You are totally right about learning songs. And since I'm in a rehearsal band, I have a deadline for learning them. That provides great motivation: I don't want to be the player who didn't do his homework!
What really helped me, aside from daily practice (even if some days it’s only 15-30 minutes), was playing with other musicians. Having to learn songs other people chose really accelerated my learning. In addition to that, some regular lessons early on, and UA-cam videos like yours have really helped.
I think many of us start bass life as song players and not bassists that have the music theory to understand how to really utilize a good musical palette. I love how you sound when you play major and minor pentatonics with great articulations. That's how I want to be able to play. But from watching your channel, I know that learning chord tones and arpeggios are also a huge part of what you're drawing from. What I am doing now is I just finished memorizing all the notes from the nut through the 12th fret. Now I'm memorizing the chord tones in the major, minor and 7th chords and learning the arpeggios in multiple fingerings. Where I get stuck is what are you thinking about when you move around the neck? Are you thinking about the not names or the shapes and patterns? Or do you just think of the tonic, know where those are and then add the shape you want to it? Thanks for everything Dan. This channel is the best!
Thanks!! For me, I thrive on shapes and patterns so that’s what I’m doing. I know them so well that I’m rarely thinking. I have to think when I play scales/harmonies that are a little unusual for me. That’s when I need to practice more!
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and congrats on such great teaching talent! One of the things I need help with is counting the time, understanding where notes are supposed to be played, playing them at the right place and “grooving”. I think I know enough music theory but any help on those areas will be really appreciated (I guess there might be more people with a similar weakness)…
I know I've seen some video exercises somewhere that work on picking different parts of a measure to play and focus on. There's metronome click and you start on the 1st beat, playing it over and over, then move to a different beat within the bar or measure. Eventually playing dotted notes a well. Maybe something like that could help? Best of luck!
Yeah having to move n get thing's straight . So I have to embed your training in my head n practicing more n more. Thank you for talking about these subjects n training
Dan, you’re a life saver. Your UA-cam shorts got me into the Dorian and Major and minor scales and my finger style and sight reading is so much better Dan. What you do for beginner bass players like myself is awesome 🤘🏼
Dan, thank you for this! Just yesterday , coincidentally, I was reading a question posted on reddit which basically asked the title question(s) you've answered in this video. I immediately thought of your channel as being a great choice to look into, and another commenter mentioned your channel in the thread. Well, I log into youtube this morning, and there is this video! Your timing is spot on good! Honestly, It's been a struggle for me , wading through tons of information, picking up a little of this or a little of that, only to end up feeling completely lost without any concrete plan or direction. I appreciate your honesty and calm and informative approach as a teacher, many thanks! There is hope!
Hi, great video and I really apreciate your newsletter, especially the inspiring quotes! What I would love to to is play the stuff thats in my head, but I just can't grab on to it or translate in any way. Any tips on that?
Thanks! It’s all about working on your ear and connecting intervals, scales etc. to patterns on the bass and sounds in your head. Try this lesson: ua-cam.com/video/5KcEyAiu6I0/v-deo.html
Hi Dan. I played bass for a few years in tribute bands. I learned all the tunes via UA-cam and watching. I played well but everytime the band wanted to just jam random songs for fun, I couldn't because all I knew was the tunes I learned. I want to go back to basics. So much choice I don't know where to start 😕?
I find that it helps to analyse songs in the style of the jams you do. You’ll find the same notes choices cropping up all the time (hint: Dorian for funk, Minor Pentatonic for rock). Familiarise yourself with how these work, tune your ear into them and it will fall into place. Lesson: ua-cam.com/video/sv3G9bA-xR8/v-deo.html
Or, study someone like Paul McCartney's Beatles/Wings basslines or even Trevor Bolder's Ziggy Stardust era stuff - his playing on Bowie's John I'm Only Dancing is so "simple" but so effective. Bolder was utterly integral to the Ziggy era sound.
