If you were starting today, what’s the best way to learn?

[Useless Eustace]

Wouldn’t say I’m a total beginner, but not far off.   I’ve got a Katana GO, which is incredible, so I can play along to music & videos, but I jump about.   I need some direction & discipline.   I want to learn at least basic theory so I can identify the key of a song & know what to play over it.

 

If you were starting out today, how would you go about it?

 

Is that BassBuzz Beginner to Baddass worth the £157?    Are there better alternatives?

 

 

Thanks!

[SteveXFR]

Id definitely recommend in person lessons. On line lessons are fine but you'll get no feedback at all. You need someone to tell you if you're technique is a bit off.

The online lessons also don't put enough emphasis on timing and because bass is a rhythm instrument, timing is extremely important. Bad timing can make a good band sound terrible.

[Suburban Man]

1 minute ago, SteveXFR said:

Id definitely recommend in person lessons. On line lessons are fine but you'll get no feedback at all. You need someone to tell you if you're technique is a bit off.

The online lessons also don't put enough emphasis on timing and because bass is a rhythm instrument, timing is extremely important. Bad timing can make a good band sound terrible.

Definitely the above, but remember although hitting the right note at the right time is best, hitting the wrong note, but at the right time is often quite acceptable 🎶😁

[Geek99]

Yes, thats called jazz 

 

get some in person lessons to get your basic technique right. Bad habits can cause problems further on down the road 

[SteveXFR]

A bassist who plays a simple part perfectly in time is far better than one who plays a complex part with sloppy timing. 

Understanding when to stay simple and when to go for it is also an important skill and a skill no guitarist has.

[Geek99]

The mere fact that he’s even asking this question shows he isn’t a secret guitarist 

 

the use of grammar and punctuation are also strong indications 👍

Edited 6 hours ago by Geek99

[Useless Eustace]

I will definitely try to find lessons this week.   St Helens, Widnes area ideally.  Would go further to Warrington or Liverpool if there’s a really good teacher?

 

 

So would you not do a mix of online & in person?   Like a monthly in-person to keep in check?    
 

 

[Burns-bass]

11 minutes ago, Useless Eustace said:

I will definitely try to find lessons this week.   St Helens, Widnes area ideally.  Would go further to Warrington or Liverpool if there’s a really good teacher?

 

 

So would you not do a mix of online & in person?   Like a monthly in-person to keep in check?    
 

 

I do monthly lessons to play classical music. A teacher can help you on a pathway, answer specific questions and provide support and reassurance.

 

Most will have books and materials they use that the can share. 
 

A teacher / student relationship (a good one, at least) is more than telling you what notes to play and what not to play.

 

What’s also a good idea is to set out your aspirations. Do you want to master a specific album or focus on one genre? Fo you want to simply play or do the theory stuff too?

 

Having those goals enables you - and your teacher - to make a plan.

 

Best of luck with it!

[MacDaddy]

Bit of a minefield. There's no 'regulation' just because someone is teaching bass doesn't necessarily mean they know about good technique. Plenty of teachers are great players who are passing on their own bad habits 😆

If i was paying someone to teach me some bass, minimum requirements would be theory, improvisation, and Alexander technique.

YMMV.

[Heathy]

If I were starting out today I would still want to learn by being in a band and learning songs because it was fun. However, an earlier knowledge of chord tones and a greater focus on developing plucking hand speed/dexterity would have been useful.

[Useless Eustace]

3 hours ago, Geek99 said:

The mere fact that he’s even asking this question shows he isn’t a secret guitarist 

 

the use of grammar and punctuation are also strong indications 👍

Didn’t realise I was being psychoanalysed 🫣

Dyslexic over compensation.   I can’t help it.   It’s not the daily canings, but having to read in front of class that still gives me nightmares.

 

 

 

23 minutes ago, MacDaddy said:

Bit of a minefield. There's no 'regulation' just because someone is teaching bass doesn't necessarily mean they know about good technique. Plenty of teachers are great players who are passing on their own bad habits 😆

If i was paying someone to teach me some bass, minimum requirements would be theory, improvisation, and Alexander technique.

YMMV.

 

Alexander Technique?   What’s the connection to learning Bass?

