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Step 1
Place your right hand over the guitar body and rest your forearm on the top of the body. Let your fingers hang down at the level of the strings.
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Step 2
Play a single note by plucking a string upward from below using about a half inch of the fleshy part of your finger. Plucking a string while keeping all the fingers of your left hand off the frets is called an open note. There are only four open notes on the bass guitar, one for each string.
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Step 3
Use each of the four fingers to play a different note on each of the four strings. Use the tip of the index finger for the G string (at the bottom of the fret board), your second finger for the next one up (the D string), your ring finger for the second from the top string (the A string) and your pinkie for the top string (the E string).
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Step 4
Finger the frets by wrapping your left hand around the neck of the guitar with your thumb resting along the top of the neck and your fingers curling up from the underside to reach the fret board. Finger placement on the fret board determines what notes you play and how well you'll play them.
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Step 5
Practice playing a fretted note by putting the tip of your index finger on the G string just ahead of the first fret (closest to the end of the neck) without touching the fret. Press down firmly to hold the string against the fret board, and pluck the G string with the pinkie finger of your right hand. This gives you an A pitch.
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Step 6
Alternate plucking the string with your left index finger pressing down on the fret board and letting go to hear the A and the open G. Practice this technique until you get a good clear A pitch each time. If you're too close to the fret or on the fret, you'll hear an irritating vibrating sound that lets you know that your finger's in the wrong place.
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Step 7
Continue to work your way up the strings trying new notes with each finger. At first, you'll find your fingers growing tired quickly and you'll have sore fingertips. Keep practicing daily, and you'll find your fingers getting stronger, your fingertips developing calluses and your technique getting better.
