Ups!
I don't know how does it work for you, but when I started to learn reading music, this was my biggest problem. I really wanted to became literate. Music literate. ASAP. But damn Bass key drove me crazy.
First, here's the definition (the way it is in dictionary):
A clef (from the French for "key") is a musical symbol used to indicate the pitch of written notes. Placed on one of the lines at the beginning of the staff, it indicates the name and pitch of the notes on that line. This line serves as a reference point by which the names of the notes on any other line or space of the staff may be determined.
Bass Clef:
''a symbol placed on the fourth line of a staff to indicate that the fourth line of the staff corresponds to the F next below middle C; F clef''
''a symbol indicating that the fourth line from the bottom of a staff represents the pitch of F below middle C. Also called F clef. ''
What can Bass Clef do?
The bass clef lets you write lower notes covering octaves one (1) and two (2).
Please keep in mind (if you already don't know) - don't mix up staff (stave, or the lines for music notes) with tablatures! Tablature diagram represents strings on your bass guitar.
Notation is just a way of organizing music, so the other musicians could also read it.
Ok. It's enough for start. Now, it's your turn. You should be able to to name a note on the staff (stave) in your sleep! After some practice, of course.
Fun way to do it is remembering the sentence ''Good Boys Desevre Fruit Always'' (the lines on the bass clef staff that correspond to the letters G B D F A), and All Cows Eat Grass (the spaces on the bass clef staff correspond to the letters A C E G).
This is allright, but there's a way better (and faster) way to do it. Online of course. There's a little program (think of it as a game) where your mission is to name the random notes shown on the picture (staff). Cool thing is that every time you make a mistake, you get a un-happy face, when you're correct - smiley!
Here's the link. Check it out. Note reading - Bass clef
Notation reading - Bass Clef
Learning Bass Guitar - Workshop live
Well, I know there's a lot of resources for learning to play Bass guitar, but among them, this one sticks out a lot. Bad news is that there's a subscription - $29.95 a month you get complete access to all WorkshopLive's lessons on all instruments. A yearly subscription is $4 a week.
This ain't much. And it's worth of money, because it's a site with quality and loads of material (for all instruments).
Everything is covered, from music styles to equipment. I'll stop blabing, here's the link:
www.workshoplive.com
Enjoy!
Ear Training for Bass Guitar
EAR TRAINING (aural skills)
This is the most important skill a Bass player (and every other musician) should have. Of course, creativity, imagination, music theory and technique - they all lead to becoming a great player, but not the excellent one.
Don't be a fool thinking: my technique is great, I'm very fast, so I'm great player. No! Don't treat your instrument like a machine, or your fingers like tools...You'll end up like fast player, who can play the hardest licks, but you'll production, your personal music, thinking of something unique, may disappear... I've been there.
I'm just not naturally gifted with creativity and 'hearing' the music... - Crap! Big one. Listen, there will always be somebody better, and one better than that one...
Some get it sooner, some slower, but everybody can jam!
Self confidence + little bit of imagination and practice = you're jamming!
So, back to the Ear training. Important thing you'll learn is to be able to identify:
- CHORDS
- INTERVALS
- RHYTHMS
Oh man! Remember Mozart? He was able to memorize a a piece (a long one) just hearing it once.
Or Beethoven, he wrote his famous symphonies while being completely deaf!
Ok, they are extremes, but it's all about really hearing the music...
Advices about how to train:
- SING ! Oh, yes. This is quite important. It doesn't matter how does it sound...practice scales, intervals, arpeggios...C'mon, this one is easy.
- IMPROVISE ! Do a lot of this on your Bass. You can think of some melodies, tunes, and a weird thing will happen - you'll figure out some songs from it!
- TRANSCRIBE ! Figure out chords, tones, rhythms from a tune you're listening...it doesn't have to sound perfect at first, or at all. But after a while, you'll bring it to perfection... Try to do it without instrument (harder, but better).
- IMAGINE ! Imagine a few tones, and then try to play them on your Bass....when you're able to do this with no sweat - next step is create, write, produce!
Here are some links for Ear Training software. It's free, or demo. Nice thing to start with.
http://www.earmaster.com
http://www.byear.com
And remember to sing and play with some feelings....
Enjoy!
Adjusting neck relief for Bass Guitar
First, choose the gauge of bass strings you plan to use. Different string gauges have different amounts of tension. When you change gauges, you may have to readjust your bass guitar. So find a gauge you like and stick with it.
Make sure you’ve installed your strings correctly.
Tune your bass strings accurately to your preferred tuning. You want the string tension to be the same as when you play.
You’ll want to get your bass neck as straight as possible before the point where the strings start buzzing. This will depend on how hard you play the strings. There’s not one right answer.
