History of the Bass Guitar
      As far as instruments go, the bass guitar is one of the newest on the scene. It's a completely original component of today's bands and modern music and has not even been in existence for a century. Don't let the name "bass guitar" fool you either, the bass guitar is not actually derived from the guitar.
      While electric guitars were developed from acoustic guitars, bass guitars were developed from the double bass instrument. They were originally known (and are still sometimes called) electrical bass instruments or the electric bass.
      The original double bass, or simply the bass, are the massive, classical instruments that have been around for several hundred years. They are played with the instrument resting on the ground, using a bow across the strings.
      The bass guitar is of course held with a strap on a musician's body and is played using one's fingers. As opposed to the back and forth of the bow on its predecessor and the strumming with a pick of an electrical guitar, the bass guitar is typically played with either plucking or slapping movements of the fingers.
      It is tuned to sound the same as an original bass with of course the added benefit of being able to be amplified. In the early part of the 20th century, as music was getting louder, the bass was being drowned out and was unable to be heard. And so the quest for an electrical bass began.
Leo Fender and the Creation of the Bass Guitar
      Leo Fender was an amazing man, a visionary and is one of the single most influential people in modern music history. All of these things and many more is Leo Fender. However, one thing he is not is the inventor of the bass guitar.
      In 1935, it was Paul Tutmarc who developed the first incarnation of the electric bass. It was to be played horizontally and held like a guitar and could be plugged in for amplification. However, his instrument never truly caught on. It was in 1951 that the bass began earning its spot in modern music.
      Leo Fender created his Fender Precision Bass, which was mass produced and skyrocketed in popularity. Gibson followed shortly there after and the bass guitar became an important component of jazz ensembles and today, nearly all musical styles and bands.
      Just as with the electric guitar, Leo Fender capitalized on previous inventions, tweaked them to his own specifications and mass produced them to extreme success. While he should be remembered fondly for his contributions, let's not forget the original inventor of the electric bass, Paul Tutmarc.
      Love guitars, especially vintage bass guitars? Then a visit to the Vintage Guitar Warehouse is a must. You can find great deals on guitars from Gibson, Fender and many more manufacturers. If you love music and vintage guitars, you're going to love the Vintage Guitar Warehouse.
If you are reading this, then you most likely know your stuff when it comes to guitars and equipment. 

Nobody can pull the wool over your eyes when it comes to selecting a good guitar or amplifier. 

In fact, if you are like most good musicians, you own more than a couple of instruments. 
You are an excellent player and Musician...So, why are you using below average strings?


Now, let’s think about something more specific to your sound. 

If you could improve one of those guitars with just one set of strings, would that be of interest to you? 

If your answer is Yes, then you might be interested in this…

Professor String has just published a book about one of the most misunderstood components of the guitar: Strings. 

All sounds made by your guitar or bass start with the vibration of a string. Yet most guitarists overlook the basic principles of how to select the best strings for their playing style. They often start with a particular brand of string and stick with it forever. Or, they are constantly switching brands and never focus on anything specific to their playing goals. The facts about guitar and bass strings are being exposed for you in Professor String's latest e-book called "Think You Know Guitar Strings?" It has been written as a guide that helps both beginners and advanced players. 

You most likely have a fun guitar and great chops, but do you know anything about ASI? If not...here is your chance to learn about it. For the first time, someone has written a chapter about Advanced String Intonation (ASI). 

Very little has been written about ASI. No single book or guide has been published about this topic until now. Professor String has been consulted by many of the worlds top guitar and bass luthiers about ASI issues over the years. If you are reading this, and do not know about ASI, you are too good of a player to simply ignore it. In the present day era of advanced digital tuners, ASI has become more prevalent to your tuning. This is the only book you will find on the market that covers the issues of ASI

Here is what some readers have said about this little book:

"For many years, I thought all strings tune by turning the keys and adjusting the bridge...They don't! Thanks to your book, I now have a better understanding of how tuning really works."
                                                                                                                                   -Jeff Lyons
                                                                                                                                  Guitarist from Springfield, MO.
                                                                                                                                  32 years playing experience
"For less than the cost of a set of bass strings, this book has changed my perspective on the basics of strings."
                                                                                                  -Anthony H.
                                                                                                                                    Bassist from U.K.
"I thought only a few guitar string companies actually made their own strings, and the rest were other companies putting their brand name on the package. I was totally blown away to read how many companies actually wind their own strings. Amazing."
                                                                                                  -John Geberhart
                                                                                                                                    Guitarist Sacramento CA.
                                                                                                                                    42 years playing experience