I appreciate the video. The trouble I’m running into is finger speed. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m 58 years old and I’ve only been playing for eight months. The song I’m trying to learn is, don’t stop believing, and I have practically everything down, Pat, Except the Pentatonix scale in the chorus. I just can’t get my fingers to move fast enough or accurately enough. No matter how many times I play that part I break it down. I play it slow. I play it painfully slow I practice over and over and over,months later and still making the same mistakes when I tried to play it at even 75% speed. Any tips would be appreciated.
Well, eight months is nothing in the grand scheme of things so don’t worry. Make sure your mechanics are perfect at slow speeds and then build it up over time. You need to play most days. That’s the only way. ua-cam.com/video/Y6pQVPpBhEY/v-deo.htmlsi=kU_kslR3vsYnlQE9
Coming from guitar I’m comfortable with a pick, but I’m trying to develop my finger style and it just isn’t coming naturally. Any suggestions on a practice routine that will help me develop solid muscle memory so that I don’t end up with a lot of bad habits I’ll need to undo later?
Make sure you have the mechanics together first then it’s good old fashioned doing it every day. You can use simple exercises, scales, or anything really. Loads of stuff on my channel… I had the same issue with fingers to plectrum. It’s just doing it (correctly) over and over again over a period of time (which is different for different people). You’ll get it!
Hi Dan, Hope you doing well..I would request you to make a video on buying bass..I recently bought a Yamaha trbx504 in a store in Portugal, since Iam a noob, I didn't know much about fret buzz, but the bass is having fret buzz, but the person in the shop convinced me that fret buzz is normal and if you have low action and he raised the action, but still the buzz is there is some frets, and he says its common in all new bass guitars, Is that true? please help me on that, Still I have a week to return last date
Fret buzz is fairly normal with new stainless steel strings but raising the action enough should eliminate it. It could be a poor fret job on the bass or a dodgy neck. Hard to say without seeing and playing it though!! Can you get an experienced player to try it?
Hello I bought a bass last week and I'm really enjoying learning (waking up at 6am to play before work 😆) but I can't find how to properly "grab" my bass. Do I really need a strap ? Dan isn't using one is it because he's a pro or it's not that necessary ? I think that might be one of the reasons why my frets are buzzing
Welcome to bass! A strap can help and some basses aren’t balanced that well so you get neck dive. If sitting, have the bass in contact with your leg, your chest, and place your plucking hand wrist over the top of the bass. Those three points should keep everything secure without needing a strap.
Hi again Dan. Still struggle a bit with playing in the higher register. If I place the bottom of the bass on the inside of right leg (like a classical Spanish guitar) rather than over the right leg everything seems easier. Should I stick to what feels comfortable or adjust to the for me more difficult posture?
Hi Dan, I’ve tried and tried to get into you channel but it’s just not working for me. I understand you can’t be all things to all people but I just find I’m not getting out of it what I need. So unfortunately I will unsubscribe and look elsewhere. Good luck
I have watched countless hours of videos search to find what I lack . I'm really glad I found your UA-cam page and plan to watch every single video even slap bass and I hate slap lol But the one thing I kept missing was what I wanted . I just figured it out and if you have a specific video on this let me know. Rhythm is what I was missing . Take each scale arpeggios or triads and learn them but use diffrent rhythms to express those tones . If you don't have a video on this it may be very beneficial. I know now that is my focus. 40 years I have played in cover bands and enjoyed it but that 1 thing was missing and now I know . I gain tons from your videos and plan to do the course soon when I adjust my practice time to make the most of it . Continue you love and thrive and I will continue learning .
Excellent! Thank you! I've been playing many years. I feel very stagnated in my playing. I have decent mechanics, but lack real knowledge. I know that we are supposed to outline the chords, but I don't know the shapes of the chords. Other than the basic major scale shape, I basically feel my way around songs till I learn them. I too wanted to be a session player, but not reading and knowing chord shapes has stunted that dream I feel. I'm glad I stumbled on your videos! You're a great teacher!
