Bass Guitar: For Beginners ##VERIFIED##
There are so many beginner bass guitars to choose from, but luckily for you, we can point you in the right direction. In this blog post we introduce some things you should look out for when browsing through the countless bass guitars music stores and online marketplaces have to offer. We also give a few examples of what we think are among the best beginner bass guitars out there.
Bass Guitar: for beginners
Pickups consist of a magnet with a copper wire coiled around it. When the vibrations of a bass string disturb the magnetic field of the magnet, small voltage fluctuations in the copper coil are produced. These fluctuations are then transmitted to the bass amp, amplified and translated into sound (source).
To get you started on your hunt for the best beginner bass guitars, our team at Yousician has collected a few good recommendations to consider. These beginner basses have been tested by the expert bass players in our team. The beginner bass guitars in this list are also great for playing bass in a number of music genres, making them great entry level instruments for all aspiring bass players.
For a great bass tuner, check out GuitarTuna, our fantastic and accurate tuning app in your pocket. You can download GuitarTuna for free either on your iOS or Android device. It also comes with tuners for other stringed instruments as well as many alternate tunings. Read more about the GuitarTuna bass tuner here.
Skilled bass players know how to tune their instrument by ear. However, a reliable bass guitar tuner is a great tool for everyone regardless of their bass-playing skills. Physical tuner devices can be a reliable tool for tuning a bass guitar. Unfortunately, they also tend to be quite expensive, at least if you want an accurate bass tuner. Luckily, there are bass tuner apps you can download completely free without having to settle for lower quality. Check out GuitarTuna, an online tuner app that you can download free of charge for your Android and iOS devices.
Should you use a pick or your fingers to play the bass? The decision is up to you, but the two different playing styles are good for different things. Playing with a pick allows you to play faster, alternating between upstrokes and downstrokes (also known as tremolo picking). Playing with a pick also produces a sharper and punchier sound which makes it a good choice if you want to play more rock, punk, and metal genres. However, playing with a pick may not fit all musical styles and genres that require more versatility.
Knowing how to read sheet music is a useful skill to have but one that takes a lot of time and effort to learn. A simpler and more accessible format of musical notation for the bass guitar is tabs or tablature. The four (or in some cases more) bass guitar strings are represented by horizontal lines and notes by numbers. The numbers in a bass tab show which frets you should be playing. Zeros (0) represent open strings.
In bass tablature, the lowest horizontal line stands for the low E string while the highest line represents the thinnest string (the G string). When playing with Yousician, you can change the notation style to one that fits your preferences the best.
A bass line is a bit like a riff that is played throughout the song, accompanying the drums, guitars, vocals, and possibly other instruments. As opposed to a guitar riff, bass lines refer to the lower register of the song played by the bass guitar. Bass lines are some of the most important building blocks of a song in a number of musical genres.
While an experienced instructor can help tremendously, it is possible to teach yourself to play bass guitar. Take some time to get used to the instrument, even if you already know how to play guitar. Have patience, and recognize that learning a new instrument will take time and effort. If you set aside time each day to work with your bass, you'll be jamming out new licks in no time.[1]XResearch source
We like the 2020/21 colour options, including the decision to offer a black pickguard on each, making these beginner bass guitars a far cry from the more basic options of the past. Whichever style of music you play, the Squier Affinity Precision will get you started on the right foot.
Ibanez is the go-to brand for many rock and metal players. These basses are made for fast, tight playing, and the Ibanez Gio GSR200 line is the perfect example of why. It features that trademark, lithe neck, ideal for moving up and down the fretboard as your speed develops. We also like the onboard electronics that provide an active bass boost for even more sonic mayhem.
The Epiphone EB-0 was the first electric bass ever produced by the company, and they must have got something right because it went on to become used by some of the biggest artists in the 1960s. The EB-0 is a slightly shorter-scale than standard, allowing for faster playing and a more welcoming experience for beginner bass guitar players.
