How to Learn Bass Guitar Online

Bass guitar is the foundation of bands from all genres, including country, rock, jazz and blues. Along with piano and drums, bass guitar is part of what is called the rhythm section. There's a common misconception about bass that suggests it's an easier instrument to play than a standard guitar because it only has four strings. In truth, playing bass guitar is a skill that requires as much practice and talent as playing lead or rhythm guitar. With a little patience and persistence, you can teach yourself to play bass without spending money and without leaving the comfort of your home. Here's how you can learn bass guitar online.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bass guitar Amplifier Computer Internet connection

1. Go to StudyBass.com. This website is extensive and interactive. It's also free of charge and will be invaluable to your progress as a bass guitarist. Read the "Using the Site" section first. This will give you an overview of how to get the most from your learning experience. The site is easy to use and put together by someone extremely knowledgeable about the subject.

2. Take the bass clef tutorial to test your knowledge of the notes on the bass scale. The test presents notes to you on the music staff and challeyou select which note is indicated. The test determines if you are right or wrong. At the end of the test, your sight reading skills are rated and you find out the average time it took you to name the notes. If you know nothing about reading notes on the bass clef music staff before you start this test, you will have a handle on it by the time you finish. Take the test several times to improve your bass note recognition skills.

3. Follow the study guide presented on the website. The study guide is located on the left of the website, in the bass lessons category. The lessons are numbered and follow a progressive pattern that will take you from the basics of playing bass through the more complex theory of reading music notes, building and playing around chords, and scale studies. The website's recommendation is that you get a bass guitar teacher, but if you are more inclined to learn through self teaching, you can't do better than studybass.com.

4. Bookmark the website and use it daily. This is a well-structured bass course that will work, but only if you pursue it with persistence. Like anything, you may start off without a clue, but the more you practice, the better you will become.

Resources

• StudyBass.com