Here is some information about the book:

eBook Title: Think You Know Guitar Strings?
Total Pages: 40
Edition 2.0
Price: $19.95





                                                      TABLE OF CONTENTS
                      About the Author........................................................................................5
                      Foreword...................................................................................................6
                      Introduction................................................................................................8
                      String Makers...........................................................................................11
                      How Strings Are Marketed.......................................................................15
                      History – Where it all began......................................................................18
                      Metal Strings............................................................................................19
                      Nylon Strings............................................................................................19
                      Gauge.......................................................................................................20
                      Maintenance..............................................................................................21
                      Wound Strings...........................................................................................22
                      Flat Wound Strings....................................................................................23
                      Round Wound Strings................................................................................23
                      Semi-Round Wound Strings.......................................................................24
                      Electric versus Acoustic..............................................................................25
                      String Coatings...........................................................................................25
                      Getting to Know Acoustic Guitar Strings.....................................................26
                      Tuning........................................................................................................29
                      Intonation...................................................................................................30
                      ASI…the untold tuning problem..................................................................32
                      Advanced String Intonation (ASI)...............................................................33
                      Final Word.................................................................................................39

        

   To buy this book click in the button below 



Bass Covers - Keeping Your Bass Guitar Safe at All Times
      Transporting your bass can be a real problem. You can easily avoid the potential pit falls by using a proper fitting cover. There are two primary types to choose from and within those types is an entire range of styles that are also available.
      Bass covers can protect your investment from scratches and other damages. They are well worth the investment of purchasing one. A good rule of thumb is to purchase the cover as soon as you purchase the bass this way you are sure to have it on hand.
      You can find bass covers is a hard shell cover. These covers are perfect if you plan on traveling quite a bit with your instrument. These covers are usually easy to carry and provide the most durable protection for your instrument.
      These types of covers usually have a hinged lid that is secured using fasteners the bass sits in the case snugly so that it does not bounce around while being transported.
      These types of covers come in a wide range of colors and finishes. With the most popular finish being leather.
      On these types of covers you will usually have several carrying options you will have handles that can be grasped and carried like a pocket book and you will also have shoulder strap options as well.
      There are usually monogram options so that you can personalize your own. This makes the bass easily recognizable as your own and is perfect for identification purposes.
      There are soft cover options as well. These options are lighter than their hard cover cousins. These type of bass covers are lighter than the hard cover counterparts and are usually of a one size fits all type.
      The covers can be made from many different materials but usually materials that have a little give to them are used so that they can be manipulated around the bass without tearing.
      These are light weight options and also can be monogrammed but usually are embroidered where as the hard covers are either etched or imprinted.
      This option is usually less expensive than the hard cover option, but it is also less durable than the bass covers that have a hard outer shell.
      Bass covers are a necessary piece of equipment that makes transporting your instrument as well as storing it an easy option.
The 5-String Bass Guitar
