So i got a squier bass starter pak

Skooled

I got it about 5 days ago and I think I am getting the hang of it, do you guys know any tricks for switching from one fret to another quickly?

MissYouAllDay

a hammer on? I am not a bass player but do hammer ons work on the bass?

Thats where you are pressing down one fret with your index finger, then you "hammer" on to the next fret with your ring finger (or other) without picking the string again (or slapping)

Skooled

MissYouAllDay wrote:

a hammer on? I am not a bass player but do hammer ons work on the bass?

Thats where you are pressing down one fret with your index finger, then you "hammer" on to the next fret with your ring finger (or other) without picking the string again (or slapping)

I'll have to see if that works

All Those Yesterdays

Start building up the strength in all your fingers on your fret hand right now! You'll be greatful later.

Oh and drop the pick. Fingerstyle is the only way!!!

Skooled

All Those Yesterdays wrote:

Start building up the strength in all your fingers on your fret hand right now! You'll be greatful later.

Oh and drop the pick. Fingerstyle is the only way!!!

thats not true, its easy to pluck the strings, and anything I can do with a pick I can also do fingerstyle.

69charger

Skooled wrote:

thats not true, its easy to pluck the strings, and anything I can do with a pick I can also do fingerstyle.

Not true? Can you use four picks at the same time? You can use four fingers though

All Those Yesterdays

Skooled wrote:

thats not true, its easy to pluck the strings, and anything I can do with a pick I can also do fingerstyle.

There is a place for everything including using a pick. Just seems for the past 20 years or so, just about every bass player I see anymore uses a pick. And the tone from a pick on a bass drives me nuts. Now it works once in a while, but I believe it shouldn't be used as a crutch.

I've been playing bass for 12 years now, and still stick by playing finger style.

It's well worth it to develop a strong finger style style. But soot yourself.

As for four fingers at once. I do that once in a while but find myself going between the ring, index and middle fingers.

jeff's_the_man

yeah i mainly use fingers, i prob should get a bit more handy with the pick but what u goin to do?:D
tip: get that pinky working!! itll take a while to get used to it but once u do ull thank me for it :D:D:D

also about all the bassists using a pick these days i have a theory on that.... it seems that there are less and less actual bass players in bands these days, and more 'i played guitar but the band needed a bassist so i did that instead' players. therefore they figure bass is just an easy version of guitar and go at it with their pick, disregarding all other techniques...especially with the ridiculous amount of 'punk' music around today..... listen to the who, deep purple etc and u can hear how bass was ment to b played in a rock band

just my 2 cents.

Spook Fish

jeff's_the_man wrote:

yeah i mainly use fingers, i prob should get a bit more handy with the pick but what u goin to do?:D
tip: get that pinky working!! itll take a while to get used to it but once u do ull thank me for it :D:D:D

also about all the bassists using a pick these days i have a theory on that.... it seems that there are less and less actual bass players in bands these days, and more 'i played guitar but the band needed a bassist so i did that instead' players. therefore they figure bass is just an easy version of guitar and go at it with their pick, disregarding all other techniques...especially with the ridiculous amount of 'punk' music around today..... listen to the who, deep purple etc and u can hear how bass was ment to b played in a rock band

just my 2 cents.

Bravo Jeff - thats exactly how a bass should be strangled. picks are no where near as dynamic as ya 5 fingers. its taken my mate about 2 years to get his pinky working properly, but now he reckons he can do so much more in his playing.

MissYouAllDay

"therefore they figure bass is just an easy version of guitar and go at it with their pick"

Isn't that exactly what bass is?

Spook Fish

i would say it's close in design to a simplified guitar, but a bass is by no means simple if you wanna sound good on it. i find find it quite difficult to play it well. anyone can get the notes required out of it, but to have impact and style on bass isnt easy.

