Bass Guitar Guide (Advanced)

In this instalment of the bass guitar guide we're diving into three topics for the more skilled and experienced player. This means that you know about root notes, rhythm, communicating with your drummer and tuning. If that's not the case, definitely check out our bass guitar guide.

The first topic in this article is actually not necessarily applicable to all bass guitarists. If you are a bassist who started on the bass, and not on the guitar, then this might be fun to read, but not all that useful. The second topic is about singing and playing bass. A difficult thing to learn, but definitely not impossible. The last topic of this article revolves around arranging for a bass guitar.

How not to play bass like a guitarist

Many people start their musical journey on a guitar. It's one of the most popular instruments, it's pretty cool and there is usually always someone who can teach you a thing or two. Also, you don't really need a band to play a song. The bass guitar sounds best when it blends with the other instruments. Still, even though the guitar is popular, there are many player who make the transition to the bass guitar. Sometimes because they have to, and sometimes because they realize what a great instrument it is. When listening to these guitar players turnt bass players, you can usually here the traces of their heritage. Depending on your taste, this is a good or bad thing.

Pro bassists can spot a guitarist playing bass from a mile away. You can hear it in their bravado, wanting to play a lot of notes. You can hear it in their fast pointy styles and in the way they tend to play just a little before the rhythm. Natural bass players usually play a bit behind the rhythm.
All these little things are not easily discarded, and you don't necessarily have to. The most important thing is to begin to think as a bass player. Learn what it is to play bass and try not to relate this to your guitar knowledge. At least not yet. In other words, start with the beginning and keep it simple. Just play the basic notes and listen to how it blends with the rhythm section. Only add if it's really necessary. That's how you get to know the bass and get to know bass playing.

How to sing and play bass

Another hot topic is singing and playing bass together. The nature of many bass lines somewhat clashes with the singing lines. When you try to sing together with playing the bass you often times lose the rhythm and end up failing. Singing Bassist has some amazing tips on singing and playing bass at the same time.

One of the most important things is to really know the song. Get to know each part of the song and how it is constructed. Understand where you can keep the bass basic and where you need to focus on your singing, and which parts allow more freedom in your bass playing. Since singing needs more expression, as a bassist you really need to know your bass part like a robot. You must be able to play it, while having a conversation with someone, while watching and following a TV-show and while learning the lyrics. It has to become a second nature that is separated from your mental capacity to really sing the lyrics with emotion.

How to arrange for bass guitar

Arranging bass lines in a song can be easy or difficult depending on what you want, but the most important thing is that the bass is in complete sync with the rhythm section. Nothing sounds more messy than a drummer and a bassist that do not agree. This is also Adam Neely's first tip, a very good read.

Other things you need to understand when arranging a bass line is that the sound of the bass matches the style of the song. In R&B-style song, a big fat bass sound can really make the song pop, while in some rock- or country-styles the bass sounds better in support of the guitars. Make sure you know what the songs needs from you and start writing from that perspective.
When you start from scratch a big thumping bass line could be the core of the song. The rest of the instruments are just there to highlight the bass guitar. If you manage to write a big bass line, don't be afraid to repeat it. The hypnotizing effect that occurs is one of the great joys of a well-written bass line.

Tips for bass players

What rests are some tips for everyone playing and loving the bass. While I would like to give you the tips myself, I should really let the pros do the talking here. Gibson has a nice piece where 10 expert bass players give tips to bass players. It's a great read and an inspiration for us all.