      For anyone who has learned how to play the bass guitar that has four strings, having one that is 5-stringed would be heaven-sent. This type of bass guitar is much more popular today as it allows you to play music without the need for you to move up or down on the fret board that much.
      The five string guitar of this kind is much like the four stringed one, only that a B string is added on top of it. This has been introduced to the music society way back in the 1980's at the onset of the darker and heavier type of sound. The strings tend to be much closer together which makes it easier for you to move around your neck area when you play. This also allows you to play songs using the drop D tuning. It would also be an easy start if you used a five string guitar when you start learning to play bass guitar.
      The first commercial production of the 5 string bass guitar was in 1986. It was known as the Musicman Sting Ray 5. Within a couple of years, a lot of models for the 5 string guitar if this kind were made by many top producers of guitars such as Yamaha, Ashburn and the likes.
      Now going back to the B string that has been added on top of the strings to make it the five string guitar. There is of course a certain way to make it sound well. The common way to use the extra fifth string is when you are playing in the key of D. One of the main things to adjust to when using the five string guitar would be to be more familiar with the E string being close to you instead of the B one. Once you get past that stage, you are now comfortable playing the five string bass guitar.
      There may be a lot of tips to consider when playing the five string bass guitar. One thing to remember is to be familiar with all the notes on all the strings. Also you must not use a certain string as your point of reference. This manner of consciousness would make you easily learn even the six string guitar in the future. Lastly, what you should focus on much more would be which string you are on when you're playing at any specific time.
How to Learn Bass Guitar - Options and Tips
      With the Internet you will find the goal to learn bass guitar much easier, as there are so many new methods offered by the Internet. There are videos for instance which will show you firsthand how to learn bass guitar, and many of these you can even watch for free and do not have to pay for so you can learn bass guitar free.
      Regardless of which method you choose to use to learn bass guitar, here are a few tips that you will find very helpful. For one, before you even try to hold the instrument at all, you are going to need to understand how you are supposed to hold your arms and hands. You need to hold your right arm straight out so that it is parallel to the ground, and release all of the muscles in your hand. Take a look at your hand and notice the positions that your fingers are in.
      This is basically the way that you are going to need to hold your fingers when you are holding the guitar. Now you want to bring your hand to a flat, hard surface, making sure that you keep your forearm parallel to the ground the entire time. Place your index and middle fingers on the flat, hard surface so that only the fingertips of your index and middle fingers are on the tabletop and both fingertips are touching each other.
      Now you can move on and actually start holding the guitar. You will want to place your right thumb on the E string of your bass guitar to learn bass guitar, and make sure that it is midway between the end of the fingerboard and the pickups.
      These are just the most basic tips to help get you started, and if you want to become a really advanced bass guitar player, you will need to practice, practice, practice. The more often you play, the more skills you will learn and the better bass player you will become. Especially if you are interested in joining a band or otherwise playing bass professionally for instance, you will need to be practicing all the time.
Learn to Play Bass Guitar With These Fundamentals
      Before you begin to learn to play bass guitar, there are a few things that you need to know about this wonderful instrument. The bass guitar is one of the most rhythmic instruments that can only be appreciated by those who understand music and know the importance that it holds in a concerto. It would help if you were to take some time out to understand the features of the bass guitar.
      In addition to this, if you want to learn to play bass guitar, you will need to know some of the common terminologies that are used. Another important point is to understand the manner in which you should place your fingers to play the right notes.
Know your Bass Guitar
      Just as in a regular guitar, the bass guitar consists of the body, the pegs used for tuning, head-stock, neck and nut. The body of the bass guitar is attached to the neck, which is essentially the long, thinner area of the guitar. This is the part that has the strings along with the frets. It is held by the hand that is not strumming the guitar.
      The head-stock of the guitar is furthest from the body and is at the other side of the neck of the guitar. It is at the head-stock that you will be able to see pegs that are used for tuning. The nut is a small part of the bass guitar that is located at the center of the head-stock and the neck. The four strings of the bass guitar are arranged starting with E. This is the thickest string. It ends with G, the thinnest string. String A and D are located in the middle.
Bass Guitar Terms
