Bass Space

Fender Bass - A Legend Lives On

2011-08-27T15:44:00.000+01:00

One of the top selling guitars in the world is the Precision Fender Bass. These guitars aren't only popular now, but since they were created in 1951, Fender has been unstoppable in the world of Basses.

Many people believe that Fender created the electric guitar, however Audiovox was ahead of the game on that one by about fifteen years. Fender was the first to mass produce the electric guitar which is the cause of the confusion. The guitar designed by Leo Fender is miraculous in that it is still being produced and sold. The name of this monumental bass came from the ability to consistently play in tune. With earlier basses the tune was based on the players ear not fixed frets. Thanks to Leo Fender's innovative fretted fingerboards players can now play with precision.

The Fender Precision Bass Guitar was made famous by Bill Black, the guitarist with Elvis Presley. He used the Precision Bass in the filming of Jailhouse Rock giving the guitar unprecedented exposure. After other bass guitarists saw the Precision in action, they undoubtedly saw the advantages this Fender Bass Guitar would offer them.

The Fender Bass Guitar changed music forever. Rather than just setting a rhythm as was the case with the double bass guitar, now the bass is a central part to the music. The bass can now add depth to the music.

The Fender Jazz Bass is also a very popular bass guitar. It is said to have a more "Jazz-like" sound. It was made with a Jazz Player in mind, the contours of the instrument along with the shape was thought to be appealing to a Jazz player who were switching from an upright bass. There is no denying that Fender has definitely left their mark in the music industry.

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Fender Bass - Secrets To Buying The Right One For You

2011-08-21T22:00:00.000+01:00

Electric guitars have been popular almost since their invention. This is in no small part due to variety of sound options and special effects that are available through amplification. One brand that stands out above the others is Fender Bass. It is known as a best buy bass guitar for its quality and reliability and is known to so many musicians and fans just by the name alone as the must-have bass guitar.

The Fender brand has been around since 1946, ever since Leo Fender created his electronic solid body bass and opened his California-based company. While other firms produced electric basses, Fender's were the first to be successfully mass marketed. In later years, the Fender company was bought by a larger corporation, but then reacquired by the employees. Its headquarters are now in Scottsdale, Arizona, while the guitars are manufactured around the world in Korea, Japan, Mexico and Corona, California.

You can be certain that any Fender Bass will be an excellent instrument and carrying the standard and guarantees of the brand with it. However, choosing just the right instrument for any one musician may be an intimidating process due to the number of options and choices to consider.

Price is always important for any purchase, but in this case it is more important to find the instrument that best fits both your style and they way you plan to use the guitar. Some styles of necks, frets, keyboards, and body shapes will be good for one, but bad for another player. The sound also varies with the type of wood used to make it, as well as with the different designs and even the coating of the instrument.

Some guitars are better suited to rock music and others are intended for the more mellow sounds of jazz, and you can find one to meet either style, or many other styles like blues and country music. A list of those stars playing a Fender Bass or other style guitar from the brand will demonstrate how respected and versatile the brand is. Artist Freddy Fender renamed himself in honor of his guitar brand!

When you choose a Fender Bass model guitar, you will need to try it out, and find the one that is the best fit for you. Shop for the best price. Even if you must finance the purchase, it is better than settling for an instrument you will never be happy with. The smallest of details can make a very big difference. Even small things like a coating on the fret board will change the sound. Even good guitars are less desirable on a poor amplifier.

Dealer information is listed on the company website. You can visit a local dealer and try out the various models, including the jazz and classical precision lines as well as other models to see what best fits you. Most musicians will find that several models fit their style and can pick and choose based on their overall needs and price.

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Fender Precision is the Bass Guitar For Beginners

2011-08-16T07:36:00.000+01:00

It is vital to know the type of bass you playing and as much about its background as possible. Getting to know your bass will help you to understand much more about it as well as learn how to better take care of it. For instance, one of the very best bass guitars for beginners might be the Fender Precision.

If you have selected the Fender Precision as the bass guitar for beginner to play on, then you will want to find out all you can about that bass. You will want to know that the Fender Precision was created by The Fender Company and that the Precision was actually the very first bass that they produced and it is still one of the most popular basses on the market today.

The reason for this is simply the bass tone that the Fender bass is able to produce. It is the most recorded bass tone. In fact, as far as a line that basses are judged on the Fender Precision guitar sets that line. All other basses judge their bass tone by the Fender Precision bass guitar, and if you are playing this bass guitar for beginner then you are setting the margin for other bass players.

However, you would not have know that if you would not have studied or researched the bass you are playing. In fact, the Fender bass is responsible for defining the sound of the bass in the rock band arena. So, so far you have found through your research of your bass that it has set the world standard, it is easy to play, and it is the most popular on the market.

One thing about the Fender Precision bass is that if you can not make it sound good, then the only real thing wrong with it other than it needs to be tuned is that this is a bass guitar for beginner who needs to practice. This is a an excellent instrument for a beginner to learn on, plus it will give you a professional quality sound.

With the Fender Precision bass guitar, even the older ones seem to go up in value. This is a bass that you can learn on as well play for life, because it is that high of a quality bass. The Fender Precision is now available in two different styles. The original, which is known as the Standard Precision, and the American Precision. With two different styles you have much more to of a selection to choose from.

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How to Learn Bass Guitar Online

2011-08-10T04:48:00.000+01:00

If you have an interest in learning to play bass guitar, you will find it to be a very rewarding instrument to play. The bass guitar player is an important member of the band. The quality of the group's playing depends largely on how well the bass player keeps in time. Not only are the demands heavy but the rewards are great. It only takes a short time to get up and running as a bass guitarist and once you have learnt a few basic bass lines and worked out whether you are a plectrum player or a plucker, you will be able to start improvising your own bass licks.

There are two ways to learn bass online. One is to take advantage of the many free bass lessons on the web. These online bass guitar lessons will help you to understand how the place of the bass guitar in a band, music theory, reading sheet music and tabs as well as giving you basic rhythms to play. Some of the bass lessons you find will have some kind of interactive component where you can play along with riffs or a backing track.

Of course, many of the bass guitar lesson sites are offering paid courses, but there are also some good free lessons. If you do a search for "online bass guitar lessons" (without the quotes will give you more results) you will be able to compare the various paid lesson courses for bass guitarists, and you will get a chance to compare them with the free courses. If you decide to learn to play bass guitar for free you will probably need to find yourself some free bass guitar tabs on the internet. There are many places that offer bass tabs for popular songs. Another option for the bass guitar student on a budget is YouTube. If you go looking for online bass lessons on video you will probably find about a thousand clips, all offering something of value to the beginner.

As a bass player you must learn to play in time. A newbie guitar player can spend years playing guitar with the tempo and timing all over the place because he does not have to play with other musicians. The bass guitarist's job is to play in a band so the sooner you get any little rhythmic or timing peccadillos ironed out, the better. For this you will need a metronome. Type "free metronome" into a search engine, find one you like and bookmark it if it is online, although there are metronomes you can download for free. The same goes for a tuner. There are quite good bass guitar tuners online. You will also be able to find free backing tracks for guitar online. Playing along to these is a great way to get the feel of playing in a band. You can tell the program what chords to play and the time signature, and you can play along to the looped track online or download it in mp3 format. For more inspiration find video clips and mp3's by leading bass guitar players like Jaco Pastorius, Stanley Clarke, Waylon Tisdale, John Pattitucci, Mike Mason or Miroslav Vitous.

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How to Play Bass Guitar - Fun and Easy

2011-08-04T10:08:00.000+01:00

Playing bass guitar isn't always about becoming rich and famous; it can be just as easily learned for fun. The skills involved with learning bass guitar and playing a part in writing songs has enabled millions of people to be happy and this is why bass guitar lessons can be great fun. The more intensely you practice the better you will become but it is possible for all different people to have a great time from learning bass guitar.

When you consider the bass guitar and the great bass players who have become famous over the years, there are many people to be influenced by. Many people consider Paul McCartney to be a huge influence on their bass guitar playing and his style may be one you use when learning this instrument. Sometimes you just need a starting point so taking influence from someone you admire greatly can be a great way to get your bass playing skills off the ground. Perhaps The Beatles weren't your thing and you may prefer a heavier sound like Metallica or Iron Maiden. It doesn't really matter what type of genre you like to listen to, it is all about what you want to learn and how much fun you can with playing the bass.

How to play bass guitar and have fun

If you are new to music and are unaware of what to learn, you should not think that all songs and bass guitar lines can be played in the exact same manner. Many people choose to take up bass guitar lessons in order to learn as many new skills and styles as they can before they decide which style to keep playing the most. This wide reaching approach of learning music can open up people's eyes to genres and style they possibly were unaware of. Learning bass guitar has its difficulties but it becomes simpler once you start to understand the nuances and similarities involved.

Learning all about playing the bass guitar can be difficult but it should also be fun and this means you should try to find the approach that works best for you. Just because one style or approach doesn't work for you doesn't mean that nothing will. There are many different styles of lessons available for the bass guitar these days and taking time to find your perfect match will help your skills improve quickly. The trick is to try something and if it worked then great but if it doesn't, you can always move on and try to learn in a different style.

Its how to play bass guitar that counts

The bass guitar is very different from the six string guitar and although there are some similarities it doesn't always follow that a person who can play one can play the other. Everyone has different skills and talents and you may be more suited to playing the bass than any other instrument and if you are, try to develop these skills. Taking bass guitar lessons to build up a better level of skills and techniques should be encouraged in every user and learning bass guitar should be something that never stops.

The bass guitar may not be for everyone but it is an excellent instrument that can bring many hours of fun and enjoyment to a great number of people who learn how to play it well.

With so many different types of bass guitar lessons available, it can be hard to choose just what one is right for you. Our website has a full run down of the options available and will be perfect to help you decide the best way to learn how to play bass guitar. Feel free to visit us to find out more about the bass guitar.

How to Buy Your First Bass Guitar

2011-07-31T06:17:00.000+01:00

Have you been considering buying a bass guitar? If so you have made a great choice as far as musical instruments go. Bass guitars have a great deep sound and are very easy to learn how to play. Before you rush right out and buy one, here are some buying tips to give you some peace of mind. Online bass guitar purchases are just fine, but before buying I suggest you visit your local music shop to get a feel for what is out on the market. You want to see how the bass guitar fits you and feels in your hands. Most music shops will let you plug it in and play around with any guitar right in the store. If you know any experienced bassist, see if they do not mind tagging along with you, as most sales associates merely want to sell you any bass. Listen for the tone and quality of the sound that matches your taste.

Make sure you have a budget in mind before making a purchase, as a brand new bass guitar can cost you anywhere from $200 to $5000 depending on the brand, quality, and wood finish. Used basses tend to range from $100 to $1500 and are often just as good, although pricing and selection will vary from one locale to another. Consider buying a used bass. Most used bass guitars drop in price over the years and can offer much better quality and sound as a new bass would.

When you think you might have found a bass you like, do a search for that model on the internet to see if any reviews have been written from people who have already purchased that same model. Bass players are usually pretty straight forward on the bass guitars they have played and purchased.

Some great starter brands include Rogue, Squier and Epiphone. These brands of basses both look good and play great for the price. Fretless , acoustic and five-string basses each have their own type of sounds and pluses, but it is easiest to learn on a four string electric bass. Most beginner tutorials are written with the four-string bass in mind. Other brands of popular basses include: Fender, Gibson, Washburn, Ibanez, Rickenbacker and Yamaha to name a few.

There are great places to buy bass guitars online. eBay and Musicians Friend are great starting points to begin your search for that special first bass and you can usually purchase cheap bass guitars there as well.

Dave Cherry is an avid bass guitar player.

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Let's Hear 'Em Bass Guitar Chords

2011-07-24T23:03:00.000+01:00

You've heard a lot about rhythm and blues, but it's the bass that makes you want to dance. It's the thumpa-thumpa that gets your groove on, your head bobbing up and down and your feet a-tapping. Indeed, it's all about the bass - the lower notes that give guitar music the texture and body. In a band, it's the bass player that closes the gap between tempo and harmony. That's from endless years of practice perfecting the craft, which beginners can learn from bass guitar chords.

Hearing bass?

If you have heard the songs of Metallica (who hasn't?), you've definitely heard the heavy tones that prop up all throughout, giving them that distinctive sound that only Metallica can offer. Finally, bassists have entered the front door, and are no longer asked to pass through the kitchen door. Playing bass guitar chords have given bassists the tickets to the front door.

It is easy to learn to play the bass guitar, but mind you, the bass guitar is very difficult to tame. If you are dreaming to hold a bass guitar onstage, then practice playing a note at a time. You will be surprised to discover that before you can pluck a note, you will have to master some hand exercises to speed up your guitar playing.

What's the big deal about bass guitars and bass guitar chords?

A bass guitar is unlike a regular guitar. It has four strings and is an octave lower than the bass strings of a regular guitar. The bass guitar has a longer neck for longer scales. Most bass guitars have hollow bodies, and the sound that is bounced back has a different resonance and tone. The bass sound provides the low-pitched bus runs and bass-line typical in different music genres - jazz, fusion, rock, and funk. A sturdy guitar can take all the punishment, as well as give the best bass bellow.

Chords refer to the collection of tones when played together simultaneously. This can refer to any type of fretted string instrument. There is no fuss about bass guitar chords, really. They are plainly guitar chords played on the bass.

Bass guitar chords always have 12 keys. It must show the major, minor, diminished, minor 6th, and major 7th. The suspended 4th added 7th must also be learned. Bass guitar chords also have notations - names and locations of the notes on the frets and strings, as well as the enharmonic equivalents and the positions of these notes within the bass clef. As you learn the different music styles from bass guitar chords, you will soon be going into bass runs, low pitched bass lines, and soloing.

Raring to play the bass guitar?

If you think the bass guitar is yours to tame, you have to get a good instrument to practice the bass guitar chords with. Check out the different bass guitars to suit your needs. Some of the most popular ones used by professionals are the ESP B50, Squier Standard Jazz, Yamaha RBX260, Epiphone Accu Bass, and Ibanez GSR200. If you are thinking about a good investment, get a Tobias Growler 5-string electric bass guitar. This is expensive but will withstand all that picking, plucking, and slapping. If you see yourself playing the bass long term, then this is the guitar for you.

One can say that behind the great bass guitar chord playing, is also a great bass guitar, and player. The formula also calls for dedication, determination, and enthusiasm. Without these, neither great bass guitar nor bass guitar chord can be played. Get lessons, a songbook, and download bass guitar chords from several guitar sites online. Now, let's hear some bass.

Yes, bass guitar chords [http://www.aboutplayingguitar.com/2007/09/02/what-are-bass-guitar-chords] can be learned online. You can also visit aboutplayingguitar.com for free guitar sheet music. Check out this site now for free guitar chords [http://www.aboutplayingguitar.com/2007/08/30/where-can-i-find-some-free-guitar-chords], and start playing your guitar.

Learning to Play Bass Guitar - 4 Guitar Playing Tips

2011-07-19T09:16:00.000+01:00

Playing the guitar is one popular pastime nowadays. For some people, it is also a way of expressing themselves and elevates the hobby into an art form or sometimes, science.

Playing the guitar, however, is no joke. It requires a lot of patience and practice. For some people, they would rather study playing the bass guitar than the regular guitar. Here are some tips on learning to play the bass guitar.

1. Feel the beat

Playing the bass guitar differs primarily from playing a regular guitar because it entails an emphasis on the beat of the music. One can compare the bass guitar into a drum or percussion set that is made into a guitar. Beats are very important in playing bass guitar because this type of guitar gives depth and timing to any song.

If one grasps the notes of a regular guitar through his ears, a bass player grabs the notes of a bass guitar through his chest. The bass guitar pounds on the heart and gives it feelings through the depth of the music.

2. Learn the notes (single chords) on a regular guitar

The main thing about bass guitars is that they are tuned like ordinary guitars. The difference is that most regular bass guitars only have four strings which are far thicker than ordinary ones. This kind of strings allows the bass guitar to go very deep in terms of tone.

Take a regular guitar (which is tuned from the thickest to the lowest string- E - A - D - G - B - E) and exclude the two thinnest strings at the bottom and what is left is basically a bass guitar with thinner strings.

Bass playing is usually note-oriented and not chord-oriented. This means that single notes are hit more often in bass playing and this scheme is the essential element of bass playing. One should be familiar with the tunings and the notes in a regular guitar to be able to decently play the bass guitar.

3. Finger placing is important

Hitting the bass guitar fret board with the left-hand fingers is very important since it is a major factor that will determine the wholeness of each note. Try to place the fingers such that they are close to the fret on the right. The right hand should also be practiced so as to give bass guitar playing a holistic approach.

4. Strengthen your grip

Another important thing to develop in bass playing is the strength of both hand's fingers. The bass guitar is a sturdy and solid musical instrument, strength is needed to play it.

In playing the bass guitar, one should always take one lesson at a time. Bass playing requires repetition and there's no sense in hurrying the learning process. One should feel the notes through his soul and through his heart and become one with the bass guitar.

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History of the Bass Guitar

2011-07-14T07:04:00.000+01:00

As far as instruments go, the bass guitar is one of the newest on the scene. It's a completely original component of today's bands and modern music and has not even been in existence for a century. Don't let the name "bass guitar" fool you either, the bass guitar is not actually derived from the guitar.

While electric guitars were developed from acoustic guitars, bass guitars were developed from the double bass instrument. They were originally known (and are still sometimes called) electrical bass instruments or the electric bass.

The original double bass, or simply the bass, are the massive, classical instruments that have been around for several hundred years. They are played with the instrument resting on the ground, using a bow across the strings.

The bass guitar is of course held with a strap on a musician's body and is played using one's fingers. As opposed to the back and forth of the bow on its predecessor and the strumming with a pick of an electrical guitar, the bass guitar is typically played with either plucking or slapping movements of the fingers.

It is tuned to sound the same as an original bass with of course the added benefit of being able to be amplified. In the early part of the 20th century, as music was getting louder, the bass was being drowned out and was unable to be heard. And so the quest for an electrical bass began.

Leo Fender and the Creation of the Bass Guitar

Leo Fender was an amazing man, a visionary and is one of the single most influential people in modern music history. All of these things and many more is Leo Fender. However, one thing he is not is the inventor of the bass guitar.

In 1935, it was Paul Tutmarc who developed the first incarnation of the electric bass. It was to be played horizontally and held like a guitar and could be plugged in for amplification. However, his instrument never truly caught on. It was in 1951 that the bass began earning its spot in modern music.

Leo Fender created his Fender Precision Bass, which was mass produced and skyrocketed in popularity. Gibson followed shortly there after and the bass guitar became an important component of jazz ensembles and today, nearly all musical styles and bands.

Just as with the electric guitar, Leo Fender capitalized on previous inventions, tweaked them to his own specifications and mass produced them to extreme success. While he should be remembered fondly for his contributions, let's not forget the original inventor of the electric bass, Paul Tutmarc.

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What Is The Best Bass Guitar For You?

2011-07-07T10:41:00.000+01:00

In this material we shall take a look at some of the things you should look out for when buying a bass guitar. This will help you in better understanding bass guitar descriptions and reviews. We shall talk about different types of body styles, necks, scale lengths, tuning machines, intonation, bolt-on necks, neck-throughs, fingerboards, number of frets, pickups, woods and finishes. We shall explain what each of these features are all about to help you decide what is the best bass guitar for you.

Body Style:

Most electric bass guitars are solid-body electrics. But if you're looking for a rounder and more acoustic sound you should buy a semi-hollowbody bass instead.

Fingerboard:

Another thing to pay attention to when choosing the best bass for you is the fingerboard. If you're looking for a warm, natural sound, you need a bass with an uncoated fingerboard. With a coated fingerboard the sound produced is whining and trebly and it sustains longer.

Neck:

How do you know what neck to choose? It's pretty simple. The type of neck you choose is dependent on the size of your hands. There are different shapes for you to choose from including round, flat back, oval, "vee" and asymmetrical where the neck is thinner either on the treble or bass side. Naturally, four string basses usually come with smaller necks than 4 string or 5 string basses.

Scale Length:

The scale length is the distance between the nut and bridge saddle. It is the vibrating length of the string. The longer the scale the more distance there is between the frets. The scale length chosen is important because it is what influences the tonal quality of the notes and the tension of the string when a note is played.

What scale length is best? Is it a short scale of 30 inches, medium scale of 32 inches, standard scale of 34 inches, 5 string long scale of 35 inches, or an extra long scale of 36 inches? Well it all depends on the instrument you're thinking of getting and the tone you desire. Let's say you're interested in getting a five string bass for example and want a defined low B string sound. In that case the longer the neck, the better. For a four string bass a shorter scale will do and it helps you get the most out of the G string. If you have small hands, a short scale bass is probably the best bass guitar for you.

Intonation:

Pay close attention to intonation. This is what determines whether the various notes on your bass play in tune. On some basses, the distance between the frets can be a little off and as a result these basses don't play in tune, usually when you pass the 12th fret. As far as I'm concerned these basses are useless and you shouldn't waste money on one.

Tuning machines:

In choosing the best bass guitar for you, you must pay attention to the type of tuning head your bass guitar has. This is what you use to fine tune your instrument and hold pitch. Ensure that you get the best one available. An enclosed machine heads are better than open tuning machines. They resists rust and airborne corrosives and you therefore don't have to maintain or replace them often.

