I've decided that I'd like to learn to play the bass guitar. I tinkered around with my brother-in-law's bass about 10 years ago...then, I just watched a "starter" video and played a few basic "starter" songs. The only problem now is that I have no guitar and have no clue where to start. I know there are quite a few musicians here on the bbs...so I'd like to know if there are any particulars to know before I venture out looking for a guitar and amp. I'm definitely wanting to keep the costs down in the beginning. What should I look for in regards to brands for the guitar and amp? prices? Ultimately, I'd like to be able to "jam" with a zydeco band. I really love listening to that genre of music and would love playing it. Thanks for any help!!!
Get a cheap Japanese or Mexican P-bass, and spend all day playing it. Seriously - for all the theory, notation, etc., you learn nothing can account for the time you spend just sitting around playing. Do lots of finger excercises, until you fingers can do what you want them to do. Theory and all that can come afterward. Good luck, and have fun!
My primary instrument for the past 15 years has been electronic keyboards (pianos of all types and Hammond sounds). Prior to the keys I played electric guitar & bass. Since I have a small recording studio in my home, I decided to buy an inexpensive bass for recording and songwriting. A few years ago on eBay I bought a 4 year old used but mint Fender Mexican-made P-Bass for about $200. I slapped some custom-wired pickups into it and it plays and records excellently. If you are buying used and are able to see the bass, take a metal ruler or straight edge with you. Lay it in the fretboard to see if the neck is bowed. There are two paths you can go for amps. Something ultra-cheap to learn on. Or a little higher up that you could use in a small room to jam with other musicians. Personally, I'd go the second route and get a tube amp and a separate speaker cabinet. My speaker preference would be 2-10's or 1-15. For the amp top (sometimes referred to as "head" or "brain"), anything close to or over 50 watts RMS would be good for a small venue or jam. If you just want to learn, a small single amp of 15 or so watts would work fine. I would also recommend a music book / CD called "Standing in the Shadows of Motown". This book pre-dates the DVD documentary of the same name and is dedicated to the style of James Jamerson. There are about 40 bassists on 2 CD's all playing their favorite Jamerson bass line with the bass panned to the opposite side from the music. A short list of players on the 2 CD's includes Paul McCartney, Marcus Miller, Bob Babbit, John Patitucci, Willie Weeks, John Entwhistle, Rocco Prestia (Tower of Power), Jack Bruce, and Geddy Lee. As mentioned by another poster...there is no substitute for practice. But I will caution that practicing bad habits only cements those bad habits. Keep challenging yourself. I hope this helps and good luck!
play along w/ your favorite music (zydeco?). learn arpeggios - they are a bassists best friend. i would go the fender mexican route - i have a mexican jazz that i got new for about $250 a few years ago. i too have a home recording set-up and use it for recording, but it has seen some live performance and worked well. crate amps suck, imo - just keep that in mind.
I've decided to try and learn bass too. Instead of buying one, I'm renting it by the month from Rock and Roll Rentals here in Austin. It's only $15/ month. I won't need to keep it because the place where I work already has a bass, and I'll just be playing that one. I just need something to learn on at home. Renting might be the way to go for you if you think that you might not be totally commited to learning the bass and you don't want to spend a few hundred dollars.
I learned to play bass for a music project I was in about 7 years ago. I think the best way to learn is to start with some basic guitar (6-string) chords and scales. Once you have the mechanics down, picking up and playing the bass is easy http://www.vinylpop.com/waitingforher/music/Fearless.mp3
One of my old bosses looked a lot like Geddy Lee with a short haircut albeit in a slicked greasy mafia style.
You cant go wrong with an entry-level Ibanez and some GHS boomers strings. Id get a small practice amp (Crate is usually pretty reasonable brand). Take some lessons for sure and get a book on scales - really helpful on the different styles of music like blues and jazz. Good luck and have fun. I love playing bass - the bottom end is where its AT!
Can't go wrong with the Fender suggestions so far... between a Precision Bass and Jazz Bass, it's more a matter of personal preference. I'd recommend playing both and just see what feels better. Look for used instruments too, because you may get a great deal on a bass that way. If you really want new gear and want to be economical, you can go for the Fender Squier Bass pack... http://www.squierguitars.com/products/search.php?partno=0330900506 Comes with the bass, amp, strap, cords, headphones, etc. for just about $300. If you're looking for an amp that you can actually play out in (and be heard with) you'll likely want to go a different route and spend a bit more.
Bass is an excellent choice if you want to play in a band fast.... There are way too few bass players (much less good ones) out there. Just be warned, while it may seem easier to learn (and is) than the guitar because chords will not be needed to be learned ('till you decide to become a true top-notch musician), it is no less easy to master. I have played guitar professionaly on and off over the past 25 years and STILL cannot play bass for ****. I've said it before- A good bass player is like gold. Good luck.