      If you want to learn to play bass guitar, you will need to know the specific terms used in the videos you may watch. Fretting is a term that is used to describe the act of catching 2 strings of the bass guitar and leaving them together. This is done in order to create specific note. When you learn to play bass guitar, you will understand that there is a right manner to do this. You need to place the thumb behind the neck and ensure that your fingers are in an angle over the fret board. You can also pluck the strings. This is something that can be done when you pluck a string to make a specific note. Many guitarists use a pick in order to pluck, but some prefer to use their fingers.
The First Notes when you Learn to Play Bass
      When you learn to play bass guitar, you will need to know how to hold the guitar in the right manner. For those who are right handed guitar players, the neck and the head-stock should be placed toward the left. The densest string should be at the top and the thinnest one should be at the lower end. By simply plucking the strings E, A, D and G you will be able to check out the note that they make. This kind of playing is called 'open'.
      Once you have figured out the basics, you can start to learn to play bass guitar, but do remember that you should have fun while playing if you want to ensure that you keep at it till you master the bass guitar.
      Discover how to play a guitar like a pro by using these proven, time tested techniques used by guitar legends at Learning Acoustic Guitar and let Learn To Play Bass Fast speed you on.
How to Play Bass Guitar For Beginners - 5 Great Aston Family Man Barrett Bass Lines You Should Learn
      If you are a bass guitar beginner learning how to play bass guitar, once you've started to get your left and right hand technique co-ordination together you should graduate immediately to songs. Bob Marley tunes are great ones for bass beginners - they combine simple, melodic bass lines with an interesting rhythmic sensibility.
      The bass player for Bob Marley was a guy called Aston Barrett, often known by his nickname of 'Family Man.'
Here are 5 great Bob Marley tunes you should learn to play that will help develop your song vocabulary, and are a heap of fun to play too.
1. Stir It Up
      This is a really simple bass line. But playing through the song will teach you a great lesson for bass guitarists - which is to learn the parts of a song and then deliver them time after time with verve and feeling. Sometimes as bass guitarists we are called upon to play simple and repetitive lines. It's a good habit to get into to start learning to do that now and make those lines groove like crazy.
2. Jamming
      Jamming is a shuffle or 12:8 feel bass line. Again it's not particularly complex, but is great fun to play. I've gigged this both in the original Bob Marley style, and also in a 'smooth jazz' style similar to saxophonist Grover Washington's great version of the tune.
3. Get Up Stand Up
      Great song. Great bass line. Again this is not too complex, but mastering the rhythm will help develop your rhythmic sensibility. And the line in the verse is oh so simple, but so melodic. This is one of those tunes that just flat out feels good to play.
4. I Shot The Sheriff
      This isn't one of my favorite Marley tunes. But I decided to include it because it can be played in several different ways so you should learn it. I've gigged it as a reggae tune, faithful to the Bob Marley version, as a rock tune - like Eric Clapton's version) and as a reggae flavored smooth jazz tune where the format of the song lends itself to alternating melodies with solos, all punctuated by the G Minor Pentatonic Riff that closes each cycle out.
5. Is This Love
      This IS one of my favorite Marley tunes. Again it has a loping, shuffle feel. Learning this one will teach you some interesting rhythms (swing 8th notes, quarter note triplets) and help develop your melodic sensibility. This is another great fun tune to play.
Bass Guitar Scales
      Learning bass guitar scales can vastly improve how well you play bass guitar. Scales are the core of music and bass playing, they are like the road map for your music. They tell you which notes work together as well as which chords work well in a chord progression.
      There are also many other benefits to spending some time learning bass guitar scales. These include using them to warm up your hands and finger before playing. Warming up properly before you play is important as it can help to prevent injury as well as preventing your hands from aching after you have been playing for a long period of time.
      First you should learn is the C major bass guitar scale as this is the foundation of music theory. The C major scale has not sharps or flats and contains the notes C, D, E, F, G, A, B and C. Practise playing the C scale until you know the pattern really well. Once you know it you instantly unlock every other major scale on your bass. Let me explain...
      By taking the C major scale you can move that finger pattern and move it to any other starting note to give you that scale. For example taking the finger pattern and moving it to start on a D note will give you a D major scale, moving it to an E note will give you a E major scale and so on.
      So hopefully you can now see why learning scales is simple once you know how. You just have to learn one of your bass guitar scales and you instantly can play all of them. This same formula works for all bass scales and is easy to learn.