Find the truss rod nut. Typically, it will be a hexagonal nut on one end of your bass neck. It may be covered by a plate on the headstock. Or, it may be hidden by your pickguard.
On some basses you may be required to remove the neck, adjust it, put it back on and then tune the strings up again. If it’s not right, you’ll have to do it all over again. (What a pain!)
Using a pencil, make a mark on the truss rod nut so you know where you started and as a general reference point.
It doesn’t take much turning of the truss rod to adjust the neck. Never force anything! Expect to maybe do a quarter-turn or a half-turn.
Use the correct size hex key so you don’t strip the truss rod nut. Your bass may have come with the hex key you need.
To avoid breaking the truss rod, first loosen it by turning it to the left (lefty-loosey).
Now, start tightening the truss rod by turning it to the right (righty-tighty). You may find the strings to be in the way of turning the truss rod. If they are, detune/loosen them and move them out of the way while you turn the truss rod. Tune the string(s) back to pitch to check the straightness of the neck.
You can check the straightness with a straight edge of some sort. Or, you can use your bass strings as a straight edge. Fret the 1st fret and the 15th fret of your lowest string. You should be able to see how much relief is in your neck by checking the space between the bottom of the string and the tops of the frets. You’ll probably need just a tiny bit of relief.
Don’t be surprised if it takes several days for your adjustments to settle in. You may have it perfect one day only to find it has moved the next day!
How to clean Bass Guitar?
TAKING CARE YOUR LOVELY BASS
So, what about this? Is this so important, you say? What's the worst thing that can happen?
Well, it's good to do it every once in a while. Your instrument (or parts of it) will definitely be grateful. They will live longer. Hooray. But that again, don't be pedantic freak, it will drive you crazy.
Ok, these are the most important areas (parts) to clean, and how to do it:
PICKUPS - people, don't use any liquids in for cleaning pickups!! They are magnetic, and therefor, don't like liquid. Use some old piece of clothes, or cotton sticks. Dry cleaning!
BODY AND NECK - There's a thing called Guitar polish. Same as furniture polish, but different. You guess right. Because it's for guitar. Use some old cloth again (underwear is the best :) ), and rub-polish-rub. Be careful not to apply it on strings or fingerboard!!
THE FINGERBOARD - For the wooden part: get rid of the dirt, and then place a few drops of fingerboard oil (buy some, lend) on a clean cotton cloth and work it into the wood. Let the oil dry completely before rubbing down the fingerboard again to remove any excess oil. Apply oil to the wood every other time you change the strings. For the frets: well, for this people use a jewelry polishing cloth that has polish already soaked into it (again - buy). The cloth is inexpensive, and your frets will become diamonds. Of course they will. When polishing the frets, don't use an abrasive jewelry polish that you have to pour out of a bottle. That stuff is rough on the wood of the fingerboard.
THE STRINGS - clean the strings after playing (if you want) with a piece of dry cotton cloth. Also, you can use a couple drops of rubbing alcohol (buy me) on a cotton cloth. That's better. Let the alcohol sink into the cloth for a few seconds. Then put a moist section of the cloth between your index finger and thumb and pinch one string at a time, rubbing the cloth up and down along the string's length. Important: don't get any of the alcohol on the wood!!
Setting Intonation for Bass Guitar
Setting Intonation
To set the intonation of your bass guitar, you must lengthen or shorten the string by moving the string’s saddle backward or forward. You do this by tightening or loosening the intonation screws at the back of the bridge.
How to Set Your Intonation:
Using an electronic tuner, tune all the open strings to their correct pitches.
Starting with your lowest string, fret the string at the 12th fret. Make sure you press the string straight down. You want this fretted note to be in tune. It should be the same note as the open string.
Check the electronic bass tuner to see if you are flat (too low) or sharp (too high).
If you are flat, you need to shorten the string by moving the saddle forward.
If you are sharp, you need to add length to the string by moving the saddle backward.
After you adjust the saddle, double check the open string is still in tune.
Do the same for each string.
You will discover that it is impossible to get every single fret perfectly in tune. This is normal. Fretted instruments have a natural flaw where they can’t be perfectly intonated. You can just get really close. If you’re interested in why, look up “equal temperament” or “just intonation” in a music dictionary.
Basic Rhythms for Bass Guitar
RHYTHMS FOR BASS GUITAR
Why is rhythm important? For starters, bassists are a part of the rhythm section which consists of bassist, drummer, and other instruments playing a rhythmic role . Rhythm section is the most important thing in the band. It's called it's backbone. Knowing how to keep rhythm and playing with drums is an essential skill for any bass player.
