How to Play an Acoustic Bass Guitar
An acoustic bass guitar is a four-string, thick-necked hybrid guitar that is a bit clumsy to handle and doesn't sound out loud in large venues or halls. The acoustic bass, if played in a larger space, should be played with a pickup attached as it is very hard to hear in public spaces.
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Things You'll Need
- Acoustic Bass Guitar with Frets (Note: Hofner or Earth Fire recommended, but any acoustic bass guitar is fine. The more pricey ones are the Washburn AB40, the Martin Taylor and of course, the Gibson brands)
- Spherical "Gourd" Amp or Sunrise or other type pickup
- Guitar Strap (optional)
- Pick (gauge your choice, optional)
Instructions
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The Sound of Bass Music
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1
Install a pickup according to the instructions in the kit. It is recommended that you have a professional install it to avoid damaging the instrument, but you can do it yourself. (See Resources.) Note that a pickup or spherical amp is not needed when playing in smaller venues or at home in close surroundings, like garages.
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2
Hold the guitar neck around the edges and press the back of the instrument against your stomach. Put the body of the guitar body on your upper thigh and wrap your arm around it, then adjust your body position until you feel comfortable. Allow the curvature of the guitar neck to fit your hand comfortably so that your thumb arches easily over the top of the neck. Or press your thumb on the back of the guitar neck. Also, try sitting down with the acoustic bass guitar rather than standing or using a strap.
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3
Practice chord progressions, chord changes, pentatonic scales and transposing licks. A good amount of guitar music and practice riffs are written in what is called "tablature," a system of musical notation based on finger position rather than on rhythm and pitch. Lessons are available online (some are free), or you can take night classes at local colleges or private lessons with a teacher.
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4
Start practicing simple songs. "Mary Had a Little Lamb," "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" and "Jesus Loves Me, This I Know" are all good places to start. Even adults can benefit from learning the same way children do--literally one string at a time. Pick up a child's Easy Learning booklet, like LittleLyon.
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5
Try sitting down with the acoustic bass guitar as noted in Step One rather than standing or using a strap. The trick to acoustic bass guitar is getting the hang of the feel. As mentioned earlier, it's a "clumsy" instrument with a thick neck that has not bowled over the guitar-playing world. It is a melodramatic piece that will get lost in the translation without the boosting qualities of an amp and/or pickup, so use them.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Martin B-1 photo courtesy CF Martin & Co.
