How to Play Songs on a Bass Guitar
Although the bass guitar tends to get overshadowed by the drums, vocals and guitar, it is the bass that provides the pulse of the overall sound. Because the bass only has four strings in contrast to the six strings of a guitar, one could say that it is easier to learn. On the other hand, the bass requires coordinating the fingers of your strumming hand and gaining a deep sense of rhythm. With practice and dedication, you will be able to play bass to many popular songs and maybe even create your own.
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Instructions
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Decide whether you want to use a pick or play with your fingers. The fingers provide a smoother tone, but a pick is easier for faster songs. For the finger method, the index finger is used for the lower strings, and the middle and ring fingers are used for the higher strings.
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Become familiar with how the notes are arranged on the neck. For example, if you are learning a song in the key of E minor, then you need to know where all the E root notes are. A root note is the first note in the scale.
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Learn the major and minor pentatonic scales. A pentatonic scale only has five notes as opposed to seven. In the major pentatonic scale, the fourth and seventh notes of the scale are left out. In the minor pentatonic scale, the second and sixth notes are left out. Visit the Cyber Fret Bass website (see Resources) for more information.
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Learn the I-IV-V chord progression. This is one of the most popular chord progressions used in rock. It consists of the first chord, another chord that is four notes above the first, and the third chord, which is one note above previous one. For example, a I-IV-V progression in the key of A major would be A-D-E.
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Practice playing along to a metronome. A metronome will help develop your timing and sense of rhythm. Go to the All Guitar Chords website (see Resources) to play along to an online metronome. Set the tempo to 120 bps, standard for rock.
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Learn bass tabs of popular songs, and play along to them. Tabs are read by going to designated number of the fret and playing the string that the number is written on. Once you learn a tab, play the song in the background and try to play the bass line to it. Check out the Bass Tab Archive (see Resources) for a library of bass tabs.
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Tips & Warnings
Place note stickers on the neck to help you learn the notes. Each scale is composed of a pattern. By studying these patterns, you will be able to learn how all scales interact. Go to your local music store and inquire about bass lessons to get a firmer understanding on music theory.
