Learning the Basics to Prepare for Bass Guitar Lessons
Despite much similarity in appearance, playing the bass guitar is distinct and separate from playing an ordinary or acoustic guitar. Keep this in mind when you decide to go for bass guitar lessons. Do not get caught up in trying to capture the correct way of bass guitar playing. There is no single correct way, there is no single technique. What you really should be more focused on is the result of whatever technique you use.
Result vs Technique
There will be many players who will tell you their technique in playing the bass guitar, and maybe even encourage you to use the same method or skill. You may or may not follow their example, it does not really matter. Listen to the music and sound they create, listen to their results, and focus on that. If you can achieve the same good results by using a different technique, or from a method of your own, then that is what matters, isn’t it?
Focusing your effort on the technique really just limits your creativity and freedom. Feel free to experiment.
If you watch and listen to the best and popular bass players in the industry, you will probably not see anybody having the same style as the other one. They became great because they developed and used their own technique. These distinctive methods are now what are being copied and studied by other lesser known bass players.
But this is not to say that technique should be set aside. Still, good bass techniques are essential to your playing, especially as you embark on that bass guitar lessons. Techniques help you a lot in these areas:
- Tone quality
Even at your best, you are bound to make errors, and your technique should steer you away from most of it. Each sound you make from your bass guitar should be full and crisp. There should be no unnecessary sounds or buzzing coming from your notes.
- Efficiency
It is best to use as little energy as necessary when playing your instrument, but still achieve the results you desire. If you do get to play in a multi-set live performance, you will see that this is very helpful.
- Precision
The old adage “Practice makes perfect” is very true in guitar playing. You need to be precise in the placement of your fingers on the frets to perfect your technique, your tone and your rhythm. Without looking at your bass guitar, you should be able to play it and produce the tones exactly the way you want to. This can only come is you are precise and accurate in your technique.
You have to be very patient to be precise. Do not be discouraged if at the start you can’t seem to perfect this part. Remember, practice will develop this skill as it becomes second nature to your playing.
- Preventing injury
Constant and long hours of playing (and you will definitely need to do a lot of this) tend to cause harm to your muscles and joints on your hand, wrists, shoulders, and back. A proper technique with posture and guitar handling will save you from these harms.
Keep in mind these few pointers as you journey through your bass guitar lessons. Ultimately, balancing of desired results and the techniques to achieve it will lead you to a fruitful career in bass guitar playing.