Number of Frets:

The number of frets you choose is also a matter of personal preference. You can choose between 21, 22, or 24 frets. Personally, I do not worry about this too much since most playing takes place in the lower frets anyway.

Pickups:

When it comes to sound, pickups are perhaps just as important as the strings on your bass. No matter how good the wood of the bass is, if the pickups are lacking, it's pointless. But you need the right pickup for your bass since one pickup may work very well on one bass and not on another. You also need the right combination of strings and pickup. There are many pickup models available and they are either active or passive. If you choose one that is active, keep in mind that you will have to keep replacing batteries.

Bolt-on necks and neck-throughs:

In terms of neck, the best bass for you is all about your personal preference. If you want one that is stronger, has better sustain and note resolution, buy a neck-through bass. But for a punchier sound, nothings beats a bolt-on neck; the only limitation is that they are more prone to having dead spots.

Wood:

When buying the best bass guitar for you, choice of wood is important. The wood you choose will affect the tone and weight of the instrument. If you're gonna be standing up to play it's wise to have one that is lightweight. Swamp ash wood is a lightweight soft wood that produces low mids and a punchy tone. Alder is another lightweight wood except that the tone it produces is more crisp. At the end of the day, although you should pay attention to the weight of the instrument, it's all about whether or not you like the sound.

Finish:

You can choose any finish you like since it doesn't really affect the sound of your electric bass.

All the best in finding the best bass guitar for you. As long as you have a clear understanding of what you need it should be easy to find the right bass guitar.

Mantius Cazaubon is a successful author and publisher of Bass Guitars Guide. A resource for bass guitar tips, reviews and information on choosing bass guitars.

The Art Behind Bass Guitar Tabs

2011-07-03T06:39:00.000+01:00

Playing bass (or any guitar, for that matter) is more than pressing strings and fancy strumming. There's a lot of technicality involved, technicality that's religiously safeguarded by bass guitar tabs. After all, the only way the instrument can be played right is when there's a guideline, right? It's no Egyptian papyrus, but it's close enough.

Tabs or tablature?

When glossing guitar songbooks you see the phrase guitar tabs a lot. Have you ever wondered if this is a close relation to tablature in music? Well, it's not rocket science to tell that tablature and tabs are exactly the same, tabs being merely a nickname of sorts.

In guitar, tabs are musical notations that guide players where to place their fingers along the strings and in which fret. Tabs are frequently used for guitars and other stringed and fretted instruments. This is the more popular reference for learning guitar for pop and rock music. This also has several advantages over the tedious musical notations. In contrast, classical music is steeped in staff notation for accuracy in rhythm and timing.

Reading your bass guitar tabs

A bass guitar will have four strings. The first uppermost string is the G string (no, it's not underwear), followed below by the D string, which is tailed by the A string. The last string, E, is the strongest of all the bass strings. These strings are represented by four horizontal lines. The numbers below the lines are the frets where the notes are played on. You will observe the frequent appearance of the "O" which indicates that the string should not be fretted or pressed against a fret. If there are numbers above the fret numbers - the note has to be played on that fret.

If a number appears above a number on top of the fret, the strings are to be played at the same time, this time like a chord. Most bass guitar tabs are accompanied by legends to help the player understand some of the unfamiliar terms. In general, bass guitar tabs are easier to learn than the formal guitar musical tablature.

More guitar enthusiasts are finding bass guitar tabs convenient to use when attempting to understand the rudiments of bass guitar playing. There is no need for them to understand the underlying principles of guitar tablature because they want to learn how to play the bass guitar fast. Bass guitar players who dream of making it big opt for formal lessons in the fine art of bass guitar. A lesson in bass guitar will introduce them to the formal musical scales meant for stringed instruments. With experience and a solid background on musical theories, bass guitar players can switch easily from bass guitar tabs to scales.

Start with easy pieces

If you want to start a band, you should start with easy song pieces. Try out guitar pieces with simple bass guitar tabs. You will gradually progress on all fronts, from rhythm to bass, with constant practice and lessons. If there are difficulties along the way, you can always ask advice and opinions from the pros.

Practice your hand speed, slapping, and picking. Bass guitar tabs will require fast playing and switching of notes. You can add a dash of your own style by adding slaps. The faster you can go, the better you can play your bass guitar. Start practicing with free bass guitar tabs. You can have access to thousands of bass guitar tabs online and offline. Just decide what song pieces you want to learn but always start from the simple to the complex to avoid developing bad guitar habits that will ultimately be too hard to shake off.

Indeed, bass guitar tabs are easy enough to learn. After all, they're not hieroglyphics.

You can learn to play the bass guitar fast with bass guitar tabs [http://www.aboutplayingguitar.com/2007/08/30/where-can-i-get-the-bass-guitar-tabs-of-my-favorite-bands]; Visit aboutplayingguitar.com for the latest bass guitar chords [http://www.aboutplayingguitar.com/2007/09/02/what-are-bass-guitar-chords] You can also go to this site now for free guitar sheet music on almost any song.

Important Theories on Electric Bass Guitars

2011-06-26T15:54:00.000+01:00

The electric bass guitar is a bass stringed instrument. This instrument is played with the fingers either by plucking, slapping, popping or tapping and sometimes even using a pick. It is quite similar in form and structure with an electric guitar. But comparatively it has a larger body along with a longer neck. Most of these are four stringed.

The electric bass guitars came by an invention and an immediate replacement with the double bass for those in the genre of popular music. It provides a low pitch sound in any genre of music.

Most of them are commonly solid- body electrics, though there exists a few semi hollow body guitars. The latter provides a more rounder and an acoustic sound.

The neck of the electric bass guitar is one of the most crucial part of the instrument. The preferable size of the neck depends on the size of your hand. It is available with various types of neck shapes. The neck can be rounded, oval, flat back, v or even asymmetrical. However, if it is a five or six stringed electric bass guitar then you can expect the neck to be wider.

This can have a varied number of frets. Some electric bass guitars have twenty one while some others may even have twenty four frets.

Also, if you possess such a guitar, you should also posses a tuner. A tuner will help you to keep your instrument fine tuned and at the same time hold pitch. Invest in a tuner, that will be resistant to rust and airborne corrosives for this specialized guitar.

Another important factor that determines the sound of the electric bass guitars is the wood that is used for manufacturing the guitar. Musicians from various walks of life believe that the wood chosen for the top acts as the single most important factor. It is important as the wood dictates the tonal quality of the instrument.

However, you should know wood plays differential characteristics depending on which part of the instrument it is used. Though the sound of the guitar does not completely depend on the wood but it is an important factor to be considered. Uniformly the design and the skill of the maker also make a lot of difference to the sound of a single electric bass guitar.

Another topic for discussion is the continuous debate over a five string and over a four string bass guitar. A five string electric bass guitar consists of a B string as the fifth string. This string is below the traditional low E string. Though most bass players are comfortable with a four string bass. A few players prefer a five string electric bass guitar.

Those who are looking for an additional range of low pitch sound prefer a five string guitar. It also provides the extra effects when competing the synth bass parts. A five string electric bass guitar is also ideal for playing bass solos.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for guitars, drums, and synthesizers. You can find the best marketplace for guitars, drums, and synthesizers at these 3 sites: guitars, electric guitars, rock guitars, drums, drum sets, drum kits, and synthesizers, keyboards.

Start Learning Bass Guitar

2011-06-19T18:38:00.000+01:00

What is it about this particular guitar form that has whetted your appetite to start learning bass guitar? Is it that you want to be a little different to most other people playing guitar? Maybe it isn't, but learning bass guitar does set you apart. It is the lead guitar that usually takes the plaudits as the face and voice of a band but behind all that it is the bass guitar that contributes the pulse that gives life to that same band.

Working together with the drummer the bass guitarist makes it his place to set and maintain the rhythm and the pace around which the whole of that band functions. It is quite normal that at most gigs the limelight and the applause goes to the lead guitar and vocalist with the drummer occasionally breaking up that monopoly with a display of his skills playing a periodic fast and furious solo routine.

But behind all this frenetic activity the heartbeat that gives life to the whole body of the band continues to beat on as the bass player coolly goes about his craft. Rarely the star but often the hero the bass player steadfastly keeps his cool as he continues to put out that life giving beat to the music.

The unique quality of the depth and richness of tone brought forth when a bass guitar is properly tuned and played is truly captivating. To be the one playing your own bass guitar and to be able to create such a sound yourself is a greater excitement still.

So if you have now made your decision to become part of that elite club of bass guitar players and want to start learning bass guitar what should be your next step? If you are going to start learning bass guitar you had better get yourself kitted out! Certainly the most exciting step and one you should take your time over and not hurry. Its time to choose your new bass guitar!.

Look up a specialist guitar retailer because that is where you will get to view the biggest selection of guitars and get the best advice in buying the right guitar for you. Ask them to not only show you all the different options, but allow you to hold them and find out which ones are most comfortable for you. A bass guitar has a bigger body and longer neck than other types of guitar and you must be able to hold it and reach the farthest frets comfortably. Your new bass guitar will very likely come to be your best friend as you spend many happy and intimate hours with it in the years to come. So it is vitally important that you get it right. Having identified a couple of bass guitars that you like the look of and that are comfortable for you to hold and play, ask to have each one played through an amplifier so that you can hear and get a feel for how they sound. Only when you have gone through this process diligently will you be sure that you have found the right guitar and ultimately have found a new soul mate for yourself.

Choosing your new bass guitar is the beginning of your dream. Splendid as it is, you won't be able to play it unless you find a way to hear it!. Every electric guitar has to be played using an amplifier. Again get the retailer to show you a selection that fits within your budget and ask him to plug your new guitar into them so that you can hear the soul of your new bass guitar connecting with you. See it, try it then buy it. That's the rule. Not, see it, buy it then try it or buy it, see it then try it! You are going to be using up a lot of your cash to buy and you are going to be spending a good deal of your time in learning bass guitar. So obviate any problems by getting it right first time.

There are still things you need to buy though before you can start learning bass guitar. You will need a guitar lead to connect the guitar to the amp. Also a comfortable strap to support the guitar on your shoulder as you play it is a wise investment.

Keeping your guitar properly tuned must become a daily routine for you and the easiest way of accomplishing this is with the use of an electronic tuner. They are definitely great value for money and they do make the job quick and easy.

One other thing. Your understanding of timing will be quite an important part of learning bass guitar.

It is fundamental to your development as a guitarist that you can learn a good sense of timing. It will be your sense of timing that you show when you play your new guitar that makes you a success or a failure at any future auditions you try for.

When you start learning new songs for your guitar you will have the most success if you play the number at perhaps half speed until you feel comfortable with playing it and then little by little increase the speed up to the normal pace for the song. So if you will only take one piece of advice away from reading this it should be, get yourself a metronome!

Metronomes are still made as the traditional mechanical device but electronic versions are probably the best value for money now. Be sure you have a chance to listen to those that you see on offer, as lower quality ones can have an aggravating tinny click or bleep rather than a nice satisfying woody tick. Also it is well to obtain one with beat increments of one beat per minute allowing a very measured increase in tempo which will be more suitable for you when learning bass guitar songs.

Don't be tempted at this stage by all the many accessories and add-ons that are put in front of you in magazines and shops. These are best left to another time when you have gained a better feel for which of those things you might really need.

Having made a commitment to start learning bass guitar and having equipped yourself with the guitar of your dreams and your amplifier, how do you actually start the process of learning and mastering the techniques and skills necessary to realise your ambition of playing in a band?

To have private tuition from a good professional guitar teacher on a one to one basis will certainly be the very best option open to you. If you are able to locate such a teacher near to your home and you can run to his fees and can fit his lessons around your lifestyle then this is your way forward.

There are other options available to you though.

For not much more than the cost of a couple of private lessons you can purchase a truly comprehensive multimedia home study course that can deliver fantastic results.

These courses are structured for you to start learning bass guitar at home at your own pace and be studied and practiced at a time to suite you.

As is always the case some are better value than others and some represent a greater investment than others. If it is right for you to take this route and you have invested in the right guitar and the right amplifier then it is only sensible to make sure you make the right investment in your course to start learning bass guitar and you buy into one that has a proper structure and is very professionally produced.

Can I suggest that you take a look at the Learn & Master Guitar course? Here is an in depth award winning multimedia suite of instruction written and hosted by renowned guitarist and teacher Steve Krenz. Learn & Master Guitar comes from the Legacy Learning Systems stable of home instruction courses and is without doubt the best of the best available to you today.

http://guitaraccord.com/learning-bass-guitar.php is a website dedicated to the promotion of guitar learning. Looking at a diversity of guitar styles we recommend appropriate methods of learning to play your guitar.

Learn to Play Bass Guitar

2011-06-14T15:44:00.000+01:00

There is a secret you must know if you want to learn to play bass guitar. It is in the name. The guitar is a musical instrument where you learn notes and melodies and chords and all that musical stuff. A bass guitar plays the same notes but in practice it should be approached as more of a percussion instrument which needs to be felt and interpreted mostly by the body rather than the mind and the emotions. Right from the very beginning when you are practicing your bass guitar you need to be aware that you are communicating with your audience in the same way the drummer is.

So how do you begin to learn to play bass guitar? Just the same as if you were learning the regular guitar. Take lessons for a while. Get the callouses on your fingers and learn the notes on the fretboard. As a bass guitar can be played with either a plectrum or with the right hand fingers you could try learning the rest stroke used by classical guitar players.

As part of your bass guitar training you should learn all about the basic chords and scales as they are played in rock music, and maybe take a look at the way folk singers play the guitar to accompany themselves singing. This will give you a basic understanding of where the bass notes are in regular guitar playing and how they fit in with the rest of the music.

Once you have a basic understanding of guitar playing you need to choose which type of bass guitar interests you most and how you are going to play it. The four string bass is tuned an octave lower than the six string guitar with its four strings tuned to E A D G. The five and six string bass guitars can be tuned in many different ways to give a wide range of how you express yourself through your music. Now is not the time to make the decision about which bass guitar you choose, you will find out as you experiment and gain some experience playing in groups.

When you play your bass guitar you will possibly be using a plectrum. Usually this will be one of the heavier picks but they are available in a range of weights to suit the music and the player. If you choose to play the bass guitar with your fingers you will be learning a range of plucking, slapping and snapping techniques using the fingers of your right hand.

The type of bass guitar you choose to play and the technique you use to play your bass will be the methods you use to turn musical notes into bass guitar music. As the bass player you have the job of giving your group the extra thump it takes to get the dancers dancing and the audience swaying. And the great part is you do not have to be a technical virtuoso to do it. You can have fun inventing your own bass lines and making use of chords and arpeggios, but keep it simple. It is an old joke amongst rock and roll musicians that the bass player has the least technical ability, and sometimes there is an element of truth to this, but the rhythm is best expressed by simplicity.

Do you want to learn to play the guitar? http://playaguitarforfree.com/ is my blog which shows you that there are many people like you who wish to learn how to play bass, acoustic or electric guitar. It is the ultimate resource if you are looking for the best way to learn how to play the guitar.

There are some common elements of guitar playing that I cover such as learning to play solo guitar, how to learn guitar chords, how to learn to read and play easy acoustic guitar tabs, finding a free online guitar tuner, looking for free guitar lessons online, how to learn guitar scales, how to play guitar fast.

As a learner guitarist you will find guitar lessons, videos, articles and reviews to answer your questions, calm your fears and help you play the guitar the way you want to play it. I have the resources you need to learn how to play the guitar for free.

Bass Guitar Basics

2011-06-08T06:49:00.000+01:00

There are basic bits of equipment that you need to include when you buy your first bass guitar. The guy in the guitar store is going to want to sell you a boatload of accessories but you only need a few basic things to make up your basic bass guitar kit. Buying your very first bass guitar is an occasion you will remember for the rest of your life. You have finally made the decision to but a musical instrument and to practice until you can play it. Maybe you've already had some experience at playing the guitar. If so, you will find the bass a little easier to play from a technical point of view but learning how to be a bass player does include some challenges. The first is to get out of the guitar store with some money left in your wallet.

Your new bass guitar is a valuable piece of equipment and you are going to want to keep it safe. So you will need to purchase a bass guitar case. If you are actually going to be transporting your bass guitar to different places for practice or for gigs it is best not to go for one of the cheaper cases. They're a bit on the thin side. Spend a little more money and get a case that has a hard outer shell and some padding inside.

Bass guitar strings come in several types: roundwound, groundwound and flatwound. The most common are roundwound which have quite a bright sound and can be used in all styles of bass guitar playing. Reggae or jazz bass guitar players usually prefer a fairly mellow sound so they will often choose flatwound bass strings. Groundwound strings are preferred by bass guitarists who do not like the finger noise that you get with the other two kinds of strings, and they don't have the extremely bright or totally mellow sound of flats or rounds. Whichever kind of string you use, buy a spare set or two. If you have not made a final decision yet, buy a set of each kind of string to try them out.

Bass guitar players play standing up, so you will need a guitar strap. They are made from vinyl, polyester or leather. Your guitar will probably have one but you might see something in the store that you prefer. There's not a whole lot of difference between the different types of guitar straps, so just make a personal choice.

There is one bass guitar basic accessory that you can go crazy over, and it's picks. Bass guitar picks are cheap and come in many shapes, sizes and colors, a lot like the girls who will be attracted to you when you start playing bass in a band.

A strict rule that all guitar players should impose on themselves is to keep your instrument in tune all the time. You can do it by installing a free tuner on your computer but if you are going to be travelling to gigs then buy one when you purchase your bass guitar. Just get a cheap one to start with. They come in a wide range of prices but they all do the same job.

REVIEW - Bass Guitar Secrets Instruction Program

2011-06-01T16:42:00.000+01:00

If you have ever thought about learning performance level bass guitar, then you might want to take a serious look at this review of the popular Bass Guitar Secrets instructional program by Alex Sampson.

The Goal of Bass Guitar Secrets: to play performance-level bass in the fastest time possible.

Who Will Benefit Most From This Program?: This bass guitar instructional program is designed for rank beginners to advanced players

What Kind Of Bass Guitar Is Taught?: 4,5 and 6 string electric bass.

The Contents of Blues Guitar Secrets:

2 Illustrated Instructional Manuals - 250 pages total, Over 350 Audio Examples, JamBox: 101 audio full band Jam Tracks, Fretboard Genius Training Software, Groove Station: 107 audio drum tracks, Insiders Guide To Chord Mastery, Bass Guitar Tuning Software, Free Membership to the BGS 1-on-1 personal coaching program, Free Lifetime Lesson Updates.

The Negatives:

Bass Guitar Secrets does not utilize video as a teaching tool. This does not necessarily mean that the content or quality of the lessons suffer but I do believe that some people, based on their learning style, may have to work a little harder to understand some of the lessons.

The Positives:

All Inclusive: This is a turnkey bass guitar lesson program. Everything needed to go from rank beginner to creating interesting bass lines for many different styles of music is included.

Beyond The Basics: This course is jam packed with tons of small but essential tips from learning to buy a bass to tuning it. You are not just told what to do but also given lots of detailed tips for learning to execute each lesson well.

Excellent After Purchase Support: Nothing is as frustrating as stalling out in the course because there is no way ask questions or request clarification. Bass Guitar Secrets has 5 avenues of support, (see the support section below for details).

Fun: Playing along side the very real (though recorded), Jambox band is the most fun and satisfying part of this course. The quality of the production and selection of the music both combine to give as much realism as possible while still remaining in the safe atmosphere of your own bedroom.

Computer Compatibility: Both Macintosh and Window PCs are supported.

The Price:

Option 1: $97 USD (as of this writing ), This version of Bass Guitar Secrets includes a convenient printed version of all the manuals. The software and audio files are provided on CD. The printed manuals come in handy if you wish to have quick access to some of the lessons with out having to boot up your computer. This version is a plus if you do not especially like to read from a computer screen.

Option 2: $59.95 USD This version saves you over $37 by not giving you a printed version of the eBook instruction manuals. All of the items mentioned above ,including the manuals, arrive at your house on CD.

Option 3: $49.95 USD This is the instantly downloadable version. All of the files for the written manuals, software and audio are sent instantly via the internet upon receipt of payment by most major credit cards, eCheck or PayPal. The surprising part about this low cost option is that nothing is left out. Absolutely all of the manuals, the audio files, jam tracks, bass tuner, etc. that are part of the $97 version are included.

The Cost Analysis:

Bass Guitar Secrets vs. a Local Instructor Bass Guitar Secrets by Alex Sampson contains the equivalent of 6 months to one years worth of guitar lessons if you were to space them out as if you were taking lessons from a local guitar instructor. A local instructor typically will charge anywhere from $20 to $50 per weekly lesson. Your minimum cost, (not including materials), at only $20 per lesson for 6 months would be at least $520.

The choice comes down to: Bass Guitar Secrets at $49.95 to $97 or a local instructor at $520 to $1040.

Guarantee: One full year.

Support: A free dedicated internet Support Site, A blog that allows you to interact with experienced bassists, Free Membership to the BGS 1-on-1 personal coaching program, Free Lifetime Updates for the two main instructional manuals, Two Free Video Tutorials for downloading and setting up Bass Guitar Secrets program.

