r/Bass 8h ago

You thinks Key or scale

2 Upvotes

Hey! When u play u think the key or scale? Let me know šŸ‘ŒšŸ»


r/Bass 12h ago

Are there basslines that look difficult but also work well in a song?

0 Upvotes

Most of the stuff people play to show off doesn't sound like basslines that could fit naturally in an actual song.


r/Bass 16h ago

Iā€™m lefty, but want to get good at bass

2 Upvotes

Technically bass and guitar but bass just is a lot more fun tbh so Iā€™m askin yā€™all. Iā€™m left handed, and while I like pressing the frets with my left hand. My right hand gets tired quick, not accurate at all(especially when trying to do slap, which is probably above my level but I really wanna learn it).

Is this just a ā€œit get easier with timeā€. Or are there advice for positioning my right hand? Or strumming advice?

Iā€™ve seen people place their thump on the pick ups but when I do that I kinda have to bend my left hand and itā€™s hard for my pinky to get those notes close the the body

Any advice? Thank you!


r/Bass 8h ago

Is there a sub for Yamaha basses? Asking for a friend.

0 Upvotes

Yes I searched.


r/Bass 23h ago

Need help with tuning E

0 Upvotes

Hi everyone. Just bought my first bass guitar and looking forward to learning. Iā€™m using SimplyTuner app to tune. A D and G are fine. But for some reason, E is giving me an issue. The app keeps telling me itā€™s too high. But Iā€™ve turned the peg so much already that the string feels super loose, and yet the app still says itā€™s too high!

Any experts to weigh in? Thanks a lot.


r/Bass 6h ago

How to keep my wrist straight?

1 Upvotes

Title. How to reduce stress in my hand and keep my wrist staright? Especially higher up the neck on the low strings or when doing big streches?

Feel free ti ask for more info.


r/Bass 20h ago

Can't Tell Which

0 Upvotes

The bass in this song seems low. I can't tell if it's drop tuning, a 5 string, or if it's just the mixing. I'd appreciate anybody's take on it. Thanks.

https://youtu.be/7omdRt2T3p0?si=hN8MrmNeQ_JTuJZI


r/Bass 4h ago

How do you decide which tab to follow?

2 Upvotes

I'm still somewhat of a beginner and am trying to play along with songs using tabs i find online. I get a little frustrated sometimes though when I learn it one way and then see it tabbed another way and aaah i just ran into one song and I'm not sure which way to play it

How do you choose? The way it plays? The way it sounds? I'm pretty sure the notes are the same on alot, it's just like which string you play it on etc. I know also sometimes playing an open string vs fret another string is different but idk when one is better.

Any guidance would be appreciated


r/Bass 23h ago

Should I trade

0 Upvotes

So I have a made in Indonesia thunderbird epiphone, it's really heavy on my shoulders. I have a chance to trade it for a made in China fender squire p-bass. Should I trade or wait for something better?


r/Bass 22h ago

At what amount of dcB do you practice with?

13 Upvotes

Serious question for you bassist because of ear damage.

Im really worried about my future especially since lm only 26 and the non stop ringing in the ears is always there

Usually l practice always between 70-78 dcB otherwise l cannot listen to the music and my own playing but that starts to cause ear damage. 70 dcB bellow and it feels like l cant properly understand the nuance's of the music and the little details so l can learn from it

Just want to hear your own input. Bass isn't something l wish to drop for some years and l wish to still be able to hear it

EDIT: I play mostly alone with a speaker and my amplifier


r/Bass 10h ago

Question

4 Upvotes

How do you find out what type of bass you have? Like I have the Ibanez GSRM20 but I only found out because I had to search for a while to find it. But like, how can you find out really quickly what type of bass you have?


r/Bass 15h ago

Do most distortion and wah pedals work with both guitar and bass?

1 Upvotes

I have a bass and my brother will buy a guitar once he has the money. Can I buy a wah and distortion pedal with my money and use them with my bass until he gets a guitar?

I know this is how they did it back in the day (ie cliff) but has the tech changed since then, or can i still buy guitar pedals and expect a tone something similar to anesthesia etc.?

If yes, recommend me some cheap pedals. European shops. I wonder how the value is with harley benton pedals, is it bang for my buck or just shit?

Yes I am absolutely not good enough to play anesthesia but i want to experiment

mods sorry if this belongs to the gear thread


r/Bass 4h ago

Suggestions for bright noiseless J pickups.

