Any Fellow Bass Players out there?

[Jordan777]

Hi! So I got my first bass not too long ago. It's nothing at all special but it's a bass and I love it. It's not quite a Dean (one of my favorite looking basses) but it has Dean on it. It's basically a starter bass. I'm gettin the hang of Slapping down. Can anyone give me some good hand position pointers? I'm very good at finger plucking (at least I think so) But when i slap I have the tendency to let my fingers hang out instead of pulling them in. Does this matter? It's jsut that I've seen a lot of other people in videos and stuff usually curl their fingers. What do you guys do? Also does anyone have a good website for tabs? I want to make my own stuff but I'm too green for that right now. I just need to get more experience.

[Jordan777]

Oh and I also play a little guitar. What about you guys?:D

[suterb42]

One thing I've learned from playing guitar and bass is that there's no "right" way to do anything. For example, Vic Wooten uses his thumb to do upstrokes and downstrokes, and he uses all his fingers. James Jamerson just used one finger that he called "the hook". Tony Levin uses drumsticks. Just find whatever works for you, and nobody can say you're wrong.

[Jordan777]

Hey that's cool thanks! Someone uses drumsticks on a bass? That's crazy and cool at the same time.

[ComplexNumber]

i play bass.

Jordan777
you're a beginner and you're wanting to try slap? forget it. start with the basics first. wait a few years before you do slap. you're trying to run before you can walk.

concentrate on developing good habits so you don't have to spend ages unlearning bad habits further on down the line.
i think its good to start off each session with some finger exercises.
also, try to make your playing regular. doing half an hour each day is better than doing 3 hours per week all in one session, for example.

[Jordan777]

OK then yea I'll do that. And about the slap I know it's not an easy skill I just do it to practice. I'm not really trying to advance or go crazy with it. I just do a really really simple beat with a couple notes. You're right though. I need to get more into the habit of just simple stuff and work my way up over time. I'm gonna go catch some Z's now so I'll talk more tomorrow.;)

[Fenryr]

I used to play bass...Had a hard time keepin' it in tuna, though, so I learned to play the trout...

[justifier]

I play bass. Mainly classical but sometimes play guitar. I personaly prefer my big one (Double Bass) and when i play bass (guitar) i ted to hold it in a clasical position (interween legs) and play it like that.. Just because thats wht in used too. Wouldnt suggest it for a beginner though. Oh and it messes up your back.

[Jordan777]

Justifier do you mean like an upright bass? I don't like the look of those I wouldmuch rather have the normal bass.

[matthew]

I play bass, although I'm a better guitarist than I am a bassist, mainly because I have a lot more experience playing the guitar in public. I like to use a really heavy pick for bass playing, but sometimes I'll use my fingers.

The most important thing for a bass player is to learn to play with a consistent rhythm and in key. If you can do that, you will never lack for a place to play.

[justifier]

Justifier do you mean like an upright bass? I don't like the look of those I wouldmuch rather have the normal bass.

yea, its called double bass, mainly used fro classical and jazz. I done mainly classical

[Jordan777]

Hey that's pretty cool then. Yeah I like to use my fingers more than a pick just because it's faster for me and my rhythm is really good with my fingers. It'd be a little harder using just one pick.;)

[ComplexNumber]

Hey that's pretty cool then. Yeah I like to use my fingers more than a pick just because it's faster for me and my rhythm is really good with my fingers. It'd be a little harder using just one pick.;)
i never play bass with a pick too. i always found it difficult with a pick, so i've used my fingers instead. i find it a lot easier.

[Jordan777]

Yup! What kind of basses do you guys have? I'm drooling over this $300 Dean right now. It looks to be about perfect since I'm not even close to pro but I have worked my way around the bass a tinsy bit. :D

[ComplexNumber]

Yup! What kind of basses do you guys have? I'm drooling over this $300 Dean right now. It looks to be about perfect since I'm not even close to pro but I have worked my way around the bass a tinsy bit. :D
i've got a yamaha 4 string. when i get a lot better, i intend to buy either a lakeland or a warwick 5 string with a high C.