[iainbass]

There are so many people enjoying access to instruments now that simply playing along to your fav tunes is probably not good enough anymore. Whatever route you take, learn to read musical notation, it'll pay huge dividends. Othe than that, learn to play 12 bar blues all over the board....its a really good foundation... tons of stuff online.

[MacDaddy]

3 minutes ago, Useless Eustace said:

 

Alexander Technique?   What’s the connection to learning Bass?

 

I'm not an expert you understand, no really I'm not, but off the top of my head from what I remember: managing weight and balance, reducing fretting-hand tension, optimizing reach, breathing and performance anxiety. 

[SteveXFR]

What you want to play will also determine whats most important to learn. If you want to play motown, there's no point learning to use a pick or if you only want to play covers then you won't need much theory or if you want to play funk you won't need to learn to change strings. 

 

[Lozz196]

When I learned how to play I first off went to lessons so as to learn what the notes were, and where.

 

I then bought the songbook of my favourite album and taught myself how play it, and gave up the lessons.

 

I would probably be a lot better if I’d continued with the lessons.

[Geek99]

30 minutes ago, Useless Eustace said:

Didn’t realise I was being psychoanalysed 🫣

Dyslexic over compensation.   I can’t help it.   It’s not the daily canings, but having to read in front of class that still 

Youre misunderstanding- I was joking that you must be a bass player mentally because you can do that stuff.
 

Your average guitarist would not analyze their goal/progress in this way. “It’s loud” and “where’s the fuzz pedal?” Being the extent of must of their musings. 

[Useless Eustace]

26 minutes ago, MacDaddy said:

 

I'm not an expert you understand, no really I'm not, but off the top of my head from what I remember: managing weight and balance, reducing fretting-hand tension, optimizing reach, breathing and performance anxiety. 

I’m really bad for forgetting to breathe when concentrating on anything!    
 

 

 

 

14 minutes ago, SteveXFR said:

What you want to play will also determine whats most important to learn. If you want to play motown, there's no point learning to use a pick or if you only want to play covers then you won't need much theory or if you want to play funk you won't need to learn to change strings. 

 

I like a wide range of stuff.   If I could play along to my favourite album of all time, Velvet Underground & Nico, I’ll be made up!    Stooges, punk, but also into trip hop, bit of soul & reggae to blues & country.   Bit of James Brown & Chic would be brilliant.

 

 

[Geek99]

13 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

Youre misunderstanding- I was joking that you must be a bass player mentally because you can do that stuff.
 

Your average guitarist would not analyze their goal/progress in this way. “It’s loud” and “where’s the fuzz pedal?” Being the extent of must of their musings. 

And of course, “ where did the blue crayon go?”

[Useless Eustace]

8 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

Youre misunderstanding- I was joking that you must be a bass player mentally because you can do that stuff.
 

Your average guitarist would not analyze their goal/progress in this way. “It’s loud” and “where’s the fuzz pedal?” Being the extent of must of their musings. 

 

 

😝 I got that & absolutely no offence taken!!!!     It’s weird.   I’m a grand master in not giving a ####, but there’s some deep rooted humiliation in there.   If I didn’t use commas, I’d probably have to pay a rubber clad lady to wreck my cat flap 😳

 

I do analyse & obsess a bit.   Not good at finishing things though.   I’m determined to crack on with this though.

[SteveXFR]

54 minutes ago, Useless Eustace said:

I’m really bad for forgetting to breathe when concentrating on anything!    
 

 

 

 

I like a wide range of stuff.   If I could play along to my favourite album of all time, Velvet Underground & Nico, I’ll be made up!    Stooges, punk, but also into trip hop, bit of soul & reggae to blues & country.   Bit of James Brown & Chic would be brilliant.

 

 

 

You'll be needing to learn to play with pick and fingers.

[Geek99]

1 hour ago, Useless Eustace said:

 

 

😝 I got that & absolutely no offence taken!!!!     It’s weird.   I’m a grand master in not giving a ####, but there’s some deep rooted humiliation in there.   If I didn’t use commas, I’d probably have to pay a rubber clad lady to wreck my cat flap 😳

 

I do analyse & obsess a bit.   Not good at finishing things though.   I’m determined to crack on with this though.

You never finish being a bass player so you’re good to go there 👍