Questions tagged [bass-guitar]
For questions about the bass guitar, whether acoustic or electric.
211
questions
3
votes
8answers
2k views
Is the main role of the bass guitar to give a pitch to the kick drum?
I was reading how the drum and bass are related in a band. Especially the kick. I think it's the main drum part the bass is listening to (?).
My understanding is that the bass is giving the kick a ...
0
votes
0answers
27 views
Bass overdrive without pedal [closed]
For some reason my bass sounds like it’s on overdrive, and I don’t know what’s wrong with it, help? I have put a new battery in so far
2
votes
2answers
41 views
Is it OK to have a missing ground wire in bass guitar output jack?
I was fixing some bad connection in a bass guitar output jack and realized that there seems to be no ground wire. Not sure because it's my first time but a short research seems to indicate that it is ...
12
votes
8answers
2k views
What is the best way to go about re-learning an instrument?
I used to play the electric bass, for about 8 years. I got quite good at it. By the end of my period of playing, I was playing pretty decent stuff, jazz, funk, finger style, slap etc. I had gotten to ...
1
vote
1answer
71 views
Adjusting a double (side by side) truss rod?
There is a lot of advice and plenty of tutorials on the web for adjusting single truss rods. I can't find a lot about adjusting double (side by side) truss rods (not to be confused with a double or ...
1
vote
2answers
67 views
Do all guitars eventually require a neck reset?
String tension contributes to creep in the wood of a guitar neck over time. I have heard that a neck reset is an eventual necessity for acoustic guitars even if they are meticulously cared for.
Is it ...
1
vote
3answers
171 views
Why is my bass eating up 9 volt batteries like candy?
My Ibanez Soundgear SG6 is eating through brand-new 9v batteries in a matter of days... I've been testing it for a couple weeks now. I'll replace the battery (right out of the package,) and after 2 to ...
2
votes
1answer
132 views
DiMarzio Bass Pickups
I was planning on upgrading my bass pickups with a set of DiMarzio DP123, they have however 4 wires per pickup. Could anyone please tell me, which wires need to be connected where in the following ...
5
votes
2answers
75 views
Translate muted bass string from tablature to staff notation
I am arranging a piece for a choir, and as a starting point for the bass I am looking at bass-guitar tabs. I figured out how to translate the tabs to staff notation, except muted strings. I do not ...
6
votes
6answers
444 views
Bass - describe attacking one note in one or more bars
Is there an official musical term for attacking a single note in one or more bars? This is for bass guitar but there might be a more general term used when playing this style with other instruments.
...
1
vote
3answers
144 views
How to Choose the Best Alternate Tuning
This is essentially a generalized version of this question for fingerstyle guitar, and I'm surprised I can't find it on this website: how do I find the most optimal alternate tuning for a guitar/bass(/...
11
votes
5answers
2k views
Why can't I hear fret buzz through the amp?
I could hear the fret buzz when playing bass unplugged. But once plugged through the amp. I could not hear the fret buzz anymore.
Why are pickups not picking up the fret buzz?
Or do I have to crank ...
8
votes
5answers
2k views
What is the technical explanation of the note “A♭” in a F7 chord in the key of C?
I am practicing some blues bass lines and there is a chord progression of
C7 | F7 | C7. The notes played during the F7 chord are (the bass plays one per beat): F A A♭ D, followed by the notes G ...
2
votes
6answers
255 views
Is a bass line the same as a bass progression?
In alot of songs there's a chord progression. Say we have a 4 chord progression. Each chord can correspond to a note the bass plays. So now the bass is playing a 4 note progression. Is that called a ...
1
vote
1answer
43 views
Exercise to stabilize my timing when pulling “fast” quarter-notes in right hand
I'm looking for some kind of exercise I can do to stabilize my timing and groove when playing "fast" quarter notes?
Background:
I'm a self-taught piano player. I also have some experience in playing ...
3
votes
4answers
421 views
Hand cramps on bass
There are several questions about getting hand cramps while playing guitar, but I didn't find one on bass. My left hand cramped up midway through the gig last night. I have another gig that's twice ...
5
votes
4answers
231 views
Relative positions on electric to string bass?