Thanks so much! And don’t worry, all that stuff you want to learn is so easy if you’re prepared to put in a little work. E.g. ua-cam.com/video/1OcQ2wC4ccA/v-deo.html
![Quick Bass Tips From LEGENDS [Pino, Flea, Geddy & Carol!]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/G9PaZtbaxFk/mqdefault.jpg)
![Quick Bass Tips From LEGENDS [Pino, Flea, Geddy & Carol!]](/img/tr.png)
You are totally right about learning songs. And since I'm in a rehearsal band, I have a deadline for learning them. That provides great motivation: I don't want to be the player who didn't do his homework!
What really helped me, aside from daily practice (even if some days it’s only 15-30 minutes), was playing with other musicians. Having to learn songs other people chose really accelerated my learning. In addition to that, some regular lessons early on, and UA-cam videos like yours have really helped.
That’s a great thing to do.
Ok, ok...
I think many of us start bass life as song players and not bassists that have the music theory to understand how to really utilize a good musical palette. I love how you sound when you play major and minor pentatonics with great articulations. That's how I want to be able to play. But from watching your channel, I know that learning chord tones and arpeggios are also a huge part of what you're drawing from. What I am doing now is I just finished memorizing all the notes from the nut through the 12th fret. Now I'm memorizing the chord tones in the major, minor and 7th chords and learning the arpeggios in multiple fingerings.
Where I get stuck is what are you thinking about when you move around the neck? Are you thinking about the not names or the shapes and patterns? Or do you just think of the tonic, know where those are and then add the shape you want to it?
Thanks for everything Dan. This channel is the best!
Thanks!! For me, I thrive on shapes and patterns so that’s what I’m doing. I know them so well that I’m rarely thinking. I have to think when I play scales/harmonies that are a little unusual for me. That’s when I need to practice more!
It's been 10 years that I haven't practiced. I need to get back into it and playing in a band
Good luck, Jim. You can do it! 🙏👊
Great philosophy Dan. 👏
Learning that double down on walking notes. I need to get that down too. I got the walk down.
Wise words of a very experienced great teacher!
You got some of the best vids on bass on YT. Thanks Dan!
Thanks, Jaz!!
Thank you so much. I just ordered the book set on Amazon
Please keep up the great work
Thanks so much!
You are truly a great teacher. Thanks
🙏🙏🙏
Another brilliant video Dan. Thanks.
Brilliant advice Dan. Thank you
I'm a beginner left handed bass player and having difficulties with finger placement and having a clear view of notes during finger position.
Take your time getting the basics together, keep working and it will all become clear in time.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and congrats on such great teaching talent! One of the things I need help with is counting the time, understanding where notes are supposed to be played, playing them at the right place and “grooving”. I think I know enough music theory but any help on those areas will be really appreciated (I guess there might be more people with a similar weakness)…
Thanks. Great suggestions and I’ll definitely do something on this.
I know I've seen some video exercises somewhere that work on picking different parts of a measure to play and focus on. There's metronome click and you start on the 1st beat, playing it over and over, then move to a different beat within the bar or measure. Eventually playing dotted notes a well.
Maybe something like that could help?
Best of luck!
Yeah having to move n get thing's straight . So I have to embed your training in my head n practicing more n more. Thank you for talking about these subjects n training
Thanks alot. Applications of scales, pentatonic scale, how to create & use licks, fills. Alot
Dan, you’re a life saver. Your UA-cam shorts got me into the Dorian and Major and minor scales and my finger style and sight reading is so much better Dan. What you do for beginner bass players like myself is awesome 🤘🏼
Thanks so much for the comment. I’ll keep them coming and maybe do a reading lesson.
@@OnlineBassCourses I would really appreciate a reading lesson
Thanks Dan, you're always motivating. Thanks so much for sharing.
