Bass Lessons - Bass For Baginners

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First you need to be able to read tab and understand it. Tab is 
short for tablature. It’s easy once you get the hang of it. Here’s 
how standard tab is written: 

G|----------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------|

Each line is a string on the bass neck.
The letters at the beginning of the line are just the notes of 
the strings. Forget them for a moment and look at it like this:

Thinnest    |--------------------------------------|
2nd thinnest |--------------------------------------|
2nd thickest |--------------------------------------|
Thickest    |--------------------------------------|

So basically, when you’re standing up with the bass round your 
neck with the strap on, the thickest string (E) is at the top and 
is usually the hardest to play. The thinnest string (G) is at 
the bottom and is the easiest to play.
There is numbers written on the tab bar and these are the frets 
you play. Bass is usually played on one string and is very rarely 
played on more than one string. If there was a 0 on and line then 
you play and open string. In other words you don’t put your finger 
down on any fret. Frets are those funny metal lines on the neck 
of the bass.

G|-0-----------0-----------0--------------------|
D|---0-------0---0-------0----------------------|
A|-----0---0-------0---0------------------------|
E|-------0-----------0--------------------------|

Practise that so you get the hang of playing the strings. With 
bass you can use a plectrum (pick) of you can use your fingers. 
Some people think it sounds better if you use your fingers but 
that’s just their opinion. If you don’t want to use your fingers 
then use a pick. Just see how fast you can play that, it might also 
help build up speed because at first it will be really hard to 
play fast. 
If there were a 1 on a line then you would put whatever finger felt 
more comfortable just in front of the first fret on the bass. 
If you put you finger on the fret then a buzzing sound might be 
made so you’ll need to be careful with that. 

G|-1-----------1-----------1----------------------|
D|---1-------1---1-------1------------------------|
A|-----1---1-------1---1--------------------------|
E|-------1-----------1----------------------------|

It’ not just numbers that appear on these lines though. X’s can 
appear on the lines. If you do find an X, then you rest your finger 
on string so it’s muted. You don’t press down on the string and 
it doesn’t matter where on the string you rest you finger. It 
would appear like this

G|--X-----------X-----------X-----------------|
D|----X-------X---X-------X-------------------|
A|------X---X-------X---X---------------------|
E|--------X-----------X-----------------------|

Practise that and you’ll soon get the hang of muted notes. 
There’s also h’s and p’s. The meant Hammer on’s and Pull off’s. 
To do a hammer on, hold a finger of a fret and strike the note or 
play an open string, and then without striking again, you put 
a finger quickly on a fret. It’s difficult at first but so is everything. 
A pull off is where you put two fingers on different frets on the 
same string, and you strike the first not, and the, again without 
striking the second note, you pull your finger off, leaving 
the second finger that was on the lower fret on, and it should 
produce the same kind of sound as if you’ve just played that note. 
Practise and you’ll get the hang of it. 

G|-1h2---------------------1h2----------------|
D|-----1h2-------------1h2--------------------|
A|---------1h2-----1h2------------------------|
E|-------------1h2----------------------------|

Try playing that and building up your speed the play this:

G|-2p1---------------------2p1------------------|
D|-----2p1-------------2p1----------------------|
A|---------2p1-----2p1--------------------------|
E|-------------2p1------------------------------|

Again practise, build up speed. It worked for me. 
There’s also harmonics. There’s many different signs for this 
though and everyone should tell you if they have used harmonics 
and what symbol they have used. I usually use a star (*). To produce 
a harmonic, place your finger over a fret and play (it works best 
with the frets 7, 9, 12 and 19). It should produce a bell kind of 
sound. If not then practise a bit more. Try playing these. 

G|-----------7*----------9*-------------12*-------------19*-|
D|--------7*----------9*------------12*-------------19*-----|
A|-----7*----------9*-----------12*-------------19*---------|
E|--7*----------9*----------12*-------------19*-------------|

That’s pretty much it. If you find any problems, of just want 
to ask any more questions email me Danielle_1391@hotmail.co.uk, 
skater-monkey@hotmail.co.uk of leave a comment. 
Luv yaz, Danielle xxx