The Bottom Line:

At first I was not expecting to like Bass Guitar Secrets because it does not include video in the lessons but, slowly I was won over. The lesson content and quality are definitely on the mark. Alex Sampson is a serious bassist that also has a flair for teaching and it shows in the details of his course.

The quality of the 400 plus audio examples and play along jam tracks are top notch which lends an essential degree of realism to the learning experience, (not to mention a great deal of fun as well).

I am pleased with the overall reasonable price but, I am especially impressed that even the lowest cost, instant download version ($49.95) of Bass Guitar Secrets includes everything and I mean everything that the more expensive printed version offers.

The bottom line is that Bass Guitar Secrets gets the job done at an excellent price. It has clearly earned my recommendation. The rest is now up to you.

For more details, samples, testimonials or to buy Bass Guitar Secrets please follow this link: http://www.CompareGuitarLessons.com/Review-Bass-Guitar-Secrets.html

New Web Site

2011-05-27T11:02:00.001+01:00

Just a wee post to let you know I've got a new site Learn Guitar 365.

Is the 5 String Bass Guitar the Evolution of the Electric Bass?

2011-05-27T10:53:00.000+01:00

The 5 string bass represents a fascinating branch of the electric bass guitar class. Can you guess the name of one of the original bass guitar makers that held off on adopting the 5 string to its main product line despite introducing the first ever electric 5 string instrument? Read on to find out more about the 5 string bass.

Origins of 5 String Basses

5 String basses didn't really start to appear until the late 70's when Alembic, Ken Smith and (by his own admission) Michael Tobias built one. The first veritable production 5 string was the Musicman Sting Ray 5 which debuted in 1986. Within a couple of years, 5 string basses were surfacing in more and more low-priced models by major manufacturers such as Ibanez, Peavey, Yamaha and Washburn. Strangely enough, because a certain bass manufacturer stayed away from offering 5 string versions of its bass guitars until the1990's, a cottage-industry of lookalikes started to appear. Custom bass guitar luthiers began to rise in popularity by meeting the need for a 5 string bass guitar with vintage styling. Companies like Sadowsky, Lull, Lakland and finally Allevo Coppolla filled this void.

Companies including Spector, Warwick, F Bass, MTD, Ken Smith, Zon, Fodera, Pedulla and ESP offered 5 strings with their own unique designs. One particularly unique design is the fanned fret system used on Dingwall basses that helps extend the scale length of the low B string substantially.

Producing the perfect 5 string electric bass required some particular considerations, with the uneven number of strings, the neck had to be assembled for increased stability. Figuring out the best string spacing, neck width, neck radius, electronics and scale length took many years and a lot of different attempts. Early five string bass concepts often had necks that were too broad, or that attempted to cram 5 bass strings into the same size neck as a four string bass; neither of which were ideal for most players. 35" scale basses became progressively common as a method to 'tighten up' or add definition to the low B string.

While adoption of the 5 string attained mainstream acceptance in the 90's with players like Tom Hamilton of Areosmith, Jason Newsted of Metallica, David Ellefson of Megadeth and Billy Gould of Faith No More et al., many other celebrated bassists chose to remain with the four string bass. Bassists such as Geddy Lee, Flea, Marcus Miller, Billy Sheehan and Victor Wooten proceed to do the bulk of their recorded or live performances entirely with four string basses.

A recent movement towards detuned 4 string basses with a 35 inch scale that share the equivalent low notes as a low B equipped 5 string happened in the early to mid 2000s. While the five string bass appears to be here to stay, it seems that it has yet to fully replace the 4 string bass in the fashion that the electric bass essentially supplanted the acoustic bass in the 1960s.

5 String Electric Bass Tunings

The more common tunings for the 5 string bass are either E-A-D-G-C (high C) or B-E-A-D-G (low B) with the latter tuning embodying the most prevalent. Low B tuned five strings are popular in Gospel, Hard Rock and Metal music genres while the high C tuned 5 string bass is more common in Jazz, Fusion or bass solo recordings.

The Perfect Low B

With the low B string, 5 string electric bass players have fought to find the right amount of punch and presence to give definition to the lower frequencies without it sounding like 'mud'. Finding the 'perfect low B' in terms of sound and feel is a perpetual quest for many players - often warranting the expense of arranging a custom-made bass guitar from a luthier.

I hope you enjoyed this taste of what the 5 string bass guitar is all about. As for my question at the top of this article - Did you guess that the company was Fender? That's right, Fender introduced the "Fender V" in 1964 in limited quantities. It seems that this particular instrument didn't feature a low B string, and John Paul Jones was known to have played one for a time in Led Zeppelin.

Want to learn more about the 5 string bass guitar, bass guitar amps or even how to find the perfect bass guitar neck? Check out http://www.bassguitarrocks.com for more helpful information about bass guitars!

Playing Bass Guitar Made Easy With Bass Guitar Tabs

2011-05-23T07:38:00.000+01:00

You need a manual to operate a new appliance. You need to read the rules before you play a new board game. Learning to play the bass guitar is no different. You'll have a manual like no other - the tablature.

Guitar TablatureLearning to play the bass guitar is made easy with guitar tablature. Anybody who has a guitar and is willing to spend some time learning the rudiments can get along fine. If you are new to guitar lessons, do not be confused about tabs and tablature. They mean the exact, same thing in guitar lingo.

Bass guitar tabs or other guitar tablature provide visual interpretation of the guitar's fret board so formal training is not necessary to understand guitar tabs. Bass guitar tabs are also easy to read and interpret; hence, application is faster and easier. Bass guitar tabs are musical notations that look like a written music document. Instead of the usual dots spread on a 5 line stave to show a specific note, the frets are numbered on a six line stave. The line represents a guitar's string. Therefore, the six lines are the six strings of the guitar. Bass guitar tabs are also read from left to right.

If you have a four-stringed bass guitar, the bass guitar tabs will show four horizontal lines representing the four strings. The topmost string is the G string, followed by the D string, the A string, and lastly, the E string. If you see two numbers (one above the other) on one string, it indicates that the string is to be played simultaneously.

Wake up those fingers

If you are reading bass guitar tabs, you will notice that you won't be determining the position of the fret board where you have to play the note. The bass guitar notes can be played in various left hand positions and on diverse strings. Bass guitar tabs are also easy to understand because the notations are clear. Instead of learning how to study the pitch, you are learning where to place your fingers.

Playing the bass guitar is taxing. It requires speed, and with all the slapping and sliding, the fingers should be exercised regularly to perform well. In addition, your fingers should be able to take the impossible chords and switch chords with ease and agility. Practicing the hand is basic in bass guitar playing. You have to achieve speed without losing accuracy with each pluck. You also have to get used to the sensation of holding the guitar without using your left hand. As you go along, you will discover that you won't be depending on your left hand to prop the guitar. Master this, and play all bass guitar tabs with ease.

Apart from the bass guitar tabs and acquiring fingering speed, bass guitarists have to learn the tapping, slapping, and popping techniques. These techniques support the song context, making the notes more appealing and distinctive.

Get those bass guitar tabs

The Internet has made it possible for almost everyone to get guitar tabs. They can choose the songs they want to play, or even entire albums of their favorite rock bands. Bass guitar tabs can be downloaded anytime. E-books and CDs on all guitar tabs and playing styles are also available for a minimal fee. Joining guitar forums can also boost your knowledge about bass guitars - tabs and all. Indeed, master the manual and you'll master the instrument.

It is now easy to play bass guitar with bass guitar tabs [http://www.aboutplayingguitar.com/2007/08/30/where-can-i-get-the-bass-guitar-tabs-of-my-favorite-bands], so visit aboutplayingguitar.com for bass guitar chords [http://www.aboutplayingguitar.com/2007/09/02/what-are-bass-guitar-chords] and free guitar chords [http://www.aboutplayingguitar.com/2007/08/30/where-can-i-find-some-free-guitar-chords]

All About an Acoustic Bass Guitar

2011-05-17T04:35:00.000+01:00

There are different types of guitars producing various sound variations, offering different features. One of the most demanding is the acoustic bass guitar. This is a bass instrument with a hollow wooden body similar to a bass guitar, though usually somewhat larger than a steel string acoustic guitar. A steel strung acoustic bass guitar is louder and sounds brighter than a classical guitar. These guitars are constructed and made using various materials. Those guitars, which are expensive, have a solid top, solid back and sides. Normally cedar and spruce are the materials, which are being used for making the solid wood tops. Back and sides are often made from mahogany, maple or rosewood.

Entry-level acoustic bass guitars are generally constructed entirely from laminated wood. But mid range acoustic bass guitars may sometimes have a combination of solid parts, often solid top and laminated woods. Acoustic bass guitars are most preferably used while playing a folk music or a country song, though many pop as well as rock singers use this guitar quite often in their concerts.

A brief history

The first modern acoustic bass guitar was developed in the early 1960s by Ernie Ball of San Luis Obispo, California. Ball aimed to provide bass guitarists with a more acoustic sounding instrument that would match better with the sound of acoustic guitars. In the late 1980s, MTV unplugged show helped to popularize hollow bodied acoustic bass guitars amplified with pickups.

Information about the construction

The acoustic bass guitar usually has a hollow wooden body similar to that of the steel string acoustic guitar. This is quite unlike the electric bass guitar, which is generally a solid body instrument. The majority of acoustic basses are fretted. Semi fretted versions also exist, although they are quite rare. Frets are raised metal strips inserted into the fingerboard that extend across the full width of the neck. On a fretted bass, the frets divide the fingerboard into semitone divisions. The acoustic bass guitar commonly has four strings, which are normally tuned E A D G, an octave below the lowest four strings of the 6 string guitar. Most acoustic basses have pickups, either magnetic or piezoelectric or both, so that they can be amplified with an instrument amplifier. This is because it becomes difficult to hear an acoustic bass guitar without an amplifier. Piezoelectric pickups are non magnetic pickups that produce a different tone.

Conclusion

Acoustic guitars, which are an indispensable part of folk music and country music as well, are available in different types. The prices of these guitars also vary because of the materials used to make the guitars. The Earthwood acoustic bass guitar was introduced in 1972. The Earthwood acoustic guitar was quite large and deep in contrast to most instruments and gave more volume, especially in the low register. After a few years of its birth it became almost extinct. Some of the very famous guitar manufacturers, who make world class acoustic guitars, are Alvarez, Breedlove, Cort, Crafter, Jerzey, Dean, Eston, Gibson, and some others.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for guitars, drums, and synthesizers. You can find the best marketplace for guitars, drums, and synthesizers at these 3 sites: guitars, acoustic bass guitars, drums, drum sets, drum kits, and synthesizers, keyboards.

How Do Acoustic Bass Guitars Work?

2011-05-10T17:56:00.000+01:00

Acoustic bass guitars are the deeper brothers of Western guitars. They are related to, but different from the guitarrons that are often used in the Mexican bands called mariachi they are different in many important ways from regular acoustic guitars. Building an instrument that properly supports the tone and delivers low end at usable volume levels is very difficult. Acoustic bass guitars don't sound like acoustic basses when unamplified, they sound like guitars strung with heavy strings.

Acoustic bass guitars are available as well as electric ones, so the cash-strapped beginner can get started without amplification - and could even cut his or her teeth with an acoustic band to start with. Acoustic bass guitars are still pretty rare, but there are a few out there like Jerome Harris, who use those instruments just right. The first track features a finely balanced sax/bass/drums trio playing freely yet extremely focused. Acoustic bass guitars are made to be played along side an acoustic guitar and can be plugged in to enhance the sound or left unplugged, they feature hollow bodies just like an acoustic guitar, but the bodies are larger in size.

Typically equipped with piezoelectric or magnetic pickups and amplified Acoustic bass guitars are bass guitars without electronic pick-ups. The body of the guitar is used to produce the sounds. The four string short scale bass guitar is the kind most commonly used by beginners. This is due to the fact that these guitars are slightly lighter and extremely common. The lighter weight of the guitar allows a beginner to become accustomed to the weight of the guitar while they learn. As it is easier to learn on four strings rather than five or six, most beginners work with four.

When you first learn bass guitar, it is suggested that you take free online lessons, or be taught by a friend or professional tutor. As the fundamental basics are very important when you learn the bass guitar, you should make certain that you are not trapping yourself into bad habits.

Acoustic bass guitars are actually pretty low maintenance instruments, so as long as you keep them in the right conditions, they are not too hard to take care of. You don't want to expose them to excessive moisture or to get them too hot or too cold. Acoustic bass guitars are an extremely recent advent as compared with most other versions of the instrument. The first acoustic basses on record are those made during the 1950s, and the first modern such instrument was developed in the early 1960s.

Electric bass guitars must be plugged into an amplifier in order to be heard. Other types of bass guitars include acoustic bass guitars which have hollow bodies, acoustic-electric bass guitars, and semi-acoustic bass guitars which are only partially hollow. Electric bass guitars are most common in the 4 string variant, but are increasingly being found in 5 and 6 string models. These instruments are still tuned an octave lower, however the additional strings provide the accomplished player with more options for expanding their playing.

Discover more information about what are acoustic bass guitars

How to Buy Your First Electric Bass Guitar Online, Along with Other Sundry Items

2011-05-04T11:09:00.000+01:00

The stories are varied, sorted, and some, like all good steely yarns are mythical.

"Dude, I walked in to this ol' fisherman's shop and there, hanging on the wall was the bass, the bass that would be the first and last bass of the rest of my life!"

Some are practical.

"ActiveMusician was having a sale, I picked the first one I saw, it was like blue, I like like blue, and hey, like blue for $150 bucks who could like argue?"

OK, OK, so we would all hope that picking out your bass would land somewhere in between these two extremes, somewhat mythical with just a hint of practicality. Either way it would be nice to have a good story but let's face it, you probably have a guitar player friend that wants you to join his band as the bass player. "How hard could it be to buy a bass guitar online?" he says. Well, the truth is, not very hard at all. Let's read on.

How to Buy a Bass Guitar

First, let's decide what it is you would like to do with your bass. Do you want to practice for 18 hours a day? Bring it home and be playing gigs within the week? (bad bass player joke withheld for editorial concerns). Hang it on a wall with a custom guitar hanger and never play it? Well, I would assume it's somewhere in the middle. As a long time bass instructor, I would encourage you to practice 18 hours a day but hey, that's just me. OK, 4 hours. 4 hours is OK? Then 5 hours - git back in there. I want 5 more hours before supper!

"OK, so my guitar player friend says I'm interested in the bass, how do I start looking? What do I look for? How much is this new interest gonna cost me?"

If you're unsure if your new band is even going to last through next week, there's a good crop of Squier basses for under $200, like the Squier Affinity P Bass, the Squier Affinity J Bass and the Squier MB-4. Very playable, solid sound, and very affordable. If you've already got next month's show booked, then I would recommend a mid-level bass, something in the $500 dollar range. The Fender standard four string is the kind of bass that will give you a professional sound right out of the box. It has professional, quality-made pickups, and for those of you who live in the warm climates of the South or the cold un-forgiving winters of Canada (hey, I'm from Canada), the neck will stay fairly straight and won't bow like a banana at the first sign of extreme weather. Fender has been building basses since the beginning of time and they're always a safe bet for your first instrument.

Buy yourself a tuner! Let's face it, playing the bass isn't rocket science (at least initially) and you'll be plucking out songs in no time and wanting to jam with that guitar player friend of yours. When the jam starts you'll want to be ready to play so a tuner (especially for beginners) is essential in getting you up and playing quickly. It will also help to make sure you're in tune with all those CDs you're gonna want to jam with (during your 18 hour practice day). I've had much success with the Korg DT-3 Guitar and Bass Tuner, which I actually picked up from this very site (thank you very much). It's sturdy, small, easy to use, and has nice large lights on it for old guys like me, and maybe you if this is some sort of mid-life crisis thing.

Next you want to get yourself a practice amp. In this area you want to think small, mighty, and preferably combo, which, for those that don't know, is the speaker and amplifier in one easy to lift package. Most people make the mistake of getting something that isn't loud enough, they truck it over to that same guitar player's house, this time a drummer's shown up (he convinced him too), and your bass parts (and yes, hopefully they're parts) become a distorted mess. Bass is meant to be warm, fuzzy, like a furry animal that you love and feed until it gets really fat and everyone drops by to pinch its cheeks. For this we need something that will comfortably fit in our practice area and still be loud enough for the perennial cheek pinching.

I generally tell people that if you can get a bass amp over 100 watts, you'll be safe. Behringer is making great combo amps these days and you can't beat the price. Check out the Behringer Ultrabass BXL3000A - 300 watts, a large 15" speaker and you won't blow a disc when lifting it into the rehearsal space.

After a while, you'll notice that the bass isn't sounding, well, all that great anymore. What ever could be the problem? That problem is old strings. Now I have my particular favorites and like any of you know who have made it this far in the article I'm not going to sugarcoat it. Basically, I don't understand steel strings at all - people say they last longer but I'm a nickel man and I'll tell ya why. For any of you who have tried steel strings, you'll notice that they feel like they have a sticky, dry kind of feel to them. For me, the fingers of my right hand feel as though they are literally sticking to the stings. For this reason, I recommend something like D'Addario EXP170SL Bass Strings. They are soft on your hands while you do dishes (OK, bad commercial reference for anyone over the age of 35) but really, they are silky smooth and they sound a lot brighter than steel!

Wanna know how to spot a Beginner? They're the ones without the gig bag. That's right, you know who you are. You've bought a bass and hey, the case is included! I say that's fine for protecting your bass when you move cross-country, but for everyday use, get yourself a gig bag. You'll look cooler and one arm won't become suddenly longer than the other on the repeated trips over to said guitar players house. The Fender Deluxe Gig Bag is the obvious fit for your new Fender bass. Wear your bass in style! People will stare, point, and say, "hey, now there goes a real musician!"

OK, hopefully that helped a little. Now go and buy that bass, and tell them Chris Tarry sent ya! I'll wait..... Got it? Good, now get in that practice room!

Rick Ferguson
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The Bass Guitar and Why it Rocks!

2011-04-30T10:09:00.000+01:00

This post will introduce you to the bass guitar, touch on its history, its evolution and mention some of the amazing bass players that have graced the instrument. Read on to learn more about the electric bass guitar.

Welcome to the world of the low frequencies; if you're reading this then you've taken an interest in the electric bass and have decided to pursue it further. Maybe this post will reaffirm your decision to play the bass, or perhaps it will be the final argument for you to start playing it now.

It's a pretty cool instrument. It may not be as flashy as a drum kit, or command as much attention as a pimped out electric guitar, but it has a subdued, laid-back vibe all its own. A standard bass guitar has four strings and is tuned E-A-D-G; an octave below the lowest strings on a guitar to provide a sonic foundation for the melody to build upon.

While you may give up the fame and glory of the spotlight when you choose to become a bass player, you gain full control of the key of the music, and full dominion over the bass frequencies.

Bass Guitar Frequencies Move People

This is almost a mystical power that most people won't even realize that you have. Many won't even realize that it is the bass player and the way he chooses to play certain notes, leave others out, and the space and rhythms in between these that are hypnotizing them into dancing. It is a great responsibility that you take on - called the groove - without it; any music you play will be lame.

So besides this, why take on the bass guitar? What is it about the electric bass that is cool, or should be attractive to someone just starting out that just wants to play SOMETHING?

Well, getting up and running with a bass is much easier than most other instruments. You don't have to have four-way independence as with drums, you don't have to memorize all the chord fingering patterns like you would with a guitar, and you don't have to spend years to get a sound that doesn't sound like a cat being tortured as you would with a violin. By comparison, you can pick up just about any bass guitar and start playing bass lines almost immediately - the good news is that the easier it is to play an instrument along to music you like when you're starting out, the more likely you'll stay with the instrument for good.

Another great reason why the electric bass is cool is that EVERYONE needs a bass player. You make the other band members sound good, and there are many styles of music out there that use the acoustic bass or electric versions. That means that if you're a good bass player, you're willing to work hard, learn and you have a great attitude -you're going to have many more job opportunities than many other musicians would have.

Being a bassist is as much a state of mind as it is a position in the band. You need to put the song and the other musicians before yourself. You are the glue between the rhythm and the melody - you straddle the line between the drummer and the guitarist, giving the music that third dimension that makes music so exciting. If you're willing to put your ego on the back burner, you can become a truly great bassist that is in demand.

Is playing the bass guitar easier than most instruments? Yes it is, but to master any instrument is virtually impossible. Playing the electric bass is initially much easier than guitar; you can outline chords one finger at a time as opposed to learning the fingerings for each chord. You also have fewer strings to change than the guitarist, but keep in mind that bass strings are thicker - so in some ways, playing high tempo music on them is more difficult because you need to play just as fast as the guitarists but with thicker strings. This means that you're moving more mass in the same amount of time or energy.

What you may not know about the bass guitar is:

There is something to be said for a simple bass line that does what it's supposed to do, get some asses out of the chairs at the bar.

Electric basses can be beautiful and expensive, they can break your heart and if you get used to playing them - playing bass guitars can indeed be habit forming!

The Fender bass guitar was responsible for making rock n' roll music come to life in the fifties - the bass could now be heard (as well as felt!) and helped to drive the new-fangled rock n roll bands mercilessly into the spotlight.