Just subscribed Dan! I noticed your video shorts and started to take a better look here. Your stuff is so helpful! Many thanks 😊
Good stuff, Edwin. Many thanks!
Dan, thank you for this!
Just yesterday , coincidentally, I was reading a question posted on reddit which basically asked the title question(s) you've answered in this video. I immediately thought of your channel as being a great choice to look into, and another commenter mentioned your channel in the thread.
Well, I log into youtube this morning, and there is this video! Your timing is spot on good! Honestly, It's been a struggle for me , wading through tons of information, picking up a little of this or a little of that, only to end up feeling completely lost without any concrete plan or direction. I appreciate your honesty and calm and informative approach as a teacher, many thanks! There is hope!
Wow, that’s so weird (but cool)! If there are any other videos like this that can clear things up, let me know…
Huzzah!! This is the primer I need! Thanks
Dan, Ya got a smooth technique 😅
🙏🙏
Hi, great video and I really apreciate your newsletter, especially the inspiring quotes! What I would love to to is play the stuff thats in my head, but I just can't grab on to it or translate in any way. Any tips on that?
Thanks! It’s all about working on your ear and connecting intervals, scales etc. to patterns on the bass and sounds in your head. Try this lesson: ua-cam.com/video/5KcEyAiu6I0/v-deo.html
Number 3 for me DAN
Thank you so much
Hi Dan. I played bass for a few years in tribute bands. I learned all the tunes via UA-cam and watching. I played well but everytime the band wanted to just jam random songs for fun, I couldn't because all I knew was the tunes I learned. I want to go back to basics. So much choice I don't know where to start 😕?
Arpeggios! Walking basslines - serious Jazz walking bass ines!!
@@Ronno4691 Thank you
@@LowEndCovers Thank you
I find that it helps to analyse songs in the style of the jams you do. You’ll find the same notes choices cropping up all the time (hint: Dorian for funk, Minor Pentatonic for rock).
Familiarise yourself with how these work, tune your ear into them and it will fall into place.
Lesson: ua-cam.com/video/sv3G9bA-xR8/v-deo.html
Or, study someone like Paul McCartney's Beatles/Wings basslines or even Trevor Bolder's Ziggy Stardust era stuff - his playing on Bowie's John I'm Only Dancing is so "simple" but so effective. Bolder was utterly integral to the Ziggy era sound.
I appreciate the video. The trouble I’m running into is finger speed. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m 58 years old and I’ve only been playing for eight months. The song I’m trying to learn is, don’t stop believing, and I have practically everything down, Pat, Except the Pentatonix scale in the chorus. I just can’t get my fingers to move fast enough or accurately enough. No matter how many times I play that part I break it down. I play it slow. I play it painfully slow I practice over and over and over,months later and still making the same mistakes when I tried to play it at even 75% speed. Any tips would be appreciated.
Well, eight months is nothing in the grand scheme of things so don’t worry. Make sure your mechanics are perfect at slow speeds and then build it up over time. You need to play most days. That’s the only way.
ua-cam.com/video/Y6pQVPpBhEY/v-deo.htmlsi=kU_kslR3vsYnlQE9
Coming from guitar I’m comfortable with a pick, but I’m trying to develop my finger style and it just isn’t coming naturally. Any suggestions on a practice routine that will help me develop solid muscle memory so that I don’t end up with a lot of bad habits I’ll need to undo later?
Make sure you have the mechanics together first then it’s good old fashioned doing it every day. You can use simple exercises, scales, or anything really. Loads of stuff on my channel…
I had the same issue with fingers to plectrum. It’s just doing it (correctly) over and over again over a period of time (which is different for different people). You’ll get it!
Great info as always what's your signal chain in this video?
Thanks! The same: bass into Avalon U5 thru out to Jules Monique into Logic via Apollo x6 (no EQ or compression).
