I have some questions on playing BASS Guitar, can you help me?

Question

I just bought it today so, i am trying to teach myself. I don't have any books for begining bass players or any other bass playing book. but i am planning on buying some though. Here are a few questions i have though and i am sorry if any are stupid... i just wanna make sure i'm doing things right.
1.) Do i have to use a pick while playing bass?
2.) Do i have to play bass with an amp or is it ok to do with out for a little while?
3.) I am not exactly sure on how to tune it correctly and i don't wanna break a string so any advice on tuning bass would be great.
4.) and if there are any websites that you know of that can help me as a unexperienced begining bass player can you let me know them?
And any other helpful advice would be great too.
Thanx to all that help me.

Answer 1

Welcome to the family, Little Sister. I hope you have a very long and happy stay with us.
To start off, there are NEVER stupid questions, especially when discussing music. If anyone refuses to answer your questions, or gives you attitude, remind them that someone was kind enough to take pitty on their sorry souls at one point, and that they were not always the "gods" that they feel they are now.

Anyhow, to answer your questions:
1.) Do i have to use a pick while playing bass?
No. I usually do not use a pick, and many "professional" players do not use them. Many players do use them. It all boils down to which is most comfortable for you.

2.) Do i have to play bass with an amp or is it ok to do with out for a little while?
It is definately OK to do without for a tiny while, however it will more than likely impede your learning at this point in your career. I very rarely use an amp; however I have been playing for almost 20 years and can feel when I made a mistake. There are many decent beginner amps on the market for $100 or less. I would recommend getting one as soon as possible so you acn hear what you are playing.

3.) I am not exactly sure on how to tune it correctly and i don't wanna break a string so any advice on tuning bass would be great.
My best advice is to buy an electric tuner. They can be purchased for almost nothing, and will help you out immensel;y. Barring that ,there are a few online tuners that are available. Here is the one I usually send people to- www.guitarforbeginners.com/onlinetuner.html

4.) and if there are any websites that you know of that can help me as a unexperienced begining bass player can you let me know them?
http://www.activebass.com
http://www.basstabarchive.com
http://www.basslessons.com
http://www.visionmusic.com

Other helpful advice:
Practice EVERY day. Not for long periods, but rather 15 minutes or so at a shot. By practicing for that short amount of time, you are able to learn in small doses, which is best, and it doesn't really give you a chance to get bored, which will kill your desire to play.
Don't EVER let anyone get you down by telling you anything negative about you or your playing, or your desire to play. If someone tells you that you suck, think about who they are and what they hyave accomplished. If they are not musicians themselves, simply hand them your bass, agree with them, and ask them to show you what a "real" bassist sounds like. If they ARE a musician, and they talk trash, explain that you forgot that they were born being a great musician, and very quietly hand them your bass and ask them to show you how to be better.

If you ever get discouraged, or want any more information, contact me through here, and we'll see what we can do to make you the best you can possibly be.

Answer 2

Wait, what? You're a new bass guitar? HOW DID YOU EVER TYPE? Just kidding. 1. Use a pick. You get a nice reverberating sound if you slap, but if you can't do it, the pick is easier. 2. What are you talking about? 3. DON'T put bass guitar strings on an electric. Are you looking to snap the guitar neck?!? EDIT: #2: Well, facing you, if you were looking down, the top should should be the fattest string [E]. Next goes the second fattest [A], then [D], lastly, [G]. It should be just like your regular guitar. :] BQ2: Electric guitars can play the bass parts, but it definitely does not sound as good. The bass is designed to be significantly lower in pitch and is meant to give the song structure and basic melody. Pitch on electric guitars can be lower by connecting to effects and stuff, but it's simply... not the same.

Answer 3

1. No, it is a good idea to use your fingers to pick. It's a good habit.
2. You can play or without an amp.
3. Go to a music store and buy a tuning meter. The first string should be low 'E' on the treble cleff, 'A' next string, 'D' next and finally 'G'. You can also tune it by using the fifth fret for the next string. Should be the same note. For instance put your finger on the 5th fret and hit the next string open, should be the same note.
4. Go to the music store and look for book and DVDs about playing the bass.

Answer 4

Most bass players don't use a pick. You will have to build calluses and you play get blisters in the beginning.

You can do without amp but it;s kinda hard to hear.

Get a battery operated tuner, it's worth the money.

Answer 5

1. Most bass players don't use a pick, they use their thumb and fingers.
2. Do be heard you need an amp but you can practice, say in front of a tv, withoiut an amp. It won,t distract others in the room.
By the way you need a bass amp, not a guitar amp. A bass frequencies could ruin the speakers of a guitar amp.
3.The tuning from low to high is, I believe, E A D G just like the bottom 4 strings on a guitar. Breaking a bass string would be hard to do since they are so thick. Its not like guitar strings. They break just by bending a note sometimes.
4. Heres guitar and music websites I frequently recommend to guitarists on ask.yahoo. Check them out. I am sure they have bass info too.
GUITAR LESSONS
http://www.guitarnotes.com
http://www.looknohands.com/chordhouse/...
http://www.cyberfret.com/
http://guitar.about.com/library/blguitar...
http://www.crossroads-guitar.com/...
http://www.guitarnoise.com/
http://www.harmony-central.com/guitar/...
http://www.chordbook.com/
GUITAR TABS
http://www.all-good-tabs.com/lyrics.html...
http://www.eguitar-tabs.com/
http://www.chordie.com/
http://www.axeltabs.com/
http://www.iol.ie/~murphypj/
http://www.tabrobot.com/
http://www.top100tabsites.com/
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/.........
http://www.mxtabs.net/guitartabs.php......

Answer 6

1.) You do not have to use a pick
2.) It is OK to use without an amp, but you might want to look into getting one
3.) Since you are asking these questions you probably cant tune by ear yet so you should purchase a tuner
4.) ultimate-guitar.com provides tabs also tabcrawler.com

You probably want to ask these questions before purchasing your next musical instrument so you know what to expect. :)

Answer 7

ok well
1.) you can use a pick but you dont have to
2.) well if its an electric bass then you need an amp, how else could you hear it...?
3.) to tune it, get an E (the first string) on piano or something, and then when your E is tuned, go to the 5th fret on that string and you get A. the 5th fret on A is D and the 5th fret on D is G. thats how you know youre tuned.
4.)id say use tabs because theyre easy to learn, and then when you start writing your own stuff, its also easy to write. mxtabs was good but thats gone now...any free tab website is good.
you can find free tabs of your favorite songs...thats always cool!
hope i helped.

Answer 8

nope, you don't need a pick but you can use one if you want

you can play it without an amp, just that you can't probably hear it very well

if you have a piano, hit one key on it and twist the top thingys until it soubnds like the key you just played.

i don't know any websites

Answer 9

1: Nope, you can use your fingers.
2: You could play without, even if it's electric you can still hear it.
3: Buy a tuner.
4: I dunno.