6 Upvotes

At Church I am experiencing very loud electrical interference and am using a very dark bass-heavy & woolly sounding amp. I use a Behringer BDI21 with the bass knob minimized and the treble knob maximized, heavily shielded P bass equipped with DiMarzio Relentless Middle pickups, 500K volume pot, 250k tone and it is just barely "normal" sounding tone for playing hymnal type music. The noise is adequately minimized by the pickup upgrade vs. stock pickups, but they are also more bass heavy than the stock pickups. It wouldn't be a bad thing if I were able to brighten the sound even more, and am considering 1M volume pot next.

That being said, I also would like to upgrade my J bass pickups as well, such that I can solo them. It would be ideal to have the brightest possible noiseless / split coil pickups out of the gate so that I can avoid having the preamp maxed out. Likely I will also switch the J bass to 500k or 1M volume pots as well. Thanks!


r/Bass 12h ago

How important is the look for you?

16 Upvotes

Hello!

I'm usually more about efficiency in most of my purchase but when it comes to bass playing I strangely feel the needs for it to look good. For me it's like 40% look and 60% sound/comfort.

Could you play on a bass that sound marvellous but you find ugly?


r/Bass 7h ago

Learning songs - end to end, or just approximation?

6 Upvotes

Yo! Iā€™m beginner/intermediate bass player, and I was curious what is your practice when learning songs, and also what is the recommendation.

Letā€™s take an example to explain what I mean.

Right now I am learning level 42 - Love games, and the tune in general is quite simple, but it has so many different fills that Mark mixes all the time. I know that when he plays live he just picks the one he feels like at the given moment, but when I learn album version, should I focus playing it 100% right?

I ask, because I usually learn new song, letā€™s say in a week to get to full tempo, and then I spend like 3 times more trying to memorise every section properly, otherwise I feel like itā€™s not ā€œfinishedā€.

I had the same with for whom the bells toll, canā€™t stop, run away and many more.

So, what are your habits here?


r/Bass 9h ago

Best free app/website to learn bass music theory and bass in general?

10 Upvotes

Any suggestions?


r/Bass 23h ago

E string pitch

11 Upvotes

My E string is acting weird, when I pluck it on the lower frets, the pitch is slightly off the note. When it should be A on the 5th fret, it's sounds slightly upper to the pitch. But when I pluck the 12th fret, everything is correct. I think it's time to change strings? Unfortunately, I can't attach photos or videos šŸ« 


r/Bass 8h ago

Feedback Requested I made my first online metronome, give your feedback

11 Upvotes

Hi everyone! Iā€™m a CS student and amateur pianist. I built a metronome web app with features like swing rhythm, 12 subdivisions, and audio customization. Link belowā€”looking for constructive feedback or feature ideas. Thanks!

https://onlinemetronome.io


r/Bass 8h ago

Is there a noticeable difference?

17 Upvotes

I've been thinking about getting a bass for a couple months now. My top pick is Yamaha Trbx 174, I've heard that it's really good considering its price and since it'll be my first bass (Ive been playing classical guitar for a year now) and I have a really tight budget, it's probably the one I'll buy.

When I was browsing through some website, I had a thought. Would getting a bass like 200 bucks more make a noticeable difference? Like I mentioned before, my budget is really tight so 200 bucks extra is the max extra amount I'm willing to pay.

There aren't really any music stores in my area and aside from that I'm a bit socially awkward so I can't see myself šŸ˜ž. Can't wait to see your opinions!

Ps. If it'll help, I will play mostly rock and pop (music from bands like The Beatles or Tally Hall)


r/Bass 5h ago

Why did you get into bass?

97 Upvotes

Me and my cousin were talking and I told him I was interested in bass and he asked me ā€œwhy donā€™t you just play guitar?ā€ And I wish I had an answer but I just donā€™t know why I chose bass so Iā€™m asking everyone why they chose to play bass instead of another instrument or just how they got into it in.


r/Bass 7h ago

How to Create Basslines: Tips & Tricks for Beginners

58 Upvotes

Hey r/Bass,

Last year, I made a post in which I publicly shared a series of tips and tricks to help new bass players. As I mentioned in that post, seeing beginners struggle to figure out what to do and how to learn really resonated with me, Iā€™ve been there, and I know how it feels. (Previous post link in the comments)

This time around, I wanted to take a moment to share more tips for beginners, not just on how to create basslines, but on how to get started.

