Playing Bass Guitar in a Band

playingguitarPeople choose one instrument over another, like a bass guitar over a regular guitar, for a variety of different reasons. What makes someone choose a tuba over a flute or drums over a glockenspiel is mostly just the person's preference.  People choose what they like to listen to, what they like the look of, and what they think will be the most fun or the easiest to play.  As with any hobby, which could be anything like reading poetry, playing cheeky bingo or playing an instrument, it is the fun factor that is attractive. It is all very well learning to play an instrument like the bass guitar but unless you are passionate about it, your sound will be lacking something. All the best players around have a real love for the bass and it comes out in their music as they put their heart and soul into it. Many people who want to learn a stringed instrument choose the bass guitar, because it has a reputation as being easy to play, without giving much consideration to the rest. But if you're thinking of learning the bass guitar to play with friends or even as part of a band, you can make sure it's a match for your personality first.

You don't mind not being the star or the one in the spotlight. If you want to be the lead person in the band, unless you sing lead it's unlikely you'll be the 'star' while playing bass guitar. Many people prefer to be more behind the scenes.  They like to be a vital part of the music and having fun without having all the attention focused on them all of the time.  A person like this would make an ideal bass player in a band, because the bass can be as vital as the drums for keeping a rhythm, and it's key for forming the right chord at the right time, but it's a much more subtle role than lead singer or lead guitarist. Some jazz along with the occasional rock song will have a bass solo, but it's far more rare than a lead guitar solo.

You have a good sense of rhythm and ear for chords. While anyone who makes music needs a sense of rhythm, some instruments can get away with being imperfect in this area.  A lead guitarist might have a less than perfect sense of timing, but he or she relies on the drums and the bass guitar to set the rhythm and keep the song moving at the correct speed.  Even if some guitar lines fall behind or go to fast, it's easy to get back in time at certain spots thanks to the clear beat laid down by the bass player and the drummer. The good news is that if tempo is a problem for you, it's an easy problem to work on.  Get a metronome and practice!

You're content with a simple musical part. While bass guitar is an important part of a band, the bass part usually doesn't offer a whole lot of variety. At its simplest, the bass part will only require different notes based on the chord at the time in similar rhythms throughout the whole song. For some, that would be only repetitive and boring.  For others, it's perfect.

Look at yourself and what will be required of you if you choose to play bass guitar, and you'll be able to tell if you're a good match for the instrument.

Photo Credits: 1

MINI New Digital LCD Clip on Tuner Bass Guitar Ukulele Violin Chromatic

MINI New Digital LCD Clip on Tuner Bass Guitar Ukulele Violin Chromatic

US $11.99
Sale
MINI Digital LCD Clip on Tuner Bass Guitar Ukulele Violin Chromatic NEW

MINI Digital LCD Clip on Tuner Bass Guitar Ukulele Violin Chromatic NEW

US $11.99
Sale
NEW BLACK Electric Bass Guitar ComboStrapGigbag15w AMP

NEW BLACK Electric Bass Guitar ComboStrapGigbag15w AMP

US $134.99
Sale
CHICAGO 1978 COVER PEOPLE MAGAZINE VINTAGE Rock Music Cetera Lamm Bass Guitar

CHICAGO 1978 COVER PEOPLE MAGAZINE VINTAGE Rock Music Cetera Lamm Bass Guitar

US $4.99
Sale
Warwick Guitar Bass Polish Cloth cleaning waxed oil fsh

Warwick Guitar Bass Polish Cloth cleaning waxed oil fsh

US $5.39
Sale
New Guitar Bass Violin Ukulele Digital LCD Screen Tuner with Clip Black Red

New Guitar Bass Violin Ukulele Digital LCD Screen Tuner with Clip Black Red

US $6.98
Sale
9v Battery Case Box For active guitar bass pickup B8

9v Battery Case Box For active guitar bass pickup B8

US $4.99
Sale
NEW RED METALLIC Electric Bass Guitar Strap Amp Cord Gigbag

NEW RED METALLIC Electric Bass Guitar Strap Amp Cord Gigbag

US $99.69
Sale
Mini Digital Clip Guitar fast Tuner Ukulele Violin Banjo Bass Chromatic 440Hz

Mini Digital Clip Guitar fast Tuner Ukulele Violin Banjo Bass Chromatic 440Hz

US $14.99
Sale
BOSS TU 70 Guitar and Bass tuner

BOSS TU 70 Guitar and Bass tuner

US $15.00
Sale
Mini Digital Clip 440Hz Ukulele Guitar Tuner fast Chromatic Mandolin Violin Bass

Mini Digital Clip 440Hz Ukulele Guitar Tuner fast Chromatic Mandolin Violin Bass

US $11.99
Sale
Mini Digital 440Hz Ukulele Banjo Tuner Chromatic Mandolin Violin Guitar Bass NEW

