words Al Woods
A bass guitar is a weapon of mass destruction in the right hands, but it can be tough to improve if you don’t know the steps. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of misconception about what it takes to be a great bass player in the world of music. Many people think that the best bass players have to have a considerable amount of technical skill, but this is far from the truth. This post will examine some tips to improve your bass playing abilities to become the best bassist in the band!
Become Familiar With Five Octave Patterns
The five-octave bass patterns are the root note, the 2nd octave, the 3rd octave, the 4th octave, and finally, the 5th octave. The root note is also called a fundamental. By becoming more familiar with these octaves, you will make the process of playing the different bass guitar notes far more straightforward. Luckily, numerous online resources can teach you the fundamentals of octaves.
Techniques Are Key
If you do not know the rudimentary techniques of playing bass, you will physically struggle with it, become irritated, and want to give up. If you master these techniques first, everything else will follow. By understanding technique and putting in the time to learn, you will improve:
- Coordination
- Fluency
- Accuracy
- Speed
- Strength
- Stamina
Strive To Keep Your Wrist Straight When Fretting
Keeping your wrist straight when fretting a bass guitar is essential for several reasons. It will give you more control over the strings and get a better sound. Furthermore, it will also help prevent injury, which can happen if your wrist is bent too much.
Use A Lighter Touch
The amount of pressure required to fret a note without it buzzing is much lower than you might think. Listen for a decent sound by gently fretting a note anywhere on the instrument. Now, purposely press harder and harder until your finger hurts a little. You should note that the quality of the tone wasn’t affected by all that extra pressure. A lighter touch allows you to play faster, more precisely, for more extended periods of time, and sounds much better.
Learn How To Slap Like A Pro
Learning how to slap a bass guitar is an important skill to have. It can be challenging to learn, but the benefits are worth it:
- It is an easy way for beginners to get started in bass guitar playing without learning chords or reading music notation.
- Slapping on a bass guitar can create a different sound than plucking or picking the strings and give your music an edge that you might not otherwise have had with your skillset.
- Learning how to slap a bass guitar will allow you more versatility in your playing and will open up new opportunities for you in the future.
Always Be Tuning
Tuning your bass is essential for your tone and the overall sound quality. When you tune your instrument, you will have a much better sound, and you will also be able to play more complicated chords and scales with ease. Tuning your instrument is not difficult but should be checked each time you pick up your guitar.
You should use these tips to help improve your bass guitar playing skills. Nonetheless, don’t give up, keep practicing, and you will get better in no time.
