Written by Arrwyn on 09.03.2008 at 16:18

Oh, and I also agree with singing and playing at the same time...it's challenging playing basically two melodies at once.

Indeed is, the best way I found to start is to just pluck the root note of the verse that you are playing so you don't get too mixed trying to add fills or some riff, I just started though, so I can definitely improve. I heard though, this is debatable, that girls have to a larger extent, more capability to sing/play at the same time because multitasking is easier for them ( this is assuming that women have less space between to two parts of the brain, makes for faster communication of info ).

@Necuratu,
I can't growl or scream for shit though, so I use clean vocals.

I play bass like for 6 months or something. I like to play the drapery falls by opeth and some iron maiden and metallica songs. My gear is shit though, just an ibanez gio.

=)))) If an ibanez is shit what should I say about my Squire P-Bass Be grateful for what you fuckin' have, it's infinetly better than nothing.

Same goes for Sunioj's vocals. If i start singing while plucking, my bass gets tetuned...

Written by Sunioj on 09.03.2008 at 23:23

Written by Arrwyn on 09.03.2008 at 16:18

Oh, and I also agree with singing and playing at the same time...it's challenging playing basically two melodies at once.

Indeed is, the best way I found to start is to just pluck the root note of the verse that you are playing so you don't get too mixed trying to add fills or some riff, I just started though, so I can definitely improve. I heard though, this is debatable, that girls have to a larger extent, more capability to sing/play at the same time because multitasking is easier for them ( this is assuming that women have less space between to two parts of the brain, makes for faster communication of info ).

@Necuratu,
I can't growl or scream for shit though, so I use clean vocals.

Yes, I've heard about this. That is why a lot more females have the ability to play a very progressive piano piece while singing in high soprano.

Still difficult nonetheless. I mean, I have a lot of problems with it. The easiest way for me personally is to close my eyes so I force myself not to pay attention to the fretboard because that's when I lose tempo.

I've been playing bass for about like 3 months. I'm pretty decent at it, but I still kinda suck. As for my gear, I got some shitty amp made by a company known as Johnson....it sucks. It always emits a buzzing sound. But, my bass which i'm boring from a friend is actually pretty good. It's an Epiphone....I just don't know what model. By theway, anyone have any pointers for beginner bassists? And slap bass techniques? Because i'm trying to do that, but it sounds like shit, even though i'm doing pretty much everything i've been told on several hundred videos. Do I need to tighten the strings or what?

I need an answer from expert bass players...possibly as soon as possible...
If i connect a Mark Bass F1 to an Ampeg SVT 810E do you think that something wrong will happen?

@dark Awakening, wish I could say, I don't think I'm qualified to answer that.

@Jester,
What about your slapping sounds like shit? Is the tone of the note lost when you slap? You could try slapping lightly to compliment the loose strings if that's the problem. Try holding down a beat and vary in strength when you slap to see what fits. Try messing the EQ, perhaps it sounds better with less reverb... I don't know what else to say.

Written by Sunioj on 20.03.2008 at 18:06

@dark Awakening, wish I could say, I don't think I'm qualified to answer that.

@Jester,
What about your slapping sounds like shit? Is the tone of the note lost when you slap? You could try slapping lightly to compliment the loose strings if that's the problem. Try holding down a beat and vary in strength when you slap to see what fits. Try messing the EQ, perhaps it sounds better with less reverb... I don't know what else to say.

Wel, it's when I slap it there's no sound, and if there is any the string always hits the fret board, and that sound drowns out the note. I could be holding it too tightly, but even when i'm just lightly holding it it still sounds like that. I dunno, i'm going to buy a book whenI get the money.

Slaping isn't that difficult you know. Judging from what you're saying, you're having the same problem that my brother had when he first attempted to play a bass. You probably deadening the string with your fret hand. Or if that's not the case, You're probably not striking with the right part of your thumb. You wanna hit with the creased part of your finger, at the joint where it bends, and pull off again after you hit it, so that the sound can ring, because holding it there, once more, will deaden the string.

Anyone here know how to do a slap n' pop?

Guys, I'm dying for a 5 string bass (with a Low B, not a high one lol) , do you have any tips or advice to give concening the choise ?

Written by Arian Totalis on 24.03.2008 at 05:33

Slaping isn't that difficult you know. Judging from what you're saying, you're having the same problem that my brother had when he first attempted to play a bass. You probably deadening the string with your fret hand. Or if that's not the case, You're probably not striking with the right part of your thumb. You wanna hit with the creased part of your finger, at the joint where it bends, and pull off again after you hit it, so that the sound can ring, because holding it there, once more, will deaden the string.

Anyone here know how to do a slap n' pop?

Yup, very easy. I like doing especially on my own bass, since my strings are pretty loose it's much easier to pop. For bass slapping, I do agree with you, I've had that problem too when I first started. Usually in circumstances like these it's better to either get someone to show you to properly slap ( as with me when I started) or to experiment by yourself what you could do to not break the note. But it seriously could be the looseness of the strings, if they are REALLY old and rusty, but it's better not to assume too much, better leave that possibility for last.

