I didn't even come here because I wanted to know how to play a bass, just wanting to know how bass ties into music and how to employ it. Learned a lot. Thanks.
+Macho Bravado Awesome! Thanks. It's the same role for other low-pitched instruments, too--synthesizers, tuba, etc. And, hey, a cheap bass guitar setup will run you $200. Recommended! :)
***** I'm actually producing electronic music and have no idea/no real interest in playing a guitar. For some reason everyone in electronic music assumes you should know how to employ bass and what it's used for.
+Macho Bravado I started out making electronic music back in the 80s. After a while I became fascinated with the low-end of the keyboard and I switched to bass. A lot of electronic musicians have found my lessons on www.studybass.com useful. Work on your skills, find mentors, never stop learning...
Sinimory teaching is an art in lots of cultures. Teaching is hard! Have u seen guys that mastered something but can’t really explain it to you? I’m sure u have.
That was the most honest and direct explanation of “what the hell should this instrument do to mesh with the other instrument”. I look for videos that give the outline of “what each instrument should focus on” yet every video just ends up being a tutorial on scales. Never an explanation of when should this instrument do to stay in the pocket and compliment the progression and Rhythm. Thank you
I can't play any instruments much less the Bass...But I've always been mesmerized by it having listened to R&B, Rock, Reggae, Pop, Funk, Jazz and even Country music thru out my entire 50+ years.. Thanks for broadening my knowledge a little bit more...You make this vid very interesting indeed...
Thank you! I encourage you to get a bass and start learning. I've had students start in their 80s and do well. It's good for you and the world. And, there are plenty of free lessons on studybass.com.
i want to be a music producer so i was kinda investigating some of the most common words of this new world and i didnt know what bass was till now, thanks! this vid was amazing and i understood everything you explained
Excellent! Keep learning. Learn an instrument, play in bands, learn about recording, be dependable, learn to network, meet as many music people as you can, find mentors and don't stop when people tell you no. Good luck!
Omg. I am a completely noob to music. I just want to understand a joke about bass and ran into this video. This video taught me more than I expected and somehow help me understand how instrumental music works, different roles in a band, how bass plays its role in it. Thank you!
Thanks, Douter! I'm happy it helped. You could really apply it to all low-pitched instruments, not just bass guitar. Tubas, the low-end of a piano, etc. As I say, don't just learn an instrument, learn **music** through an instrument. That is, don't be a bass player, be a musician who plays bass. More soon...
Perfect! ı've been playing guitar for a while and know these by heart but never put it into words cleanly. Someone recently asked me the difference between bass and the guitar. I think I gave a mediocre answer. Now I will send them this video instead of talking cause you've already explained it so clearly
When you introduced the bass into that little tune I may have not exactly heard the difference but I certainly felt it. It wasn't in my face obvious but I appreciate what it adds. I think more bands should crank up the volume on their bass playing because when it's audible I enjoy all the much more. When there's a bass solo blended with drum playing in a song, there's nothing like it. Best example I can think of is the bass solo in Loud N' Clear by Stryper done by Timothy Gaines.
For sure. Even when playing melodically, the bass still provides the harmonic foundation. You might find these lessons interesting: www.studybass.com/lessons/harmony/note-choice-heat-maps/ www.studybass.com/lessons/harmony/heat-map-james-jamerson/ www.studybass.com/lessons/harmony/heat-map-paul-mccartney/
I’m back! I found this video years ago and even though I’ve grown as a bass player, I still come back to watch it from time to time. I love it so much! So much information in such a short video. I learn something new every time. Thank you!!!
Welcome back! When you know why you're playing bass, you will always be led to practicing the right things. I hope you're checking out the rest of the lessons on www.studybass.com. Keep learning!
You just helped me a lot with one of my guitar students! He‘s a 33 year old engineer. He wants to know how to make music. He‘s ready to invest a lot of time into it. But he‘s also an engineer that wants to understand everything down to the last detail. Before starting an excercise of any kind he wants to know the background of what he‘s about to do and why he should do this in the first place. The concept of harmony was already hard to explain, but I somehow managed, because I could explain it with some physics. The concept of rhythm was much harder for me to explain and for him to understand. But again physics (and some chemistry and biology) helped me to get something across. But now, how do you explain why a guitar has 6 strings when we only have 5 fingers and why you should think of your thumb most of the time as playing a different instrument than the rest of your fingers? Right, you have to dive into the role the bass plays in music. And you just did that for my eager-to-learn student. 😊
Engineer-minded students can be very challenging. They want a system of concrete rules in a space where there are few. Music is an evolving work in progress.