How to Play Bass Guitar - Fun and Easy
      Playing bass guitar isn't always about becoming rich and famous; it can be just as easily learned for fun. The skills involved with learning bass guitar and playing a part in writing songs has enabled millions of people to be happy and this is why bass guitar lessons can be great fun. The more intensely you practice the better you will become but it is possible for all different people to have a great time from learning bass guitar.
      When you consider the bass guitar and the great bass players who have become famous over the years, there are many people to be influenced by. Many people consider Paul McCartney to be a huge influence on their bass guitar playing and his style may be one you use when learning this instrument. Sometimes you just need a starting point so taking influence from someone you admire greatly can be a great way to get your bass playing skills off the ground. Perhaps The Beatles weren't your thing and you may prefer a heavier sound like Metallica or Iron Maiden. It doesn't really matter what type of genre you like to listen to, it is all about what you want to learn and how much fun you can with playing the bass.
      If you are new to music and are unaware of what to learn, you should not think that all songs and bass guitar lines can be played in the exact same manner. Many people choose to take up bass guitar lessons in order to learn as many new skills and styles as they can before they decide which style to keep playing the most. This wide reaching approach of learning music can open up people's eyes to genres and style they possibly were unaware of. Learning bass guitar has its difficulties but it becomes simpler once you start to understand the nuances and similarities involved.
      Learning all about playing the bass guitar can be difficult but it should also be fun and this means you should try to find the approach that works best for you. Just because one style or approach doesn't work for you doesn't mean that nothing will. There are many different styles of lessons available for the bass guitar these days and taking time to find your perfect match will help your skills improve quickly. The trick is to try something and if it worked then great but if it doesn't, you can always move on and try to learn in a different style.
Its how to play bass guitar that counts
      The bass guitar is very different from the six string guitar and although there are some similarities it doesn't always follow that a person who can play one can play the other. Everyone has different skills and talents and you may be more suited to playing the bass than any other instrument and if you are, try to develop these skills. Taking bass guitar lessons to build up a better level of skills and techniques should be encouraged in every user and learning bass guitar should be something that never stops.
      The bass guitar may not be for everyone but it is an excellent instrument that can bring many hours of fun and enjoyment to a great number of people who learn how to play it well.
      With so many different types of bass guitar lessons available, it can be hard to choose just what one is right for you. Our website has a full run down of the options available and will be perfect to help you decide the best way to learn how to play bass guitar. Feel free to visit us to find out more about the bass guitar.
Play Bass Guitar With a Pick - Pick Style Bass Playing
      A lot of bass players have talked about the wrong and right way to play the bass guitar, what way should we play? What sounds do we get and is it rite to play bass with a pick or plectrum?
      Different people have many answers to this. Yes there are rite and wrong ways of playing bass, but however there is nothing wrong with playing the bass with a pick, there is nothing wrong playing bass with fingers and also slapping away on your favourite bass grooves.
      Learn pick and finger style, to be a great bass player you should play both! However there is nothing wrong in playing the way you want to play bass, get your sound, and enjoy the style and technique that is for you. Playing with the pick is what I enjoyed and a style I have worked close with.
      My article is focusing on the pick player, the pick style of bass playing! I myself am a pick style bass player, I love playing with a pick, love the sounds I can make and the great part of making people dance and enjoy the music! If you are a player starting out, a player who wants to know more about the pick or a player who never looks to the pick this is looking at the side of the pick style, the players, some history, how to play and things I have learnt in this style of many styles on the bass guitar.... the pick player!
      Not to go on, but some brief history here. When the fender bass first ever came out it was made to be heard, made to be easy to carry not big like the upright bass, made to be electric and one thing made to be easy for guitarists to play so they could double up, get more work playing bass as well.
      The electric bass was played with the thumb to start with; the guitarists came along and started to use their picks on the bass!
      This started to become a technique with the electric bass player in the studios. The attack of the pick could be heard, it didn't get lost and worked well with the studio equipment and sound at that time. It was a very precise sound with a high end and a good cut through sound. Session bassist Carol Kaye picked up the fender bass when a bassist didn't turn up for a session. She put down her guitar and picked away on the fender bass. From then on she made pop music history. Take a listen to hits from the Beach Boys, the Doors and the original mission impossible theme tune.
      Carol developed the flat wrist pick technique and the deep sound with the click. She has taught and published many books on this subject. For me Carol is an influence in the way to play with a pick. For me this was the start of pick playing, there are other players who played with the pick, on big hit records and also helped to shape this style of playing.