@Ylside,
I say, go to the shop and try out their 5 strings. I've never had one, but even more simple brands like Cort and Ibanez are sound worthy and cost effecient.

Yes, I can't afford anything expensive... what about the bass amplifiers ? Should I really buy one, or is my guitar one enough

Same here, dying for a 5 string bass... I'm not sure when I'll buy though so I take my time, investigating. I've tried a Yamaha RBX375, it 's active, sounded well and played well, though it felt awkward that I wasn't that disturbed compared to a guitar - which is what I'm used to play. A good thing, thus.
But I'm looking forward to trying a Cort C5 Z, as it offers a passive/active switch (though I hardly know what it implies).
Those models are about ?300, then they're are better models (especially Yamahas) that are not extremely expensive (say, around ?500) but considering I might have to get an amp, or better an effect with amp capabilities, and given that I may just end up prefering playing the guitar, it's perfect to me.

@Ylside: It's never a good idea to plug a bass into a guitar amp, but a guitar into a bass amp is okay.

Meh, musical instruments are worth as much as you pay for them...cheap 5-6 stringers usually have impractical necks/have the intonation messed up. Maybe you can fix the intonation part but the bad neck will hamper you a lot. I'd say you buy a good one when you can afford it.

Thanks for the help guys. Also, about he 5 string bass, I really want one too....I think pretty much every bassist wnats one at one point.

@Jester: No problem man. tell me if you have any progress

Written by Arian Totalis on 27.03.2008 at 05:23

@Jester: No problem man. tell me if you have any progress

I have actually gotten better, but I still need to practice.

Written by Author on 06.04.2008 at 22:35

Written by Arian Totalis on 27.03.2008 at 05:23

@Jester: No problem man. tell me if you have any progress

I have actually gotten better, but I still need to practice.

Good to know, what do you think your main problem was?

I dunno. Maybe it was I was holding on to the strings a little too tight, or not using the right part of my thumb. I'm still having trouble, but it's improving.

Written by Author on 12.04.2008 at 02:46

I dunno. Maybe it was I was holding on to the strings a little too tight, or not using the right part of my thumb. I'm still having trouble, but it's improving.

What else can you do/play, just out of curiosity?

I discovered something cool today. Let's say we do it on the G string. Choose a fret (it sounds sweetest on a high B [16 fret] for me) and pluck the string close to the neck, like you'd do with a pop. If you hold the thumb in the right position for a split second longer on the string after you pluck, you should get this really clear and cool harmonic. Anybody know what kind of harmonic it is or whatever? You might want to play around the bit, I believe the harmonic itself varies a lot with where you pluck and where and how you hold your thumb.

Haha, nice dude! I just tried that, sounds pretty cool. It sounds better on the higher frets of my bass as well... I haven't seen or know of any bassist that uses that technique though.

Speaking of weird techniques, I was skimming over a victor wooten video and he was giving an instructional on picking with your thumb just like you would with a pick on a bass. like so:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=yXSB0yDlS54&feature=related

I didn't make much sense with it, because I'm 128347 X more efficient with my fingers but it sounded pretty cool I guess, perhaps when a person is more slap oriented, picking is more efficient with the thumb so they don't have to switch all the time, but still..

Here;s what I've found out so far. Fret a D on the G string (19 fret) and if you pluck it with the finger/thumb technique right above the coil (i guess the spot isn't the same for every bass. mine is a 34' p-bass) you'll get a very loud, clear and clean harmonic (it might just pe the natural harmonic, i'm not sure) but anyway you have a lot of control over it...you cand bend it, vibrato it and everything. I've noticed that if you keep that length between the fret and the point where you pluck you always get the harmonic loud and clear. seems to work for most frets over the octave. If you use the technique on a C note (5 fret), plucking at one third of the string counting from the bridge, you'll get a really high & clear G, once again having a lot of control over it. I haven't tried it yet on the fat strings, it might be a bit harder. I hope you guys find this useful and find a way to make buttkicking music with that technique.

Well...the more i practice that shit the more i begin to believe I discovered the infamous pinch harmonics Just be careful with the thumb and it should be allright.

I finally picked up a proper bass amp last week, it's a Marshall MB30 and seems to do the trick; beats using a guitar amp.

i have 3 basses, a BC rich eagle. if youre thinking of buying one, DONT. EVER. i also have a MusicMan StingRay. my favorite. its incredible...i got it from the store i take music lessons at for 600 dollars. anyone who knows how fucking expensive these things are knows it was a STEAL. and my 80 watt GK amp is blown out. i dont know how, but it is. and i need to restring all my instruments. im a failure.

and i play, like, iron maiden and stuff. my favorite songs of theirs to play are "To Tame a Land", "Rime of the Ancient Mariner", "Ghengis Khan" and "Murders in the Rue Morgue". yeeeeeeeeeuh.

Polished and restringed my bass. She sounds soooo happy . That fender kit kind of did the trick. Must I wash that wipping spunge (dumb question i know)?

I don't even know what the wipping sponge is. I'm guessing its part of the kit? :X

Yeah it is. The little thingy you do the wipe thing with.