If you're here, you want to learn bass. If you don't want to learn bass, leave. Right now. Fool.

OK Now you may think Ive gotten the meanness out of my system. But I haven't. Because a little more meanness is necessary to the bass process.

Before we get into the real lessons, you need to understand and come to terms with something.
It is this;
     

       Bass is not, repeat, NOT a guitar. If you are reading this and want to learn bass, then chances are you already play guitar. Understand right away; nothing you ever do on a bass will ever sound like a guitar. Sometimes you do things on a guitar that sound like a bass, but NEVER EVER the other way around.
       Also, you will NOT (re-read for emphasis) be learning anything that is like guitar. It is similar, but if you go into this trying to play the bass like a guitar, you will utterly fail.


If you can understand and appreciate that, and still want to learn to play the bass, please read on


Remember, this is only a basic lesson. We're just gonna teach you about the fretboard right now. Don't get too excited.
Also, for the purposes of this lesson, I will assume you know how to use musical notation. I believe that tablature is the completely wrong way to try to learn any instrument. Notation is always best.


OK, I bet you're itching to start learning. Well, here we go.


I have two bass lesson books. Independently, neither of them are really very good lesson books.
So I am going to combine the knowledge from both of them, which should give you a valuable knowledge of the bass.

First we need to learn how to hold the bass, though. I know it's as basic as you can get, but someone might need it. Bear with me. Also, the pictures are all done by me, so they will be showing left-handed form. Just do the exact same thing with the other hand. I have to ask you again to bear with me.

Also, I can't find the camera. So I will just let this post sit until I find it. 'Cause I don't want to re-type it later.

Bass is not, repeat,NOTa guitar.

  huh? I was looking to buy a bass guitar and the sign at the music store clearly said Bass Guitars now that I know it's not a guitar I'm really confused.  Just kidding you some LOL

 I don't know for me it's just another guitar with big freakin strings and a diffrent job to do(simplified version).
 
 I'm not sure I agree with you on the tab thing. I teach guitar/music some and I think it's good to know both. I learn songs by sheet music,tab ,or ear. I'm trying to convey that to my students. To train yourself to understand all three, and check the music with the ear, cause sometimes we ain't always right (ear or music).

This is really the basic-est bass-guide I've ever seen.
I haven't learned anything from it yet!  

When are you going to write it??

Lol I'm really sorry       My dad guards the camera with a passion. I will get my hands on it as soon as possible.

Hey oldies you are the bassist redemptor at bandamp!!

Im agree with you: The bass is NOT a guitar

and

the basic-est is not the lessons is the advertising

the bass add attitude to a band.
 
who can imagine Motorhead without Lemmy or Pink Floyd without Roger Waters or even The Beatles without McCartney??

And you are one of the big ones Oldies!!

Keep on, I'll try to help you to this lessons

Dodo

  After I  started playing bass, I don't play much guitar anymore...
It's so much more fun to play bass, I think!    
+ It's so much easier to sing and jump and headbang and all that other stuff when you play bass!
Yeah, Cliff Burton was the great one... 
But my favorite bass-players right now is Geddy Lee (Rush) and John Myung (Dream Theater) 
Not because of their attitude, but because of their playing...

I'm looking forward to the lesson, oldies.
I hope you can teach me a lot of new stuff! 

 

Well, Kine, maybe not too much new stuff. As I said, this is (will be, actually) the most basic-est guide ever. I'm just gonna cover correct ways to hold the bass and the fretboard. Of course, the fretboard is the most important part.....but also not the most complex.

This will be updated by next week. I promise
And If I have to I will edit this post to get rid of that