Introduction to Playing the Bass Guitar
So you have decided to take up the bass and begin to jam, now, where
do you start? One, know that it takes a lot of practice and dedication
to play any musical instrument, including the bass. The bass may be one
of the most understated instruments in the musical industry but it
commands respect nonetheless. The bass provides the backbone of any
music even though it lacks the flashiness of most other musical
instruments of the band. Without the bass, there is no rhythm and where
there is no rhythm, there just isn’t good music. So know that your
instrument, despite its lack of flare and flash, is crucial and you are
a much needed commodity in the musical world. Treat it with respect and
commit yourself to learning how to play it with style and versatility
and you will be on your way to living like a rock star.
In almost every band there is only one bass player and you are going to
be it! A lot of times you will see more than one guitar player,
sometimes even more than one drummer, but in almost every scenario, the
bass player is that one key that holds the music together. The bassist
of any band may be pretty low key, but the fact of the matter remains
that a great bassist knows his instrument in and out and dedicates a lot
of time to practice, good habits and versatility.
You need to know your instrument inside and out, so let’s start by
taking a look at the strings first. This is a picture of the strings and
note values attached to a standard four string bass. E is the thickest
string on the bass and closest to your chest. A is the next string and
is slightly thinner than E. D is again, slightly thinner and down to G
which is the thinnest and closest to the ground. You can also refer to
these strings as 4, 3, 2 and 1 with 4 being the E string.
The little metal strips that divide your neck into sections are called
frets and when you place your finger between two of the frets that is
what plays a note. The higher up the frets you go, the higher the pitch
value is.
If you want to hear what you are playing than more than likely you are
going to need a bass amplifier. You can play through a regular guitar
amp, but you will suffer in the quality of sound and possibly damage the
amp in the process. Because the bass is a lower frequency instrument, a
true bass amplifier is going to be bigger with some serious loudspeakers
to compensate the lower frequency.
Know the general features of your bass. The body is the bulk of the
guitar with the neck attached to it. The tuning pegs are attached to the
headstock and hold your strings in place and allow you to tune your bass
by adjusting the pitch of the string. Where the headstock meets the neck
there is a connecting piece called the nut. On the body of the bass
there are metal strips called pick-ups that are responsible for
converting the vibrations of the strings into amplified sound. Here is a
photo to help you locate these parts and become familiar with your
instrument.
Remember, playing the bass is all about keeping the rhythm and can be a
versatile instrument in the right hands. If you ever get to the point of
discouragement and think that the lack of glamour of being a bassist has
you can remind yourself of some of the famous musicians out there who
have handled this musical instrument with a lot of style and energy.
Look here at Sting playing the bass…and
you will wonder who ever claimed this was a low key instrument!
I would definitely call that some energy and Sting is an internationally
renowned musician who made playing the bass seem pretty darn glamorous
to me. If Sting doesn’t get you into the mood, well, swing right on over
to Van Halen and take a look their new bass player. Eddie Van Halen’s
son, “Wolfie” can get down with the best of them and get a definite
groove on and only at the age of 15!
Either way, there are a lot of bassists out there who know what they are
doing. You can too by learning all there is to know about your
instrument and following the lead of some very talented and famous
people. Happy Jammin’! |