The electric bass guitar started out with 4 strings and remained that way for several decades, before evolving to 5, 6, 8 and even 12 stringed versions beginning in the mid-70s. These multi-stringed basses owe a large debt of thanks to Anthony Jackson who helped open the door to more than 4 string basses by commissioning the first six string bass guitar to be built in the 1970s!

Some famous bass guitarists include Paul McCartney, Sting, Geddy Lee, Jaco Pastorius, James Jamerson, Flea, Les Claypool, Victor Wooten, Billy Sheehan, Stanley Clarke and John Entwistle.

You can get started with a bass guitar kit that includes a bass, a bass amp, a guitar strap, an instrument cable and a tuner for around $250 or you can even rent a bass guitar from many major music instrument retailers. Even if you don't know of any teachers in your town, you can surf YouTube and find plenty of lessons for free that can get you started. There's no good reason to sit on the fence anymore, playing the electric bass can be an affordable hobby that can actually make you some extra money if you choose to play out in bands.

Choosing to play the bass has given me plenty of opportunity to learn and grow as a musician and a human being. It's allowed me to experience the thrill of performing in front of large audiences while sharing the stage with some amazing bands and meeting terrific people. Playing bass guitar is a great way to be creative, relieve stress and have fun!

So what are you waiting for? Get out there, find an electric bass and start playing today!

Michael Ippersiel has been playing and performing on the electric bass for more than 18 years. If you'd like to learn more about the bass guitar or about how to buy your first bass guitar you can visit the author at his site: Bass Guitar Rocks.com.

Bass Guitar Necks For Small Hands

2011-04-24T02:22:00.000+01:00

Have you been thinking about playing the electric bass but have been told that your hands may be too small? Have you been told to play guitar or perhaps even a ukulele instead? If despite all this you're still yearning to play the bass guitar, hope is not lost. All you really need is to find bass guitar necks for small hands.

Now I don't care if you're a small adult, a child, a woman or a man. Plenty of people feel intimated by the size of a bass guitar. The body and neck are significantly longer than a guitar and if you happen to be small in stature, you'll also notice that bass guitars are often heavier than their smaller six-stringed cousins.

But hope is not lost. Consider these options before giving up on your chance to play the electric bass even if you have small hands.

1. Avoid basses with more than four strings: Sorry for being painfully obvious here, but if you have small hands you definitely don't want to experiment with a five or six string bass in the early going. Stick with a four string and gradually work your way up from there if needed.

2. Avoid basses with a reputation for having thick necks: These include Fender Precision basses and almost any Gibson electric basses. This is a general rule, but I still recommend you play as many different basses and necks that you can because the width and depth can vary considerably from model to model.

3. Regular scale basses with thin necks: Check out Fender Jazz basses and Ibanez Soundgear four string basses. These basses are known for having fast necks that are easier to manage.

4. Explore short scale basses with thin necks: These bases are usually somewhere in the 30 inch scale length area, it'll still sound like a bass but will not be quite as long - a great option for a child that hasn't quite grown into a full sized bass guitar just yet. Investigate the Squier Bronco bass and the Fender Mustang bass guitar.

5. Go custom: Not for the faint of heart, but if you've decided to stick with the bass guitar thing and your hands just aren't getting any bigger, you should look into getting a custom bass guitar or custom bass guitar neck made to measure for you. One company specializing in smaller instruments is Birdsong Guitars and their prices are very reasonable for the amount of detail they put into their guitars. Lastly, you can attempt to shave down a regular bass guitar neck - it's a cheaper option then getting a custom made bass neck, but you'll need to pay a skilled luthier or repair person to do the work. It's also risky because if you shave off too much - you can't get it back.

The very last option for learning how to play bass with small hands is to just get used to it. There's a certain amount of pain involved in learning to play any instrument, if your desire is strong and you employ an intelligent approach (never play through pain on a regular basis or you're going to damage your body - perhaps permanently) chances are you'll find a way to adapt to the instrument.

Where there's a will there's a way!

So if somebody writes off your ability to learn how to play the electric bass just because your hands are on the small side, don't believe them. Today there are many options for those who are looking for bass guitar necks for small hands!

Want to learn more about how to find the right bass guitar neck for you and other electric bass related questions? Visit my site http://www.bassguitarrocks.com for more bass tips.

The History Of The Bass Guitar

2011-04-19T04:38:00.000+01:00

In this material we take a look at the history of the electric bass guitar. When talking about bass history the first person that people normally think of is Leo Fender. He is credited with introducing the world to the Precision bass in 1951. The bass was called a Precision bass because of the accuracy of the notes. Players were able to play notes that were perfectly in tune because of the presence of frets on the electric bass guitar. To many people, this was the first real electric bass. This bass was mass-produced and very recognizable when it was created by Fender and up to this day it still is.

But while we give Leo Fender his dues for creating the modern electric bass, it must be said that way before 1951 there were at least five other prototypes that resembled the design of today's electric bass guitar. In talking about the history of the bass guitar we must talk about the double bass. In fact, today's bass is a direct descendant of the double bass, dating way back to the 17th century. Although it was really in the 20th century that one with a more practical design was created.

When talking about bass guitar history mention must be made of Lloyd Loar, known for designing the first electric double bass in the 1920s while working for Gibson. The bass used an electro-static pickup but there was no practical way of hearing it play. Unfortunately, bass amplification still had a long way to go.

The evolution of the bass guitar now takes us to the early 1930s when Paul Tutmarc built a more practical bass in terms of size. The first one came with a pickup and was the size of a cello but was too heavy, so the designed was changed to that of a guitar. This 42 inches long solid body bass was made of black walnut and came with piano strings and a pickup.

A few years later, in the mid 1930s, established firms like Lyon & Healy, Rickenbacker and Gibson began selling basses that, although less bulkier than the standard double bass, were still tall, unfretted and upright.

Around 1940 was the first time a large distributor handled the electric bass. The distributor was L.D.Heater Music Co. in Portland Oregon, and the basses were manufactured by Paul Tutmarc. This was a fretted instrument that was no longer to be played upright, but horizontal. It came with a pickup and was much smaller than earlier versions.

It was only then that Leo Fender came up with the modern electric bass. As said at the beginning of our discussion on bass guitar history, it was the year 1951. In the year 1957 the pickguard and headstock were redesigned and the pickup was changed to a split pickup. This took us to the year 1960 when the Jazz bass was designed. Unlike the Precision bass, it came with two separate pickups. The modern bass guitar became very popular.

The first 6 string bass was created in 1959 by Danelecto and the first 5 string in 1964 by Fender. The first fretless was created in 1965 by Ampeg, and in 1968 an 8 string bass by Hagstroem. Carl Thompson is credited with building the first fretless 6 string bass in 1978.

Many developments have taken place since then. For instance, Ned Steinberger introduced a headless bass in 1979. In 1987, the Guild Guitar Corporation launched the fretless Ashbory bass. This bass used silicone rubber strings and a piezoelectric pickup to achieve a "double bass" sound. The bass was very short, only 18 inches long.

Throughout the years, pickups have also evolved. In addition to single coil pickups, you now have several others such as humbuckers, hybrid pickups, passive and active pickups. These seem to be capable of producing every tone imaginable, from pure signals to the grittiest dirt sounds.

The electric bass seems to have become more popular today than ever before. For instance, when someone refers to a bass it's more common to think of the electric bass than the upright acoustic.

Mantius Cazaubon is a successful author and publisher of Bass Guitars Guide. A resource for reviews, information and tips on buying bass guitars online.

Be One With Your Bass Guitar Chords

2011-04-14T07:47:00.000+01:00

So you think you have it in you to join the ranks of Flea, D'arcy, and George Harrison and play bass? Well, you have a long way to go, so you better start now.

Learning the basics

If you want to go into bass guitar playing, decide which bass you will play. You have a choice - the 4-stringed bass guitar, or five, six, seven, and even more strings. Beginners usually go for the 4-stringed bass guitar. The next step would be choosing the right bass guitar and learning the bass guitar chords.

A bass player who knows his bass guitar chords has an edge. His understanding of chord music theory will enable him to make his bass line definitive and very interesting. He knows the note to play and when to play it. Knowing bass guitar chords entails the mastery of all basic chords with emphasis on the 6th and 7th chords for bass guitar. A bass guitar chords lesson includes the entire basic chords, important 6th and 7th chords, the 12 keys, chord map, charts, and neck patterns. The bass guitar chords are composed of three or more notes played together, and each type of chord has a formula.

He also has to master the 12 different notes - A, B flat, C, D flat up to A flat. Not all songs, however, use these notes because the notes of a song are dictated by the song's key. Mastery of the musical patterns equips the bass guitarist with the skill to learn songs off record. He will then be able to pinpoint accurately what scales were used and the chord patterns and changes that went with it.

An initiation to bass guitar chords diagrams and notations

There are hundreds of bass guitar chords. There are even more ways to play them. You can play the "happy" notes or the major chords, or sound the minor notes for the "sad" tones. You can jazz up the tones by moving up a half step (augment) or go down a half step (diminish). Playing the bass guitar chords offer endless possibilities of combinations of note chords.

Any beginner will benefit from learning to read bass guitar chords tablature or tab. This is a method of music notation. The illustrations show where to put your fingers, the frets and the strings. They also show horizontal lines, and each string is noted according to its placement. You will also see notations like O and X or a number. An O denotes that you play the string on the chord without depressing it. An X means you don't play the string at all. A number on a string denotes that the string should be played in the fret specified.

A beginner should be able to memorize the chords and practice playing until he is comfortable with his guitar. Eventually his hand movement will take on the dexterity that marks a great bassist. He will also learn the slaps, riffs, and slides, as well as the use of the pick.

Buying and playing your bass guitar

An electric or acoustic bass guitar should be comfortable to play. You must able to manage its weight, and the neck of the bass guitar should be navigable by your hands. Get the guitar from reputable dealers who can give you a warranty. If you are opting for a used bass guitar, you can be sure it is reliable if it was played for years. However, bear in mind that used guitars do not come with a warranty and these may have unsuitable modifications.

Playing the bass guitar is a physical thing. It is therefore practical to do warm-up exercises before striking the first bass guitar chords. Find a comfortable position that will not strain your hands. Relax, and your bass guitar music will be just as smooth as it is fluid. In time, you'll be giving Flea a run for his money.

You can definitely master your bass guitar chords [http://www.aboutplayingguitar.com/2007/09/02/what-are-bass-guitar-chords], so visit aboutplayingguitar.com for the latest and find free guitar chords [http://www.aboutplayingguitar.com/2007/08/30/where-can-i-find-some-free-guitar-chords] You just have to go to this site now for bass guitar tabs [http://www.aboutplayingguitar.com/2007/08/30/where-can-i-get-the-bass-guitar-tabs-of-my-favorite-bands] of your favorite bands.

Take Bass Guitar Lessons to Learn Bass Guitar Playing Tips

2011-04-08T14:03:00.000+01:00

You normally hear guitarists say that what they do is to make their guitars sing. How about the bassists? Well, what they should do is to make their bass guitars dance.

You see, the bass, together with the drums, is the one giving rhythm to the band's sound. What's more important is that it also keeps what it provides. It is safe to say that without the depth of the bass' resonance, the overall sound of the band will be wispy and flimsy.

While it may be dismissed as just providing this thick drone to complement the sounds of the guitar, the bass need not be limited to this. Remember about "dancing"? The bassist's job is to lay out a solid sonic foundation but at the same time be creative with the chords and their progression so as to liven up the songs.

To make this possible, you need to accustom yourself with the different bass playing techniques, which you could get an introduction to--and later on study--if you enroll in bass guitar lessons.

Others would say that it is best to discover the art of bass playing on your own (with the help sometimes of instructional videos, books, magazines, advice from fellow musicians, etc.), but attending a class is actually more reliable since it involves the help of a professional teacher and the time to study and practice in this learning method is more focused. Also, there is a system to follow so students will find it easier to progress from one lesson to another.

As far as techniques go, here are some tips in playing the bass that both the rookie and the advanced player can benefit from.

Be beat-oriented

As earlier mentioned, the bass guitar and drums go together. As such, a great bass player should know how to make, keep, and follow a steady beat--in a crafty way, no less. Since the bass guitar is tasked for time-keeping, it is important for the bassist to be keen about both unaccented and accented beats so that the flow of the song is well-calculated. They say to make music takes heart. Well, to make bass music, it takes heart, primarily the way it beats.

Master your guitar notes and chords

Bass guitar lessons may require you to revisit your guitar notes and chords. Bass guitars are usually tuned the way regular guitars are. The only difference is that the guitar has more strings than the bass. But then playing both is basically the same. So it will help if you are well-read when it comes to your notes and chords. Bass playing, though, is more concerned about the notes. As such, you should know the notes--and the tunings as well--of ordinary guitars to be able to deftly play the bass.

Place your fingers where they are due

Have you seen how Red Hot Chili Pepper's Flea rocks the bass? How frenzied his fingers on the fretboard! It will be easier for you to be more experimental with the way you play if you have complete control of your fingers as you do so. In particular, the fingers of your left hand should be accurate in hitting the bass guitar fretboard since this is what will determine the clarity of each note. But, of course, the right-hand fingers should not be left out since they are important when it comes to playing the bass using a holistic approach.

Work on your grip

The bass guitar is a sturdy musical equipment. You need strength to be able to play it. Thus, you should develop not just the dexterity of your fingers but also their power. When you play, you should be able to accurately press down the strings for the notes to come out as thick and whole. There are many exercise offered in bass guitar lessons that could help you develop finger strength and flexibility.

Cindee Daniel, who has a degree in Journalism, has been a casual yet big fan of music since he first listened to The Beatles when he was 10. He then came to discover other bands, most specifically from the punk, grunge, and post-grunge movements, and has since been interested in the scene. His exposure to music saw him writing music reviews for various websites and founding his own band, with him composing songs and performing drumming duties.

You may want to visit Bass Guitar Lessons for more information or you may call us directly at 619-231-8505.

Bass Guitar - The Anchor of a Band

2011-04-02T23:39:00.000+01:00

A bass guitarist/bassist is like the anchor of a band. He/she outlines the harmony of the music being performed, while simultaneously indicating the rhythmic pulse of it. The bass guitarist is like the lifeblood of any band, and the bass guitar is his/her tool of choice, used to mesmerize audiences.

A bass guitar is a bass stringed instrument that is played with the fingers. It can be played by plucking, slapping, tapping, popping, or by picking the strings with a pick. The bass guitar looks somewhat similar to an electric guitar, but with a larger, heavier body, a longer scale length, and a longer neck. The bass guitar usually has four strings, tuned one octave lower in pitch than the four lower strings of a guitar.

electric guitars. As such, the bodies of bass guitars need to be made of lightweight materials so that the weight is manageable. If a bass guitar was made of metal, chances are that a lot of guitarists would find it difficult or even impossible to play it. The preferred materials are wood and graphite. Different kinds of wood may be used, including maple, alder, mahogany, rosewood, etc. The strings are usually made of steel.

Frets are raised metal strips inserted into the fingerboard that extends along the full width of the neck of the guitar. On a fretted bass guitar, these strips divide the fingerboard into segments that emit similar tones, called semitone segments. Fretless basses also exist. However, these have a distinct, unique sound, as the strings must be pressed down directly on the wood of the fingerboard. Fretless basses are somewhat lighter in weight, but many musicians prefer fretted basses, because they say it gives them greater control over the music quality.

Bass guitars are made to deliver loud pitches of sound. Hence, these can never be of acoustic type. Only an amplifier, and a good set of speakers plugged into the guitar can give the majestic bass guitar its true, deep sound. A bass guitar is heavy and cumbersome to carry around, because of all the supporting gadgets that come with it, not to mention the long cables that accompany all of the gadgets.

Bass guitars are expensive to purchase, and also tough to learn. But these are indispensable in any pop or rock band. A bass guitar can indeed be the most prized possession of a devoted bassist.

At World Music Supply, we offer bass guitars in all your favorite models and styles. From Strats (Stratocasters) to Teles (Telecasters), jazzy arch-tops to cool signatures, metal guitars, and even smaller sized guitars for those just beginning, we've got something for everyone, in top brands like Fender, ESP, B.C. Rich, and Jackson.

Playing Bass Guitar For Beginners

2011-03-27T20:51:00.001+01:00

To learn bass guitar means you want to be part of the driving force of a band.

Playing bass guitar can be easy to learn but can be harder to master, it all depends on where you want to go with it. The bass guitar is fairly easy to get started on and most people can pick up the basics and start playing right away but to learn bass guitar can also be very advanced because it is the kind of instrument that starts off easy and can go to almost endless possibilities.

The first question you ask yourself, "Is playing bass guitar what I want to play?" That is the most important thing because as everyone knows when you want to get started in something it is going to be a small investment. With today's economy nobody wants to waste money on something they are not sure they should do. I did not start out to learn bass guitar, I started on acoustic guitar and played that for quite a few years, then began playing with a few friends and then it got a little serious and we formed a small three piece acoustic band. As the band grew, we then needed a bass guitar player so I put down the acoustic and started playing bass guitar. The point is that I had put out the cash to get set up in two different things, now that is ok if that is your plan to play two different instruments.

The next thing you should think about is your musical talent and if you are ready to put in the time to learn bass guitar, because when I say it is easy to learn, it is, if you put in the time. Following are my suggestions for all you'll need to do to start playing the bass:

1. Place to practice, where you can play without distractions and practice every day.

2. Purchase a bass. If you want to play an acoustic bass, be sure that is what you want to play because acoustic basses are more expensive than electric basses. It all depends on your own taste and what kind of music and who you are going to play with. Start with a cheaper, but good quality bass.

3. Start playing the guitar, just to get the feel, it doesn't matter if you have never played before, you are just taking the first step to get the feel, because every bass guitar player has his or her own style and with playing bass guitar you will soon develop your own style.

4. Purchase an online lesson program, for the basics to learn bass guitar. Playing the bass with an online program is the best way to learn on your own without costing as much as private lessons, see get started with online bass guitar lessons. Try not to learn from a friend because it can lead you to a style that is not yours, work on creating your own style. That is why I recommend playing bass guitar from a lesson program. 5. Picks or fingers, If you want to learn with a pick, buy a bass pick because there is a difference between a bass pick and a guitar pick. If you are after that natural sound then use your fingers. The choice is totally up to you and the kind of sound you want to play. Again, this all fits in with your type of style to learn bass guitar.

6. Number of strings, 4, 5 or 6 but being a beginner I would recommend a classic four string bass. The four string is easier to learn from the obvious fact that it has only four strings.

7. The notes, Try to learn all the notes on the neck. This will be an ongoing learning lesson as you get more comfortable with the guitar, and always remember every time your playing bass guitar you will be improving your style. With a bass guitar lesson program you will be able to learn on your own, in your own time.

8. Learn the notes to play, there are two things in most bands, to help with the rhythm and to emphasize the root notes for the punch that the band needs to create the depth.

9. The scales. Your scales are the start of all your bass lines and patterns and you will use them to create new things all the time. When you are trying to learn bass guitar you should always keep experimenting with new things. 10. The musicians. You need to listen to the band as a whole, not just other bassists. Listen to the drummer who keeps the time and rhythm and play along with him. 11. The techniques. Play around with different things as you get better, chords, notes and other patterns when you get comfortable with the basics.

12. Learn the rhythm. Playing bass guitar requires you to have rhythm, so practice with your favorite song or bass player. Playing along with the song is one of the easiest ways to learn the rhythm.

13. Listen to the song. To learn bass guitar, listening to a song can be a great lesson in itself. When you listen, try to pick out all the different parts and instruments and it will help you pick up the rhythm and feel so you can play along.

14. Familiar songs. Start with playing along with songs that you know because it will help you with the timing and rhythm. This is a great way for a beginner to get started.

15. Play with people. Playing bass guitar with other people can also be one of the best learning techniques. Whether you're a beginner or not, playing with a group or just one person is a great way to work on your style and learn to play with other instruments.

16. The practice. Don't let it get to you if you do not progress like you wanted, it will come. Sometime you might have to stop and take a break for a little while just to reflect and digest it all. But make sure you come back because this is why you started in the first place. Playing bass guitar can be self taught and with practice you will be playing in no time. Always remember to start with the basics and take as long as you need.

The big question is, "Can I really teach myself?" and the answer is "Yes!" to learn bass guitar from online lessons with a little time and practice, you can teach yourself just about anything. You have to ask yourself, "What direction do I want to go?", "Do I want to just play by myself?", or "Do I want to play in a band or just jam with friends?"

Playing music is fun, but there is a price to pay and that is time and patience. You need to practice. The following guideline below is a good start for a beginner's practice session, but can be anything you want, just don't get burned out.

1. Warm up with anything (5 minutes) helps loosen up your fingers.

2. The scales (5 minutes) helps with memory ( brain to fingers).

3. Pattern exercises (10 minutes) helps with dexterity.

4. The song itself (10 minutes+) this is what everyone wants to get to.

5. Cool down (2 minutes) play anything (could be scales again).

Most everybody wants to play a song right away, but in order to do so, you need to get the first three steps down first, or at least have a start on them. If playing bass guitar is your goal, you will succeed and with online bass guitar lessons, you will learn all the techniques needed to reach your goal.