Thank You Sir for your valuable teaching.I am from India and just came here before purchasing earbuds to find out the A-Z role of Bass in music...Guess What...I don't need to watch another video.
Thank you studybass. Just starting to learn to play the bass, an instrument I love. I know understand the fundamental truths of the bass. So much appreciate this. I've subscribed and look forward to following you. Pump up the jam my Tutor. X Factor.
Thanks! Be sure to check out studybass.com. Most of the lessons are there (open to all), not here. Practice daily and keep me updated on your progress!
Great! This is what I hope everyone gets out of it. In my teaching experience, understanding this sets you on a great learning path. Keep learning and making music!
I came across this video by accident. It is good for me to know that I was incorporating your tips to rhythm and harmony without being aware of it. Thanks to your video, I can now approach my bass playing with more awareness of what I am doing rather than an intuitive approach. I knew I was locking into the drummer for rhythm and hitting the roots, 4th, 5th and 7th of chords, but I did not understand how I was providing a foundational tie between the drummer and the vocalists and other instruments. Thanks for clarifying where I fit in between the drummer and the rest of the band.
Great! Welcome. This lesson is among the first of a long string of free bass lessons on www.studybass.com. I think you'll find many more insights like this. When you understand how things work, it forever gives you direction and focus on what to work on. You'll recognize what's worth learning and what is a waste of time. Then, learning goes faster and you become more creative and confident. Keep making music!
Concise, clear, precise and short.... I LOVED how he presented this. I could've finished undergrad with a 4.0 if my professors taught similarly I am now a subscriber 😀
I’ve wondered what benefits bass guitars have. Just needed to see more inside the bass and how clear it is on its end, when the lead guitar already sounds clear.
I ve started learning Bass two month ago and this is an absolutely brilliant video. What you say probably sounds obvious to seasoned players but the way you demonstrated it is likely to have switched on quite a few other light bulbs. Keep up hard work.
Great! I think understanding the role really sets a student up for focusing on the right things. When one is unclear about it, it's easy to sail off course learning less useful concepts. Time is limited; let's not waste it. The rest of the lessons on www.studybass.com all build on these introductory ideas. All the best to you!
Ha! It feels like that in here sometimes. Funny, a lot of people think Badalamenti's Twin Peaks theme uses a bass guitar. It is actually a sample of a plucked guitar tuned very low.
My uncle was the best bass player in Sweden at least the best in my town but if you asked anyone that knew him they would say he was the best in Sweden, . Sadly he died when he was only 23 years old.
That's sad to hear. We lose so many great voices too soon. StudyBass is dedicated to one of my teachers, Dave Nichols, who died from cancer at only 33.
I like to teach my students that one very important thing you need as a bass player is attitude. Please don't take this the wrong way but the bass needs to be strong, focused and decisive. You need to kick the butt of the band members and the audience.
Absolutely not. Even though they look similar physically, you want to understand them as totally different instruments performing different functions in a group. The bass most often plays single notes in a low pitch range. Bass is like a tuned set of drums that glues together the rhythm and the harmony of the music. Rhythm guitar has a similar harmonic function of rhythmically playing chords (several notes simultaneously) in a higher pitch range. Lead guitar is mostly single notes like bass, but works as a melody in a higher pitch range. When people listen to music, the low pitches make them move and feel the rhythm. The higher pitches make people want to sing. It's up to you which part you want to be in charge of. If you're just getting started, bass is a great choice. All instruments are a lot of work to play well, but you can be quite useful to others fairly quickly on bass. And the biggest factor in your early development is going and playing with others. Do it! Good luck!
I'm no music teacher. But I do know a talented musician. Carol Kaye. Want to hear some good bass? She's the "Behind the scenes" author of electric Bass. Check out "Picking up the E string". OK, I'm right with you on Jameson and Jaco. She dug both of them.
Yes! Carol Kaye was a big influence for me. She's an excellent educator, too. It bums me out one of my favorite lines of hers to teach students was Hikki-Burr, but it's on a...Bill Cosby record.
It depends on how you mean that. The musical pulse is always there flowing like a current--even during silence. So, you can "feel" it even when the band stops. But, while the music is going the bass and drums work together to drive the pulse. A recent study found humans can perceive timing more precisely in bass frequencies than higher frequencies. That should tip you off that there's some deep human connection to the bass.
Wonderful lesson. I don't have a bass guitar yet but i will buy one in the future so this video really helped me. I will also check the website I liked the video and subscribed to your channel Keep up the good work!
