How to Play Bass Guitar

Your love for the guitar can be taken a notch more by learning how to play bass guitar.Contrary to many beliefs, the bass guitar is not an inferior member of the family. In fact, it is a vital part of the whole band’s music. Without the bass guitar, the harmony and melody of the whole band is ruined.

What is a bass guitar?

A bass guitar is a part of the guitar family that has the lowest pitch. It has the same look as an acoustic or electric guitar, but it differs in the length of the neck. This plucked string equipment has a lengthier neck, as well as longer scale. It normally has fours strings only, but other bass guitars have six strings.

Bass guitar’s 4 strings

You need to know the four strings of a bass guitar in order to have a smooth sailing learning process of playing this instrument.

• 4th string–this is the thickest string that is tuned to E. It is also known as the low E string, and it is the lowest or deepest bass note available.
• 3rd string–this string is also called as the A string, because the 3rd string is always pitched to A.
• 2nd string–this string is tuned to D, and it is denoted as the D string.
• 1st string–this is the thinnest string that is tuned to G, and that is the main reason why it is called the G string.

The four bass strings are an octave lower compared to the regular guitar. And that indicates that the sound the bass guitar produces is significantly lower, deeper, and bassier.

Bass guitarist’s role

In your quest to learn how to play the bass guitar, you should try to understand what it is that bass guitarists are doing. Know what type of role this skill plays in the music world, so you can better comprehend the value of what you want to do.

• The bass line is what the bass guitarist plays when in a band.
• A bass guitarist plays the low end tune that provides a general well-rounded sound.
• The bass guitar is an instrument that makes it possible for music to reach a rock solid beat, which is mostly accompanied by a band drummer.

Bass guitar’s root notes

As a novice in playing the bass guitar, you need to be familiar with the root notes. A root note is the matching of a chord and a note. For example, if you need to hit the G chord, you would need to match that chord with a G note. And so the G root note is found on the E string, which is the 3rd fret.

In playing the root note, you need to have excellent timing in your rhythm. Pacing is vital to the success of your music, and counting rhythm is simply a skill you need to learn. To start with, you can try the pacing of “1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4…” and so on.Remember to create an even counting, and do not hasten your pace or reduce your pace during mid-count. Always bear in mind that timing is everything in playing a bass guitar.

Arpeggios bass guitar playing

Arpeggios technically mean playing every chord of the note individually. It works best by using all your fingers to strum the bass guitar. In playing arpeggios, begin with the 3rd fret note using your middle finger and for the 2nd fret, use your index finger. And for the 5th fret, your pinky finger can handle it.

How to learn to play the bass guitar

There are a lot of ways to learn how to play the bass guitar, and we have gathered the most important and common methods.

• Online tutorial – you can enroll in an online class for learning bass guitar playing. You can find paid tutorial classes that has high success rate with their students. And you get a certificate after your course as a proof.
• Self-taught – you have the option to educate yourself on playing a bass guitar. This process is longer, but you can have fun with your learning. Plus, you do not have to pay a coach to train you.
• Bass guitar coach – a great option for making your dream come true is to hire a bass guitar coach. This is the most practical method, in terms of the fast learning curve. But you need to have enough money to sustain your studies.
• YouTube videos – there are so many YouTube videos that you can watch in order to learn how a bass guitar is played.
• Books – you can buy books about bass guitar, and learn everything you need from there.Ebooks are also available, if that is more convenient for you.

Importance of a bass guitar

A bass guitar is an essential tool that links the sound coming from the band drummer with the other sounds from the band. The sound produced by the bass guitar is the ultimate connection that transitions the drum’s dry sound to a warmer sound of the melody and harmony of the overall music. In short, a bass guitar is highly significant because it connects the main pulse, beat, and rhythm together. Without the sound from the bass guitar, the whole music of the band collapses.

That is why as a bass guitarist, you need to have a great relationship and understanding of the rhythm, because it is your job to reinforce the correct rhythm of the song.Moreover, the bass guitar plays a huge role in defining every chord of the whole music.

Final say

Playing a bass guitar is an important role that you can be proud of. Do whatever you can to learn how to play this instrument, and you can make a huge difference in your music, and your life. The skill to handle the bass guitar is crucial for your band and music.