Mini Digital 440Hz Ukulele Banjo Tuner Chromatic Mandolin Violin Guitar Bass NEW

US $13.99
Sale
NEW Pro Stage Guitar Bass Wireless System Receiver Transmitter 25830MHz

NEW Pro Stage Guitar Bass Wireless System Receiver Transmitter 25830MHz

US $19.99
Sale
NEW Pro Stage Guitar Bass Wireless System Receiver Transmitter 25030MHz

NEW Pro Stage Guitar Bass Wireless System Receiver Transmitter 25030MHz

US $19.99
Sale
NEW Pro Stage Guitar Bass Wireless System Receiver Transmitter 25230MHz

NEW Pro Stage Guitar Bass Wireless System Receiver Transmitter 25230MHz

US $19.99
Sale

Originally posted 2009-01-08 14:50:58. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Blog Traffic Exchange Related Posts
  • doubleThe Double Bass - Then and Now In the modern orchestra, there are a number of stringed instruments that cover a variety of sounds. Highs and lows, the entire spectrum of sound audible to the human can be accessed with stringed instruments. At the lowest end of the spectrum, the double bass, or upright bass, can access......
  • blog traffic exchangeThe Legacy of Jaco Pastorius - Joe Sinaguglia For over twenty years now, the planet has been without the presence of Jaco Pastorius, the revolutionary electric bass player of the 70s. He was a member of the group Weather Report and later led his own bands. Sadly, the lifestyle caught up to him in 1987. Despite his death,......
  • saxThe Decline and Potential Rise of the Bass Saxophone Bass instruments are typically the largest of instruments, and the bass saxophone is not exception. This sometimes forgotten instrument can be awkward to move about, and it suffers from little love in the music department in terms of songs and pieces written for the instrument. It is frequently replaced by......
  • guitar1Review of Bass Guitars In regards to instruments, the bass guitar is the new kid on the block as it hasn't even celebrated its 100 year mark yet. An interesting fact is that although it is called a bass guitar it is not even derived from the guitar. Acoustic guitars brought forth the electric......
  • guitarLearn to Play Bass Guitar For someone starting out with a first instrument, a bass guitar is an excellent choice. The bass guitar is probably the easiest stringed instrument to learn to play, far easier than either an acoustic or electric guitar, a banjo, a mandolin, or a violin, for instance. And a stringed instrument......
Online Stores

Learn to Play Bass Guitar

For someone starting out with a first instrument, a bass guitar is an excellent choice. The bass guitar is probably the easiest stringed instrument to learn to play, far easier than either an acoustic or electric guitar, a banjo, a mandolin, or a violin, for instance. And a stringed instrument is often easier to learn to play than a keyed instrument like a piano, or a woodwind or brass instrument. Woodwinds and brass require you to not only know how to finger the instrument to produce the correct notes, you also have to have the correct embouchure—this is how you blow the instrument properly and involves the position of your mouth, the slackness or firmness of your lips and the air flow. The piano requires you to play notes with both hands, and doesn't sound great a note at at time.

A bass guitar, by comparison, involves the simple plucking of a few strings. A beginning bass guitar player can learn 4 or 5 notes and play the bass line to an entire song. But just because a bass guitar is great for a musical beginner, it still requires lot of practice and learning to master the instrument. You'll still need to spend lots of time with the instrument to really be any good at it, and to move beyond that 5-note bass line.

If you have an excellent ear and a musical affinity already, you may be able to pick up a bass guitar and start learning. Most, however, will need some instruction. You can find courses online to teach you the beginning steps in learning the bass guitar, and valuable information from how to choose your first guitar or play a fretless bass. There are courses DVDs, books like Mel Bay teaching books which are excellent if you want to teach yourself, or you can take lessons from a friend who knows how to play.

Private bass guitar lessons from an instructor are also an option, and a good way to get a solid foundation underneath you. If you're unsure of what you're doing when you teach yourself and you get into bad habits in the beginning, becoming a great bass guitar player will be more difficult. But if you start out with an instructor who can make sure you learn the basics correctly, later you can move on to teaching yourself without worrying that you're doing things wrong.

Practice your bass guitar every day, if you can, but at least spend an hour or two with it every other day or so. You won't improve if you don't practice, and you'll forget the new things you've learned if you wait too long between practice sessions. Consider purchasing a bass guitar tuner and a metronome. The tuner will make sure your strings are tuned properly, so you won't spend time hearing the wrong notes as you play. And the metronome will help you practice correctly, by forcing you to keep perfect time as you play your bass guitar.

