Bass Guitar

Bass+Guitar

learn To Play Bass Guitar

If you know how to find a C# on your bass, know what a quarter note rest

is, and can read TAB, then you can skip the rest of this and move on.

If not, or if the review will do you good, then read on! This article will give

you some bass guitar instruction.

A piece of music is composed of a bunch of notes arranged together. These notes are

organized into sets of 12 notes called octaves, and each of these 12

notes has a name. If you sit down at a piano, you'll see that it has

88 keys, 52 white and 36 black, and that each of these keys produces a

different note. The white keys all have one-letter names; the first one on

the left (lowest note) is called A, the next one up is B, and so on. The

seventh white key is called G, and the next white key, the eighth, is also

called A; it begins the second octave. The ninth white key is B, the tenth

C, and so on, until the 52nd and last white note, which is a C..

The black keys are named by their relation to the nearest two white keys,

so each one has two names. First, they may be called "sharp", with the name

of the white key below them: eg, the lowest black key is called A sharp, as

it's immediately above A. There is no black key immediately above B; the second

black note is C#, and so on up the keyboard. Second, black keys may also

be called "flat", with the name of the white key above them: thus, the lowest

black note can also be thought of as B flat, since it's immediately below

the B. Similarly, the black key between D and E can be called either D sharp

or E flat. For now, you can treat the two names as interchangable. You may be wondering

what does piano have to do with it, I want to learn bass guitar. The piano was made for music

and is a very good visual example of how music works. Understanding the piano will

help you understand how your bass guitar is set up and thus music theroy also.

An octave runs from A to G#, 12 notes (7 white keys and 5 black keys)

and then the names repeat for the next octave. Actually, the starting point

doesn't matter: any 12 notes in a row (which will always contain 7 white keys

and 5 black keys) are called an octave.

The strings of a bass are tuned to produce the 4 notes E, A, D, and G

(from thickest string to thinnest). Thus, if you play an E on the piano,

and the open E string on your bass, you'll get the same note (if you choose

the right octave on the piano, that is). Moving up one fret on the string

produces the next highest note. That is, the open A string produces an A

note (hence the name). Fingered at the first fret, it produces an A sharp,

or B flat. Second fret produces a B. Third fret produces C (since there is

no black key above B), fourth fret C sharp, and fifth fret produces D, the

same note as the open D-string. And so on up the fingerboard. With this

knowledge, you should be able to find two or three versions of each note

on your bass. For example, you can get an F at the 1st fret of the E string,

at the 3rd fret of the D string, at the 8th fret of the A string, and at

the 10th fret of the G string. (The 3rd-D note and the 8th-A note are in

the same octave: the 1st-E note is one octave below and the 10th-G note is

one octave above.) Make sure you can find any given note somewhere on your

bass without too much effort, and that you know the names of the notes

produced by playing a given string at a given fret, at least up to the

12th fret.

The next thing to mention is the way songs are arranged in time. Songs

are divided into measures: a common song length is about 100 measures. Each

measure is a certain number of beats long: in almost all modern music there

are four beats to each measure, although other length measures are also used.

Each note in the song has a given duration, and a note that lasts for four

beats is called a whole note. A note that lasts for two beats is called a

half note, and two half notes are the same length as one whole note. Similarly,

there are quarter notes, eighth notes, and sixteenth notes. (In England

these notes have different names. I'll be sticking to American usage

throughout this lesson series.) Each quarter note receives one beat, and

the quarter note is the basic building block of time and of rhythm. Eight

eighth notes make up a four-beat measure, as you can see, as do four quarter

notes and 16 sixteenth notes. Measures can contain notes of different lengths,

so that a quarter note, a half note,and two eighth notes also make up one

measure.

Other time durations can be written by "dotting" a note: in standard

notation, one literally writes a dot next to the note. Dotting a note makes

it last half again as long as it normally would. Thus, a quarter note lasts

as long as two 8th notes: a dotted quarter note is 50% longer, so it lasts

as long as three eighth notes. Thus, two quarter notes have the same length

as a dotted quarter note and an eighth note. Similarly, a dotted half note

lasts for the same amount of time as three quarter notes: a dotted half note

and a quarter note together make up one measure.

The last thing to know is that rests, or times when the bass is not playing,

are named the same way: thus, a whole rest means that the bass does not play

for one measure. A quarter rest means that the bass does not play for one

beat, and there are eighth rests and dotted half rests and so on.

One last note: in some jazz and classical music, a note other than the

quarter note is given the one-beat length. Since almost all music is written

with the quarter note getting one beat, I've assumed it is so throughout

the lesson series. However, if you get into more difficult music, you may

run into music where the half-note or the eighth-note is one "beat" long.

