blue Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 (edited) This is probably more for you guys in [i]"Covers & Functions" [/i]bands. I have noticed the quality of these bass guitar tutorials have improved over the last couple of years. I find a lot of value in them when I'm trying to learn songs. After all my years of playing I still can't figure out every bass line from merely listening to the track. With these tutorials I can see things that I can't necessarily hear. When the bass track is separated they are even more helpful. After I learn the part , then I put my own spin on it. I would say using these tutorials has cut the usual time to learn a song in half for me. What do you think, do you use them, where's the value for you? Blue Edited April 22, 2015 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number6 Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 I find the tutorials very useful. When i started learning bass originally the internet didn't exist so things like YouTube have made learning a lot more accessible. I do wish with some tutorials that they would break down the fingering patterns in a slower format before playing at the correct tempo but on the whole a very useful tool. I do always try to learn the piece by ear first but can't always get it from listening to the track. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raymondo Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 (edited) I use them as a short cut to learning new songs. I find them really useful as like you Blue, I can't always hear the bass parts clearly on some recordings, so watching it being played is a great help. Edited April 23, 2015 by Raymondo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Slightly off-topic, perhaps, but, seeing the question and the replies, I wonder... If we (the bassists...) sometimes can't pick out accurately the bass line, can the listener..? That's to say: how much, then, does it really matter that it be 'right'..? Hmm... Just wondering... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 [quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1429749430' post='2754631'] Slightly off-topic, perhaps, but, seeing the question and the replies, I wonder... If we (the bassists...) sometimes can't pick out accurately the bass line, can the listener..? That's to say: how much, then, does it really matter that it be 'right'..? Hmm... Just wondering... [/quote] I often wonder how much my OCD perfectionist nature gets in the way of me actually playing something/anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted April 23, 2015 Author Share Posted April 23, 2015 The thing I have to or anyone using these tutorials should remember is when your sitting there with your headphones on, your in an ideal environment. Playing it live with a band will be different and a challenge. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meypelnek Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 I absolutely agree. Not only soundwise. I remember all the slap tutorials. Sounds so very nice in my living room but I can barely use it ever on stage and if then it drowns in the whole rest ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 I find them very useful, and they tend to be the first thing I look at, even when I know the song. A lot of them are wrong to various degrees, but often right enough to get the basics of the song down. If you have to learn a lot of songs in a short time, like joining a new group etc, they are invaluable. The other things that are rather nice on youtube that are fairly new, are isolated bass tracks, so the original track from the desk, with everything else turned down. Things like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUT3KiF1SUU and also interesting to hear how rough the original is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuNkShUi Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Yeh they definitely speed up the learning process. I don't think i've ever sat down with a tutorial, but i look for covers. I'm playing a lot of Motown/Disco/Funk type function band stuff so it's not easy to pick the lines out in general. So i'll find a cover i like the sound of (there are a lot of terrible ones), have a look to see the general area they play the song at, and then go from there. But i'm with you Blue, probably cuts the learning time in half for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vsmith1 Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Agreed - but it's just another tool - along with using apps like Capo and Anytune to help detect what is going on, slow down sections, change the EQ to accentuate or (when practicing hide) the baseline. I also use Guitar Pro if I can get it and TAB, chord sheets and transcriptions - but with most things the quality is very variable. I'd say that I'm still a learner and my endeavours to copy other baselines is part of my learning, though when it comes to playing in the band there may be compromises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 I use them to learn cover songs for the band along with anything else I can get my hands on, dots, TAB and chord charts... I also like to watch some Youtube footage of the song being played live by the original artist if at all possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbayne Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 I must confess I use them more and more these days. I used to sit there with a cup of milky tea and a cream horn, listening to the song and stopping and starting it to pick the bass line out. Now with tabs and you tube I have been getting very lazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Yes, very much a useful tool, just like tab is. Not