VINNY GOOMBA

jeff's_the_man wrote:

yeah i mainly use fingers, i prob should get a bit more handy with the pick but what u goin to do?:D
tip: get that pinky working!! itll take a while to get used to it but once u do ull thank me for it :D:D:D

also about all the bassists using a pick these days i have a theory on that.... it seems that there are less and less actual bass players in bands these days, and more 'i played guitar but the band needed a bassist so i did that instead' players. therefore they figure bass is just an easy version of guitar and go at it with their pick, disregarding all other techniques...especially with the ridiculous amount of 'punk' music around today..... listen to the who, deep purple etc and u can hear how bass was ment to b played in a rock band

just my 2 cents.

I hear ya... I'm one of those guys that started with guitar, and i switch off to bass from time to time. But bass truly is an art by itself, like you said, not dumbed-down guitar. I don't consider myself a good bass player at all because i play it too much like a guitar, except i actually do try and play with my fingers.

and that video in that "amazing bass player" thread is awesome. everyone here should check that out. especially the guy who started this thread.

All Those Yesterdays

jeff's_the_man wrote:

yeah i mainly use fingers, i prob should get a bit more handy with the pick but what u goin to do?:D
tip: get that pinky working!! itll take a while to get used to it but once u do ull thank me for it :D:D:D

also about all the bassists using a pick these days i have a theory on that.... it seems that there are less and less actual bass players in bands these days, and more 'i played guitar but the band needed a bassist so i did that instead' players. therefore they figure bass is just an easy version of guitar and go at it with their pick, disregarding all other techniques...especially with the ridiculous amount of 'punk' music around today..... listen to the who, deep purple etc and u can hear how bass was ment to b played in a rock band

just my 2 cents.

Robert Deleo is the exception there (STP). He was a guitar player and started playing bass cause STP needed a bass player. I'm a true fan of that man. He takes my favorite styles of John Paul Jones, and makes it his own.

I'm a bass player for sure, and mainly do finger style (the pinky is used here and there,) but mainly the index, middle and ring. But I also treat the bass as a back bone with the drum kit. Not as a lead instrument. I'm not one to slap and pop (much), but there is a time and a place. I just try to become one with the drummer.

Not slamming any "bedroom bass players". You know the ones who are just phenomonal with bass, massive slapping etc..... I respect those people a lot. Just not my style.

jeff's_the_man

All Those Yesterdays wrote:

Robert Deleo is the exception there (STP). He was a guitar player and started playing bass cause STP needed a bass player. I'm a true fan of that man. He takes my favorite styles of John Paul Jones, and makes it his own.

I'm a bass player for sure, and mainly do finger style (the pinky is used here and there,) but mainly the index, middle and ring. But I also treat the bass as a back bone with the drum kit. Not as a lead instrument. I'm not one to slap and pop (much), but there is a time and a place. I just try to become one with the drummer.

Not slamming any "bedroom bass players". You know the ones who are just phenomonal with bass, massive slapping etc..... I respect those people a lot. Just not my style.

yeah i agree, Robert Deleo is a gun on the bass! he has written some of my fav bass lines and i try to learn as much as i can from what i hear him do (and of course john paul jones as well). didnt know he was originally a guitar player tho.....

im not a huge slap and pop fan either, especially seeing i play in a rock band where its not really needed as much, and i completly agree with u with being at 1 with the drummer. thats prob what most ppl dont realise about bass is that u have to be aware of both what the drummer is doin and try to tie ur bass line in with their beat, while also keeping to the key of ur guitar players. not to mention jump around like a maniac to keep the crowd entertained :D:D:D

Hitch-Hiker

Picks are not the way to go. Sometimes the sound can work, but it's just far too limiting. Use yer fingers man You'll probably find that you're only really able to use you're index and middle fingers first, but keep practicing. Just try to throw in an extra finger every now and then, and keep on building.

oh yeah, and get that fretting pinky strengthened. I love having that extra stretch

Pearl Jam and toast

yeah i do...

PRACTICE!!

if you just switch as fast as you can back and forth and back and forth... eventually you're speed will ocme up.

also plays lots of songs and play them lots.