But always remember to learn bass guitar does not have to be complicated. For example, listen to the Beatles or any number of bass players that just play basic bass parts, but what they have is feel and the groove of the song. If you can play with the feel and get the groove and the timing you've reached your goal, for now, advanced stuff will come later. When you practice, play with a metronome (it is a small device that helps you keep time just as the drummer keeps time in a band).

This article was written by Tommy "fatfingers" Combs
Check out this site for a lot more info on playing bass guitar http://playbasseasy.com/
my blog http://playbasseasy.blogspot.com/

The Art of Left Handed Bass Guitar

2010-05-11T02:47:00.000+01:00

By Or Kinan

For the beginners in this field, you have to first know some other players in this field. From the other player you can have their experience in this field and can learn from them.

This can be a very helpful step for the beginners. There are many guitar manufacturers in the world like Gibson, Norman, Seagull martin, Simon who can provide you with your own guitar. They give an equal chance to all players to go high. All facility will be provided by them to the left hand guitar player. The facilities like a new range of left handed bass guitars and also provide many options which include user specific guitars.

The best thing is you don't have to follow any rule while playing a left handed bass guitar. You have to design your own way to play the guitar. You should hold the guitar in that position in which you feel more comfortable. If you want to play a right handed guitar in left hand you should adjust the string according to that. Many people play guitar when they want peace, romantic, and satisfaction. There fore the popularity of left hand guitars is rising day to day. The guitar is the most popular instrument in the world wide. Last century the left handed guitar gain very much popularity even though the people have been playing guitar for years. Before some times no one even thought that a left hand man can also play guitar. Only by following diagrams and concentrating you can learn the act of playing left handed guitar.

You have to take care of some of the posture of your sitting like you should sit upright, put the guitar on your left side, us your thumb as support to your finger sit as your left hand reach top of the guitar. In many of the of guitar instruction are there for both the right and the left hand guitar, here the strings are assigned number 1 to number 6, starting from the highest pitched string. This highest pitched string plays the note E. The second one plays the note B. The third one plays note G, fourth D, fifth A, and sixth plays low note book that is E. By using a piano you can get your all six tunes with you. The most basis chord for music creation is G chord you have to start from their for any music. Using G chord thousands of music like, pop, folk, rock songs are created.

So basic thing is that just you have to concentrate a little and if you are a left hand person you definitely learn the art of playing a left handed bass guitar as well a right handed person can play.

Left Handed Bass Guitars and left hand players are a minority. And so the information that we have of them on the internet. On Beginner-Bass-Guitar.com and on the bass guitar secrets ebook there is mach more information for players.

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Bass Guitar Pickups Secrets

2010-05-08T14:16:00.000+01:00

By O Keynan

How the bass guitar sounds to a large extent is dependent on the pickups and a good bass guitar pickup can make a big difference to the sound that emanates from a guitar. You can always change your pickup if you are not satisfied with the one that you have on your guitar. Normally the pickups are categorized into two namely passive pickups and active pickups. What is the difference between the two and what are the advantages and disadvantages of each type?

The basic difference between the two is that active pickups are battery powered and the passive pickups are not. Let us look at both in detail so that we will be able to get a better decision regarding the kind of pickup that will be suitable for our guitar.

Most bass guitars that were made during the 1950s to 1970s period used the passive pickups and you can find this in the kind of music that we heard from the guitars of James Cameroon, Beatles and The Cream. You will hear a dynamic, full, warm and round tone from a passive pickup and therein lays the appeal. There is a larger magnet that is used in comparison to the active pickup and due to this external noise or interference is easily picked. When you use the passive pickups you can cut out or tune down the bass and treble frequencies.

The active pickups use a pre amplifier and will help you to cut and boost frequencies and you can control the tone coming from the bass in a much more effective manner. As it is battery operated you will need to carry an extra spare of batteries if your current batteries die down. As these pickups use very small magnets the chances of picking up the external sound or interference is very less. Most professionals listen to the different pickups that are available and then make a choice.

You also have the split coil pickups and this means that the double coil is split twice. There will not be just one coil under all the four strings but the pickups will be equally divided between two pair of strings. You will need to do a bit of research on good bass guitar pickups and then decide which one will ideally suit your requirements.

Bass Guitar Pickups is a crucial step on the way to build custom bass guitar. If you want to learn more about bass guitar please visit beginner-bass-guitar.com

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Learning Bass Guitar - Low Sounds For Setting the Mood

2010-05-05T02:45:00.000+01:00

Learning Bass Guitar - Low Sounds For Setting the Mood

By Todd Kittering

You may be wondering what sort of mood learning the bass guitar is setting the mood for? Have you ever heard one of those things go, its like hearing Barry White on steroids (well, that's the way my wife puts it anyway).

If you and your partner want to get in the mood for love then try learning bass guitar. What makes this instrument so special you may ask, well I am glad you did... The guitar is quite a bit different from your normal run of the mill guitars, the strings are different, the beats and timing when playing are different and sound is completely different.

If you learnt to play the normal guitar, you would not be able to all of a sudden be able to play a bass guitar but if you were learning bass guitar you could pick up a normal guitar and start playing it... sort of.

Your finger memory needs to be spot on and you will find that your patience is tested every time you pick up on instrument. But the results will be well worth it, especially when you learn some of those special songs that will make the other sex go crazy.

Make sure you take good care of your instrument, the strings are a bit thicker than a normal guitar and need to be cleaned regularly. If you look after it well, the the guitar will be with you for many years to come.

Tell your partner to sit back, relax, and take in the smooth low sounds of your bass guitar playing. It feels like every low note is reverberating through your body and making your bones vibrate. Now that is what you can call an aphrodisiac, and before you know it you will no longer be playing and your partner will no longer be listening...

Todd Kittering is a guitar enthusiast and recommends learning bass guitar. You can browse his site http://lead-guitar.instrumentmaestro.com for more information.

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The Many Styles of Playing Electric Bass Guitar

2010-05-02T11:23:00.000+01:00

By Victor Epand

Many bass instruments are played upright, as a direct result of the fact that the bass strings are usually the longest, and therefore the instrument is naturally much longer than standard ones. However, electric bass guitars are played in exactly the same way as a standard guitar, and the length of the instrument is roughly the same. This is of course an advantage achieved through the fact that the actual sound heard is produced electronically, and the overall tone, pitch and frequency of the note can be altered digitally.

The typical method used to play the electric bass guitar differs slightly from that used in the playing of a standard electric guitar, since the main method used is pizzicato, or the plucking of strings. Obviously those players who perform on standard electric guitars may also pluck the strings, but this is only one of a range of techniques that can be used. Electric bass guitarists almost solely use the plucking or pizzicato technique throughout their performance.

Plucking can be achieved quite happily through using the index and middle finger, or in some cases the thumb and ring finger too, but since the strings are steel, some players prefer to use plectrums or picks. Using a pick can help to increase both the speed at which a performer can hit the notes, and also the hardness with which the string is plucked. Usually the sound produced by an electric bass guitarist using a plectrum or pick is much sharper and harder, than the equivalent sound produced by a performer using just his or her fingers.

Of course, it is also true to say that the nature of the pick itself makes a huge difference to the quality and sharpness of the sound, and thicker, firmer picks will produce a harder, heavier sound, whereas the more flexible lightweight picks will produce a softer and more gentle tone. For a pick which sounds very similar in tone to using fingers would be one typically made from felt.

In some types of music it is preferable to create a sound using an electric bass guitar which evokes an impression more similar to a double bass. This double bass sound is achieved not by using a pick or a plectrum, but by actually plucking the strings. This on its own tends to create a note which is distinctly longer than that produced by a double bass, and so the typical technique is to pluck the string, and then use the flat of the hand to mute the note. This produces quite a thumpy sound, and is used quite frequently in various styles of music.

Yet another method used by some electric bass guitarists is to either slap or pop the strings, creating a sound which is reminiscent of funk music. This technique literally involves slapping a string with the index finger or middle fingers, creating a flatter sound, or by popping the strings with the same fingers. This slap technique has been popularised in such other styles of music as rock and fusion.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for guitars, drums, keyboards, sheet music, guitar tab, and home theater audio. You can find the best marketplace at these sites for electric bass guitar, rock guitar, sheet music, guitar.

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Can You Find a Good Bass Guitar Package?

2010-04-30T02:40:00.000+01:00

By O Keynan

The first bass guitar package that we will look at is Dean Vendetta Guitar & Amp Pack Metallic Black and the accessories in this include electronic tuner, strap, cord, picks and gig bags. The amp also forms part of the accessories and such a package is considered ideal for beginners. One of the most reputed names in the world of guitars is the Yamaha company and the package that is available for this model are Yamaha GigMaker EG Electric Guitar Pack Black.

A bass guitar kit from a reputed manufacturer assures you that you get world class accessories which will help you keep your precious guitar in prime condition. Some of the popular guitar kits include ESP LTD M10 Electric Guitar kits, Behringer GPK844 Electric Guitar Package, Ibanez IJX40 Jumpstart Electric Guitar Package, Squier Stop Dreaming, Start Playing SE Special Strat Electric Guitar Pack, Epiphone Les Paul Junior Electric Guitar and All Access Amp Pack, Squier Stop Dreaming, Start Playing Affinity Strat Electric Guitar Pack, Squier Stop Dreaming Start Playing Affinity Strat HSS Electric Guitar Package with G-DEC, Fender SE Special Strat with Squier SP-10 Amp Value Pack Black, Fender SE Special Strat with Squier SP-10 Amp Value Pack Arctic White, Fender SE Special Strat with Squier SP-10 Amp Value Pack Brown Sunburst, Fender Affinity Special Strat and Frontman 15G Amp Value Pack Black, Fender Affinity Special Strat and Frontman 15G Amp Value Pack Metallic Blue, Silvertone SS10 Citation Electric Guitar Pack, Fender Affinity Strat HSS and Bullet 150 DSP Amp Value Pack Black.

You have separate bass guitar package based on your individual needs and requirements and you can buy one either from the manufactures directly or online where you will be able to check the various features that are part of the package. You will also be able to compare the various prices and models before you make the final choice. Before you decide to buy the package you must decide what kind of accessories you will require while playing the guitar. If you travel constantly for concerts you will definitely need a good guitar cover that not just protects your guitar from the elements of nature but also from an accidental fall. You will have a lot of foam on the inner side of the bag so that it absorbs any fall and there is minimal damage.

The strap that you choose to wear must also be comfortable as you might be wearing it for a longer period of time. You must pick your bass guitar package with a lot of care and after comparing a number of models.

O.Keynan is professional bass player that plays over 7 years. He owns and maintains Beginner-Bass-Guitar.com, a great recourse that giving you all the information you need about bass guitar package and bass guitar in general

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The Martin Bass Guitar Pros and Cons

2010-04-28T07:41:00.000+01:00

By Or Kynan

The Martin bass guitar is famous for its steel string guitars and have made several models of electric guitars. The company has withstood all the competition with constant innovation and reinventing all there models over the years. The management of the company has remained with the family and it is their sheer dedication to the craft and art of making guitars that has helped the company overcome all difficulties and emerge as a leading manufacturer of world class guitars.

There were some special characteristics of the martin bass guitar and in the earlier days these included an adjustable neck. A screw used to be mounted on the back of the heel of the neck and this was extended right up to the neck block. Due to this the neck could be moved up and down. By inserting a clock key in the heel the neck could be adjusted. This made playing the simple guitar a bit complicated and slowly this design was phased out.

One of the major innovations of Martin guitars is the X bracing system that was part of the guitar top design. This design is still in use and most musicians feel that it contributes a big way to the sound and treble of this guitar. Most of the guitars during the early years had a 12 fret neck and it was Martin guitars that introduced the 14 fret neck guitar.

You will be surprised to know that there are more than a hundred different models of the Martin guitar and they have been at the forefront of innovation and design that has revolutionized the guitar industry as a whole. In the year 2004 when they built their millionth guitar they studded it with rubies and diamonds making it one of the most priceless musical instruments to own.

It has been researched that during a concert a guitar endures more than 180 pounds of tension and the X bracing system that the Martin guitars are designed with see to it that it endures enormous amount of tension and does not warp under the force. There are also special models and limited editions that are made periodically to commemorate a special occasion.

Martin guitars have a unique labeling system where an initial letter and the number of zeroes signify the body size and type. The higher the number is the higher will be its design detail. There are many famous models of the Martin bass guitar and these include the 000-1, 000-15, 000-28EC, 000-28ECB, 000-18, D1, D18, D28, HD-28, HD-35, D-45, J-40, OM-28, OM-42PS, 16 series, 15 series, Road series, Little Martin, Backpacker and EB 18 to name just a few.

The vintage Martin bass guitars too fetch a good price as they are admired for their unique sound and bass.

Or Kynan is professional bass player that plays over 7 years. He owns and maintains Beginner-Bass-Guitar.com, a great recourse for company information like martin bass guitar, have a great acoustics guitars. For more information about bass guitar go to http://www.beginner-bass-guitar.com.

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Bass Guitar Lessons - Through a Proven System Here is How You Can Learn to Play This Instrument

2010-04-25T17:28:00.000+01:00

By Joshua K. Lincoln

Playing a musical instrument may be something that you have always wanted to do in your life. Well, what is holding you back? Are you the person who likes rock music, especially? An important instrument in any rock band is the bass guitar. Besides the drummer who provides the rhythmic beat for any great rock band, the bass guitar is equally as important in providing the foundation harmonically.

Being able to find someone who can provide bass guitar lessons to you is much easier, now that we are ten years into the 21st century. No longer do you have to go into the yellow pages and try to find a person who could teach the instrument. Going back to the late 1990's, it was no easy thing to do in locating a quality bass guitar instructor. If you lived in a remote, sparsely populated area you might have had to commute 40 miles, roundtrip, where the nearest music studio was located just to take lessons.

Back then, the person working out of the studio might have been some guy who really specialized in lead or acoustic guitar. Sorry, but the technique and style of playing the bass guitar is quite different. If you were taught by some incompetent guy who only worked part-time; and who really was not proficient on this particular instrument, nor could he communicate well in teaching, then guess what? You probably would not have become a really good bass guitar musician. You just would have quit after a few months.

With the advent of the internet, you should seriously consider taking bass guitar lessons online. It is the proven system for learning how to play the instrument. You would need to do some serious research, however before committing any money into the lessons. A solid, interactive internet program should have testimonials listed on their home page from students who have successfully completed the tutorials. You need to make sure that the instructors, themselves, are proficient at playing and teaching the bass guitar. You should be taught something more than the slapping technique. You should be taught how to read the guitar tablature, (where the student actually reads the chords for the instrument) and the playing skills required for you to excel on the bass.

The advantages in taking lessons on the bass guitar online are quite obvious. You would be able to download the tutorials, (or pop the DVD's into your system connected to your television) at a convenient time in your schedule. You have the advantage of repeating each tutorial as often as necessary until you master what is being taught in the lesson. Quality programs which teach the bass are very affordable as well; usually running around $25-30/ month. Taking lessons from a teacher at a music studio would usually cost at least that much, per weekly lesson!

For those people who might not think that the bass guitar is an important member of a band, consider the following musicians: Have you ever heard of Paul McCartney? While McCartney is proficient on the keyboard, drums, and in vocals; he was also the bass guitar player in a little group called The Beatles! Sting is a well-known contemporary rock musician who is also a master on this instrument.

You can never know what taking bass guitar lessons could provide for you. Perhaps you only want to do it recreationally. However, any band needs a great bass guitar player. If you take become serious on the instrument and practice, you'll never know what doors could be open for you in the music industry. There is much more information that I simply could not include in this article. I urge you to please visit this site: http://theplayguitarlessons.info.
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Guild Bass Guitar Secrets

2010-04-23T02:37:00.000+01:00

By O Keynan

A testimony to their huge popularity was that many music legends of that time like Johnny Smith, Duane Eddy, Roy Orbison, John Lee Hooker, Merle Travis, Paul Simon, Keith Richards, Dave Davies, George Benson, Buddy Guy, Howlin' Wolf, Richie Havens, Bonnie Raitt, Steve Miller, Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters, Doc Watson, Ry Cooder, George Strait all preferred using this guitars.

Guild bass guitars had only three models in those initial days and these were F-30 Aragon, F-40 Valencia and F-50 Navarre. These models were introduced in the year 1954 and by 1963 other famous models such as D-40 Bluegrass Jubilee and D-50 Bluegrass Special were launched. The D-55 which is also a very popular model was introduced in the year 1968. The six string and 12 string guild bass guitars were a rage at that point of time and many considered them matchless. The 12 string guitar uses the Jumbo F body which gives it a distinct tone unlike other guitars which also have the 12 strings.

The folk music craze was at its peak at that point of time and the guild bass guitars were a hot favorite property. It was the days of the Woodstock festival of music and Richie Havens who many consider as one of the biggest legends of music who mesmerized audiences all over the world used the guild bass guitar. After years of popularity the company did encounter some problems along the way but like a phoenix rising out of the ashes restructured itself and came back to occupy a position as one of the leading manufacturers of guitars. The company did move to a larger place to accommodate the ever increasing demand for its model of guitars.

In the year 1995 Guild was acquired by Fender Musical Corporation and this added a new chapter in the company's growth. There has been constant innovation and experimentation with the designs and this has resulted in their models been loved the world over. There have also been numerous variations to the existing models to make them look and sound better. The models can be classified as DV series, GAD series and Traditional series and each one of these series has many models. We have tried to, list some of the more famous models. The various models of the guild bass guitars are F-50, F-50 with D-Tar pick up system, F-50R, F-50R with D-Tar pick up system, F-30 Aragon, F-30 Aragon with D-Tar pick up system, F-40 Valencia, F-40 Valencia with D-Tar pick up system, F-47M, F-47M with D-Tar pick up system, F-47R, F-47R with D-Tar pick up system, F-412, F-412 with D-Tar pick up system, F-512 and F-512 with D-Tar pick up system. Each one of these models has a unique feature and this makes the sound totally distinct.

The quality and durability of this guitar is very good and has helped it retain its favorite position among all music lovers. If you start looking at the musicians who have used the guild bass guitar over the years it would like a who's who of the music world. Prepared to get surprised when you read the list of great artists all over the world who have used this wonderful guitar and this list includes greats like Bryan Adams, John Baez, Richard Barone, Brendan Benson, George Benson, Steven Page, Eric Clapton, Sheryl Crow, Brian May, Paul Simon, Buddy Guy, Johnny Cash, Phil Lesh, Peter Tork, Bruce Springsteen, Leslie Feist, John Denver, Nick Drake, Barry Gibb, Johnny Smith, Mississippi John Hurt Scott Mathews, Tommy Smothers and many others. The guild bass guitars have held their own all these years through fine craftsmanship and excellent sound quality.

Or Keynan is professional bass player that plays over 7 years. He owns and maintains Beginner-Bass-Guitar.com, a great recourse for knowledge on all kind of bass guitars. Guild Bass Guitar, Yamaha bass guitar, Gibson bass guitar, and much, much more.

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Exercise For Short Scale Bass Guitar

2010-04-20T09:56:00.000+01:00

By O Keynan

Let us look at the how to create exercise for short scale bass guitar. When you start creating the exercise you must keep a note as a reference point and this will help you go back and play different patterns. How does the bass guitar scales affect the music we play and what are the options for an individual with longer arms and shorter arms. Bass guitar scales that are extra long are usually up to 36" and these have a higher string tension due to which a more defined tone is available on the lowest string. There have been a number of changes to the brief scale bass guitar and you also have the 28" neck which is ideal for individuals who have shorter arms or for children. It is not just people with short arms who prefer the short scale bass guitar but other players who find it very comfortable to use as it is quite light compared to the others. You can also play the guitar much faster in the short scale.

The fret placements that are on the guitar are determined depending on the length of the neck. If it is a long scale neck then the fret placement which are a ratio that is calculated based on the scale length the distance between the frets are longer and if it is a brief scale then the distance between frets is shorter. Due to the short distance that the frets are placed in the short scale it makes it much easier to play faster and you can mesmerize your audience by playing very fast.

The tonal quality is another difference that exists between a long scale neck and small scale neck. As the tension of the string at a certain pitch determines the tonal value the longer the neck the better will be the sound. This is particularly true if you are using a five string guitar and due to the longer scale neck you will get an amazing sound from the lowest string.

Bass guitar scales also determine to a large extent the number of strings that should be there on the guitar. A four string guitar will perform very well with a short scale neck where as a five string or a six string guitar is ideal for the long scale neck. The neck is also larger on the six string guitar and if you are blessed with smaller hands you should opt for the short scale neck guitar with four strings.

You can choose the guitar type you want based on your individual needs and requirements and there are musicians who have large hands but prefer playing the short scale neck guitar and vice versa where individuals with shorter hands play the long neck scale guitars. Your knowledge about short scale bass guitar will help you make the right choice. You must use the patterns to find out what chords are there and with practice you will be able to find out how to create any cord using the exercise for short scale bass guitar.

If you loved the Short Scale Bass Guitar article, there is ton more information on our site at http://www.beginner-bass-guitar.com

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Hagstrom Guitars - An Experience in Creative Playing

2010-04-18T02:35:00.000+01:00

By David A Robinson

Hagstrom guitars are, not surprisingly, made by Hagstrom, a company that started life in the town of Älvdalen in Sweden. The company name is correctly spelled as Hagström with a dieresis over the "o," but once the Hagstrom guitars hit the English speaking market, the name was changed to include only letters without accents.

