guitar in a properly structured and professional manner.
Can I suggest that you take a look at the Learn & Master Guitar course? Here is an in depth award winning multimedia suite of instruction written and hosted by renowned guitarist and teacher Steve Krenz. Learn & Master Guitar comes from the Legacy Learning Systems stable of home instruction courses and is without doubt the best of the best available to you today.
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