[matthew]

I like to use my fingers more than a pick just because it's faster for me and my rhythm is really good with my fingers. It'd be a little harder using just one pick.;)
i never play bass with a pick too. i always found it difficult with a pick, so i've used my fingers instead. i find it a lot easier.I play guitar with a pick about 90% of the time, so it's an easier transition for me. I used to think I was doing something really naughty, but since I have noticed several professional bassists (big names, too) that play with picks, so I feel better. Fingers are still the norm, though, and for good reason.


Yup! What kind of basses do you guys have?
I have a pretty nice Washburn that I picked up used for an amazingly low price. It has a maple neck and fretboard, which is unique and gives a bit more snap, and a mahogany body with a flamed maple top in cherry sunburst. I'll see if I can dig up a picture later if anyone is interested.

[macogw]

I have a Dean Edge 4. It's much more comfortable than the P-style Titan I had before. I play with flatwounds, and it sounds really nice. I'd love to get a Fender '76 Ash Jazz Bass (loved playing the remake of it at the guitar store I worked at...perfect sound, like James Jamerson)

I play with my fingers. I can never figure out what string I'm on with a pick, and I like the finger sound better anyway.

[matthew]

I had a hard time finding a picture of my bass...but I found one. I have a friend who needed a bassist for his band on short notice and someone snapped a shot. Here we are, playing live and I'm looking at a chart while playing/singing.

FYI, the picture is about 8 years old.

http://www.matthewhelmke.com/guitar-amp/guitars/MattBass2.jpg

[macogw]

ooo pretty flame maple top

me & my Dean
http://photos-221.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sctm/v27/192/38/5319221/n5319221_30624343_8316.jpg

[Jordan777]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ^^^^^ You have the Dean I want! How sweet is it? Is it as great as I dream of it being!?:biggrin:

[Tomosaur]

I play bass, guitar, a little keyboard (getting better :P), trumpet, and am learning drums.

I only started playing bass a short while ago but I could pretty much play it straight off since I've been playing guitar for years. I tend to just use a pick with the bass, but I'm slowly getting the hang of using the fingers. It's a little different from using fingers on a guitar since you have to pluck the strings a lot harder, but I'm getting there.

I use 5-string bass, which is great because the B string coupled with a massive PA system = orgasm. The bass is actually an ESP B-55. Click this link to see a picture:
http://www.mistergooddeal.com/partage/images/normale/148428020001N501_N.jpg

[macogw]

I love the feel of my bass, but there are other basses that I think are really sweet too. This one: http://fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0190302821 Fender American Vintage '75 Jazz Bass, solid ash...is absolutely WONDERFUL...and about $1300. The Tobias 5-string Classic with Bubinga is really nice (and very expensive) too.

[regomodo]

played bass for about 7years now. went through a phase of popping/slapping/tapping and that 19th fret harmonic thing that the bassist from van halen did was the only way to play. i used to play trombone but my i got really sharp pains whilst playing. kinda felt like a tendon snapping every now and then. also used to play guitar but that was my brothers

i'll play anything now. from rhcp to fela kuti to primus to metallica. makes no difference to me. as long its not embarrassingly easy. i'ma finger player, never really liked the sound of a bass played with a pick

i have a crappy encore 21fret bass. it's an absolute pig. the headstock/fretboard is too heavy thus causing it to swing down whilst playing. i've modified the headstock and resprayed it using a technique i can't do again easily or the same.

[macogw]

regomodo, never ever get a Thunderbird. The headstock is freakishly huge. You'd think the fact that body's huge would offset it, but it doesn't.

[regomodo]

macogw. cheers for the heads up. i've been meaning to get a new bass and amp for so long. i always pop into the pawn shop when i'm in town and i've had my eye on a marshall bassman amp that's been sitting there since i started uni (read as 3 years) and a nice 24fretter that fits well. not bothered too much about pickups or controls. just a comfy bass. i'll possibly blow my next terms loan on it