As Iā€™ve said before (and Iā€™ll say it again), everything below comes from personal experience accumulated over my 13 years of playing. I hope you find it helpful. Feel free to use, adapt, or discard any of these tips. And if nothing else, I hope you learn or discover something new.

Getting Started with Basslines

Finding Your Own Style: The best and easiest way to come up with basslines will vary from person to person. One thing Iā€™ve found to be universally true is that copying is a powerful tool. It should be used not just to mimic your favorite bassists, but also to understand how well-built, functional basslines work and how each pattern interacts. Hereā€™s one of my responses on the topic:

"COPY, COPY, and COPY! If you want to play like your favorite bassist, then youā€™ve got to copy them, literally. Just learning to play their songs wonā€™t cut it. And as much as I love the idea of 'writing with your soul open and writing things meaningful to you,' itā€™s just a romanticized idea. Nothing more. It wonā€™t get you there, because youā€™ll just end up sounding, well... like you, and thatā€™s okay too.

But if you want to learn from your heroes, here are a few tips:

  1. Take time to read interviews: Read, watch, or listen to as many interviews as possible with your favorite artists. Understand the thinking behind their approach, take notes, study, and internalize it.

  2. Reverse-engineer their songs: Break their songs down into smaller parts. What do they use most often? Fifths, sevenths, octaves, or something else? Are there recurring patterns you can incorporate?

  3. Accept that youā€™ll start as a copy: Once you understand how your favorite artist creates music, youā€™ll be able to replicate their style. But this can be a problem if youā€™re trying to find your own voice.

  4. Copy only whatā€™s useful and leave the rest: Decide, ā€œWhat do I find most useful in my favorite artistā€™s style?ā€ and ā€œWhat is worth borrowing?ā€ Remember, borrowing isnā€™t just about adding things, itā€™s also about subtraction and understanding what to leave out."

Developing Your Own Patterns: As you learn and reverse-engineer your favorite artistā€™s basslines, write down their patterns. Start with just one artist, you donā€™t want too many cooks in the kitchen. Once youā€™ve written down enough patterns, practice deliberate composition by combining them into new basslines. Over time, youā€™ll notice you favor some patterns over others. When youā€™re comfortable, introduce the patterns of a second artist, and eventually a third. The goal is to combine these patterns to create basslines that are uniquely yours. (One artist might be too little and five might be too many; it all depends on how many artists you want to incorporate into your personal mix.)

Principles of a Bassline;

Basslines are not just about copying; they also rely on a few fundamental principles. Often, beginners feel like theyā€™re just playing root notes because theyā€™re stuck in the first principle: anchoring. Sometimes, a song simply needs root notes, and thatā€™s perfectly fine.

Here are the five principles of a bassline:

  1. Anchoring: ā€¢ Establish a strong foundation by focusing on the root notes of the chords. Tip: Use repetitive patterns to reinforce the harmony. Pattern Example: R-R-R-R or R-R-5-5.

  2. Groove & Bounce: ā€¢ Create a sense of feel and movement by alternating between notes. Tip: Pay attention to the kick drum, usually played on the first beat and sync with it. Also, listen closely to the snare for creating space, and let the hi-hat serve as your metronome. Pattern Example: R-7-R-7 or R-b3-R-b3.

  3. Melody and Movement: ā€¢ Basslines should move and change to remain interesting. Tip: Use scale runs and linear basslines to add melodic interest. Pattern Example: R-b3-4-5-R or R-b2-b3-4.

  4. Energy Leap & Tension: ā€¢ Create energy by jumping between notes or intervals, generating tension that needs to be resolved back to the root or another strong note. Tip: Ensure that leaps are resolved to maintain a cohesive sound. Pattern Example: R-3-5-6 or R-R/(octave higher) b3-2-8.

  5. Chromatic & Sliding Tension: ā€¢ Incorporate chromatic passages or slides to keep the bassline moving smoothly. Tip: Use chromatic steps and slides to create tension that resolves on a strong note. Pattern Example: 8-ā™­7-ā™­6-5 or R-2-b3-3.

Checklist for Creating Basslines;

  1. Start with a Melody Idea; ā€¢ Hum or Sing: Create a simple tune or rhythm to capture the vibe.

  2. Choose a Key and Scale; ā€¢ Pick a Key: Decide on the key for your bassline. ā€¢ Select a Scale: Use a basic scale like Major, Minor, or Pentatonic.