My advice is not to worry about this until it comes up.

The final this you need to know is how to read TAB. Bass tabulature, or

TAB for short, is a simple method for writing bass music. There are several

different versions of tabulature, but the following features are common to

almost all of them.

Bass tab is written on four-line staves. In text interfaces these are usually

written using dashed characters. Each space corresponds to one string on the

bass: the lowest space corresponds to the E string, the next lowest to the A

string, the next to the D string, and the highest to the G string. A number on

a given space represents a note played at the given fret on the corresponding

string; thus, to indicate playing a G at the third fret on the E string,

one would write:

G------------------------------------

D------------------------------------

A------------------------------------

E----3-------------------------------

Notes are played from the left of the staff to the right; thus, an

ascending G major scale might be written:

G------------------------------------

D-------------------2--4--5----------

A----------2--3--5-------------------

E----3--5----------------------------

Or, using open strings, it might be written like this:

G-------------------------0----------

D----------------0--2--4-------------

A-------0--2--3----------------------

E----3-------------------------------

Chords can be written by writing two numbers in the same vertical bar. Thus

one might write a simple A major chord as:

G-----9------------------------------

D-----11-----------------------------

A-----0------------------------------

E------------------------------------

which means to play an open note on the A string, to play a C# at the 11th

fret on the D string, and an E at the 9th fret on the G string.

Various fingering techniques can be noted in TAB as well. This is done by

writing a single character after the note being fingered. The most common of

these are:

h - hammer-on from previous note

p - pull off from previous note

- slide up to note

b - bend note

S - slap the note with the right-hand thumb (left hand if left-handed)

P - pop the note with the right hand (ditto)

t - tap the note with the right hand (ditto)

H - harmonic

Thus a funky bass line might be written like this:

G---------5P-7h-5p-------------------

D------------------------3b----------

A---0S5-----------3S-5S----5S-5H---

E------------------------------------

A muted note (one that is not fingered cleanly and makes a percussive

sound rather than a clear tone) is written by placing an x on a line

instead of a number:

G------------5--7--------------------

D------------------------------------

A---5--x--x--------5--x--5-----------

E------------------------------------

Similarly, a rest is indicated by writing an r on a line (any line will do):

G------------5--7--------------------

D------------------------------------

A---5--r--r--------5--r--5-----------

E------------------------------------

When it is not obvious which left-hand (right-hand to lefties) finger should

be used to to fret a particular note, this may be indicated by writing a

number under the note, with 1=index finger, 2=middle finger, 3=ring

finger, 4=pinkie finger, and rarely, 5-thumb:

G---------5--7--5--------------------

D------------------------------------

A---0--5-----------------------------

E------------------------------------

1 1 3

It is becoming popular to indicate time in TAB by writing over each note

a letter indicating the time value of the note: s=sixteenth note, e=eighth

note, q=quarter note, h=half note, w=whole note. It is possible to add

dots to this system as is done with normal notes. In addition, vertical bars

are usually used to indicate measure breaks. TAB noted this way might look

like this:

w q s s e q h q. e e e s s e h

G-----|----5--7--5-------|-------------5--7--7-|----

D-----|------------------|-3--3--5--7----------|----

A---0-|-5-----------8--5-|---------------------|-5--

E-----|------------------|---------------------|----

Amazing Bass Guitar Player! Gustavo Dal Farra

LEARN BASS GUITAR ON DVD VOLUME 1 DVD

$1.99

Introduction to Bass Guitar DVD

$8.67

Guitar Lessons: Beginning Bass ~ New DVD Learn To Play

$15.07

GUITAR BUILDING BLOCKS: BASS RUNS AND HOW TO USE THEM [DVD NEW]

$18.84

DVD: Ultimate Beginner Series - Bass Basic 2002) electric bass guitar how to

$4.99

Ultimate Beginner Series - Bass Guitar Basics (DVD, 2002)

$3.00

Bass Guitar for Beginners (DVD, 2006)

$16.00

Traditional Series: Bass Guitar (DVD, 2004)

$16.00

Guitar World: Play Rock Bass DVD

$6.98

"Robbie Merrill Behind The Player: Bass Guitar Edition, Vol. 2 DVD"

$4.58

"Paul Gray Behind The Player: Bass Guitar Edition, Vol. 3 DVD"