This may seem an odd request, but I can't figure any way to find this out with out having both in my possession.
I am a bassist primarily, & have been for 45 years or so. I play electric & ...
4
votes
1answer
28 views
Query - Running two ampeg 8ohm cabs with different Wattages
Now I've tried to get my head around ohms etc and I thiiiiiiink i understand but I want to double check because I'm feeling pretty thick today and getting in a muddle.
I have a markbass TTE500. It's ...
1
vote
2answers
134 views
How to write a bassline for a small melody first and then a whole song? [closed]
My goal is to compose songs, though I've not learnt about genres yet. So my first step is to practice creating a bassline for a 4-bar or 8-bar chord progression (including a catchy melody).
---I've ...
2
votes
2answers
228 views
Big amp at min volume vs. little amp at high volume?
Tim's answer at Can playing an amp at minimum volumes (<1%) be harmful to it? states that playing a large amp quietly is safe, but that the sound quality is often disappointing.
Is the poor sound ...
10
votes
5answers
13k views
Can I play a electric guitar through a bass amplifier?
I am a bassist and I am looking for an electric guitar, but I don’t want to buy another amplifier. Can I play the guitar through the bass amplifier?
2
votes
2answers
223 views
Root notes different on bass [closed]
I'm a beginner on both piano and bass and having some weird issue when trying to play scales. I was playing A flat major pentatonic on the piano but when I tried that on the bass it sounds wrong but E ...
3
votes
4answers
85 views
My hand hurts after stretching exercises. What can I do about that?
I recently started playing the Bass and my teacher gave me an exercise to practice stretching my fingers. The exercise is that I should put my pointer finger on the 5.fret and my pinkie finger on the ...
3
votes
0answers
98 views
Need help identifying Korean-made bass
I am a work buddy who is in wants to sell a bass that he bought while stationed in Korea. Unfortunately there are no brand markings on it, and I have been unable to identify it by its body or ...
1
vote
4answers
65 views
How Do I Adjust The Strings On My Electric Bass?
I have an electric bass that I've been playing for a while now, and the action is very low.
Although this can be nice and useful for slapping, it often makes the strings buzz, which is especially not ...
4
votes
4answers
2k views
How to play electric guitar and bass as a duet
Summary: I play electric guitar. My partner plays bass. What is the theory behind playing together as a duet and making it work musically. Please could someone point me to a good resource?
I have ...
1
vote
2answers
155 views
Bass is picking up hum - did I damage the pickup?
I have this cheap copy of a 50s Precision Bass, which came with an ugly pickguard. So I made a new pickguard, and in the process of fitting it to the bass, I scraped off the protection tape on the ...
2
votes
2answers
66 views
Electric bass suddenly not transmitting any output
I play on a Carvin 5 string bass with active pickups.
The other day while I was playing, my sound became suddenly very quiet and heavily distorted, until it eventually faded completely. I initially ...
2
votes
2answers
104 views
How to write a Swing Rhythm using tabs?
I'm tabbing out a song on bass, which consists partly of a swing rhythm. I'm wondering how to properly convey a swing rhythm (or more generally, triplets) using tabs.
Here is the part as I've written ...
10
votes
4answers
960 views
Where do the natural harmonics fall on the bass guitar?
Do harmonics work the same on bass guitar as is the case with a regular guitar (Natural harmonics at the 7th and 12th frets) or is it different on the bass?
10
votes
3answers
781 views
Where should I put my thumb when playing bass guitar?
I just started playing bass guitar one month ago and my bass teacher told me that I should rest my thumb on the pickup. The problem with that is that my thumb slips off the pickup when I play. I find ...
1
vote
4answers
850 views
Bass line for blues in B minor
What are the notes of a generic bass line for a blues in B minor? Should one just play the notes of a B minor chord?
3
votes
1answer
96 views
What are some of the considerations for putting electric guitar strings on a bass?
After watching the linked video it came clear that putting regular strings on a bass has some groovy effects, Im just curious as to how bass pickups are going to work with strings that operate on ...