The scale length (that is the length of the string from the bridge at the bottom of the body to the nut at the top of the neck) is also something to think about when looking for the best beginner bass guitar.
The pickups are another key consideration when looking for the best beginner bass guitar, as these are the tonal generators at the heart of the instrument. Generally speaking there are two main categories of pickup - single coil and humbucker.
We specialize in teaching beginners to play bass guitar and getting them playing with others almost immediately. Our staff of professional musicians will not only teach you how to play but also help you with picking out that first instrument that will start you on your musical journey.
For bass guitar players, a strong and limber left hand makes playing the bass more comfortable and enjoyable, and it helps in tackling complex chords and scales. A good exercise for the left hand is the following permutation exercise:
Patrick Pfeiffer is a professional bassist, bass educator, and composer. His former clients include Polygram, Red Ant Records, Arista Records, and other major labels as well as Adam Clayton of U2. He has recorded with George Clinton, Phoebe Snow, Jimmy Norman of the Coasters, Paul Griffin and Bernard Purdie of Steely Dan, and many other stars.
This is a great song to learn because the main motif is so iconic, making it arguably the most recognizable and easy bass song. And while there is nothing too demanding of your technical ability, it is fantastic for helping to develop techniques such as staccato playing (the short notes where you need to mute them quickly with your right hand).
One of the all-time great American rock bands, the Red Hot Chili Peppers are well known for taking influences from punk, funk, and psychedelic rock. Bassist Flea often dominates the stage with his intense bass technique and high energy performances. Some of their material can be considerably more challenging on bass than on guitar!
This is a great song for beginner bassists to learn as not only does it get you moving around the fretboard quite a bit. It will also expose you to the magic of the B5 note (otherwise known as the blue note), which adds a lot of personality to the bassline and is something you can add to your musical vocabulary and use in your own bassline creation.
While of course, Michael Jackson is mainly known as a singer and dancer. As we mentioned previously he often has a stellar musical accompaniment behind him. With Billie Jean being primarily driven by the bass guitar motif. This single is one of his biggest ever, going 5x platinum (5 million copies sold) in just the USA alone.
Rage Against the Machine were able to garner a lot of attention immediately after the release of their first ever self-titled debut album. They would go on to become legends in the rap and alternative metal space amassing over 16 million albums sold worldwide. Because of their raw, guitar driven sound their songs are perfect for any learning bassist who is looking for something to rock out to.
The song opens with a classic bass line that is playing straight 16th notes, this will serve as a great picking exercise for any beginner. The rest of the song is very groovy and a lot of fun to play. Watch out for the octaves between the 2nd and 4th frets on the chorus and ensure those come out clearly!
Action is how high the strings are in relation to the fretboard. A bass guitar with high action will make playing more difficult for beginner bass players. However, if the action is too low, you may deal with an ongoing buzzing sound that will distract you from your playing.
The width of the neck of a bass guitar can change how comfortable you are. Most beginner bass guitar players can benefit from starting with a narrower neck. This will ensure you have an easy-to-navigate playing experience that helps you learn the basics.
Learning how to play the bass guitar takes time and dedication. However, it can be a rewarding experience. If you find that the bass guitar is an instrument you want to pursue professionally, consider enrolling in an online or in-person bass guitar class at MI.
At MI, we are passionate about helping bassists learn the ins and outs of the bass guitar. Our instructors are here to help you take your skills to new heights, find your groove and master the art of playing the bass guitar.
Learning to play an instrument is a great way to challenge yourself and take your love of music to the next level. As a beginner, you have made a great decision when you decided to learn to play the bass! Take a free meeting session for Bass lessons with ipassio and unlock scales, bass skills, and learn songs to play on bass. Good luck on your musical journey!
I will guide you through your first bass choice and the reasons as to why you should play bass guitar. I will teach you the basic elements of the ultimate grove instrument and everything you will need to start playing. 041b061a72