$5.24

The Bass Guitar DVD

$17.33

Bass Guitar: Fun To Know Series DVD

$17.41

Absolute Beginners: Bass Guitar by Artist Not Provided

$5.04

BASS GUITAR OF JACK CASADY - NEW DVD

$18.83

BASS GUITAR OF JACK CASADY - NEW DVD

$17.31

eMedia Essential Bass Guitar, DVD, ,

$17.61

Absolute Beginners: Bass Guitar, DVD, ,

$12.87

ROCK HOUSE - SLAPPIN' AND POPPIN' BASS GUITAR - NEW DVD

$13.82

ROCK HOUSE - SLAPPIN' AND POPPIN' BASS GUITAR - NEW DVD

$10.82

Guitar World: How To Play Heavy Metal Bass DVD

$7.58

STU HAMM: BASS GUITAR BASICS - NEW DVD

$18.80

STU HAMM: BASS GUITAR BASICS - NEW DVD

$21.80

GUITAR WORLD: PLAY ROCK BASS! [REGION FREE] NEW DVD

$10.34

GUITAR WORLD: PLAY ROCK BASS! [REGION FREE] NEW DVD

$13.34

BEHIND THE PLAYER - BLASKO: BASS GUITAR EDITION, VOLUME 1 - NEW DVD

$5.34

FUN-TO-KNOW - LEARN TO PLAY...BASS GUITAR - NEW DVD

$20.84

FUN-TO-KNOW - LEARN TO PLAY...BASS GUITAR - NEW DVD

$23.84

BEHIND THE PLAYER - BLASKO: BASS GUITAR EDITION, VOLUME 1 - NEW DVD

$8.34

"Blasko Behind The Player: Bass Guitar Edition, Vol. 1 DVD"

$5.36

Guitar Cookie Cutter

$0.99

Cutter is approx. 4-1/2 h x 2-1/4 w. Made of tinned steel. Hand wash and dry. **...

Musical Nore Cookie Cutter Set of 12 - 42113

"HAROLD IMPORT" MUSICAL NOTES COOKIE CUTTER SET

Bake beautiful music! These hard-to-find cookie cutters represent everything from music notes to instruments to ballet dancers and conductors. Make cookies for your next recital, bake sale, wrap party, or school event. Set of twelve metal cookie cutters ranging between 2" and 3" in size, in a metal storage tin.

Musical Notes Cookie Cutter Set (Tin)...

It's Hard to be Humble When you Play the BASS GUITAR Mug for Coffee / Hot Beverage (choice of sizes and colors)

T-ShirtFrenzy offers over 30,000 designs on tons of products to offer millions of variations. You can search our store for something for everyone on your gift list or shop for yourself (our personal favorite). Please contact us with questions....

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

$7.16

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a finger-blistering time capsule of right now, yet in a hundred years it will still be so crammed with charm, wit, brio, and exuberance it will still be irresistible. Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera, Superbad) is an accidental heartbreaker, a Canadian slacker who obsesses over the girls who've dumped him but hardly realizes how he's dumped other girls. But everything els...

Eric Clapton: Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010 (Two-Disc Super Jewel Case)

$18.89

Over the summer of 2010, Eric Clapton gathered a veritable Who's Who of the world's most talented guitar players at the third Crossroads Guitar Festival, an 11-hour celebration of the six string that attracted a sold-out crowd of more than 27,000 music fans to Chicago's Toyota Park. All profits from this daylong display of guitar virtuosity benefited The Crossroads Centre in Antigua, a treatment a...

Fender Presents: Getting Started on Acoustic Guitar -- A Guide for Beginners

$12.94

Over 3 hours long with 50 interactive lessons. Covers tuning, essential chords and scales, music reference, practice tips, rhythm techniques, play-along tracks with a band, 3-D fretboard graphics, instrument care, and more. Includes 5 languages: English, French, Spanish, Japanese, and German. Hosted by Keith Wyatt of the Musicians Institute....

Chuck Berry - Hail Hail Rock 'n' Roll [VHS]

$19.98

Two distinct portraits of Chuck Berry emerge in this lavish four-disc set built around Hail! Hail! Rock n' Roll, director Taylor Hackford's 1986 documentary/concert film. On one side there's the Berry who wrote a catalogue's worth of genre-defining songs ("Maybellene," "Johnny B. Goode," "Roll Over Beethoven," and so many others), all of them filled with wit, delightful stories, and poetry. He's a...

The Slap Bass Program [VHS]

This highly acclaimed video has become the definitive bible of slap technique. Packed with intensive instruction and incredible syncopated funk, The Slap Bass Program thoroughly explores the challenging techniques behind the slap style. Alexis Sklarevski is a phenomenal teacher, and has the rare ability to put all the pieces together in a refreshingly logical, integrated fashion. Start...

