Bass Guitar Basics
Bass Guitar for Beginners

Are you looking for free online bass guitar basics lessons? Want to play bass guitar but don't know where or how to start? This page is just for you! These are the very first steps to playing bass guitar.

FIRST You must tune your bass! Get help with our free online bass guitar tuner. Then come back and continue with the next lesson on this page.

BASS GUITAR NOTES

When just starting bass guitar--for beginners, it is important to memorize the names of the open strings. Here is a picture to help you.

The 4th string is the one on the left--the largest string on your bass, or the one that is closest to you when you hold your bass in playing position. Practice playing and naming the open strings until you can do so easily.

The bars going across the neck are called "frets". You also need to memorize the names of the notes on the 3rd, 5th, and 7th frets of the Third and Fourth Strings:

The fretted notes may be played for now with the first finger of your left hand. The fingers are numbered starting with the index finger as 1. Be sure to press FIRMLY just between the metal frets.Take your time and insist upon a good musical sound.

Practice playing AND naming the notes on the frets as marked until you can do so easily. This is VERY IMPORTANT later on and if you don't do it now, you will just have to come back to Bass Guitar Basics and do it later.

PRACTICE BASS GUITAR NOTES

When you are sure that you know these notes, you are ready to play them in some combinations:

1. G G G G / C C C C / D D D D / C C C C

2. A A A A / D D D D / E E E E / D D D D

3. D D D D / G G G G / A A A A / G G G G

4. E E E E / A A A A / B B B B / A A A A

Play these combinations SLOWLY and SMOOTHLY while naming each note.You might notice that these combinations sound a lot like "Louie Louie" or "Wild Thing" or about a million other songs. See if YOU can think of one. Heck--try singing along!

When you have become an expert at this and have amazed your family and friends, you are ready for some Beginning Bass Guitar Scales. You are doing GREAT so far!

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