      So what sounds can you get? Playing with a pick you can get a range of sounds depending on how you set your amp and bass up and the way you play! If you play with a pick properly and not sloppy you can get some great deep tones, tones with a click or if you wish a trebly sound.
      Also where you play on the bass with the pick comes in to play.
      Play near the neck you get a deeper sound, play near the bridge you get a more treble sound. Work and experiment playing in various parts around the bass's pick ups to get different sounds.
Picks are for punks and heavy metal players with wristbands! I hear this all the time! Not really you can apply a pick to any style of music, any groove, play any song you desire if played and practiced well.
      When I've been out recording or working live I was doing a show in the north of England. After the show someone came up and said " I was amazed to see you played with a pick, the sound out front was so deep and great, but like fingers". When doing a recording session I used the pick, one track I was asked to play very bright with the pick, the other tracks deeper sounding with the pick and a very slow acoustic number with the fingers.... that's part of the job and knowing your chops...
      Working with the pick. Good performance and pick technique is what is required to get the sounds and get the feel. A pick is very percussive where you can keep the rhythm of the wrist going when you are not playing a note, light muting is good for keeping a tight feel and sound! Always keep the wrist flat and keep it on the body of the bass, like you are hugging the bass! Use your wrist and don't move your whole arm....
      Like alternate fingering with fingers it's important to play down - up picking.
      Down-up-down-up-down-up.... This makes your picking clean and constant witch is very important. DOWN the pick goes to the floor, UP the pick comes up to you. I have seen some players who just use down picking, great if your Jason Newstead and you will use down picking on slower more ballad type songs. Practice is the key to keeping your picking strong and feeling good. Mute the left hand on the stings and just play away with the pick different rhythms, up and down stokes. I still do this every day to keep on top of my pick style.
      Holding the pick is important! I have seen many players holding the pick in different ways. The way I hold the pick is between the thumb, first finger and the second finger. Now some bassists play with just the thumb and first finger. I find I have more grip and control using three fingers. Also there is open and closed hand position. Open you can let the fingers hand open and closed you close up the fingers like a fist. I prefer using the close fist and hand holding the pick with three fingers. I get a better attack with the pick and feel. I feel more in control playing this way. (See photo section). Don't tense up the hand, keep it relaxed and in control.
      Two types of picking are scratch picking where you can get a scratchy sound by using the edge of the pick and digging in the string more and flat-picking where you are flat on the string. It depends on what sounds you want to get and what songs you are working on. Practice really digging in the stings to playing with more light and shade from heavy to lighter picking. It all works well learning the different way with the pick and opens up more tones and sounds.
      Another important part of playing with a pick and I learnt this in the early days, stick to the same pick. You want to get a sound of your own, the rite sound! If you use different picks, different gauges and weights of picks or just nick picks of the guitarist that are flimsy or the wrong size before a gig, it wont work.
      I used to change picks all the time. The sound changed, some picks were too heavy, had no grip and I struggled.
I tried out lots of different picks and plectrums, gauges, thickness until I found what worked for me! I have stuck to the same pick, same size, good grip and same gauge. I find a 1mm tortex blue pick works great for me as I am not a heavy pick player, although everyone is different, so find what works for you and feels good. Stick with the same type of pick!
      Well, we have had a brief insight in to playing and performing bass with a pick and looking at the bass pick style.
      I hope it helps if you are playing bass with a pick, wanting to learn pick style as another style along with finger style, wanted more info about playing with a pick or just interested in the bass guitar and the way its played or simply what is bass pick playing.
Andy Till
[http://www.andytill.com] for more info
Play Bass Guitar For Beginners
      To learn to play bass guitar means you want to be part of the driving force of a band.
      Playing bass guitar can be easy to learn but can be harder to master, it all depends on where you want to go with it. The bass guitar is fairly easy to get started on and most people can pick up the basics and start playing right away but to learn bass guitar can also be very advanced because it is the kind of instrument that starts off easy and can go to almost endless possibilities.
      The first question you ask yourself, "Is playing bass guitar what I want to play?" That is the most important thing because as everyone knows when you want to get started in something it is going to be a small investment. With today's economy nobody wants to waste money on something they are not sure they should do. I did not start out to learn bass guitar, I started on acoustic guitar and played that for quite a few years, then began playing with a few friends and then it got a little serious and we formed a small three piece acoustic band. As the band grew, we then needed a bass guitar player so I put down the acoustic and started playing bass guitar. The point is that I had put out the cash to get set up in two different things, now that is OK if that is your plan to play two different instruments.
      The next thing you should think about is your musical talent and if you are ready to put in the time to learn bass guitar, because when I say it is easy to learn, it is, if you put in the time. Following are my suggestions for all you'll need to do to start playing the bass:
1. Place to practice, where you can play without distractions and practice every day.