2
votes
0answers
54 views
Any good source, book, ebook on learning/practicing bass fills? [closed]
Hey Bass players and/or musicians,
I am reallly in need of improving my bass fill playing, so I am in need of all sorts of suggestions where to gain knowledge and more practice from? Any website, ...
3
votes
2answers
109 views
Rendering 8va and 8vb with Abc notation?
I'm writing up a sheet of music for bass guitar in Abc notation and I'm getting irritated by having to type so many commas to place the notes in the range of the bass. Is there any way to set the ...
2
votes
3answers
753 views
Any ideas to write bassline for the chord progression [closed]
I want to write a bassline for a musical piece. Any ideas about how to write it along with the chord flow. For Example, the chord progression was
Am|Em|F|G
4
votes
1answer
343 views
Fret markers on guitar necks
Given that classical guitar fretboards sometimes have no marker dots, why do virtually all other guitars have them? I guess the basic 5, 7 and 12 fret markers correspond to the first few harmonic ...
5
votes
3answers
682 views
Would it be possible to start learning bass guitar with a fretless bass?
I wonder if learning bass with a fretless is doable, because most of the music I play is Jazz. I have no prior experience in fretless instruments, I have played jazz guitar for 3 years, and want to ...
5
votes
1answer
118 views
Is there a name for when the notes of a bass guitar slowly go up and down
There is a thing I have noticed in a bunch of songs where the bass guitar plays slowly and the notes go up then down and back up again.
This is one example I found where it's pretty clear but I have ...
1
vote
4answers
80 views
Tips for beginner guitarists and bass player to practice together?
Once two beginner players, guitarist and a bass player, get together for practice, it can easily end up in disaster. I would like to know how to make it workable, with which easy songs, maybe backing ...
2
votes
3answers
159 views
Practicing triads/sevenths or both?
For eg, if we are learning the key of C, do we need to Learn all triads ie. ceg, dfa etc or can we just learn 7th chord qualities like CEGB, DFAC etc. and those will indirectly give access to the ...
1
vote
4answers
974 views
guitar keys, capos and the effects on playing bass
I am playing bass for a church retreat. The guitar players will change keys by moving their capos. What is the easiest way for me to tell what the new key I should be playing in on the bass. I know ...
2
votes
1answer
813 views
Bass Guitar Metallic Ringing / Resonance?
I have a MIM Fender Jazz bass from the early 2000s that has sounded ridiculously good... until just last night. I noticed that now when I play the A string open there is a very strange acoustic noise ...
4
votes
2answers
141 views
Left hand bass muting when playing the first fret
I've been practising a piece that plays the open A-string followed by the E-string at the first fret. Normally I would just mute the A string whilst fretting the next note, but because it's only at ...
4
votes
2answers
1k views
Walking bass line/chord help
I've been playing bass for about a year, so pardon my question, what is the relation between chords, arpeggios and scales? I always learnt and played scales, but in order to learn this new jazz ...
7
votes
2answers
750 views
Is it normal that my bridge is this low the sides?
Since a few weeks ago, I have been noticing that the outer screws of my bass's bridge (the 1st and 8th one in the picture below) are completely "unscrewed". This means that the outer ends of the ...
13
votes
6answers
1k views
Piano questions from a former bass player: Is it better to think in note names or think in intervals?
So I was a (mostly Funk/Jazz) bass player for a long time, and as a bass player, I had a strong understanding of music theory. The reason that I had such a strong practical/intuitive understanding of ...
2
votes
4answers
496 views
Im having issue with my bass guitar
I'm new to bass, and I just got a new 200 dollar fender.
The issue that I'm having is a clanging noise when I play in the upper frets. The strings are a lot higher from the upper frets than the ...
2
votes
1answer
56 views
I want to start recording some bass riffs in FL studio to use them later in making songs. What are good practices for this?
I have heard before it is good to record clean audio in a separate track and apply effects later. I am very new to this and any advice would be appreciated.
21
votes
4answers
3k views
Very little time to learn pretty complex songs. What should my strategy be?
I got invited to join this band. They've got plenty more experience than I do, but I've been playing with one of the members for quite a while and, I guess, I wasn't doing so bad, since he's now ...