An Evening of the Blues with Gary Moore and the Midight Blues Band

Includes perforance of 12 songs: Oh Pretty Woman, Walking by Myself, All Your Love, Still Got the Blues, Too Tired, Farther on Up the Road, Texas Strut, Moving On, Midnight Blues, King of the Blues, Stormy Monday & Caldonia...

Auralex SUBDUDE HD Home Theater Sub Isolation Platform

$58.88

SpecificationsLets You Hear Low End With Greater AccuracyPrevents Sound From Transmitting To Surrounding Surfaces15 x 15 x 2.5 Subwoofer Isolation PlatformWrapped with cleanable black velour to fit any room settingA cost-effective way to improve your mixes!This Listing and Price is for 1 SUBDUDE HDThe Auralex SubDude HD is a 15" x 15" x 2.5" Subwoofer Isolation Platform wrapped with a cleanable bl...

Easy Bass Guitar Theory -

$9.99

Easy Bass Guitar Theory -

Easy Bass Guitar Scales -

$9.99

Easy Bass Guitar Scales -

Begin to Play: Bass Guitar -

$17.99

Begin to Play: Bass Guitar -

Bass Guitar Chords

$2.95

For bass guitar. Bass. Chord Chart. Bass guitar chord chart. Bass guitar chord diagrams and instructional text. 3 pages. Published by Centerstream Publications

Guitar World: Play Rock Bass! -

$12.99

Guitar World: Play Rock Bass! -

Guitar & Bass

$16.55

For the last 20 years Guitar & Bass magazine has provided in-depth and essential reading for the serious guitarist, with dozens of guitar tests, playing techniques, an exclusive bass section and in-depth features on guitar heroes past, present and future. Each issue is packed full of reviews of the latest guitars, amps, effects and basses. Guitar & Bass magazine also delivers the informed verdict on home recording equipment and regularly offers tips on buying second hand and vintage gear. When you occasionally put down that guitar, it is also packed full of interviews with the great and good of guitardom!

The Best of Kiss for Bass Guitar

$19.95

By Kiss. For bass guitar. Bass Recorded Versions. Guitar tablature. 96 pages. Published by Hal Leonard

Bass Guitar Poster

$9.95

For Bass Guitar. Bass Guitar Poster; Posters/Charts. Poster. Published by Alfred Music Publishing

Korg Guitar and Bass Tuner

$12.99

Tune your guitar or bass quickly and accurately with this tuner that lets you select guitar or bass mode for automatically detected pitch.

Legendary Bass Guitar Songs

$49.99

(Bass Tab). By Various. Bass. Hardcover. Guitar tablature. 256 pages. Music Sales #AM999933. Published by Music Sales

Funk Guitar & Bass

$24.95

"(Know the Players, Play the Music). Guitar/bass guitar. Book. Hardcover with CD. Guitar tablature. 150 pages. Backbeat Books #087930894X. Published by Backbeat Books"

Guitar World -- Play Rock Bass!

$14.95

(The Ultimate DVD Guide). For Bass Guitar. Bass Guitar DVD; Method/Instruction. Guitar World. Rock. DVD. Published by Alfred Music Publishing

BASS GUITAR SOLO Bass guitar photography Greeting Card by CafePress

$3.25

Bass guitar art work, Bass guitar photography, Bass guitar t-shirts, Bass guitar prints, Bass guitar greeting cards, guitar calendars, guitar art gifts Bass guitar photography Greeting Card Greeting cards are a great way to express yourself and to keep in touch with friends and family. A personal note on a beautiful card will make a lasting impression and a touching keepsake.Available in your choice of paper stock

The Bass Guitar Collection

$17.95

"By Queen. For bass guitar and voice. Hal Leonard Bass Recorded Versions. Hard Rock, Glam Rock and Progressive Rock. Difficulty: medium. Bass tablature songbook. Bass tablature, standard notation, vocal melody, lyrics, chord names and bass notation legend. 96 pages. Published by Hal Leonard"

Bass Guitar DVD #1

$14.95

Edited by Mark John Sternal. For Bass Guitar. Beginner Basics and Beyond. Instructional DVD. Published by MJS

Gypsy Music for Clarinet, Guitar & Bass

$22

"By Stuart Sankey. For Clarinet, Guitar & Bass. Published by International Music Company"

Ten - Bass Guitar

$16.99

"By Pearl Jam. For bass guitar and voice. Hal Leonard Bass Recorded Versions. Grunge and Hard Rock. Difficulty: medium. Bass tablature songbook. Bass tablature, standard notation, vocal melody, lyrics and chord names. 52 pages. Published by Hal Leonard"