2. Purchase a bass. If you want to play an acoustic bass, be sure that is what you want to play because acoustic basses are more expensive than electric basses. It all depends on your own taste and what kind of music and who you are going to play with. Start with a cheaper, but good quality bass.
3. Start playing the guitar, just to get the feel, it doesn't matter if you have never played before, you are just taking the first step to get the feel, because every bass guitar player has his or her own style and with playing bass guitar you will soon develop your own style.
4. Purchase an online lesson program, for the basics to learn bass guitar. Playing the bass with an online program is the best way to learn on your own without costing as much as private lessons, see get started with online bass guitar lessons. Try not to learn from a friend because it can lead you to a style that is not yours, work on creating your own style. That is why I recommend playing bass guitar from a lesson program. 
5. Picks or fingers, If you want to learn with a pick, buy a bass pick because there is a difference between a bass pick and a guitar pick. If you are after that natural sound then use your fingers. The choice is totally up to you and the kind of sound you want to play. Again, this all fits in with your type of style to learn bass guitar.
6. Number of strings, 4, 5 or 6 but being a beginner I would recommend a classic four string bass. The four string is easier to learn from the obvious fact that it has only four strings.
7. The notes, Try to learn all the notes on the neck. This will be an ongoing learning lesson as you get more comfortable with the guitar, and always remember every time your playing bass guitar you will be improving your style. With a bass guitar lesson program you will be able to learn on your own, in your own time.
8. Learn the notes to play, there are two things in most bands, to help with the rhythm and to emphasize the root notes for the punch that the band needs to create the depth.
9. The scales. Your scales are the start of all your bass lines and patterns and you will use them to create new things all the time. When you are trying to learn bass guitar you should always keep experimenting with new things.
 10. The musicians. You need to listen to the band as a whole, not just other bassists. Listen to the drummer who keeps the time and rhythm and play along with him. 
11. The techniques. Play around with different things as you get better, chords, notes and other patterns when you get comfortable with the basics.
12. Learn the rhythm. Playing bass guitar requires you to have rhythm, so practice with your favorite song or bass player. Playing along with the song is one of the easiest ways to learn the rhythm.
13. Listen to the song. To learn bass guitar, listening to a song can be a great lesson in itself. When you listen, try to pick out all the different parts and instruments and it will help you pick up the rhythm and feel so you can play along.
14. Familiar songs. Start with playing along with songs that you know because it will help you with the timing and rhythm. This is a great way for a beginner to get started.
15. Play with people. Playing bass guitar with other people can also be one of the best learning techniques. Whether you're a beginner or not, playing with a group or just one person is a great way to work on your style and learn to play bass guitar with other instruments.
16. The practice. Don't let it get to you if you do not progress like you wanted, it will come. Sometime you might have to stop and take a break for a little while just to reflect and digest it all. But make sure you come back because this is why you started in the first place. Playing bass guitar can be self taught and with practice you will be playing in no time. Always remember to start with the basics and take as long as you need.
The big question is, "Can I really teach myself?" and the answer is "Yes!" to learn bass guitar from online lessons with a little time and practice, you can teach yourself just about anything. You have to ask yourself, "What direction do I want to go?", "Do I want to just play by myself?", or "Do I want to play in a band or just jam with friends?"
Playing music is fun, but there is a price to pay and that is time and patience. You need to practice. The following guideline below is a good start for a beginner's practice session, but can be anything you want, just don't get burned out.
1. Warm up with anything (5 minutes) helps loosen up your fingers.
2. The scales (5 minutes) helps with memory ( brain to fingers).
3. Pattern exercises (10 minutes) helps with dexterity.
4. The song itself (10 minutes+) this is what everyone wants to get to.
5. Cool down (2 minutes) play anything (could be scales again).
      Most everybody wants to play a song right away, but in order to do so, you need to get the first three steps down first, or at least have a start on them. If playing bass guitar is your goal, you will succeed and with online bass guitar lessons, you will learn all the techniques needed to reach your goal.
      But always remember to learn bass guitar does not have to be complicated. For example, listen to the Beatles or any number of bass players that just play basic bass parts, but what they have is feel and the groove of the song. If you can play with the feel and get the groove and the timing you've reached your goal, for now, advanced stuff will come later. When you practice, play with a metronome (it is a small device that helps you keep time just as the drummer keeps time in a band).
This article was written by Tommy "fatfingers" Combs
Check out this site for a lot more info on playing bass guitar [http://playbasseasy.com/]
Learn to Play Bass Guitar - 4 Guitar Playing Tips
      Playing the guitar is one popular pastime nowadays. For some people, it is also a way of expressing themselves and elevates the hobby into an art form or sometimes, science.
      Playing the guitar, however, is no joke. It requires a lot of patience and practice. For some people, they would rather study playing the bass guitar than the regular guitar. Here are some tips on learning to play the bass guitar.