@@OnlineBassCourses Thanks for info, killer sound
@@Projamusic 🙏
Hi Dan, Hope you doing well..I would request you to make a video on buying bass..I recently bought a Yamaha trbx504 in a store in Portugal, since Iam a noob, I didn't know much about fret buzz, but the bass is having fret buzz, but the person in the shop convinced me that fret buzz is normal and if you have low action and he raised the action, but still the buzz is there is some frets, and he says its common in all new bass guitars, Is that true? please help me on that, Still I have a week to return last date
Fret buzz is fairly normal with new stainless steel strings but raising the action enough should eliminate it. It could be a poor fret job on the bass or a dodgy neck. Hard to say without seeing and playing it though!! Can you get an experienced player to try it?
@@OnlineBassCourses Yes , Dan will try, Thanks a lot for your reply
I trying lean how to play in church like Lee Williams
🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸
Hello I bought a bass last week and I'm really enjoying learning (waking up at 6am to play before work 😆) but I can't find how to properly "grab" my bass. Do I really need a strap ? Dan isn't using one is it because he's a pro or it's not that necessary ? I think that might be one of the reasons why my frets are buzzing
Welcome to bass! A strap can help and some basses aren’t balanced that well so you get neck dive.
If sitting, have the bass in contact with your leg, your chest, and place your plucking hand wrist over the top of the bass. Those three points should keep everything secure without needing a strap.
@@OnlineBassCourses oh alright, I will try that thanks a lot. I'll definitely watch more of your videos keep up the great work !
@@snarpis I explain it in a couple of videos but I can’t remember which ones!
@@OnlineBassCourses haha it's fine i'll dig, thank you so much man i already feel like your channel will help me so much
my problem is I enjoy all music.
Not a problem!
Hi again Dan. Still struggle a bit with playing in the higher register. If I place the bottom of the bass on the inside of right leg (like a classical Spanish guitar) rather than over the right leg everything seems easier. Should I stick to what feels comfortable or adjust to the for me more difficult posture?
Do what feels comfortable for you. Hadrian Feraud and others use that method and it works (very) well for them.
Hi Dan,
I’ve tried and tried to get into you channel but it’s just not working for me.
I understand you can’t be all things to all people but I just find I’m not getting out of it what I need.
So unfortunately I will unsubscribe and look elsewhere.
Good luck
Ok…👋
I have watched countless hours of videos search to find what I lack . I'm really glad I found your UA-cam page and plan to watch every single video even slap bass and I hate slap lol
But the one thing I kept missing was what I wanted . I just figured it out and if you have a specific video on this let me know. Rhythm is what I was missing . Take each scale arpeggios or triads and learn them but use diffrent rhythms to express those tones . If you don't have a video on this it may be very beneficial. I know now that is my focus. 40 years I have played in cover bands and enjoyed it but that 1 thing was missing and now I know . I gain tons from your videos and plan to do the course soon when I adjust my practice time to make the most of it . Continue you love and thrive and I will continue learning .
Thanks and great ideas! If you search ‘rhythm’ on my channel, you’ll find a few lessons.
After listening to this video I'm starting with redefining my goals and then go from there. Another great series of videos as usual. Keep rocking!!
🙏🙏
I don't understand why I like watching you. Even though I can't understand your language
You write my language very well!
I am a very beginner need to learn the notes on the fret board.
Check out some of my note learning lessons. You can search for them on my page.
Excellent Dan much appreciated 👍
Excellent! Thank you!
I've been playing many years. I feel very stagnated in my playing. I have decent mechanics, but lack real knowledge.
I know that we are supposed to outline the chords, but I don't know the shapes of the chords. Other than the basic major scale shape, I basically feel my way around songs till I learn them.
I too wanted to be a session player, but not reading and knowing chord shapes has stunted that dream I feel.
I'm glad I stumbled on your videos! You're a great teacher!
Thanks so much! And don’t worry, all that stuff you want to learn is so easy if you’re prepared to put in a little work.
E.g. ua-cam.com/video/1OcQ2wC4ccA/v-deo.html