always correct but many a time point you in the right direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 For tracks, I just put a live version up and play it. I am not sure I get what people can't hear about a line or a song unless it is something like 'Hysteria' where the part is very specific and it can't really be bodged. But since I learnt by wearing out vinyl then playback is very natural to me. MY aim is to get beyond the line and play it so it sounds like me and you need to groove in your ear and your playing to do this. I'm never fussed about an exact copy unless everyone else in the band can do that too... which doesn't really happen. I think you want to pick players who can bring a new take to a standard so that is my goal. Set the drum pattern and that is it and it comes alive. Without drums.... not so much, IMO. I like to play with people whose playing I like and that takes over the track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Pretty much exactly as the OP describes it! Youtube is not usually my first port of call, but if I am struggling to pick out a part then I often find it helpful. There are some bloody awful videos out there mind... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 (edited) Pretty much my first port of call after I find a chord sheet. I find myself having to learn songs fairly quickly for a band. So although I'd like to develop my ear more, and that would undoubtedly be better in the long term, I'd rather turn up with a cheat bass line at the next rehearsal to enable the band to get on with learning a song than coming in with only half a bassline I'd had to work for. The worry is that I'm not developing musically as quickly as I should by taking all the shortcuts. I love performing and having a reputation for turning up with the bass line is a really good way of getting the gigs. On the down side I have to live with the knowledge I'm faking it most of the time. Edited April 23, 2015 by Phil Starr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 [quote name='Conan' timestamp='1429775410' post='2754707'] Pretty much exactly as the OP describes it! Youtube is not usually my first port of call, but if I am struggling to pick out a part then I often find it helpful. There are some bloody awful videos out there mind... [/quote] Agreed - they're useful if you're stuck, but I feel that it's best to do it by ear as it improves your.....'ear' ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuNkShUi Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Well you aren't faking it if you've learnt it are you? Sure, you might be considered better at working out by ear a bass line, if that's what you do. Doesn't mean you're a faker if you don't do it like this IMO. A bass player in a band is only ever required to learn a song. Whether that be by charts,tabs,videos or ear makes very little difference, as long as you can play it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 I used to use Guitarpro a lot, cut down my learning time no end (compared with ear only) but I've used this guy's tutorials for a few songs recently and he seems OK : [url="https://www.youtube.com/user/howtoplaybassdotcom"]https://www.youtube.com/user/howtoplaybassdotcom[/url] They generally sound accurate enough and are done initially at a slow rate before putting the parts together at full speed. Sometimes the approach seems if anything a bit [i]too[/i] laborious but they have to cover for all sorts of potential viewers including total beginners so understandable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuNkShUi Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 [url="https://www.youtube.com/user/infusion26"]https://www.youtube.com/user/infusion26[/url] I generally look at this gents covers. He has covered a lot of songs we play. The bass is always clear to pick out, and usually pretty close to the original as far as i can tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 [quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1429800331' post='2755097'] [url="https://www.youtube.com/user/infusion26"]https://www.youtube....user/infusion26[/url] I generally look at this gents covers. He has covered a lot of songs we play. The bass is always clear to pick out, and usually pretty close to the original as far as i can tell. [/quote] Just had a look at that ABC link.... he seems to have an awkward fretting style but it isn't clear whether he plays like that, or whether he is trying to make it easy to follow visually... I would hope he wouldn't teach that and some of his fingering seems unnatural/clumsy...??? Just an observation, no biggie otherwise.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted April 23, 2015 Author Share Posted April 23, 2015 (edited) A few have commented on the accuracy of some of the tutorials. They run the whole spectrum,from "why did this guy upload this?" to "this guys bass line sounds better and makes more sense than what's on the OR" (original recording). I find the tutorials with great audio quality and you can clearly see the fingering on the fretboard the most valuable. The dialogue can get in my way. Blue Edited April 23, 2015 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ87 Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 I've come un-stuck with this a couple of times. Spent so much time sorting out what's wrong from what's right that it ended up taking longer than just working it out by ear. The same goes for TAB. What I do now is chart out the song first. Sort out the structure and any cheeky 2/4 bars etc. and find a root for each bar. Once I've done that I find it's easier to work out riffs because it conforms to the root. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.