The bass has a unique appeal, often referred as "soul instrument", as it gives life to music. A musical band always need to have a bass player, because without it the groundwork of a song feels incomplete. If you want to learn the sophisticated instrument, you need to have an intrinsic knowledge of the tones and scales of the bass guitar. So, if you want to become an adept bass player here are few tips that you should remember:  

Finger Or Pick?

As a beginner, you need to make a decision about the type of sound you would like to play using the bass. It can be anything ranging from rhythmic tunes to a hard rock feel band music. The sound generated from your bass guitar will depend upon your nature of using the instrument and usage of a pick. Many bass players think that using a pick is a mistake, but even the renowned musicians made use of the pick. If you a rock music lover, you can make use of a pick to hit the hard tones efficiently. However, for jazz and pop music usage of fingers will be enough to produce the muted and soft tones.  

The Techniques

A beginner bass player needs to have an in-depth knowledge of techniques so that he can grasp the skills required to play the instrument. You should be able to play a healthy mix of progressive metal, classical music, and traditional Irish music since this will give you a great grasp on how varied the bass can be. To play any of this genre, the player needs to understand the various techniques of the instrument. By grasping the technical skills, one can easily attain finger strength, learn to smoothly switch between the major and minor keys and make octave changes.  

Tuning Your Bass

Tuning the bass is similar to tuning regular guitars, but the tones are a bit deeper as there are only four thick strings. To tune the bass guitar properly, the musician needs to learn the notes and tunings of a standard guitar. With proper tuning, one can play the bass guitar superbly and the instrument will produce melodious sounds.  

Warming Up And Experimenting

After tuning the bass guitar, the next thing that the player need to do is warm up. It is crucial to spend the time experiment with different songs to get accustomed with the notes, scales and how to avoid hands from aching and hurting. Experimentation with the tunes will allow the beginner understand his forte and choose the genre of music accordingly.

Proper Finger Usage And Placement

Finger usage and placement is another key factor, as the note's wholeness is determined how well the fingers are placed o the fret board. One needs to have strong fingers to learn and play a bass guitar. Moreover, to play the instrument using fingers, a musician can use the index and middle finger to play the bass. But it is recommended to learn using the ring finger as well.  

Final Thoughts ...

By considering the tips above, you can give yourself a strong base to grow on.    

Your Turn to Sound Off!

What are some other good bass tips for beginners?

Let us know in the comment section below!

   

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