The Aces of Basses.

Do you use a pick

  • Total voters
    6
rkade8583

rkade8583

Realism Invictus Player
Joined
Jun 30, 2003
Messages
772
Location
Washington
Yeah it's a crappy band but it's also a topic about tips and tidbits you know about the bass guitar.

I know... practically nothing. I can play a little of NIB and Southbound Pachyderm.... as well as a 4th string thing I made up based off the old "MoD" theme from WWF

0003...0005...003..005..00306665 and it kinda repeats itself.

Anyway, that's that. Post your tips, tricks, tabs, etc.

edit: Oh yeah, I JUST NOW found out that I can play quicker with a pick on most of the songs I'm trying (The Toys Go Winding Down notwithstanding)
 
Hmm I don't know the band, but I think that you're looking for some advice on playing the bass...

I think when getting started, it's the best idea to solely concentrate on the standard technique (2 finger alternate picking). Don't start focusing on the fancy stuff like tapping/slap bass too early, the precision of your normal play will suffer. I feel that you should put the plec aside for the start, as you will narrow your playing styles, if you become depandant on it.

Also make sure you use a proper (and healthy) right hand technique. Personally I'm very confortable with the floating thumb technique. The advantages are, that your hand is in the same position no matter which string you're playing, which makes you have to memorize less hand movements. Check youtube for some instructional video on that.

If you're looking for some tabs, I think some tabs from REM (What's the Freq..., Losing my Religion) are well suited for beginners. The speed is pretty low, you have to change strings often giving you good chances to practice transistions. Once you're comfortable with that kind of stuff, you can try playing some faster pieces. It looks like you like metal, so some early metallica stuff is quite cool (Welcome Home, Fade to Black). when practicing with tabs, using guitar pro is quite cool imo. The disandvantage you're easily tempted to simply enjoy playing along with a song without really focusing and thus improving.

Ok now I really hope you were looking for some advice - if not then, well you got some anyways..
 
I don't know if you'd call it the "floating thumb technique" but, save my thumb being torn up, I use my thumb to hit as much as possible. I can't move very fast with it though. I can only go down or up but not both. As for using my fingers... oh boy.

The pick, plec, or little plastic doohicky that I use is for when I want to kind of go all out with no control.
 
rkade8583 said:
I don't know if you'd call it the "floating thumb technique" but, save my thumb being torn up, I use my thumb to hit as much as possible. I can't move very fast with it though. I can only go down or up but not both. As for using my fingers... oh boy.
Click to expand...

Floating Thumb Technique

You don't use the thumb at all to pluck at all, it only drags behind and dampens all of the lower strings you arent using. To pluck you should use index and middle finger in alteration.
 
Ace of Bass is a great band.

When I picked up the bass for all of 3-4 weeks I used the thumb to slap cords like a mad man.
 
Using a pick is cheating!!! :mischief:

Not really, but I think you can get a more distinctive sound with fingers. I honed my bass skills in the begining by mastering a tune by nirvana called lounge act. The main riff goes something like this:

|---------------------------------------------

|----------4----------------------------------

|-------5-------------------5--3--2--0--------

|---/7--------2--3--2--3----------------------
 
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