Electric solid-body Hagstrom guitars have been produced since 1958. The company had been producing accordions since 1932, so the Hagstrom guitars were a considerable deviation from their usual line. The early Hagstrom Deluxe guitar, however, had a sparkling celluloid finish that had long been used on their accordions.

Hagstrom soon started making hollow-body guitars along with their solid-body guitars. The Viking and the rather strangely name Jimmy (named after Jimmy D'Aquisto of New York) are early examples of successful Hagstrom hollow-bodied products.

Hagstrom guitars expanded from making lead and rhythm instruments to making bass guitars in 1961. The Hagstrom Standard was their first model, but it was the Hagstrom H8 produced in 1965 that caused a stir in the world of music, for it was the world's first 8-string bass guitar.

The sixth Hagstrom H8 to be produced was owned by guitar legend, Jimi Hendrix. He had his bass guitar in 1967. Other well-known bass players who owned one of the famous Hagstrom guitars include Danny McCulloch who played bass for the Animals, and Mike Rutherford, bass player for genesis.

The innovation that is Hagstrom guitars probably reached its peak with the Hagstrom H8. It was based around a normal four stringed bass guitar, but the strings were simply doubled up, a bit like the way a 12-string guitar is.

It did have an interesting sound, however. This was mostly because of lighter gauge strings being arranged above the standard strings and tuned to a whole octave higher. The resultant tone was quite unique.

Hagstrom guitars were not the only thing the company produced. They also made a range of amplifiers and speakers. Swedish super group ABBA used Hagstrom equipment on their first tour of the world. However it is for their guitars that Hagstrom are best remembered.

The company stopped their Swedish side of production in 1983. They did some collaborative work with Japanese companies, but decided not to proceed in that direction. Hagstrom guitars, while much loved all over the world, could no longer compete with the cheap labour markets of Asia.

It took 21 years before Hagstrom guitars once again started in production in 2004. As they couldn't compete with Asia, they decided to go there and their current factory is now in China. There are plans to return production to Sweden, but at the time of writing this has not happened yet.

Hagstrom guitars, especially the early ones, have become highly collectible items. Elvis Presley used a red coloured Hagstrom Viking II on his Elvis Presley's '68 Comeback Special. In the early 1990s this guitar was sold for $50,000.

Hagstrom guitars have developed a cult following from people all over the world who have fallen in love with the highly distinctive instrument. Since 2006, fans gather every year for the Hagström Festival at Älvdalen in Sweden during the first week of June to exchange guitar stories and play some music - on Hagstrom guitars, of course.

David A Robinson
Advice and help on Hagstrom guitars.

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Bass Guitar Tuning - Is Learning How to Tune a Bass Guitar So Hard?

2010-04-15T13:47:00.000+01:00

By Ricky Sharples

If you already play the guitar and know how to tune it, why do you need a special tutorial for learning how to tune a bass guitar? The answer is in the sound of the bass guitar. It is so low it is very difficult for some people to judge whether or not their guitar is in tune. So let us take a look at the bass guitar and some methods of tuning it.

Bass guitarists have proved themselves to be such innovators that there is now an astonishing range of bass guitars with different numbers of strings and a range of tuning options to widen the range of notes produced. For the purposes of this tutorial we will stick with the original four string bass guitar. It is tuned to one octave lower than the standard guitar.

Most guitar players seem to agree that the best way to begin tuning a guitar is to start with the guitar strings tuned lower than you want them to be and then tune them UP to the correct pitch. Actually it is a good idea to start with the strings a lot lower than they need to be so you do not over-tighten them and run the risk of a broken string.

Let us look at the basic tuning method first. Tuning the bass guitar to a piano or keyboard. Find Middle C and go down two octaves. Got that C note? Okay, find the E below that. This is your note to tune the fourth string of your bass guitar. Play the open fourth string and the E on your piano at the same time. If you hear a sound vaguely like the noise a helicopter makes, your guitar is out of tune. Turn the tuning peg on your bass guitar as you play the guitar and the keyboard together, and listen to the "helicopter" sound. It will slow down as your guitar becomes in tune with the keyboard, and will eventually vanish. Repeat this process for your A, D and G strings.

Another tuning method you need to learn is to get the E string as close to tuned as you can and tune the other strings accordingly. Play the note at the fifth fret of the E string together with the open A string. Once these two notes are the same, play the fifth fret of the A string at the same time as the open D string. When the D string sounds the same as the fifth fret of the A string, move onto playing the fifth fret of the D string and tune the open G string to that. Now your bass guitar is in tune.

You can also tune the bass guitar to itself using harmonics. Touch your finger lightly on the fifth fret of the E string without pressing down. You will hear a chiming note. Now play this harmonic again but at the same time playing the harmonic at the seventh fret of the A string. Tune the A string till it matches the harmonic on the E string. Now play the fifth fret harmonic on the A string and match the seventh fret harmonic on the D string to that. Next, match the seventh fret harmonic on the G string with the fifth fret harmonic on the D string.

Lastly, and most easily is the electronic tuning method. Electronic tuners have a visual guide to tell you when your guitar is sounding the right note. For the sake of your maturity as a guitar player you should first practice at tuning the bass guitar using one or all of the other methods, then check it with an electronic tuner. You can buy an electronic tuner at a music store or online. You can even do a search for online bass guitar tuners.

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Top 10 Bass Guitar Songs

2010-04-13T02:32:00.000+01:00

By Or Kynan

Let us try to get a best bass guitar songs list among the hundreds of wonderful songs that we have heard over the years. The list though not inclusive of all the legends is an attempt at listing out a top 10 bass guitar songs. The number ten songs on the list is Break on Through by the Doors and it is quite a wonderful way that bass is used in this song that makes it such a hot favorite. Higher up on the list at number nine is Boris the Spider by The Who.

At number eight we have Whipping Post by Allman Brothers band and at number seven we have Roundabout by Yes. Dazed and Confused by Led Zeppelin is at number six and at number five we have The Real Me by The Who. Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple is at number four and at three we have Another One Bite the Dust by Queen.

At number two we have My Generation by The Who and the topmost position is occupied by Money by Pink Floyd. There could be a number of people who could be annoyed that the list does not include the legends of bass guitar like Beatles, Eagles, Dire Straits, Black Sabbath, Taylor Swift, Guns N Roses, Eric Clapton, Metallica and many more wonderful, talented and gifted legends who had made the bass guitar a magical instrument.

The list as stated earlier is not a complete list and there are bound to be arguments and counter arguments about the validity of an inclusion. The list is just a starting point where beginners or novices in guitar playing can listen to and learn the wonderful skills from the legends who have strummed the guitars to perfection to bring out the best music that we had all loved and cherished.

Along with the list of top 10 bass guitar songs we must also have a list of top 10 bass players who have immortalized this humble instrument into a great piece of art. This list would again not be a complete list but just an attempt to identify the legends of guitar who have given us such wonderful music. Paul McCartney from the former Beatles was considered a legend that used to play the bass to perfection and most people thought that his fingers were magical when they touched the guitar and some of the most memorable bass guitar songs have come from this great man. Others on the list would include Pino Palladino, Flea, Jaco Pastorius, Mark King, Tony Levin, Geddy Lee, Bootsy Collins, Charlie Haden and John Paul Jones.

Here we spoke about great bass guitar songs and great bands. But if you want to learn how to play the bass guitar, If you want to play the bass in 8 days or less... This is the place for you. http://www.beginner-bass-guitar.com

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Best Bass Guitar Pedal Effects

2010-04-11T12:29:00.001+01:00

By O Keynan

There are two types of bass guitar pedals and these are multi-effects pedals and dedicated effects pedal. There are distinct advantages in both of these models and let us look at each one of them in an individual manner so that we can make the decision on buying the one that suits our playing style.

Let us look at the multi effects model first and this is a single unit through which you will be able to achieve different effects. There are some musicians that such equipment works out to be a disadvantage as you will not be able to get the desired result as too many effects are cramped into one single unit.

The quality of the effect also gets affected due to this but it is still a great way to getting introduced to the various effects that are capable from a single unit and you will also learn to manipulate the various effects in a very effective manner.

In the case of a dedicated effects pedal there is only one effect that is created and if you are one that will use a particular effect more often, then you can opt for it. As there is just one effect that is created it comes out pretty well and you will be able to achieve the desired results. You can also use a number of dedicated effects pedal in order to get a wide range of effects and you can also try the modular variety.

You will be able to add an entirely new dimension of playing the guitar when you use the bass guitar pedal and the effect though subtle has a profound addition to your skill of playing the guitar. The pitch and the tone changes when you use the guitar pedal in an effective manner. You will also be able to create an illusion of multiple instruments playing in perfect sync with each other when you use the bass guitar pedal.

Most musicians feel that it helps create the necessary special effects or drama while you are playing the guitar and all this helps in enhancing the overall impact of the music you create. But if you do not use it properly then you can totally spoil a piece of good music and you will have to practice using it before you try it out in a concert or in front of an audience.

O Keynan is professional bass player that plays over 7 years. He owns and maintains Beginner-Bass-Guitar.com, a great recourse that will give you all the information about bass guitar pedal, acoustic bass guitars, bass guitar scales. There is a lot to see.

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What You Need to Know About the Bass Guitar

2010-04-09T10:40:00.000+01:00

By Marqus Smith

For the benefit of absolute novices to the guitar, we may begin with a mention of the fact that there are basically three types of guitar - especially where it is the modern 'electric guitar' we are looking at. The first of these is what musicians sometimes refer to as the lead guitar (or the solo guitar, in some circles). The second of these is what musicians sometimes refer to as the rhythm guitar; though its usage is not universal. And the third is what is referred to as the bass guitar, which is our focus here.

The guitar, by convention, has four strings (or wires, depending on your nomenclature) - whereas the other types of guitar have six strings. To be sure, there are some instruments classified as bass guitars that have five or six strings, but the standard is four. As it turns out, these four strings that make the bass guitar represent notes E, A, D and G in the bass cleff.

Many music styles make use of the bass guitar. From rock music to pop music, punk, country, jazz and lot of other styles in between, this is an instrument you will tend to hear in the background if you listen very carefully. In some music styles such as fusion and heavy metal, the bass guitar actually steps from the background, sometimes even acting as the soloing instrument. In some genres of music, the bass guitar plays such a crucial role that a piece of music without its usage would sound incomplete in the ears of keen listeners.

There are many ways of playing the guitar. In most cases, it is played with the fingers - but use of a plectrum in playing it is not completely unheard of either. Where it is played with the fingers, the playing may involve thumping, tapping or simply plucking.

The bass guitar is mainly used in playing what are musically known as 'bass-lines.' With a good and well tuned speaker, it is quite easy to make out those bass-lines in any piece of music where the instrument is used. The bass-lines in turn act as harmonic anchors, seeing that use of a lead guitar and rhythm guitar on their own could leave the music somewhat unanchored, harmonically. This is where a subtle 'feeling of incompleteness' as previously alluded, comes out in pieces of music where the bass guitar is not used. What we mean by saying that the bass guitar serves as a harmonic anchor is that it helps to 'keep it all together.' Therefore although its sound may not be all that clear to the listener from the foreground, it is still playing a crucial role in terms of anchoring the whole musical edifice. It is the same way that the foundation of a house may not be very visible to the people using it - yet where we know that the house would be very weak without that (albeit invisible) foundation.

Normally, the guitar is first connected to an amplifier and the output driven into a speaker, where the instrument is used in a live performance.

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Bass Guitar For Starters - Important Tips

2010-04-08T04:26:00.000+01:00

By Stuart Michael M

Bass guitar is my favorite type of guitar. You may think that being a bassist is nothing great because the bass sound is very low and soft, unlike electric guitar. If you have this type of thinking, you are absolutely wrong. Try comparing a song that has this guitar play and the other version of similar song without this instrument. You should agree with me once you have done it.

The number of strings in a bass guitar varies. It may consist of 4, 5 or even 6 strings. The most common type of this guitar is the 4-string bass. 5 and 6-string bass are for advanced player. If you are new, start off with 4-string bass. Here are several things you need to know in the process of learning this guitar.

Being a bassist requires some music background. Simple music theory like note A to G must be clear in your head, as a bassist only plays with notes. There are bassists who play chords but it is rather uncommon. You must know the notes of each string and the respective notes at a particular fret. Take some time memorizing the location before start playing. It will provide you smooth play if you know the location of each note clearly.

Other than that, you need learn how to grip on the strings properly. The strings of a bass guitar are very thick and you need press the string with sufficient strength to provide a clean sound. It may be painful at first as you are not used to it. Give it some time practicing and this problem will be eventually solved.

A bassist needs to be good in timing as well. Try to feel the beat of each song and learn the various tempos in different songs. Drummer is like the leader of a song as he or she is the one that determines the beat. Your job is to feel the beat and follow the play of a drummer in order to make the playing synchronize.

Stuart is writing for many websites, he enjoys writing on wide range of topics such as Lefty Electric Guitars and Left Handed Guitars. You may visit for more details.

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Bass Guitar Effects Pedals - 5 Effect Pedals For the Bass Guitarist

2010-04-08T02:24:00.000+01:00

By Alan Williamson

Overview

The effects that are described for each Effects Pedal are the same for both electric and Bass Guitars. However, for the Bass Guitar, the effect is often modified to suit the lower frequency range of the instrument.

Bass Wah Wah Pedal

As with the Electric Guitar Wah pedal, the Bass Wah effect is produced by the use of a rocking treadle type foot pedal. However, with this type of unit, the use of custom EQ circuitry is incorporated specifically for Bass frequencies and the result is a full fat bass tone with a smooth response. This is ideal for enhancing your rhythmic playing, from warm and subtle, to punchy.

Octaver Pedal

The use of the Octaver is to produce a note that is one full octave below the original note played - quite a useful pedal for Funk and R&B - and many are able to cope with two or three note chords. Due to its need to create the altered pitch 'live', the pedal needs to have a fast response or tracking capability suitable for use with rapid playing techniques.

Overdrive and Distortion Pedal

If you want gutsy sounds for playing Rock/Metal etc, then the distortion pedal is for you. These pedals enhance the signal to the point where the resulting sounds are anything between rich and warm 'clipped', to something which is a lot more aggressive. Pedals vary in complexity from a few simple controls to more complex versions incorporating control over harmonic content and tone shaping facilities. Often these pedals are criticised for introducing high levels of noise, and are quite difficult to use for studio recording. Considering the way the signal is being boosted and enhanced, it's not surprising.

Bass Chorus Pedal

Again this pedal is specifically designed for the Bass frequency range. These pedals emulate the effect of having multiple bass notes playing in unison where slight variations create the chorus effect. It is possible to emulate up to sixteen voices depending on the make, and voice randomisation produces a thickening of the sound.

Bass Compressor/Limiter Pedal

The Bass Compressor enables the Bassist to play over a wide range of playing styles - from normal rhythmic playing to greater dynamic styles such as 'slap' - while maintaining the same output or volume from the Amplifier. This enables the audience to hear all your playing, while maintaining a balance within the band. The Compressor is probably the most commonly used pedal, but is the most difficult to use. If not set up correctly, the pedal can produce a rather bland performance.

Conclusion

If you want to use a number of Bass effects, you may want to choose using multi-effect units which incorporates all or any of the above. However, many criticise these saying that having all effects in one unit compromises the quality and functionality of each individual effect. Although, with the advent of microprocessor electronics, a large range of control over the parameters and sound shaping facilities are available to the user, so whether these criticisms are valid or not is difficult to confirm. It is probably down to the opinion of the individual which will decide the method to adopt, and there is certainly an appeal to the ease of setting up at a gig - with fewer cables to worry about going wrong at the most inopportune time.

There are a number of these types of pedals on the market today, which can make deciding the type or make of pedal to buy a bit daunting. If you would like more information on what's available on the market today, plus some great YouTube videos on various pedal types, please visit Bass Guitar Effects Pedals for upcoming news, reviews and sales.

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How to Play the Bass Guitar Starting Today

2009-10-09T22:33:00.003+01:00

Learning to play a new instrument, especially the bass guitar, can be a very rewarding, life long hobby. It can even become a lucrative and exciting career.

Many of us have dreams of standing on stage, looking out into a crowd of adoring faces as we play our bass guitar. That is great. This is one of the many reasons that many people pick up the bass to begin with. The truth of the matter is that you do not have to wait years to become a master of the 4 string to enjoy your new found talent.

If you want to learn to play bass, it can be done in as little as a few minutes every day (though many would prefer to play for hours). The bass guitar is perfect for anything from keeping a simple rhythm to creating spectacular and haunting solos. While the complexity of the musical feats that can be performed is simply amazing, you don't have to be Cliff Burton, Paul McCartney, or John Paul Jones to begin playing the bass guitar at performance level. It is in fact, one of the simplest instruments to begin playing. Not only that, there are varied musical styles to choose from as an entry point. Rock and roll, funk, country, classical, and jazz are just some of the many musical categories that incorporate the bass guitar into their sound. So no matter what your musical taste (or the favorite of those you play for), your favorite genre is sure use the 4 string.

Millions of people every year decide that they are going to learn to play a new musical instrument. Be one of the thousands that follow through on their dream and set aside a few minutes (or a few hours) of the day and begin enjoying one of the most rewarding past-times ever invented by man, learn how to play the bass guitar today and you won't look back.

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So You Want to Learn Bass Guitar?

2009-10-09T22:33:00.001+01:00

So you want to learn bass guitar? Many people do, but find it difficult to get a book on bass guitar, especially one with an accompanying CD. A lot depends on the style you want to play, and whether you want to be a new Duane Eddy or just to play in a cover band. However, if you really want to play, the principles that apply to any other style of guitar also apply to you.

If you intend to learn with a book, try to get one with an accompanying CD so that you can get some audio as well as written visual help. It's one thing being shown what to do and following written instructions, but quite another actually doing it, and making it sound right. Especially if you don't know what it should sound like because you can read a book, but can't hear it.

Learning bass involves different skills to those needed to play rhythm or lead guitar, since you will generally be setting the beat along with the drummer. You might have to play solo, but not at the high rate of solo lead, and will have less need of the specialist techniques that enable a player to play lightning fast riffs. However, you will need a knowledge of your frets, and many bass guitar players prefer to play without a fret because they find it easier and less constrictive.

You will have to learn the same basics, such as the various parts of your guitar, and how they contribute to the music. You will also have to learn how to tune your guitar to different keys, and how to play the various scales. Scales are very important to you because they are the basis behind the vast majority of your work. You will have less need of chords, and more of scales. You will have to know every note that your instrument is capable of playing, and how to get the best pure sound out of each and every one of them.

Spider walking is one of the techniques that you will be able to use, and there are others. But how are you to learn all of these things? Where does a bass guitarist go for lessons, other than to another bass guitarist? Many just teach themselves through continual practice by ear, and by listening to tracks of other bass guitarists. However, they are unlikely ever to be better than those they listen to without expert tuition that opens up the instrument and its possibilities to them. There are ways to learn without finding the right books. In fact you have two major options, apart from books and CDs.

1. Videos.
Video bass guitar lessons are very useful in that you not only see what you should be doing, but also what it should sound like. Advanced techniques can be designed to provide subtle nuances in tonal quality, and various sound effects, but unless you can hear what you are trying to achieve you would have no way knowing if you had succeeded or not. Video can achieve what a guitar tuition book cannot, and even more than an a book with accompanying CD.

2. Membership Sites
The problem with a straight video is that once you have covered the content, there is no more. A guitar membership site, however, offers you ever-changing content, and the option of a number of different teachers according to the style you want to play: blues, pop, heavy metal, rock country and so on, and also the type of guitar you want to specialize in: bass, electric or classical being the most common.

Once you have completed a sequence of lessons in one style, you could then progress to another, and end up a very versatile guitarist. You can also focus on playing techniques as opposed to learning chords and scales, and play to many of the tracks that such sites offer. You can also lapse your membership once you have reached your desired level so you pay only what is needed for you to become an accomplished guitarist.00004000

Whichever way you choose: the one-off payment for a bass guitar tuition video or the monthly membership offering continual bass guitar teaching in all aspects of playing bass, you will find it easier than simply learning from a book. While the latter was the way that most of the more established guitarists learned when they didn't just teach themselves, there is no longer any need to go the old fashioned way.

If you want to learn bass guitar take the individual DVD or online video route. This is the 21st century, and video rules, OK?

If you are serious about learning bass guitar, click on iJamplay where you will find a membership site offering everything mentioned in this article, and allow you to learn bass in a very short time.

Read Want to Learn bassGuitar and other articles on my blog.

Learning Bass Guitar

2009-10-07T21:17:00.001+01:00

You want to learn bass guitar? There are many people who do, they just find it difficult to start out. Many people find it hard to select a book they think will help them learn. Many people think they need a book and an accompanying CD. While this does help, it's not a necessity. Many times it depends on the sty of music you want to play.

If you've decided to learn bass guitar through a book, you should get a book that comes with a CD. This lets you listen to how the song was intended to be played so you have something to compare it to. Audio will help. make sure you follow the written instructions.

