Learning to play the bass guitar is one of the most fulfilling things for a musician to do. The bass is not as easily recognizable as the guitar within a recording, not as loud as the drums and not in the center of everything, like the lead vocalist. As a result, for many listeners of music and non-musicians, the bass seems to be a less important piece within the sound of a song or a band. Quite the opposite is true. A good bass line can make or break a song and many bass lines have become big hooks in themselves, like, for example “Under Pressure“, which has been sampled for other hits also.
If a small part of you is considering performing music as a career, the bass guitar is a great choice. Every band and recording needs a bass, but the least amount of musicians do play the bass. The bass guitar is also easily set-up. I have been at countless gigs and shows where the bass player is the last one on stage, quickly setting up his bass amp, and the first one to leave. Many bassists also play in numerous bands, are often busy and can play two different shows per night. Quite unthinkable for a drummer, for instance, who can take close to an hour to set his/her drum set up.
One thing to consider when starting to play the bass is that it is one of the bigger instruments – it is easier to learn the bass when the student is older and more able to hold the bigger instrument, press the thick strings down and maneuver around the long neck. Starting to learn how to play the bass guitar before the student is 12 years old usually is not considered to be a good idea, unless the student is quite tall for his/her age. Because the bass guitar shares many aspects with the guitar, it also makes sense to take guitar lessons first, and then to switch to the bass guitar later on.
How To Start Playing The Bass
Typically, in bass guitar classes, we will start by explaining the names of the strings and various parts of the bass guitar (frets, neck, body, etc.). Then we will see that bass guitars can be played with fingers or a pick. We will begin to learn a few exercises and play simple bass lines and within the first lesson we will start making music together. Because I am also a drummer and guitarist, I am able to play with the student on either instrument, which adds a real-life application to the techniques we are learning.
Bass lessons in Los Angeles with me offer the student to get a good grasp of the basics of the bass, understand its role in the process of music-making and gives the student a chance to apply what he/she learns by making music actively. Many bass guitar teachers have knowledge to offer, but I am aware of the unique chance I give the student to apply the scales and bass lines in a real-life situation. Playing the bass with another instrument plays a big role in the function of the instrument.
Why The Bass Guitar?
The bass sits in between the guitar, the piano and the drums and often acts as a kind of “glue” to bring together the sound of a recording and/or a band. It is not hard to learn once the student is older and strong enough to handle the bigger instrument. Bands and artists are always looking for bass players and there is no shortage of creative opportunities and work for good bass players.