I have been a guitar player for the better part of 50 years. I'd like to join my church's worship band, but they already have two talented, established guitar players. What they don't have is a bass player.

This past weekend, as luck would have it, I was able to score a used Dean Edge 09 bass and a Behringer GX112 amp for the princely sum of $134.

I like it! My knowledge of the fretboard makes it easy for me to find my way around, but I have to get into the mindset of playing bass: keeping time, adding the bottom -- essentially being the "engine room" of a band, along with the drummer.

Anyone got tips, hints, advice, sites? I signed up on talkbass.com but I'm sure there's a lot more. The problem is finding the wheat in all the chaff.

Thx

Depending on the music, bass players are root note feeders. If you feel a walk up or down would benefit the song, throw it in. For the most part, we aren't all Les Claypool or Flea. You already know the neck, so run with what you know and pluck along. Literally, pluck with your fingers. Most importantly, have fun!

ALL YOUR BASS ARE BELONG TO US.

I started playing bass in the early 80’s and played for a couple of decades, one thing I have always noticed about guys who come to bass from guitar is that their right hand always seems just a tiny bit slow. They are picking or fingering or slapping just a few milliseconds later than I would be on the same piece of music. Seems to be consistent across all musical genres. I am about 99% accurate at guessing whether someone came to the bass from the guitar or started as a bassist. That slightest difference in timing plus a few too many extraneous notes to my ear anyway.
Just my .02

I play bass; sometimes with a Carolinas rig, sometimes a Texas rig. Good fighting.

Sorry. I don’t fish anymore.

Could not help myself.

Hoping that you find the information needed.

Hey welcome my brother of the down low! Yes we are root note readers primarily, but you will have situations where you will play the third or the fifth of the chord too. If you like jazz, you’ll be playing a lot more passing tones. The job of the bass and drums is to set the groove. Listen particularly to the kick drum. If a tune doesn’t groove, it makes it difficult for all the other players to play their best. Bass is fundamental to musicality.

Have fun and enjoy the grooves you will create.

Just remember, you're the thunder.

I bought a NEW Fender Equinox Bass and a Fender Rumble 200 Amp 3 years ago with the idea that my retirement would bring with it the ability to play Bass endlessly. I took three 30 minute Lessons and haven't touched it since. Anyone in the market can have mine for an amazing price with a whole lot of goodies included. If interested, please contact me via e-mail. Like all things NEW, it is both Perfect and Beautiful.....Maybe we can work something out.....Zebulon the Dreamer

I played bass for about 10-15 years, still do a bit, but migrated into 6 string and recently CBG.

One of the most important quotes I ever heard about being a bass player was that a great bass line was more about what you leave out, than what you try and put in.

An easy start is to just play quarter notes on the root of the chords the rhythm guitar player is using. You can play around with half notes, hole notes, 8th notes or triplets on that same theme, or just try and match the rhythmn of the song.

Eventually you'll want to start learning scales and modes which will allow you to walk the baseline around the root.

Youtube has a lot of great resources for bass players. Many find the bass covers (with no other instruments) for a favorite song is nothing like what they imagined it to be.

It would be beneficial to spend some time with the blues, and the old bee bop type music from the 50's.

As Bassman said, you are the groove, the foundation of the song. The guitarists run around on top of you. You have to be 100% in lock with the drummer. If you two get out of sync the house of cards collapses quickly.

I tried it a while back. I was awful but I loved it. You and the drummer must be of one mind. That’s all I can say.

quote:

Originally posted by smithnsig:
I tried it a while back. I was awful but I loved it. You and the drummer must be of one mind. That’s all I can say.

True.

Learn your scales. Nothing else will serve you better.

RMD

My KRK G2 Rokit 6 monitors will take me down to 49 Hz (the G3 model says 38Hz). Reggae bass lines, dub-style, rumble at all hours here. Not. But there was a time when they did.

As a long-time bassist, I'd recommend this strategy to someone just diving into the deep end...Lock in root notes of the chord with the kick drum. The 1 & 3 beat will typically be your "safe space" for this. As you get more comfortable and AS YOU DEVELOP YOUR EAR & FEEL, add in other tones from the chords, as well as passing tones to the next chord on the 2 & 4 beat. This, of course, is not a hard & fast rule, so to speak, but it will get you started.

The drummer is your partner, & a good one will take you along with him. Since you're already a guitar player you already know this, but I'll say it anyway. Always know where the "one" is & be there on time with a slightly more pronounced emphasis.