In this era where video is king, especially for learning and tutorials, finding good bass guitar lessons in the form of audio-backed written material is astonishing. Yet, Studybass, one of the pioneers of online bass instruction, has managed to hold its own and remain an attractive – and mostly free – bass learning resource. Andrew … Read more
Many guitar players feel attracted to the bass and its beautiful low end. Should they make the switch? Guitar players can learn bass if they aspire to the foundational role of basslines that function as a bridge between drums and guitar. Those who transition successfully from guitar to bass will enjoy more opportunities for gigs/recordings … Read more
If you’re a newer bass player and have a bass with no amp, or if playing through an amp is not an option for you because of the noise, you may be wondering whether you can still study and practice the bass in an effective way. Many people regular play the bass unplugged to practice … Read more
Ubisoft’s Rocksmith guitar video game for PC, Mac, PS4, or XBox has been very popular for years. While some may feel the bass part of Rocksmith is a bit minimal and can feel like an afterthought, many learning bass players use it for fun and practice. Is Rocksmith helpful for learning the bass? Most people … Read more
While new bass players generally learn to play using right-hand finger plucking techniques, many bassists choose to play the bass with a pick. As a newer bass player, or as an intermediate one joining a new band or getting into a new musical style, you may be wondering which approach to choose. Whether to play … Read more
Talkingbass and Scott’s Bass Lessons are no doubt two of the most popular online bass courses. Each has a vibrant Youtube channel (270+K and 810+K subscribers respectively) and paid online video courses. If you’re bass player, beginner or experienced, trying to pick for a course to take your skills to the next level, you’re probably … Read more
When plucking the bass guitar, some bassists use a really light touch, barely grazing the strings, while others pluck really hard with their fingers behaving like hooks. A common question bass players ask is, should I pluck light (and turn up the amp volume) or should I pluck harder? There are pros and cons of … Read more
It’s becoming increasingly common for cellists to take on bass guitar and move to more modern forms of music. On the other hand, some bass players are attracted to learning the cello as an alternative to the upright bass. How different are the bass guitar and cello? Do cello skills transfer to bass guitar or … Read more
The standard right-hand technique for playing bass guitar nowadays is plucking the strings using the first and second fingers alternately. Thumb plucking, however, has always been used as well. If you’re learning the bass, you may be wondering whether thumb-style technique is acceptable or if it’s a bad habit to avoid. Using your thumb for … Read more
If you’re considering learning bass guitar, you’ve probably heard all kinds of answers regarding how easy or difficult it is and how fast you can learn it. For most learners, bass guitar is easy to pick up at first as it’s a relatively beginner-friendly instrument. A learner with no musical background can typically play basic … Read more