The following are some areas that will dramatically improve your bass playing if pay attention to them.
- Learn the fretboard inside out
- Know the most common rhythms
- Count & subdivide the beat
- Get your timing and groove together!
- Liven up your playing with articulations (expressive techniques)
- Knowledge = Creativity (music theory)
- Create music
- The ONE big tip: Learn from music
- Learn to read chord symbols (chart reading)
- Organise a practice routine
- Play with other musicians
I go in to massive detail on these and more subjects in From Beginner To Bassist.
Scroll down for the backing track, PDF and more detail on the above.
Backing Track and Chord Chart
Learn the fretboard inside out
Make sure the bass neck is not a mystery to you.
Incredible Way To Learn The Bass Fretboard!
Know the most common rhythms
Rhythms and how we play them is what defines us bass players.
The Most Common Rhythms & How To Make Bass Lines With Them (Also How To Play In Time)
Count & subdivide the beat
Counting should be as normal as breathing.
Tighten Up Your GROOVE: Rhythms, Time Signatures, Metronomes & Counting
Get your timing and groove together!
Work on your timing everyday.
7 Metronome Exercises For Bass Guitar To Work On Your Timing And Groove
Liven up your playing with articulations (expressive techniques)
Hammer-ons, pull-offs etc. bring boring sounding notes to life.
Funk Bass Techniques (Including The SHAKE)
Knowledge = Creativity (music theory)
Music theory is the key to your understanding and the more you know, the easier it is to create music.
10 Music Theory Tips For Bass Players
Create music
Make sure to actually make music with all the ideas you learn.
Everything You Need To Create Great Bass Lines
The ONE big tip: Learn from music
Listen to music and analyse it. What can you learn from it? The answer is loads! Here are some excellent bass songs for you.
Learn to read chord symbols (chart reading)
Chords and how they relate to a key teach you so much.
This lesson will help you understand the harmony:
Bass Guitar Music Theory: The 7 Arpeggios From C Major
And these lessons will get you used to chord symbols and how to read them:
The Most Useful Bass Song To Learn EVER? (Arpeggios/modes/chords/improvising etc.)
Jazz Standards, Walking Bass & Chart Reading (Autumn Leaves)
Organise a practice routine
This is the most important area for you to get a hold on. Develop good practice habits and the world is your musical oyster.
3 Pro Practice Tips For Beginner/Intermediate Bass Players
Play with other musicians
Either get yourself in a band or jam with some friends in a more informal setting. Failing that, play along to your favourite records.
Playing with other musicians is where you will learn what works and you really need to know (and what you don't need to know...).
If you enjoyed that lesson, I go A LOT deeper in my comprehensive beginner/intermediate bass course From Beginner To Bassist. There are eighty video lessons as well as a detailed workbook and plenty of backing tracks to play to.
