Learning Bass!

dceire

I've wanted to learn to play drums or elec guitar for a while now & a mate of mine just asked me to play bass for his band.

Ii'm wondering is it hard to learn & for suggestions of a good bass to start with, bare in mind I am fairly tight on cash at the mo

Eoin Madsen

Basic bass is harder than playing basic guitar, imo. How hard it is to learn is entirely down to how much you want to learn and how good you are at learning. You'll probably find it much easier than learning a foreign language. Don't bother trying to learn entirely on your own, or from your mate. Get lessons or don't waste your time.

Basically, the more you have to spend the better a bass you can get. So what's the most you're prepared to spend?

dceire

I'm looking to spend in the region of €200/300max or as little as possible

Mr. CooL ICE

If you have access to a credit card, go for possibly this. I doubt youll get a new bass in ireland for cheaper.

ferdi

http://www.thomann.de/thoiw6_yamaha_rbx170bl_prodinfo.html
http://www.thomann.de/thoiw6_yamaha_rbx270mg_bass_prodinfo.html
http://www.thomann.de/thoiw6_fender_squire_p_bass_prodinfo.html
http://www.thomann.de/thoiw6_olp_olmm2bk_ebass_prodinfo.html
http://www.thomann.de/thoiw6_fender_bronco_e-bass_prodinfo.html
http://www.thomann.de/thoiw6_artikel-169959.html

http://www.thomann.de/thoiw6_artikel-174846.html

as you can see there is no shortage of bass guitars in your price range. is bass hard to learn? yes and no. the point is, even if its hard its going to be fun and you will gain a sense of achievement when it all comes together, plus its a great skill and pastime to have.

markisevil

dceire wrote:

is it hard to learn

If you know some very very basic music theory already, then bass is like chess: it takes five minutes to learn how to move the strings, and a lifetime to learn how to play... I think it's much more satisfying than guitar, and somewhat easier.

Try a second-hand bass, if you find one, but take Eoin's advice and get the best bass you can possibly afford right from the start.

Paladin

Ferdi's first link there is the bass that I bought (though I got a red one). I play guitar and just wanted a bass for my own recordings. For a beginner I would recommend this bass. I think its great value. Nice to play, nice sound. Comes with cheap light strings though.
Dont forget you need an amp, and I would recommend a cheap electronic tuner.

PS - you can play in a band with bass much faster than you could with guitar. It doesnt mean you will be a great player, but simple bass notes are easier than simple guitar chords, so if you enjoy jamming with your mates...

dceire

Cheers for the links & advice, i'm intrested in this one

Steoob

you cant just ask some one if its easy to learn an instrument.. its impossible for us t know.. you may have no musical talent whatsoever and might not be able to play a single note in the right timing.. on the other hand you could be the next joco pastorius... i know people who've bought guitars years ago and still cant even play basic stuff.. i'd really recommend seeing if you can play basic stuff at the right timing on someone elses bass or guitar before you invest in your own one.. coz if you cant play you will regret it forever

Paladin

You cant really argue with the price of that setup dceire. If it all goes wrong and you hate bass you could probably sell it all on for about the same price again.

Be warned, that bass is going to be terrible though. You get what you pay for (mostly).
Good to see if you like it at a very little financial risk though. Thats where those beginner packages are pretty good.

Rustar

dceire wrote:

I'm wondering is it hard to learn

Bass is like the blues.....easy to learn initially, and almost impossible to master. You don't get to solo very often, and the guitarists always seem to grab the attention of the crowd by posturing at them while **** on barre chords. Although you play more of a support role, it's extremely rewarding knowing you're providing the harmonic underpinning for the whole band. You also get to have the biggest amp with the most wattage, if you choose to.
Plus you'll probably end up smarter than most guitarists. Remember the sign on the school door:

MUSIC THEORY TEST TODAY
Time Limits:
Keyboard Players - 1 hour
Bass Players - 1.5 hours
Guitar Players - 3 hours

Drummers - 3 days

Parsley

dceire wrote:

Cheers for the links & advice, i'm intrested in this one

That's exactly what I got starting off. I'm still using it. Highly recommended for beginners. The bass has a nice enough sound considering the price. Easy to play, but the lead I got with it was dodgy.