Learning to play bass guitar involves different skill levels. basssets the general beat and feel of the song. It's more of a rhythm instrument, like the drums are. Sometimes on bass you'll play solo, but it won't be the same type of lead guitar solo you'd expect. It's more suttle.

You should learn the basics first. Learn the names of the parts of the guitar, names of the strings, and how to tune the guitar. After that learn scales. Many bassists learn to play by ear and never actually learn to read music, though a basic ability to read music is recommended by most bass guitar websites. IT's best to be prepared for any situation you need to play guitar, be that playing basic guitar tab, learning to read normal sheet music, or playing by earn.

The author is the owner of a site where you can buy guitars online

Blazing Bass Fretting Hand in 3 Easy Steps

2009-10-06T21:03:00.001+01:00

Do you ever find yourself stuck in one spot on the bass neck when jamming with friends or bandmates? Ever wonder how to break out and be able to play notes all over the bass? Here I explain three steps you can take toward fretboard freedom. Follow these steps and you will be instantly on your way to playing some blazing bass!

1.Thumb placement is important

Thumb placement is no small detail, but something of critical importance if you want to be a good bass player. In order to make playing the bass much easier on yourself it's important to keep the thumb of your fretting hand in the right spot. Keeping your hand setup properly makes it much easier to play your bass lines, scales and chords, and also begin to develop fast single note runs.

When you go to play your bass, don't grip the neck like you would a chin up bar or a baseball bat. Your palm (ideally) should not touching the back of the neck.

The proper position for the thumb of the fretting hand in the middle of the back of the neck opposite the index or middle fingers. It's best not to have your thumb peeking over or wrapped around.

There are times when it's more comfortable to wrap your thumb around the bass neck if you're pedaling one note for a while. That's perfectly acceptable. But if you are trying to play something with more than one note involved, you'll probably find it much easier to play with your thumb properly positioned.

You just plain can't spread your hand out very far with your thumb wrapped around the neck of the bass. With your thumb in the right spot you can cover much more fretboard real estate!

2. Finger position

It's impo00000959rtant to keep the fingers of your left hand positioned correctly. Make sure your hand and fingers are perpendicular to the bass neck and press the strings down with the same part of your fingertips that you type on a computer keyboard with.

On bass guitar any four frets in a row are called a 'position'. From the first fret to the fourth fret is a position. From the fifth fret to the eighth fret is a position.Try to get used to the feel of having one finger per fret for four frets to cover a 'position'. Start someplace easy like the fifth or seventh fret.Practice playing all four of those notes in a row all the way up the strings (in one position) and back down. Play slowly at first to develop a nice strong and even tone.

At times you won't really need to cover all four notes. In this case you can cover only three frets instead of four - like from the fifth to the seventh frets. This would be more like a traditional upright bass technique where they don't call four notes in a row a 'position'. It creates sort of a box shape which contains useful and important notes. It's an easy way to handle minor keys and pentatonic based songs.

3. Practice one and two octave scales to start.

One of the real tricks to learning the bass fretboard is in memorization of scale patterns. It's really not that hard, but it does take practice to gain muscle memory (but you get it pretty quickly).

Start with one octave Major and minor scales, ascending and descending (in one position). It's best to practice these with a metronome click, but that's up to you. You want to be getting a nice even tone.

Next you would move on to the same scales in two octaves. This is obviously more challenging, and it will really help you to see the fretboard in a bigger perspective.

If you practice these three steps, you should begin to develop some good fretboard agility within a few weeks. Also, when playing with band, you will begin to see the other notes of the chord the guitar player (for instance) is playing more clearly. Then it's matter of connecting the dots.

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Be One With Your Bass Guitar Chords

2009-10-06T01:17:00.001+01:00

So you think you have it in you to join the ranks of Flea, Darcy, and George Harrison and play bass? Well, you have a long way to go, so you better start now.

Learning the basics

He also has to master the 12 different notes A, B flat, C, D flat up to A flat. Not all songs, however, use these notes because the00000D70 notes of a song are dictated by the songs key. Mastery of the musical patterns equips the bass guitarist with the skill to learn songs off record. He will then be able to pinpoint accurately what scales were used and the chord patterns and changes that went with it.

An initiation to bass guitar chords diagrams and notations

There are hundreds of bass guitar chords. There are even more ways to play them. You can play the happy notes or the major chords, or sound the minor notes for the sad tones. You can jazz up the tones by moving up a half step (augment) or go down a half step (diminish). Playing the bass guitar chords offer endless possibilities of combinations of note chords.

Any beginner will benefit from learning to read bass guitar chords tablature or tab. This is a method of music notation. The illustrations show where to put your fingers, the frets and the strings. They also show horizontal lines, and each string is noted according to its placement. You will also see notations like O and X or a number. An O denotes that you play the string on the chord without depressing it. An X means you dont play the string at all. A number on a string denotes that the string should be played in the fret specified.

Buying and playing your bass guitar

Playing the bass guitar is a physical thing. It is therefore practical to do warm-up exercises before striking the first bass guitar chords. Find a comfortable position that will not strain your hands. Relax, and your bass guitar00004000 music will be just as smooth as it is fluid. In time, youll be giving Flea a run for his money.

You can definitely master your bass guitar chords, so visit aboutplayingguitar.com for the latest and find free guitar chords You just have to go to this site now for bass guitar tabs of your favorite bands.

The Birth of the Electric Bass Guitar

2009-10-02T22:11:00.000+01:00

The Birth of the Electric Bass Guitar
By Victor Epand

The electric bass guitar is fairly easily identifiable because the overall shape is quite different to the standard electric guitar. An electric bass guitar usually has a body which is much larger in size than a standard electric guitar, and the neck is often much longer, with the scale length used for the frets much larger too. The overall size of an electric bass guitar is the most obvious distinguishing feature that makes it easy to spot, but of course its extra size can cause trouble for beginners. If you are looking at buying an electric guitar, and are considering the bass version, then it will be important to try out one such example first. The physical size may, in some cases, prohibit effective use, and a standard sized guitar may prove to be a more suitable alternative.

An electric bass guitar usually has four strings which are tuned to the same pitch as the double bass, or in some cases the strings are simply tuned to be one octave lower than the lowest four strings of a standard guitar.

For the last fifty years, the electric bass guitar has been the instrument of choice for producing the bass notes in most popular music, causing a dramatic decline in the popularity of the double bass for such music. The electric bass guitar has proven to be a very popular instrument, not only for use within popular music, but as an instrument in itself, often used for solo performances. In particular, jazz, funk and rock styles often feature an electric bass guitar solo, or prominent performance within a piece.

It was actually back in the 1930s that the electric bass guitar was born, with Paul Tutmarc's invention - originally referred to as a fiddle. It comprised of four bass strings, had a body and a fret board - and was played horizontally. Named an electronic bass fiddle it proved to be very popular, and because its manner of playing was more similar to that of a guitar, it meant that it was easier to pick up by guitarists than a fiddle would have been for them.

Although Tutmarc's fiddle marked the dawn of the electric bass guitar, it took about twenty years for the idea to take hold, and be developed by Leo Fender before it became a popular instrument. Fender created the Precision Bass, and took the rough form of a Telecaster with a single coil pickup. With four steel strings the instrument became popular with many well known bands and groups of the fifties, and it was at this point that the bass guitar became popular worldwide.

Following closely behind Fender was Gibson, whose bass guitars were generally smaller then fender's, and incorporated a humbucker pickup rather than the single coils. Gibson's most famous creation was the Thunderbird with a 34 inch scale, and duel humbucking pickups located halfway between the neck of the guitar and the bridge - a more usual position.

Today, electric bass guitars can be bought in a range of styles and shapes, although still generally larger than the standard electric guitars. For complete flexibility, however, you could always consider a duel neck guitar - with one being a bass, and the other a standard six string guitar!

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How a 5-String Bass Guitar Works

2009-09-23T01:22:00.000+01:00

How a 5-String Bass Guitar Works
By Keith Dean

Even though we mainly address issues concerning guitar players in these columns, as we grow with our skills on the guitar, and eventually start making music with other musicians, it's helpful to become aware of some of the nuances of the other instrumentation we may encounter in a group situation.

One such instrument is the bass guitar. The bass has the responsibility in a group or band, of carrying the bottom end of the rhythm section.

The bass player works closely with the drummer, and a top notch rhythm section is one in which the bass player and drummer work seamlessly together, nearly as one unit.

On a normal 4-string bass guitar, the four strings are tuned just like the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th strings on the guitar. The difference being that the bass strings are much "thicker" in diameter and gauge, and are tuned to a lower "octave" than a guitar string.

The strings on a 4-string bass are tuned like this:

E A D G

Most bass guitars are of the 4-string variety, but an ever increasing model that has been in existence for quite a while now, is the 5-string bass.

On a 5-string bass, and extra string is added to the low end of the bass guitar. In most cases, this string is of a large diameter thickness, and is tuned to a low "B".

This tuning allows the bassist to extend the low end range of the instrument beyond that of a normal 4-string bass, which can add a whole new dimension to the music.

Then notes on a 5-string bass are tuned like this:

B E A D G

Although this extra "B" string would obviously add some new tonal possibilities for the bassist in the key of "B" - one of the more common ways the extra 5th string is used is when playing in the key of "D".

On the extra 5th string, the "D" note is located on the 3rd fret of the new 5th string. With a normal 4-string bass, the player is limited to the open D string (or the 5th fret of the A string), to give them the lowest possible bass note when playing in the key of D.

Now, with a 5-string, the bassists can "reach down" an octave from that and add some serious bottom end to songs in the common key of "D".

Bass players that are used to a 4-string bass, and then attempt to play a 5-string bass, sometimes face a challenge making the transition. The reason is, that they are used to the "E" string being closest to them when playing, but now that is replaced by the new "B" string, so a big adjustment must be made.

But, in the end, most bass players find that the increased choices in range and tonality are well worth going through a brief period of adjustment.

Over 40, 50, 60? For Free Video Guitar Lessons designed for Active Adults go to http://www.adultguitarlessons.com/amember/free_lessons-1225ez.php

Keith Dean is founder of http://www.AdultGuitarLessons.com and a 30 veteran of stage and studio. He toured extensively as a road musician throughout the US and Europe, was a former lead guitarist for Jason Aldean, and has shared stages with Little Big Town, Wild Rose, Winger, Confederate Railroad and more. He is a published songwriter, owned and operated a successful music store, and has instructed numerous students in guitar.

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The Perfect Acoustic Bass Guitar

2008-12-21T15:37:00.001Z

The Perfect Acoustic Bass Guitar
By Chris Jonas

I did not no this until recently, but the difference between a poorly made instruments and a high-quality one is enormous. Acoustic bass guitars can vary tremendously, and the one I had been using before was in pretty bad shape. The neck was bent and warped, which made it very difficult to finger correctly. The intonation was also a little bit out, so it didn't even stay in tune very well. New, it would have been a very high-quality electric bass, but my dad hadn't taken very good care of it and it showed.

I resolved to take very good care of my own acoustic bass guitar. Every day I used it, I would start by wiping it with a dry cloth, tuning it up, and checking to make sure that everything was in working order. Acoustic bass guitars are actually pretty low maintenance instruments, so as long as you keep them in the right conditions, they are not too hard to take care of. You don't want to expose them to excessive moisture or to get them too hot or too cold. Most of all, you don't want to have radical temperature changes. Basically, don't leave it in the car or in your unheated apartment in winter if you can avoid it.

It is amazing what having a nice sounding instrument will do for you. I have experimented a little bit with playing bass before as I told you, but it has never felt anything like this. The sound was so rich and full on the acoustic bass guitar that I just couldn't stop playing. My fingers were practically bleeding by the time I was done practicing every day, and the next day I was always ready for more. I knew that, if I persisted, I would be good in no time.

In a lot of rock bands, the guitar player with the inferior skills ends up playing the bass. As a result, there are a lot of lousy bass players out there. When I first touched this acoustic bass guitar, however, I knew that I would become good. I would not just be another second string musician. I would specialize in playing the acoustic bass guitar and really investigate all of the sonic possibilities. I'm not there yet, but I'm definitely making progress. Any day now, I will be the bass player I want to be.

Chris Jonas is a chef working in Soho, New York. Check out these great Guitar Lessons reviews and articles or the more specific Learn Bass Guitar articles and resources.

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Top 5 Inexpensive Bass Guitars For Girls

2008-11-20T13:48:00.000Z

Top 5 Inexpensive Bass Guitars For Girls
By Jon Brickley

For a long time the job of a bassist has always been thought of as man's work. There were standout female bass players like Tina Weymouth or Carol Kaye, but in the largely male dominated rock industry, bassists were mostly guys.

That's really started to change in the past decade or so. Now we see many more female bass players. Here are five top inexpensive basses for beginniners or if you just want a name brand bass guitar without paying a lot:

1 Squier by Fender Affinity Series Bronco Bass Guitar

These basses are just plain cool anyway, forget about the fact they're only about $150 online. Broncos are super easy to play and have a short 30" scale neck. A real basic setup - one middle pickup, volume and tone -means there's not a lot that can go wrong. If there's ever a problem in the electronics cavity, it should be a simple repair job. Bronco basses are solid instruments and are very cool looking with their shallow cutaways. They also deliver Fender tone for not a lotta $$.

2 Ibanez GSRM20 Mikro Short Scale

This is another short scale bass guitar with a 28.6" inch neck. It fits great in smaller hands and would be a great choice for a petite female. By the way, this bass also seriously rocks. The pickups and electronics are quality and record well. The Ibanez mikro short scale is a quality bass that will provide huge low end for you to rock the house.

3 Squier by Fender Affinity Series P Bass or J Bass

Fender Precision and Jazz basses are two of the standard choices for bass guitar players, male or female. Buying one from the Affinity series is a good way to save substantial $$. These are full size basses with long scale necks. They also weigh more than the short scale basses which is something to consider. Full scale basses can be tiresome to have slung over your shoulder for long periods of time - like band rehearsals and gigs. Other than that, a Squier Precision or Jazz bass is a great place to start and a good way to get a new bass at a bargain price.

4 Daisy Rock - Rock Candy Bass (Atomic Pink)

Daisy Rock is a company that designs bass guitars for girls. Some of them are much more 'girlie' than others. The Rock Candy Bass is a full scale, yet lightweight bass guitar. It comes equipped with very good electronics and pumps out the low end. The bass body is contoured body is designed to perfectly fit the female form. A little pricier than the others but well worth the money.

5 Daisy Rock Daisy Bass

This bass is actually shaped like a daisy. It's geared toward younger girls, but is a very solid instrument and will perform great at gigging and recording. It's a very lightweight bass and sports a short scale neck. Teen girls and petite women will find this bass most comfortable to play. Because of the shape, it may be difficult to play this bass while sitting. It's not only an inexpensive alternative, it's a delightful fashion statement as well.

The instruments reviewed here were picked for being the most suitable bass guitar designs for females. These models provide a lot of bang for the buck and are relatively inexpensive basses. Girls who want to play bass or want a new bass for cheap, won't go wrong with any of these choices.

Jon Brickley has developed a series of step by step video tutorials for bass guitar students. Easy to understand lessons teach you bass guitar basics quickly or unlearn bad bass playing habits that are holding you back - Get your copy now by clicking here ==> http://www.overnightbassplayer.com

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RickenBacker Bass Guitars - 4003 Model

2008-11-05T01:36:00.000Z

RickenBacker Bass Guitars - 4003 Model
By Mike N. Foster

The Rickenbacker 4003 Bass is famous for its ringing sustain, treble punch, and solid underlying bottom end. It's also famous for its distinctive, elegantly curved body shape, accentuated by a subtle strip of binding, deluxe triangular fretboard inlays, stereo output, neck-thru-body construction, double truss rods, and high output single-coil pickups with wide response range and brilliant clarity. The Vintage Tone Selector activates a capacitor in the treble pickup circuit to emphasize the high end. Pressed in, you get the familiar 4003 sound, pull it out to add bite and crispness.

In the short lifetime of electric string instruments, very few basses have earned the accolade necessary to genuinely call themselves "classics." Even less can claim the title of industry standard - but no one can dispute the fact that the Rickenbacker 4000 Series deserves these titles. The piano string-like ring, punch, and sustain brought the bass player out of the shadows and into the spotlight.

Unique style and unmistakable tone!
Rickenbacker's original solid-body electric bass was first introduced in the spring of 1957, bringing its own unique style to the Rock and Roll explosion of the early 60's and 70's. In the hands of bass-masters including Paul McCartney, Chris Squire, and Geddy Lee, 4000-series basses forged a solid reputation for distinct tone and comfortable playability. The latest Rickenbacker 4003 bass stays true to its roots, offering these same characteristics to a whole new generation of players.

Neck-thru construction
True pioneers in musical instrument construction, Rickenbacker luthiers were the first to produce a neck-thru-body bass design. A single piece of wood from the headstock to the tailpiece allows string vibration to travel unhindered through the length of the instrument. This results in a clarity of tone and ringing sustain unmatched by bolt-on or set-neck designs. The 4003 uses this same neck-thru principle today. This construction process is too time-consuming for most mass-production brands to implement, but many boutique bass builders are now discovering the benefits of what Rickenbacker has been doing from the beginning. It may take a little longer to build this bass, but Rickenbacker knows it's worth the wait. Get one in your hands, and you'll agree.

Balanced sound for diverse musical styles
Some basses offer deep tone at the low end of the spectrum, but the higher notes tend to be a bit thin. The 4003's combination bridge/tailpiece assembly reflects more string energy over the pickups for a consistent, balanced sound across the entire fretboard. You get piano-like clarity at the top with plenty of growl down below. This is why Rickenbacker basses are played by such a diverse group of musicians. Lemmy from Motorhead, Andre 3000 from Outkast, Mike Mills from REM, and Chris Ross from Wolfmother are all able to get the tone they need from the same instrument. With so many genres represented, you're sure to dial in a sound that suits your style.

Super-slim body
Instead of the chunky, bass-heavy designs used by many manufacturers, a slim, streamlined body gives the 4003 increased treble response and added punch. Both body and neck are made of maple for a full, bright tone with a nice, crisp bite. The rosewood fretboard adds mellow warmth, so notes in the upper register don't sound harsh or shrill. Any style, any technique, comes through with expressive, dynamic clarity.

All about the neck
The thin, fast neck has become a favorite among progressive-rockers and bass-shredders alike. Check out some of Cliff Burton's earliest work with Metallica, Chris Squier's jaw-dropping solos from the 70's, or any of Geddy Lee's blistering Rickenbacker riffs. You can play the slickest runs from low to high and back again without getting bogged down like you would on a fat-necked bass. It may be skinny, but it's also strong and stable thanks to the dual truss rod system. Each neck is designed with a natural curvature, or "neck relief", to ensure the best possible string/fret contact. If the neck relief changes, you'll get fret-buzz and even dead spots in extreme cases. The truss rod adds stiffness from inside, maintaining the proper curvature. Neck relief is partially dependent on string tension, so changing to heavier- or lighter-gauge strings can cause problems, along with temperature and humidity fluctuations. In these situations, the dual truss rod system can be tightened or loosened to compensate for the new conditions, letting every note ring out as it should.

You can find more info about the Rickenbacker 4003 Bass Guitar at:

http://RickenBacker.YouGet.info

Mike N. Foster

http://RickenBacker.YouGet.info

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How to Play Bass Guitar - Fun and Easy

2008-09-19T16:50:00.000+01:00

How to Play Bass Guitar - Fun and Easy
By Luke Jordan

How to play bass guitar and have fun

Its how to play bass guitar that counts

The bass guitar may not be for everyone but it is an excellent instrument that can bring many hours of fun and enjoyment to a great number of people who learn how to play it well.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Play-Bass-Guitar---Fun-and-Easy&id=1488217

Learning Bass Guitar

2008-09-07T21:37:00.000+01:00

Learning Bass Guitar
By John Kain

Learning to play bass guitar involves different skill levels. Bass sets the general beat and feel of the song. It's more of a rhythm instrument, like the drums are. Sometimes on bass you'll play solo, but it won't be the same type of lead guitar solo you'd expect. It's more suttle.

The author is the owner of a site where you can buy guitars online

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A Glimpse on Various Bass Guitar Gear

2008-06-01T22:36:00.001+01:00

A Glimpse on Various Bass Guitar Gear
By Victor Epand

The bass is similar in appearance and construction to an electric guitar, but with a larger body, a longer neck and scale length, and usually four strings tuned one octave lower in pitch than the four lower strings of a guitar.

Bass guitar can be accessorized with various gears. It includes case, Bags, Strings, Picks, Tuners, Stands and Cables.

Bass guitar case

Guitar cases are available in different materials. Molded Electric Bass Guitar Case with Plush Interior features a unique through bolted system, which attaches the exterior body to the interior foam for rugged protection. The plush interior keeps the instrument safe, and the protective foam inside supports the guitar, even the neck, for maximum safety. The lightweight and durable semi-rigid case is great for protecting the guitar.

Bass Guitar Bags

Different kinds of guitar bags are available in the market. These bags are made to keep the guitar safe from any kind of scratches.

Bass guitar strings

Rotosound Long Scale Bass Strings, Set of 4 Rotosound is one of the first string companies to produce this kind of string. Introduced in 1962 it changed the sound of the instrument instantly.

