How to teach my son bass

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My son is a Davie504 fan, so I probably have to make sure he doesn't start playing a bass with a bass or fidget spinner or something...

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At least your son will learn not to play the bass with a pick. Win!
I lost my heart in Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu

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So he comes up to me playing "Feel Good, Inc" by Gorillaz, followed by "Seven Nation Army" off a web page for cool bass tabs for beginners. This is a promising start.

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vurt wrote: Fri Jul 31, 2020 4:44 pm "The Fish (Shindleria Praematuris)" - the mighty Chris Squire :hail:
if that doesn't get him interested, hes probably not a bassist. :shrug:
FTFY
Even if the piano player can't play, keep the party going.
http://www.soundclick.com/mumpcake
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"There is no strength in numbers... have no such misconception... but when you need me be assured I won't be far away."

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Magic Russ wrote: Sun Aug 02, 2020 4:55 am So he comes up to me playing "Feel Good, Inc" by Gorillaz, followed by "Seven Nation Army" off a web page for cool bass tabs for beginners. This is a promising start.
Definitely. And if he is learning how to play with fingers, he will be able to explore more playing styles as he develops his own.

Reads like you're both going to be able to work things out. :)

revvy wrote: Fri Jul 31, 2020 1:14 pm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEwGdmhqBgM
I am favourably impressed.

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His guitar teacher gave him a bass lesson on Saturday. He totally was not interested in finger technique. I'm fine with him using a pick if it keeps him playing.
Even if the piano player can't play, keep the party going.
http://www.soundclick.com/mumpcake
https://mumpfucious.wordpress.com/

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Magic Russ wrote: Sun Aug 02, 2020 4:55 am So he comes up to me playing "Feel Good, Inc" by Gorillaz, followed by "Seven Nation Army" off a web page for cool bass tabs for beginners. This is a promising start.
Among other occupations, I've played bass guitar in several (utterly unknown) bands with different musical intentions, and I teach the instrument here at Studio D. He is indeed off to a promising start if he's actively seeking real musical material he can play at his level.

re: Fingers vs pick. I use and teach both methods, both have their best use-cases.

Best regards,

dp

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Picks? - what!?!
I lost my heart in Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu

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revvy wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 2:42 pm Picks? - what!?!
Hehe.

It's like manual drive (fingers) Vs automatic (pick). You can more easily switch to pick if you learn finger technique but you're not going to be able to switch to fingers from pick quite so fluidly. But both of them allow you to drive a bass or play a car.

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Unaspected wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 2:47 pm
revvy wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 2:42 pm Picks? - what!?!
Hehe.

It's like manual drive (fingers) Vs automatic (pick). You can more easily switch to pick if you learn finger technique but you're not going to be able to switch to fingers from pick quite so fluidly. But both of them allow you to drive a bass or play a car.
Yeah, of course ultimately all good and I am but joking...
.... but I look at virtually every bassist or bass performance I respect and it's fingerstyle. And as you say, likely trickier to start with a pick and then switch to fingers than vice versa.

Man, fingers generally sound better on a bass too IMO for most styles (yes, Lemmy, Royal Blood etc. are exceptions, I guess picks are a bit of a rock thang. or for bands with fewer than 4 members)
I lost my heart in Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu

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revvy wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 3:00 pm
Unaspected wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 2:47 pm
revvy wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 2:42 pm Picks? - what!?!
Hehe.

It's like manual drive (fingers) Vs automatic (pick). You can more easily switch to pick if you learn finger technique but you're not going to be able to switch to fingers from pick quite so fluidly. But both of them allow you to drive a bass or play a car.
Yeah, of course ultimately all good and I am but joking...
.... but I look at virtually every bassist or bass performance I respect and it's fingerstyle. And as you say, likely trickier to start with a pick and then switch to fingers than vice versa.
There's a world of tonal variation in finger style. It feels more satisfying to play bass in that way too. Though, of course, playing at great speed and intensity is much easier with a pick - and if you're playing a set, it might be wise to rest the fingers where possible.

A song that I'm working on at the moment probably benefits from switching to pick during the choruses but I find myself drawn to wanting to reach that level of performance with my fingers. Just because. Though the tonal variation found in the switch might also add interest.

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revvy wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 3:00 pm
Unaspected wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 2:47 pm
revvy wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 2:42 pm Picks? - what!?!
Hehe.

It's like manual drive (fingers) Vs automatic (pick). You can more easily switch to pick if you learn finger technique but you're not going to be able to switch to fingers from pick quite so fluidly. But both of them allow you to drive a bass or play a car.
Yeah, of course ultimately all good and I am but joking...
.... but I look at virtually every bassist or bass performance I respect and it's fingerstyle. And as you say, likely trickier to start with a pick and then switch to fingers than vice versa.

Man, fingers generally sound better on a bass too IMO for most styles (yes, Lemmy, Royal Blood etc. are exceptions, I guess picks are a bit of a rock thang. or for bands with fewer than 4 members)
i can now only see you as mark king. sorry.

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vurt wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 3:19 pm
revvy wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 3:00 pm
Unaspected wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 2:47 pm
revvy wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 2:42 pm Picks? - what!?!
Hehe.

It's like manual drive (fingers) Vs automatic (pick). You can more easily switch to pick if you learn finger technique but you're not going to be able to switch to fingers from pick quite so fluidly. But both of them allow you to drive a bass or play a car.
Yeah, of course ultimately all good and I am but joking...
.... but I look at virtually every bassist or bass performance I respect and it's fingerstyle. And as you say, likely trickier to start with a pick and then switch to fingers than vice versa.

Man, fingers generally sound better on a bass too IMO for most styles (yes, Lemmy, Royal Blood etc. are exceptions, I guess picks are a bit of a rock thang. or for bands with fewer than 4 members)
i can now only see you as mark king. sorry.
I hold my bass way lower...

And I'm actually much more like his brother...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJOVCw9S8yY
I lost my heart in Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu

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Unaspected wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 3:09 pm
revvy wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 3:00 pm
Unaspected wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 2:47 pm
revvy wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 2:42 pm Picks? - what!?!
Hehe.

It's like manual drive (fingers) Vs automatic (pick). You can more easily switch to pick if you learn finger technique but you're not going to be able to switch to fingers from pick quite so fluidly. But both of them allow you to drive a bass or play a car.
Yeah, of course ultimately all good and I am but joking...
.... but I look at virtually every bassist or bass performance I respect and it's fingerstyle. And as you say, likely trickier to start with a pick and then switch to fingers than vice versa.
There's a world of tonal variation in finger style. It feels more satisfying to play bass in that way too. Though, of course, playing at great speed and intensity is much easier with a pick - and if you're playing a set, it might be wise to rest the fingers where possible.

A song that I'm working on at the moment probably benefits from switching to pick during the choruses but I find myself drawn to wanting to reach that level of performance with my fingers. Just because. Though the tonal variation found in the switch might also add interest.
As a classical guitar player I'm pretty sure that the playing with fingers has much more possibilities in terms of sound. Even in electric instruments, such as the electric Bass, it adds more "salt" to the music. When you use a bunch of effects of course you'll miss the details of fingering.

Here's a video of a great Brazilian Bass player that didn't use picks kkk
https://youtu.be/OZRH6As6tTk

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