Thread: Bass Guitar Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

me and my friends are starting a band but one problem is we only know how to use the guitar... we have drums at home but nobody knows how to use it. what do you think should i learn drums or bass??? by the way thre are three of us 2 knows guitar and one of us doesnt know how to play any instrument, can you suggest that my other friend just use the guitar my other friend who doesnt know anything might just use the drums (without learning) and i study bass? what do you suggest.. because my 2 other friends live in the province and they can't really study how to play other instruments... or what if we just leave bass how about 2 guitars 1 drums ???

It's a really good idea to have a bass guitar in the mix. It carries the low end and helps bring together the guitar with the rhythm of the drums.

Learning drums can take a bit of time. The most common thing to do (in Rock, country, and lots of music) is to play with your right foot on the "kick" (the pedal that hits the bass drum), your right hand hitting the hi-hat (the two symbals squished together) and your left hand hitting the snare.

The beat starts with one hit on the kick, then hit the snare. Then the kick and then the snare. The hi-hat hits twice as many times (for each hit of the kick or snare, hit the hi-hat twice).

Kick: 1 3
Snare: 2 4
Hi-Hat: 1+2+3+4+

If they can repeat that over and over, then you can start to explore hitting different things. The most important thing for a drummer is to keep a solid tempo (same speed). The best way to practice is with a metronome.

A bass although an ctive lower has the same note layout on the neck as the 4 largest strings on a guitar so have a guitarist learn the bass and let the guy with no prior musical experience learn the drums

I might take lessons next year. I need to know if it will be worth my while. I'd rather play bass guitar, but i dont know if they offer lessons for both at my high school.

I played with a stand-up bassist for years. It's much harder
to learn than electric, because there are no frets on a stand up.
also, harder for the audience to hear, by and large. Did I mention price? Probably a few thousand for a stand-up.
$75 and up for an electric. I highly reccommend you go with
the electric bass. It's easy to learn , there's a demand for you
in the market, and groupies love you, 'coz they can leave the gig sooner with you, than waiting for the drummer.

if you already know how to read notes and read music then learning bass will be much easier.

upright is extremely hard (for jazz music at least), it takes strength and skill. i tried the one at my school and it is a monster.

bass guitar is easier. but dont fool yourself, your pinkies will hate you for a while.

It's simple to learn any instrument.

Learning to express yourself on it, that's the key.

Go with the electric bass first, they are usually much cheaper than even a low-quality up right bass. Some good brands to look out for when getting a beginner's bass or starter bass are...

Squire (by Fender)
Ibanez
Rogue
Dean

All of the brands listed above make good low-cost basses that'll be great for learning and practicing.

If you want a place to look for these basses, just check out...

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass

And for learning on it, if you want to gain a foothold when you get your bass, try playing the bass along with your favorite songs and try to pick out the bass-line. Do your best to figure it out...

Good luck.

Go for bass guitar. Louder, easier to carry about, hold and play, as the frets tell u where to put ur fingers. Guitar cheaper than upright, but u will have to invest in a bass amp. There are acoustic bass guitars (I use one) but they still need to be plugged in unless ur playing with only a few friends all acoustic. Also, if ur school doesn't offer lessons (though I'd be surprised if they didn't) it's easier to teach urself. Upright needs finger placement and bowing technique, guitar just need plucking and fret knowledge. Hope this helps.

...Evanescence's Solitude? Musicnotes doesn't count because it's not free.

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/

http://Ultimate-Guitar.com

search Evanescence

http://www.azchords.com/e/evanescence-tabs-1365/solitude-tabs-13448.html

here give this site a try
ultimateguitar.com
I found it there, here you go (copy and paste it onto a word doc and print) sorry its in spanish a little

Evanescence
"Solitude"
Tabbed by Aries_Mata05, Chile

Intro: ... 2 3 4

+ · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · +
E|--------------------------------------------------0------|
B|--------------------------------------0------------------|
G|------0-----0---------0---------------------0-------0----|
D|----0-----0---------0---------------0-----0-----------2--|
A|--3-----2-------2-3---------------3-----2---------3------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|

Verso 1:

+ · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · +
E|--0---------------------0--------------------------------|
B|--------0-------------0----------------------------------|
G|------------0---0---0-------0---0-----0-----0---------0--| (x4)
D|------2-1-----1---0-----------0-----0-----0---------0----|
A|----2-------------------4---------3-----2-------2-3------|
E|--0------------------------------------------------------|

Coro 1:

+ · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + ·
E|--------------------------0-------------------------------0--------|
B|----------1-----------0-----------------3-----1p0-----0---0--------|
G|------0-----0---0---0---0-----2-0-----0---0------0------0-0--------|
D|----2---2-----2---2---------2-------2-------2-----2-----------2-0--|
A|--3---------------2---------------3-----------------2--------------|
E|------------------0------------------------------------------------|

+ · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + ·
E|--------------------------0-----------------------0-----------------|
B|--------1-----1-------0-----0-----------3-----1p0-------0-----------|
G|------0---0-------------0-----0-------0---0------0----------0---0---|
D|----2-------2---2-2-------------2---2-------2---------2-1-----1-----|
A|--3-----------------2-------------3-----------------2---------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------0-----------------|

+ · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · +
E|--------0---------------------------------------------------------0-------|
B|------0-----------------------------------------------0-------------------|
G|----0-------0---0-----0-----0---------0---------------------0-------0-----|
D|--0-----------0-----0-----0---------0---------------0-----0-----------2---|
A|--------4---------3-----2-------2-3---------------3-----2---------3-------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|

Verso 2:
+ · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · +
E|--0---------------------0---------------------------------|
B|--------0---0---------------------------------------------|
G|----------0---0-----0-0---2---0-------0-----0---------0---|
D|------2-1-------1-0---0-------------0-----0-5-------0-----|
A|----2-------------------4---------3-----2-------2-3-------|
E|--0-------------------------------------------------------|

+ · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · +
E|--0---------------------0---------------------------------|
B|--------0---0---0-----0-----------------------------------|
G|----------0---0-----0-----2-----0-----0-----0---------0---|
D|------2-1-----1---0-----------0-----0-----0---------0-----|
A|----2-------------------4---------3-----2-------2-3-------|
E|--0-------------------------------------------------------|

+ · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · +
E|-0---------------------0----------------------------------|
B|---0-----0---0-------0---------0--------------------------|
G|-----0-----0---0---0-----2-0-2-------0-------0-------0----|
D|-------1-----1---0-----------------0-----0-5-------5------|
A|---2-------------------4---------3-----2-------2-3--------|
E|-0--------------------------------------------------------|

+ · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · +
E|-0---------------------0----------------------------------|
B|---0-----0---0-------0------------------------------------|
G|-----0-----0---0---0-----2-0-2-0-----0-----0---------0----|
D|-------1-----1---0-----------0-----0-----0---------0------|
A|---2-------------------4---------3-----2-------2-3--------|
E|-0--------------------------------------------------------|

Coro 2:

+ · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + ·
E|-------------------------0-------------------------------0-------|
B|---------1-----------0-----------------3-----1p0-----0---0-------|
G|-----0-----0---0-------0-------------0---0-------------0---------|
D|---2---2-----2---2-----------2-0---4-------4-----2-----------2-0-|
A|-3-----------------2-------2-----3--------------2--2-------2-----|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

+ · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + ·
E|-----------------3-----2---------------------------------0-------|
B|-------1-----------------0-------------3-----1p0-----0---0-------|
G|-----0---0---0-------0---------------0-----0-----------0-0---0---|
D|---2-------2---0-2-2---2-----2-0---4-----4-------2---------------|
A|-3---------------2---------2-----3--------------2--2-------------|
E|-----------------0-----------------------------------------------|

+ · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + ·
E|-------------0---------0---------------------------------0-------|
B|-------1-------0-----0-----0-----------3-----1p0---------0-0-----|
G|-----0---0---------0-----0-----------0-----0----0------0-------0-|
D|---2-------2-----2-----------2-0---4-----4-----------2-------2---|
A|-3-------------------------------3-----------------2-------2-----|
E|-------------------------------------------------0---------------|

Interlude:
+ · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · +
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------
B|-1---------------3-----------------------------------------------------
G|-0---------------2-------------------------2p0-2-2h4-0-----0---------0-
D|-2---------------0---------------------------------0-----0---------0---
A|-3---------------------------------------2-------3-----2-------2-3-----
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------

+ · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + · + ·
E|---------------------------------------------|---------------------------0--------|
B|-----0---------------------------------------|---0-------0-------0---0-------0----|
G|-----------0---------0---------------0-----0-|-----0---0-------0---5-------0---0--|
D|---0-----0---------0---------------0-----0---|-------2-------2--------------------|
A|-3-----2-------2-3---------------3-----2-----|---3---------3-------3----3---------|
E|---------------------------------------------|------------------------------------|

+ · + · + · + · + · + · + · + ·
E|-----------------0-----------0-------|
B|-----------0---0-------0-0-----------|
G|-----0-----0--------12(nh)-----------|
D|---2-2---2---------12(nh)------------|
A|-3-----3-----3-----------------------|
E|-------------------------------------|

Coro :
CEmChords: C 032010
Ooh, Can't you seeC9 032030
C C9 C EmEm 022000
All along it was me
C Em
How can you be so blind
C C9 C Em
As to see right through me

C Em
And Ooh, Solitude,
C C9 CEm
Still with me is only you
C Em
Ooh, Solitude,
C C9 CEm
I can't stay away from you

C Em
Ooh, Solitude,
C C9 CEm
Forever me and forever you
C Em
Ooh, Solitude,
C C9 C Em
Only you, only true

C Em C C9 C Em

what types do the 2 guitar plays and bass player use.

Ibanez

http://www.bassguitars.org.uk/ibanez-slipknot-pgb1l-guitar/

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Ibanez-SLIPKNOT-Paul-Gray-4-String-Bass-Guitar_W0QQitemZ140134213368QQcmdZViewItem

http://www.guitar.co.uk/news/new_mick_thomson_slipknot_mtm2_ibanez_guitar

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://thumbnail.image.rakuten.co.jp/%400_mall/key/cabinet/itemimg08/img15694084.jpg%3F_ex%3D250x250%26s%3D2%26r%3D1&im grefurl=http://item.rakuten.co.jp/key/10003895/&h=612&w=200&sz=77&tbnid=kA-q9KgqGCqJ-M:&tbnh=136&tbnw=44&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dslipknot%2Bguitars%26um%3D1&start=1&s a=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=1

Rock On