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Bass lessons, How to Play Bass, Learning Bass

Learning how to play bass is a great experience for students looking to join a band or just looking for a fun hobby. The bass guitar is primarily used in modern genres of music such as rock, pop, metal, blues, jazz, and many others. The function of the bass in an ensemble is to support the drum in keeping the beat and to anchor the song harmonically. The bass is also frequently highlighted during solo instrumental sections in music of all genres.

The bass is played by plucking the strings on the body of the instrument either with the fingers or thumb or picking them with a pick. The other hand presses down various strings on the fretboard to produce different notes which can be played on their own or which can make up chords when played together. The bass typically has four strings which in standard tuning are tuned in 4ths. This site can help you tune your bass and learn more about the instrument. There are many different ways to pluck the strings of the bass and when you learn to play bass with Musika your instructor will help you master the various techniques so that you can play the music you’re most interested in!

 

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A Brief History of Bass Guitar

A Brief History of Bass Guitar

The bass guitar is a direct descendant of the double bass and the four string bass is tuned the same way as the larger acoustic instrument. The bass guitar, however, also bears a strong resemblance to the electric guitar, the main differences being that the bass has a longer neck and scale length and the number of strings on a bass is typically four instead of six. The bass is also pitched lower which helps in its primary function of anchoring the music rhythmically and harmonically. The first bass was invented by Paul Tutmarc and marketed in 1935 as a “bass fiddle.” Throughout the rest of the 30s and 40s, the bass evolved and in 1951 Leo Fender and George Fullerton introduced the first mass-produced electric bass guitar. By the 1960s the bass had exploded in popularity and was being sold by many different manufacturers.

When to Start Bass Guitar Lessons

When to Start Bass Guitar Lessons

Due to the thickness of the strings and the size of the instrument, we recommend that students wait until at least the age of eight to start learning how to play bass guitar. Students who wish to begin at a younger age can begin on guitar to build finger strength and get the feel of a stringed instrument then switch to bass at an older age. Older children, teens, and adults can start to learn to play bass at any time as it’s never too late to pick up a new skill!

Obtaining aBass Guitar

Obtaining aBass Guitar

There are many factors to consider when purchasing a bass and your Musika teacher can help decide what the best option is based on what you want to accomplish. Most bass guitars are electric and will require amplification equipment, although acoustic basses do exist and are an option. A local music store can also help you determine what a good fit for you would be and guides such as this can be very useful in determining what to look for.

Getting Started With Musika

Ready to get started with Bass Guitar lessons? Musika offers an easy, quick way to find the best teacher for what you want to accomplish on a schedule that works for you. To get started, fill out our simple trial lesson request form here:

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