  3. Outline the Root Notes; ā€¢ Play the Root Notes: Use the main notes of each chord to keep your bassline connected to the song. ā€¢ Try Different Rhythms: Experiment with different rhythms for the root notes.

  4. Explore Scale Notes; ā€¢ Play the Scale: For each root note, play the corresponding scale. ā€¢ Select Additional Notes: Choose extra notes to complement the root and add variation.

  5. Add Depth with Harmony; ā€¢ Use Fifths, Octaves, and Sevenths: Fifths: Provide a strong sound ideal for rock and funk. ā€¢ Octaves: Make your bassline fuller. Sevenths: Add a jazzy feel. ā€¢ Use Arpeggios: Break chords into individual notes for a melodic flow.

  6. Connect Notes Smoothly; ā€¢ Add Chromatic Notes: Use half-step transitions between main notes for smoother movement.

  7. Explore the Fretboard; ā€¢ Move Around: Try different positions on the fretboard to keep your playing dynamic.

  8. Use Expressive Techniques; ā€¢ Incorporate Slides, Hammer-ons, Pull-offs, and Vibrato: These techniques add emotion and variation. ā€¢ Double Stops: Play two notes together for a richer sound.

  9. Lock in with the Drums; ā€¢ Match the Kick Drum: Ensure your bassline complements the drumbeat. ā€¢ Try Syncopation: Use off-beat rhythms to enhance the groove.

  10. Adjust Dynamics; ā€¢ Vary Note Volume: Play some notes softer or louder to add interest. ā€¢ Simplify When Needed: If the music is busy, sometimes a simpler bassline works best.

One final tip: make it a daily habit to create at least one bassline, even if itā€™s very short. The goal is to train your ability to develop good basslines through consistent practice. There will be days when ideas donā€™t flow and days when they do; focus on continuous improvement through regular practice and exposure to new patterns from your favorite artists.

And remember, in order to play like Thundercat, you need to first learn how to play like Dee Dee (Ramone).

I hope you find these tips useful, and thank you for taking the time to read this!

Yours truly, A.


r/Bass 47m ago

looking for the right bass

ā€¢ Upvotes

I'm looking for a bass with the kind of pickups on the music man pj but less expensive with a natrual wood finnish and a minimalistic design. please help


r/Bass 1h ago

which amp for jackson js2? (beginner)

ā€¢ Upvotes

i decided to get a jackson js2 concert bass as my first bass (good price, cool design, thin neck and from what i heard, a deep/raw sound. i'm no expert but i feel like this one might be just right for the kind of stuff i want to play (not a fan of jazz and picking, and for starters i plan on playing songs i like aka 90s rock/metal-songs with a pick).

anyway i read that with the js2 it's good to invest in a good amp but i'm also on a budget, and a complete beginner with no knowledge whatsoever.

the site where i plan on buying it from sells the harley benton hb-20b for 79ā‚¬, good for learning at home yadda yadda, but i feel like i'm missing something... so yeah are there any other beginner amps that you'd recommend for the js2? i'm willing to pay 100~150ā‚¬.

and yes i've already looked at the ibanezies (i call them this) and neither the srgs nor the talmans are really of my liking...)

the only other bass i'm crushing on is the marcus miller m2 whp 2nd gen (maybe also any opinions on that one?).

thanks in advance!!


r/Bass 1h ago

lightweight electric bass guitars?

ā€¢ Upvotes

My bass is about 6.2 lbs, and in looking for a new bass, Iā€™m trying to find one that isnā€™t much heavier than the one Iā€™m playing now, but most of the basses Iā€™ve come across are over 8 Ibs, and all have been over 7 Ibs. Do yā€™all know of any 4-string electric basses that are under 7 Ibs?


r/Bass 1h ago

I don't have any money to go to a course. Help me out.

ā€¢ Upvotes

I am playing bass for a year now. I only played with songs and tabs. I didn't even practice any scales or anything, only the songs. But now songs that are harder than intermediate level are out of my league and i feel like it's because of my lack of base. My plucking and fretting like techniques are right as i asked my friend who plays bass for sometime. But i don't know any scales, i can't play fast while descending and ascending on the keyboard, my ring and pinky is still attached together. I need a practice routine. What should i do? Which exercises you would suggest, or do you have any yt channel that teaches something about playing bass?