Guitar Picks

From soulful blues licks to searing metal riffs, your pick is where it all begins. Fender offers a wide variety of picks, in any thickness and made from a variety of materials and an amazing assortment of colors. Wide variety of gauges, shapes, sizes and materials from Dunlop allows the player to select the exact pick for his own particular style of playing.

Guitar straps

Guitar straps are available in woven polypropylene with leather ends, black leather, suede, and also guitar strap with Jacquard Sun Images. The famous brand called Levy's Leathers has grown to become one of the leading guitar strap makers in the world. With premium leather straps as well as models made of vinyl, fabric, faux fur and polyester. The straps are available in different colors. And also various sizes, designs of locks and stretching flexibility are in offer.

Guitar tuners

Guitar or Bass Tuner with LCD Needle and Reference Tone High accuracy and superb functionality have made Korg tuners the worldwide favorite. The new GA 30 joins the best selling GA series of tuners. With even more features, like a pitch reference tone and Quinta flat tuning, the GA 30 tuner packs basic functionality and convenient tuning. Guitar Tuner with Tunings for Guitar, Bass, Violin, Viola, Cello, and Steel Guitar the Strobo Flip is the latest in the Peterson line of Virtual Strobe Tuners.

Guitar stands

Bass guitar stands are available in Velveteen Rubber and Security Strap with Black Powder Coat Finish. This classic guitar stand is an ideal solution for securely storing a guitar or bass when not in use. The padded frame prevents marring of the finish of the instrument while in the stand and the security strap keeps the neck securely in place to prevent tipping of the guitar out of the stand.

Guitar Cable

Pro Co cables are the professional choice for the most demanding applications.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for guitars, drums, and synthesizers. You can find the best marketplace for guitars, drums, and synthesizers at these 3 sites: guitars, bass guitar gears, drums, drum sets, drum kits, and synthesizers, keyboards

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Bass Guitar Players Who Changed The World

2008-05-27T02:19:00.001+01:00

Bass Guitar Players Who Changed The World
By Ricky Sharples

Some people think that if you want to change the world you don't become a bass player, but go into something more challenging and stimulating like the Post Office. But does this myth portray how bass players really are? Let's step back from our habitual way of seeing bass guitar players as necessary but boring members of the group. Like accountants. Sure we acknowledge the fine contribution they make to their bands by supplying the bass lines and paying for the beer, but do they actually do anything really creative? This brief listing of some prominent men (and woman) of bass will allow you to see that this apparently self effacing member of a musical group could be the creative powerhouse.

Let's start with the leather jacketed but overpoweringly feminine Suzi Quatro. A vocalist and bass player who had a bunch of hits in Australia and Europe in the early seventies, her popularity in the USA stemmed from her role as Leather Tuscadero in Happy Days.

John Entwistle pioneered the use of the electric bass guitar as an instrument for soloists. His aggressive approach to the bass guitar influenced many other bassists.

Flea of The Red Hot Chili Peppers impressed a lot of musicians with his popping and slapping technique which was originally invented by Larry Graham of Sly And The Family Stone. Flea's innovative use of effects pedals has also influenced many bass players.

Jack Bruce wrote most of supergroup Cream's hit songs. Among his other achievements are fighting constantly with Cream's drummer, Ginger Baker and surviving a liver transplant.

Greg Lake is another artist of the early seventies who played with a number of innovators from the glam rock era. Lake is best known for his vocals, bass and guitar work with Emerson, Lake and Palmer.

Rob Bailey is a bassist who plays loud and aggressive. His bass playing is an important element in the music of AC/DC.

Benny Rietveld, a Dutch musician who went to college in Hawaii, is admired for his musical and individualistic style of playing. He worked with Barney Kessell, Sheila E, Huey Lewis and Miles Davis. He has also made an album featuring Carlos Santana. Talk about diverse.

Paul McCartney played bass with The Beatles. Many bass players say he's quite good, but he changed the world with his romantic song lyrics.

Considered by some to be the king of bass players, Stanley Clarke employs a variation of the pop and slap technique to produce some truly innovative bass guitar music. His 1976 album, School Days, is acclaimed by many critics as one of the greatest bass albums ever.

A true bass lead guitar player, Billy Sheehan has won Guitar Player Magazine's "Best Rock Bass Player" readers' poll five times. Why a "bass lead guitar player"? Because Billy plays bass as if he were playing lead.

So if you are not familiar with bass guitar players I hope this article has whetted your appetite. Why not spend your next rainy Sunday watching some of their work on YouTube?

Ricky Sharples has been playing guitar his whole life, and is presently engaged in building a blog called Learn How To Play A Guitar For Free. Ricky's blog features free tools, lessons and resources for guitarists of all ages and stages. Ricky updates the blog regularly so if you are interested in learning to play guitar there will be an enormous variety of tip, tools and tutorials for you.

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Fender Bass - Secrets To Buying The Right One For You

2008-05-23T20:37:00.000+01:00

Fender Bass - Secrets To Buying The Right One For You
By Daniel Wright

Browse dozens of Fender bass guitars and hundreds of other electric guitars at The Guitar Center.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Fender-Bass---Secrets-To-Buying-The-Right-One-For-You&id=856361

Let's Hear 'Em Bass Guitar Chords

2008-05-16T22:08:00.000+01:00

Let's Hear 'Em Bass Guitar Chords
By Rory Herts

You’ve heard a lot about rhythm and blues, but it’s the bass that makes you want to dance. It’s the thumpa-thumpa that gets your groove on, your head bobbing up and down and your feet a-tapping. Indeed, it’s all about the bass - the lower notes that give guitar music the texture and body. In a band, it’s the bass player that closes the gap between tempo and harmony. That’s from endless years of practice perfecting the craft, which beginners can learn from bass guitar chords.

Hearing bass?

If you have heard the songs of Metallica (who hasn’t?), you’ve definitely heard the heavy tones that prop up all throughout, giving them that distinctive sound that only Metallica can offer. Finally, bassists have entered the front door, and are no longer asked to pass through the kitchen door. Playing bass guitar chords have given bassists the tickets to the front door.

What’s the big deal about bass guitars and bass guitar chords?

A bass guitar is unlike a regular guitar. It has four strings and is an octave lower than the bass strings of a regular guitar. The bass guitar has a longer neck for longer scales. Most bass guitars have hollow bodies, and the sound that is bounced back has a different resonance and tone. The bass sound provides the low-pitched bus runs and bass-line typical in different music genres – jazz, fusion, rock, and funk. A sturdy guitar can take all the punishment, as well as give the best bass bellow.

Raring to play the bass guitar?

Yes, bass guitar chords can be learned online. You can also visit aboutplayingguitar.com for free guitar sheet music. Check out this site now for free guitar chords, and start playing your guitar.

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John Entwistle Bass Solo

2008-05-11T22:10:00.002+01:00

The late great John Entwistle letting rip with a blistering bass guitar solo, during "5-15" at The Albert Hall in 2000.

Breedlove Acoustic Bass Guitar, ABJ250-SM4, Solid Top

2008-05-11T00:17:00.000+01:00

Breedlove Acoustic Bass Guitar, ABJ250-SM4, Solid Top
By Michael W. Stone

Breedlove's Atlas Series contains a number of different basses, including the ABJ250/SM4, which is made with Breedlove's jumbo body (seventeen inch lower bout, along with five inch body depth at the tail block and a four inch body depth at the heel) with a soft cutaway. The top is solid sitka spruce, whereas the sides/back are made out of mahogany. The combination of sitka spruce and mahogany results in a deep, mellow, sound.

Additionally, this acoustic bass guitar produces decent volume as a result of the large jumbo body (not to mention the JLD bridge truss system - one of the few acoustic bass guitars with one installed at the factory). One of the biggest complaints about acoustic bass guitars is that they lack the volume needed to play without an amplifier. The ABJ250/SM isn't loud by any means, but the volume is sufficient to play unplugged along with perhaps two or three other guitars/mandolins/banjos, but with more than that the bass would be overpowered.

What I really like about this acoustic bass guitar is it's clear note separation. I even used a plectrum and did a little bluegrass flatpicking and, although you might expect a garbled wall of bass, the notes came through cleanly.

Features of the ABJ250/SM4 include a hardshell case, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, pearl position markers, satin finish, Tusq nut and saddle, JLD bridge truss, Fishman Classic IV Pickup with bass-optimized E.Q., chrome Grover tuners, satin finish, and an abalone rosette with black border.

Michael Stone owns a website that sells Breedlove Guitars, Mandolins and Accessories and has played the acoustic guitar and mandolin for nearly twenty years.

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Ibanez SR400 Bass Guitar

2008-05-11T00:15:00.000+01:00

Ibanez SR400 Bass Guitar
By Jeremy Hier

The Ibanez SR400 bass guitar is very comfortable
to play. The neck is thin up at the headstock, you
can move your hand along it well because of the
necks finish. The SR400's neck at the back has
a matte finish making it very easy to slide your
hands up and down the neck. Its easier to play
the higher frets because the neck is a bolt-on
with a curve where the neck bolts.

The body of the Ibanez SR400 is contoured very
well. There are no sharp edges anywhere. You
can play the SR400 standing up or sitting comfortably.
If you are sitting down and put the bass on your right
thigh, it will stay balanced and not lean one way
or another.

The SR400 bass guitar is very playable because
the strings are loose. You won't have to play with
much force to get a sound, and it won't wear your
fingers out so much.

The pickups of the SR400 Ibanez are in "P/J"
configuration. There is a split "P" pickup at the
neck position and a single humbrucker at the
bridge. For each pickups volumn there are three
knobs and one for tone.

The Ibanez SR400 bass guitar stays in tune very
well. The tuners at the head are 2 on each side,
and they are Gotoh tuners. The tuners are not
to tight or loose, but they are light enough to keep
the strings in tune.

The SR400 bass is good for an intermediate guitarist,
and the best thing about it is its neck is so smooth,
playable, and thin.

PERMISSIONS TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in its entirety free of charge, electronically or in print, provided it appears with the included copyright and author’s resource box with live website links.

Jeremy Hier is the Business Manager and Webmaster of
Best Guitar Deals
Jeremy Hier is a freelance writer and regular contributer He likes to offer his advice and tips to consumers looking to purchase acoustic guitars and electric guitars

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How to Tune a Bass Guitar

2008-05-09T23:04:00.001+01:00

How to Tune a Bass Guitar
By Mantius Cazaubon

This material seeks to answer your question on how to tune a bass guitar. Well since I don't know exactly how many strings are on your bass guitar I shall present you with different options, namely, 4-string, 5 string, 6 string, and 7 string basses.

First of all we shall look at the standard tuning of bass guitars.

The standard tuning of a four string bass guitar from highest (thinnest string) to lowest (fattest string) is G-D-A-E.

On a five string bass the tunings are similar with the addition of a low B string.

On a six string bass guitar, a thinner (higher pitched) string is added, and is tuned to C. In other words on a 6 string bass guitar the settings are B-E-A-D-G-C, where B is the fattest string or lowest note and C the highest and thinnest.

On a 7-string bass a high F-string is added. The settings on a 7-string bass are B-E-A-D-G-C-F where B is the lowest and F the highest.

Tuning your bass is all about matching the pitch of your instrument to that of a bass guitar tuner, pitch pipe, tuning fork or a correctly tuned piano or keyboard. If you do not have a tuner or keyboard instrument, you can find an online tuner by doing a search.

Now all you have to do is match the pitch of the strings to the corresponding notes on your tuner. Hopefully your ears are sufficiently developed (musically), for you to hear this. When the note on your bass is the same as that of your tuner, the vibration patterns will match and you will hear no wah-wah-wah sound when you play the two notes. There will be no clash between the two notes.

So how do you tune your bass?

Loosen the string and tune up to the correct note. In other words your string should be well below the correct pitch and only then do you begin to tighten. That way you avoid breakage by tightening the string too much. Listen carefully to make sure the two pitches match and that there is no wah-wah-wah or clashing sound between the two notes.

As long as the notes are in sync, you will hear no wah-wah-wah sound. But if you pass the in tune point, you will begin to hear that undesired sound again, and it means that you will have to loosen on the string a little until you get back to the in tune point.

Tune all your strings one by one by matching the sound of the strings to the corresponding note on your tuner.

Tuning your bass is not hard. But as with any other instrument it involves practice. And of course, practice makes perfect. After a while you may find that you do not even have to rely on an electronic tuner to tune your bass. Hope you found this guide useful. Good luck.

Mantius Cazaubon is a successful author and publisher of Bass Guitars Guide. A resource for bass guitar reviews, information and tips on buying bass guitars online.

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10 Classic Bass Guitars

2008-05-09T02:16:00.000+01:00

10 Classic Bass Guitars
By Adrian Martin

The Electric Bass guitar has been around for over 70 years and has become an integral part in modern music. Whilst there have been a few design changes over the years – the fundamental role of the instrument remains forming the rhythmic, tonal and heartbeat of the music

There are thousands of different basses on the market today but here we list 10 classics of their genre – if your going to get a bass – these are the ones to aspire to.

1 Fender Precision

First introduced in 1951 – this was Leo Fender’s baby that soon became the industry standard. Often called the P-Bass, it’s solid “slab” body with single pickup it has perhaps became the most popular bass of all time.

2 Fender Jazz

Fender’s “other” most popular bass – first seen in 1960 – this one differed from the Fender Precision by having a slimmer shaped neck, two pickups and a countered body design.

3 Rickenbacker 4001

Rickenbacker introduced the 4000 series in the early ‘50’s as competition against the Fender series – there have been a number of variations within the 4000 series – (the 4001 and 4002 etc) – As with their 6 string counterparts the Rickenbacker basses have a unique tone and the 4001 has become the rock bass of choice .

4 Hofner

One name – Paul McCartney – usually seen with a 500/1 model (but this wasn’t the only Hofner bass Paul had). This instrument has become iconic – you picture the Beatles and you picture Paul with his Hofner. Not particularly expensive or superbly made but it’s association with The Beatles makes it a bass players must have.

5 Gibson Les Paul Recording Bass.

Gibson’s iconic model – Bass style – introduced in the late 60’s following it’s 6 string sibling– Manufactured with the traditional Gibson Mahogany – it’s a true design classic and despite various design changes over the years it remains much loved by bassists– great for studio use it’s often referred to as the Recording Bass.

6 Musicman Stingray

This one came on the scene in the mid 1970’s utilizing (at the time) innovate features such as humbucker bass pickups, active circuitry. Reminiscent of the Fender Precision (sharing a designer in Leo Fender) but with features that brought it bang upto date the Stingray has remained a favorite every since.

7 Steinberger Bass

Featuring the classic headstock-less design Ned Steinberger’s guitar company were true innovators – a truly composite instrument (graphite and carbon fibre mix). Steinberger released the Q and M series basses and nothing else looked or sounded quite like them – immensely popular during the 80’s/90’s perhaps less so now – but still a true innovation in bass guitar design.

8 Gibson Thunderbird

Our second Gibson on the list the Thunderbird bass was first released in the early 1960’s – sharing a similar design with the Gibson Firebird 6 string the Thunderbird was the direct competition for the Rickenbacker 4001 – Perhaps Gibson’s most popular bass – it has remained popular with the hard rock fraternity over the last 20 years.

9 Fender V

Although short-lived, the Fender V bass gets onto our list by virtue of being the first 5 string bass to go mainstream, a change in the standard design this 15 fret bass had a high C string to allow bassists access to the higher register of tones. Only a handful of these basses were produced making them collectors items today – and whilst generally derided the V is an important stepping stone to the 5 string basses that are common today.

10 Gretsch Broadkaster

Gretsch Hollowbody – great tone – almost double bass like – first released in the 1960’s – a unique tone all of it’s own – Whilst Gretsch are not renowned for their basses this one’s a beauty – somewhat distinctive from the Fender and Gibson basses - a unique sound drawing on the technology from it’s 6 string Gretsch counterparts.

Bass-Soup.com - a resource for all Bass guitarists and enthusiasts - from articles, free bass guitar lessons through to Bass Guitar Reviews - Bass-soup has it all.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adrian_Martin
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How to Buy Your First Bass Guitar

2008-05-08T23:07:00.000+01:00

How to Buy Your First Bass Guitar
By Dave Cherry

Dave Cherry is an avid bass guitar player.

For more bass guitar buying options and bass guitars for sale visit Bass Guitar Depot

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Cherry
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Buy-Your-First-Bass-Guitar&id=1028214

Bass Guitar Tablatures

2008-05-08T01:28:00.000+01:00

Bass Guitar Tablatures
By Thomas Morva

A guitar tab is a system of notations, letters, symbols and other visual representations - instead of the traditional musical notation. Guitar tabs give directions to the player as to how to play a musical piece through a diagram of strings of the guitar.

Tablature consists of a diagram of strings of the guitar with finger positions indicated by numbers corresponding to the appropriate frets and sometimes with the numerical representations of the fingers. Guitar tabs are very important for those who are enthusiasts and are keen on learning new tunes and technicalities of guitar and especially those songs which have extensive guitar uses, both plucking and other types of fingering as well as lead parts.

A bass guitar is slightly different in shape from other guitars (rhythm guitar, classical guitar, Hawaiian guitar, etc.) A bass guitar is used for complementing and filling up the sound in an orchestration or a band and it goes in tune and rhythm with the drums and percussion. A bass guitar’s neck or fret board is much longer than the fret boards of any other guitars and it has four strings called the bass strings.

Nowadays tablatures, guitar tabs in particular, have vertical lines which represent the strings of the guitar (no matter what kind of guitar it is) horizontal lines for the frets, and dots signifying the position of the figures. In the case of a bass guitar there will only be four horizontal lines signifying the four strings of the bass guitar. A bass guitar can never be played with a spectrum (an object used to strum the strings of the guitar). Instead, it is played with figures just by plucking. Therefore, a bass guitar tablature is different from those of the rhythm or the classical guitars.

Guitar Tabs provides detailed information on Guitar Tabs, Free Guitar Tablatures, Classical Guitar Tablatures, Bass Guitar Tablatures and more. Guitar Tabs is affiliated with Guitar Tabs.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Bass-Guitar-Tablatures&id=190740

All You Need To Know About A Bass Guitar

2008-05-08T00:35:00.000+01:00

All You Need To Know About A Bass Guitar
By Victor Epand

The bass guitar is a bass stringed instrument played with the fingers either by plucking, slapping, popping, or tapping or using a pick. The bass is similar in appearance and construction like an electric guitar, but with a larger body, a longer neck and scale length, and usually four strings tuned, one octave lower in pitch than the four lower strings of a guitar.

Materials used for making a bass guitar

The bodies of these special instruments are typically made of wood although other materials such as graphite have also been used. The most common type of wood used for the body is alder, for the neck is maple, and for the fret board is rosewood, though a wide variety of woods may be used to make the body.

Other regularly used woods include mahogany, maple, ash, and poplar for bodies, mahogany for necks, and ebony for fret boards. The choice of body material and shape of these guitars can have a significant impact on the timbre of the completed instrument as well as on aesthetic considerations. Other design options include finishes, such as lacquer, wax and oil along with flat and carved designs. Bass guitar necks, which are longer than regular electric guitar necks, are generally made of maple.

A brief history

In the 1930s, inventor Paul Tutmarc from Seattle, Washington, developed a guitar style electric bass instrument that was fretted and designed to be held and played horizontally. Unfortunately, Tutmarc inventions never caught the public imagination, and little further development of the instrument took place until the 1950s.

In the 1950s, Leo Fender developed the first mass produced electric bass. In the 1950s and 1960s, the term Fender bass was widely used to describe the bass guitars, because of early popularity of Fender in the market for mass produced bass guitars.

Different components of the bass guitar

This kind of guitar uses various components to produce music. Some of these components are strings and its tuning, fret or fretless bass, pickups, amplification and effects.

Frets and fretless bass

Frets are a raised metal strips inserted into the fingerboard that extend across the full width of the neck. On a fretted bass, the frets divide the fingerboard into semitone divisions. The original Fender basses had 20 frets. Fretless basses have a distinct sound, because the absence of frets means that the strings must be pressed down directly onto the wood of the fingerboard.

Strings and tuning

The standard design for the bass has four strings, tuned E, A, D and G, with the original frequency of the E string set at about 41 Hz, making the tuning of all four strings the same as that of the double bass. This tuning is also the same as the standard tuning on the lower four strings on a 6 string guitar, only an octave lower.

Pickups

Most electric basses use magnetic pickups. The vibrations of the instrument metal strings within the magnetic field of the permanent magnets in magnetic pickups produce small variations in the magnetic flux threading the coils of the pickups.

Amplification and effects

The electric bass is always connected to an amplifier for live performances. Electric bass guitarists use either a combo amplifier, which combines an amplifier and a speaker in a single cabinet, or an amplifier and a separate speaker cabinet.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for guitars, drums, and synthesizers. You can find the best marketplace for guitars, drums, and synthesizers at these 3 sites: guitars, bass guitars, drums, drum sets, drum kits, and synthesizers, keyboards

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Victor_Epand
http://EzineArticles.com/?All-You-Need-To-Know-About-A-Bass-Guitar&id=836233

Welcome to A Bass Space.

2008-05-08T00:10:00.001+01:00

I'll be posting real soon.
:)