As a Bass player, you have to work on your rhythm. Without it, or with a bad one, you're a bad player. Don't get depressed now, we all have rhythm inside! But, yo'll also have to practice a little bit...different styles, practice over chords, scales, arpeggios.. Also mix styles. That could be fun.
Remember, an effective bass part can be played using just two or three notes, but they have to be played with a good rhythmic feeling.
Now, here are some basic rhythm patterns to jam with:
- FUNK
- SOUL AND MOTOWN
- ROCK
- WALKING BASS LINE
- SIMPLE DOTTED QUARTER PATTERN
- COUNTRY PATTERN
I'm not starting to be theoretical and all, but I think you should spend some time with Rhythm music theory. May that be from the books, videos, people, friends - doesn't matter. Just do it.
Here's the example of famous rock rhythm pattern:
one more here...
Solid state or tube amp? What's better? Or worse..
There’s a lot of confusion surrounding the solid-state vs. tube amp debate. So, what's the story?
It all begins in 1962, when a company from........ I'm kidding! It's simple:
SOLID STATE:
- high-power
- will play loud, but once they reach their upper limits, the distortion produced is not very musical (generally) (BUT some SS amps come with Soft limiters)
- solid state gear is built with enough headroom to avoid overdriving (will play pretty loud but can eventually begin to sound a bit sketchy, don’t play a solid state amp louder than what it is intended for)
- if you pay attention and don’t play your solid state amp too loud, it shouldn’t be a problem
- if you want a cheap, simple solution, buy a quality solid-state combo amp
- very reliable on the road conditions (gigs)
TUBE:
- more expensive than solid state
- more fragile
- tube amps will produce a much more pleasing overdrive
- you can play tube amps much louder and still receive the clean cut sound that you desire
- tubes sound warm (because they generate even-order harmonics)
- if you take a tube amp of X watts and over-drive it you can force more power above the X rating
What to choose? Well, depend on your budget, of course. But what's even more important, you have to like it. It can be the worst amp for somebody, but if it suits you, take it!
Be careful:
- it's impossible to judge volume from being in a music store
- you'll never be able to try every amp out there (and there's no need to), so choose one and start jamming!
- remember use the one that moves you....
Enjoy!
Chord finder for bass guitar
A chord is a collection of tones usually sounded together at once, played on a bass guitar (usually on guitars). Bass guitar is chromatically fretted string instrument.
Here is a great link for BASS GUITAR CHORD FINDER ONLINE:
http://4stringchords.com/
Just choose the chord tha you want, and it will pop out on diagram....Great stuff, and easy to use!
Enjoy!
Bass Guitar Intonation - explained
Intonation is how in-tune something is. That is, how accurately something hits the correct pitch. This can be said of singers, “Her intonation is spectacular. She nailed every note!” Or, of instruments, “I need to adjust my bass guitar’s intonation. It plays so out of tune even the drummer can tell!”
Notes occur at exact points up and down the string. Setting your intonation means matching, or lining up, where the notes occur on the string to where the frets are on the fretboard. If they are not lined up correctly, your bass guitar will play out of tune.
To adjust your bass intonation you will move the saddle forward or backward.
By moving the saddle, you change the length of the string from the bridge to the nut. Changing the string's length shifts where the notes fall on the string.
Pickup height for Bass Guitar
The higher your bass pickups are set, the louder the output of your bass.
You want to adjust your pickup height so that the strings don’t clack against them and that the output isn’t too hot (loud). Also, the magnets may pull on your strings if the pickups get too close.
Don’t set the pickups too low or else you won’t get enough volume out of your bass.
The straightness of Bass guitar neck
The straightness of the bass guitar's neck is commonly called relief. The neck bends upwards (called up-bow), or it can be straight, or it can bend backwards (called back-bow).
Two things cause the neck to bend:
- the tension of the strings pulling the neck upward
- the truss rod pulling the neck backward
The bass strings put many pounds of tension on the neck of your bass guitar. Think of it like a bow as in bow and arrow.
The truss rod is a metal rod inside the neck of your bass. The rod can be tightened or loosened. As it is tightened, it exerts more pressure on the neck forcing it to bend backward in the opposite direction of the string tension. When loosened, the truss rod relieves the pressure adding relief (up-bow).
Always be careful making truss rod adjustments. If you over-tighten it, you can make it snap and ruin your bass neck!
You can sight your neck by holding the body of your bass and looking from the bridge toward the nut. Sighting your neck will give you a quick idea of how much relief is in your neck.
Your neck needs at least a slight amount of relief so that the strings don’t buzz against the frets.
Strings vibrate in an elliptical pattern. That is, they vibrate more widely in the center of their length. So, a little relief is needed for them to not hit the frets. If your neck is straight or back-bowed, the strings may rattle against the frets causing unpleasant fret buzz.
www.tunemybass.com
