How Do You Teach Yourself To Play Bass Guitar?
Bass guitar is a four-string instrument that plays notes in the lower (bass) register. The bass guitar is primarily a rhythm instrument, but players such as Jaco Pastorius brought it to the forefront and demonstrated that the bass could hold its own as a lead instrument as well. The idea that bass is easier to play than a guitar because it only has four strings is not entirely accurate. While it is easy to get started on the bass, learning to play it skillfully takes patience and dedication. Here’s how you can teach yourself to play bass guitar. Start with the basics. Get familiar with your bass. Learn the open strings E, A, D, G (from thickest to thinnest) and how the notes go up as you fret. You can do this by obtaining a bass guitar neck chart from a music store or using one of the free charts available online (see Resources). Learn to tune your bass. An out-of-tune instrument is discouraging. You can use an online tuner to help you with this until your ear becomes more refined (see
