Weird Tones

You've heard a lot about rhythm and blues, but it's the bass that makes you want to dance. It's the thumpa-thumpa that gets your groove on, your head bobbing up and down and your feet a-tapping. Indeed, it's all about the bass - the lower notes that give guitar music the texture and body. In a band, it's the bass player that closes the gap between tempo and harmony. That's from endless years of practice perfecting the craft, which beginners can learn from bass guitar chords.

Hearing bass?

If you have heard the songs of Metallica (who hasn't?), you've definitely heard the heavy tones that prop up all throughout, giving them that distinctive sound that only Metallica can offer. Finally, bassists have entered the front door, and are no longer asked to pass through the kitchen door. Playing bass guitar chords have given bassists the tickets to the front door.

It is easy to learn to play the bass guitar, but mind you, the bass guitar is very difficult to tame. If you are dreaming to hold a bass guitar onstage, then practice playing a note at a time. You will be surprised to discover that before you can pluck a note, you will have to master some hand exercises to speed up your guitar playing.

What's the big deal about bass guitars and bass guitar chords?

A bass guitar is unlike a regular guitar. It has four strings and is an octave lower than the bass strings of a regular guitar. The bass guitar has a longer neck for longer scales. Most bass guitars have hollow bodies, and the sound that is bounced back has a different resonance and tone. The bass sound provides the low-pitched bus runs and bass-line typical in different music genres - jazz, fusion, rock, and funk. A sturdy guitar can take all the punishment, as well as give the best bass bellow.

Chords refer to the collection of tones when played together simultaneously. This can refer to any type of fretted string instrument. There is no fuss about bass guitar chords, really. They are plainly guitar chords played on the bass.

Bass guitar chords always have 12 keys. It must show the major, minor, diminished, minor 6th, and major 7th. The suspended 4th added 7th must also be learned. Bass guitar chords also have notations - names and locations of the notes on the frets and strings, as well as the enharmonic equivalents and the positions of these notes within the bass clef. As you learn the different music styles from bass guitar chords, you will soon be going into bass runs, low pitched bass lines, and soloing.

Raring to play the bass guitar?

If you think the bass guitar is yours to tame, you have to get a good instrument to practice the bass guitar chords with. Check out the different bass guitars to suit your needs. Some of the most popular ones used by professionals are the ESP B50, Squier Standard Jazz, Yamaha RBX260, Epiphone Accu Bass, and Ibanez GSR200. If you are thinking about a good investment, get a Tobias Growler 5-string electric bass guitar. This is expensive but will withstand all that picking, plucking, and slapping. If you see yourself playing the bass long term, then this is the guitar for you.

One can say that behind the great bass guitar chord playing, is also a great bass guitar, and player. The formula also calls for dedication, determination, and enthusiasm. Without these, neither great bass guitar nor bass guitar chord can be played. Get lessons, a songbook, and download bass guitar chords from several guitar sites online. Now, let's hear some bass.

This post will introduce you to the bass guitar, touch on its history, its evolution and mention some of the amazing bass players that have graced the instrument. Read on to learn more about the electric bass guitar.

Welcome to the world of the low frequencies; if you're reading this then you've taken an interest in the electric bass and have decided to pursue it further. Maybe this post will reaffirm your decision to play the bass, or perhaps it will be the final argument for you to start playing it now.

It's a pretty cool instrument. It may not be as flashy as a drum kit, or command as much attention as a pimped out electric guitar, but it has a subdued, laid-back vibe all its own. A standard bass guitar has four strings and is tuned E-A-D-G; an octave below the lowest strings on a guitar to provide a sonic foundation for the melody to build upon.

While you may give up the fame and glory of the spotlight when you choose to become a bass player, you gain full control of the key of the music, and full dominion over the bass frequencies.

Bass Guitar Frequencies Move People

This is almost a mystical power that most people won't even realize that you have. Many won't even realize that it is the bass player and the way he chooses to play certain notes, leave others out, and the space and rhythms in between these that are hypnotizing them into dancing. It is a great responsibility that you take on - called the groove - without it; any music you play will be lame.

So besides this, why take on the bass guitar? What is it about the electric bass that is cool, or should be attractive to someone just starting out that just wants to play SOMETHING? 

Well, getting up and running with a bass is much easier than most other instruments. You don't have to have four-way independence as with drums, you don't have to memorize all the chord fingering patterns like you would with a guitar, and you don't have to spend years to get a sound that doesn't sound like a cat being tortured as you would with a violin. By comparison, you can pick up just about any bass guitar and start playing bass lines almost immediately - the good news is that the easier it is to play an instrument along to music you like when you're starting out, the more likely you'll stay with the instrument for good.

Another great reason why the electric bass is cool is that EVERYONE needs a bass player. You make the other band members sound good, and there are many styles of music out there that use the acoustic bass or electric versions. That means that if you're a good bass player, you're willing to work hard, learn and you have a great attitude -you're going to have many more job opportunities than many other musicians would have.

Being a bassist is as much a state of mind as it is a position in the band. You need to put the song and the other musicians before yourself. You are the glue between the rhythm and the melody - you straddle the line between the drummer and the guitarist, giving the music that third dimension that makes music so exciting. If you're willing to put your ego on the back burner, you can become a truly great bassist that is in demand.

Is playing the bass guitar easier than most instruments? Yes it is, but to master any instrument is virtually impossible. Playing the electric bass is initially much easier than guitar; you can outline chords one finger at a time as opposed to learning the fingerings for each chord. You also have fewer strings to change than the guitarist, but keep in mind that bass strings are thicker - so in some ways, playing high tempo music on them is more difficult because you need to play just as fast as the guitarists but with thicker strings. This means that you're moving more mass in the same amount of time or energy.

What you may not know about the bass guitar is:

There is something to be said for a simple bass line that does what it's supposed to do, get some asses out of the chairs at the bar.

Electric basses can be beautiful and expensive, they can break your heart and if you get used to playing them - playing bass guitars can indeed be habit forming!

The Fender bass guitar was responsible for making rock n' roll music come to life in the fifties - the bass could now be heard (as well as felt!) and helped to drive the new-fangled rock n roll bands mercilessly into the spotlight.

The electric bass guitar started out with 4 strings and remained that way for several decades, before evolving to 5, 6, 8 and even 12 stringed versions beginning in the mid-70s. These multi-stringed basses owe a large debt of thanks to Anthony Jackson who helped open the door to more than 4 string basses by commissioning the first six string bass guitar to be built in the 1970s!

Some famous bass guitarists include Paul McCartney, Sting, Geddy Lee, Jaco Pastorius, James Jamerson, Flea, Les Claypool, Victor Wooten, Billy Sheehan, Stanley Clarke and John Entwistle.

You can get started with a bass guitar kit that includes a bass, a bass amp, a guitar strap, an instrument cable and a tuner for around $250 or you can even rent a bass guitar from many major music instrument retailers. Even if you don't know of any teachers in your town, you can surf YouTube and find plenty of lessons for free that can get you started. There's no good reason to sit on the fence anymore, playing the electric bass can be an affordable hobby that can actually make you some extra money if you choose to play out in bands.

Choosing to play the bass has given me plenty of opportunity to learn and grow as a musician and a human being. It's allowed me to experience the thrill of performing in front of large audiences while sharing the stage with some amazing bands and meeting terrific people. Playing bass guitar is a great way to be creative, relieve stress and have fun!

So what are you waiting for? Get out there, find an electric bass and start playing today!