Douglas Sculptor 825 NA Fretless Bass Guitar 5 Strings Natural

Douglas Sculptor 825 NA Fretless Bass Guitar 5 Strings Natural

US $179.95
Sale
ESP LTD B205 5 String Natural Satin Bass Guitar

ESP LTD B205 5 String Natural Satin Bass Guitar

US $400.00
Sale
NEW NATURAL ELECTRIC ACOUSTIC BASS GUITAR W EQUALIZER

NEW NATURAL ELECTRIC ACOUSTIC BASS GUITAR W EQUALIZER

US $66.00
Sale
NATURAL ELECTRIC ACOUSTIC BASS GUITAR EQUALIZER EBA NR1

NATURAL ELECTRIC ACOUSTIC BASS GUITAR EQUALIZER EBA NR1

US $36.00
Sale
Schecter Natural Ash Diamond Deluxe Bass Guitar mint cond with Schecter HC

Schecter Natural Ash Diamond Deluxe Bass Guitar mint cond with Schecter HC

US $595.00
Sale
Barcelona Beginner Series Bass Guitar Natural

Barcelona Beginner Series Bass Guitar Natural

US $89.99
Sale
GL L 2000 Bass GuitarTribute NaturalEXC CONDSoft Case no reserve

GL L 2000 Bass GuitarTribute NaturalEXC CONDSoft Case no reserve

US $429.00
Sale
98 EPIPHONE GIBSON EL CAPITAN ACOUSTIC ELECTRIC NATURAL BASS GUITAR jazz

98 EPIPHONE GIBSON EL CAPITAN ACOUSTIC ELECTRIC NATURAL BASS GUITAR jazz

US $220.00
Sale
Stellah Elm 4 String Electric Bass Guitar Natural B Stock

Stellah Elm 4 String Electric Bass Guitar Natural B Stock

US $131.21
Sale
Stellah Elm 4 String Electric Bass Guitar Natural

Stellah Elm 4 String Electric Bass Guitar Natural

US $196.82
Sale
Barcelona Beginner Series Bass Guitar Bundle with 15 Watt Amp Natural

Barcelona Beginner Series Bass Guitar Bundle with 15 Watt Amp Natural

US $139.99
Sale
Jay Turser Bass Electric Guitar AMP BAG Strap NATURAL

Jay Turser Bass Electric Guitar AMP BAG Strap NATURAL

US $184.99
Sale
NEW 46 NATURAL ELECTRIC BASS GUITAR WITH GIG BAG and STRAP

NEW 46 NATURAL ELECTRIC BASS GUITAR WITH GIG BAG and STRAP

US $109.95
Sale
Warwick Corvette $$ 5 String Natural Bass Guitar German Made Bolt On Swamp Ash

Warwick Corvette $$ 5 String Natural Bass Guitar German Made Bolt On Swamp Ash

US $2,149.00
Sale
Four String Bass Grove Guitar Tote Bag 3 Colors New

Four String Bass Grove Guitar Tote Bag 3 Colors New

US $9.34
Sale

Photo Credits: 1

Originally posted 2008-12-08 17:51:28. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Blog Traffic Exchange Related Posts
  • bassguitarThe History of the Bass Guitar The electric bass guitar is a staple of the music scene today. It provides the bass spectrum of sound to the likes of rock, jazz, metal, blues and numerous other musical acts. The bass may provide one part of the larger melody, or be featured as the primary instrument. Over......
  • saxThe Decline and Potential Rise of the Bass Saxophone Bass instruments are typically the largest of instruments, and the bass saxophone is not exception. This sometimes forgotten instrument can be awkward to move about, and it suffers from little love in the music department in terms of songs and pieces written for the instrument. It is frequently replaced by......
  • guitar2Bass Instruments: The History of the Bass Guitar Instruments teach the people who use them a great deal. For playing an instrument, you can have your first example of love without need of love in return from a person loving their instrument, you can learn notes and patience and many other valuable lessons, some of which have to......
  • guitar1Review of Bass Guitars In regards to instruments, the bass guitar is the new kid on the block as it hasn't even celebrated its 100 year mark yet. An interesting fact is that although it is called a bass guitar it is not even derived from the guitar. Acoustic guitars brought forth the electric......
  • Electric Upright BassAcoustic Upright Bass Versus the Electric Upright Bass The Upright Bass has grown a lot in popularity in recent years and has seen resurgence with the increased interest in certain genres, such as Bluegrass and Rockabilly, although the popularity of this instrument isn’t exclusive to any musical format. From rock to musica, this instrument's influence has lasted centuries,......
Online Stores
acoustic bass bass clarinet bass clarinets bass drum bass drums bass family Bass Guitar bass guitars bass instruments bass part bass store clarinet family concert bass counterpoint definite pitch different instruments Double Bass eb series electric bass electric bass guitar electric guitar electric stringed instruments fender bass fender guitar fret board genres of music indefinite pitch kick drum launch leo fender lionel hampton low frequency magnetic coils modern music monk montgomery musical instrument musical instruments music of today music scene orchestras percussion instruments rockabilly stand up stringed instrument stringed instruments