Very well said and clear!!!… The only thing I’d add is that, in my opinion, when your brain hears a chord one note at a time (instead of all notes together), it still “hears” the chord: so that’s harmony, too… What do you think, mate?!?…
Absolutely! You likely know that in music there is a distinction between "melodic" (one note at a time) and "harmonic" (simultaneous notes). For instance, in ear training one studies "melodic intervals" and "harmonic intervals." Melodic lines--whether a melody or a bassline--typically create an implied harmony. You can look at the opening riff (a melody) of a song like Oh, Pretty Woman - Roy Orbison and see it outlines an E7 chord (R R 3 5 b7....). Most riffs imply a chord. It drives me crazy when I see the chord symbol N.C. (no chord) above them, but the symbol means no *harmonic* chord. The student is left on their own to decipher the chord, but it is there. Keep making music and learning!
When I started playing bass in rock bands back in the 90s I was so motivated that I never missed a rehearsal. Then one day I injured my finger at work and had to sit out until the next rehearsal. When I showed up the next week for rehearsal the leader of the band came up to me and said "I will never take you for granted again". Yeah!
Yep, had a similar experience…I wasn’t cutting it as a lead guitarist…thought I got demoted….but I studied bass intensely and, while not indispensable, was missed if I wasn’t able to make rehearsal!😊
As a new bass player I found this video very enlightening. The harmonic power demonstration is just perfect Thanks for all the work you have put into your website, it's invaluable to me.
@@kobbystiqx4234 Welcome! Everything is laid out step-by-step on studybass.com for free. To get the most out of the lessons, be sure to read this page: www.studybass.com/using-the-site/ Good luck and don't stop practicing. The beginning is the hardest part.
You did an absolutely superb job of defining and explaining the importance of this instrument. It was always a mystery to me. You are a fabulous teacher and should be charging money somewhere down the line. Thank you again
What a great reply, Andrew! I'm just starting to learn the bass. I've been watching YT videos for 2 months, found you only just now and already learned something new! Thank you for your generosity. You're an excellent teacher. God bless you!
A very well made lesson. Insightful,, on point and no nonsense. Thank you very much for this video. I recently became interested in Bass, and I couldn't have asked for a better insight.
Most of you are getting the valuable musical lesson I want you to get here. You now understand what the "bass" does. Unfortunately, some of you are missing it. People are quick to think of bands they know without bass players. We know, the internet loves to spit out a "gOTcHa" zinger comment! Well, let me make the lesson more clear: "Bass" is a frequency range, not an instrument. "Bass" is not a bass guitar. "Bass" is not a bass player. "Bass" is the low part of the music--even if it is higher up than your preconceived notion of "bass." If there are two different notes, one is lower than the other and acts as a bass note. Someone might instruct a guitarist to "play a G chord with a B in the bass." Guitar players might tune down well into 'bass player range.' Bass is a *sound*, NOT an instrument or person. Low bass notes can and are created by all sorts of instruments: electric bass, double bass, tuba, trombone, cello, harp, piano, synthesizers, organ foot pedals, timpani, singers, the low strings of a guitar, an octave effects pedal and many others. All of these instruments fulfill the role of the bass which I describe. These examples all have bass without a bass guitar: - Stevie Wonder - Higher Ground (Moog synth bass) [ ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-SoPMJNqyExA.html ] (Covered by RHCP.) - A barbershop quartet (four singers see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbershop_quartet ) [ ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Qok2o3gYLOw.html ] - Bobby McFerrin singing a bassline on Don't Worry, Be Happy [ ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-d-diB65scQU.html ] - The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army (guitar) [ ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-0J2QdDbelmY.html ] - A New Orleans Second Line Parade (tuba) [ ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-XT-CZGgU6fY.html ] - Beethoven - Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 1 (cello and piano) [ ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-3xFG12NCobU.html ] - Boogie Woogie (piano) [ ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-PDl5ZHu35q8.html ] If you can broaden your understanding of "bass," it will transform your understanding of music on the whole. Even better, if you can mentally separate music from musical instruments (devices used to play *music*), your connection to music will be so much greater. I hope this clarifies things for you and elevates your musicianship. That's the reason why I am here. Keep making music! Andrew / StudyBass
My friend just said, "I never know what bass sounds like. Can you hear that?" and here i am at 1 a.m. want to know about bass sounds like. I've got the good video. Thanks for the explanation, i'll tell this video to my friend.
This is literally the best bass video I've ever seen regarding the actual role of the bass! I've been playing the bass for 3 or 4 years... I've just opened my eyes! Thank you so much
Thanks! I'm glad it helped. The more you understand the function of the bass, the more you'll stay on track learning the right things. It's easy to waste precious practice, learning and listening time. Use it wisely.