1. Feel the beat

      Playing the bass guitar differs primarily from playing a regular guitar because it entails an emphasis on the beat of the music. One can compare the bass guitar into a drum or percussion set that is made into a guitar. Beats are very important in playing bass guitar because this type of guitar gives depth and timing to any song.
      If one grasps the notes of a regular guitar through his ears, a bass player grabs the notes of a bass guitar through his chest. The bass guitar pounds on the heart and gives it feelings through the depth of the music.

2. Learn the notes (single chords) on a regular guitar

      The main thing about bass guitars is that they are tuned like ordinary guitars. The difference is that most regular bass guitars only have four strings which are far thicker than ordinary ones. This kind of strings allows the bass guitar to go very deep in terms of tone.
      Take a regular guitar (which is tuned from the thickest to the lowest string- E - A - D - G - B - E) and exclude the two thinnest strings at the bottom and what is left is basically a bass guitar with thinner strings.
      Bass playing is usually note-oriented and not chord-oriented. This means that single notes are hit more often in bass playing and this scheme is the essential element of bass playing. One should be familiar with the tunings and the notes in a regular guitar to be able to decently play the bass guitar.

3. Finger placing is important

      Hitting the bass guitar fret board with the left-hand fingers is very important since it is a major factor that will determine the wholeness of each note. Try to place the fingers such that they are close to the fret on the right. The right hand should also be practiced so as to give bass guitar playing a holistic approach.

4. Strengthen your grip

      Another important thing to develop in bass playing is the strength of both hand's fingers. The bass guitar is a sturdy and solid musical instrument, strength is needed to play it.
      In playing the bass guitar, one should always take one lesson at a time. Bass playing requires repetition and there's no sense in hurrying the learning process. One should feel the notes through his soul and through his heart and become one with the bass guitar.
To learn how to play guitar using the easiest to follow method, please visit http://www.Guitar-Playing-Tips.info/
Best Guitar For Beginners – How To Chose The Right One
      Choosing the best guitar for beginners can be a hard task. If you’re on your own you most likely don’t know what to look for, and what will best suit your needs. I’m going to explain some important aspects you should look for when choosing the best guitar for a beginner player, and by the end of this you'll hopefully find out what type of guitar will serve you best.

Types of guitars

      First you need to decide on whether you want electric, acoustic, or classical guitar. Those are the three main types.
Electric Guitars
      Electric guitars are generally easier to play. They feel softer, strings are usually thinner and easier to bend, holding the chords is easier too. You need an amp to play them (which is an extra cost), but you can practice on them unplugged as well. Whether you want to play lead or rhythm, electric guitar is a great choice for any style and music genre because of their versatility. (it's just that you'll rarely see a classical guitar player who plays on an electric guitar)
      If you’re on a tight budget there are some great guitars in the lower price range, like Yamaha Pacifica, or Fender Mexican Stratocaster... Epiphone and Ibanez also make some good budget guitars. I also recommend you to look for a company called Chapman guitars, as they make some awesome guitars.
      As for the amp, there are two main types of amps - valve amps and digital amps. Valve amps are more expensive and harder to maintain, but they will always produce better (sometimes barely or not noticeable) sound than digital amps - which try to emulate that sound. Digital amps are a lot cheaper however, and there are some great ones out there. I would always go with the valve's though, even if I'm on a tight budget.
      * Important - An amp will have the biggest impact on your sound, and my advice, if you want to buy an electric guitar, would be to buy the best amp that you can, and avoid the really cheap ones. Some good amps to look for (that are not expensive) would be: Fender Blues Junior (valve), Blackstar amps (valve), Vox Valvetronix (both - hybrid), Roland Cube (digital), Line 6 Spider amps are digital and they can model a lot of sounds, they’re good, but only for bedroom practice.
      You can also practice on electric guitar without an amp. It's a good way to practice sometimes and work on your dynamics.
      Steel string acoustic guitars are harder to play, especially the really cheap ones. Strings are thicker and harder to press down, but that’s about it. What's good is that you can carry them and play them anywhere, and they will always produce that sweet unique sound.
      You can play any style with them, but they’re most suitable for styles that have accent on rhythm playing, solo blues, fingerstyle...
      If you want to go with an acoustic guitar, don’t buy really cheap ones. My advice is don’t go below $200. The acoustics in that price range will often be really hard to play because of the bad setup, high action, fret buzz etc. and they will not sound as good as the more expensive ones.
      With that being said, if you're on a really tight budget and you want to buy an acoustic guitar, there are so many options available today that you can find a really nice instrument in the budget category.
      Some good brands to consider would be Maton – absolutely best in my opinion (mid to high-end price range), Taylor, Martin, Takamine, Ashton, Epiphone, Fender, Yamaha, Aria, Washburn.
Classical guitars
      The only difference between these and steel string acoustic guitars is that these ones have nylon strings, wider neck, and usually smaller bodies. They are used for classical music style, but you can play anything you want on them with fingers or with pick, even metal, it really doesn’t matter.
      Nylon strings are much easier to press down, and they too have quite unique sound when strummed. Sometimes I even prefer to play nylon string guitar than the steel string one, just because of that sound and feel.
      The only guitar that I can recommend here (from my experience) is Yamaha C40M (on the picture), and Takamine Hirade series (which is high-end). Yamaha is a great guitar for beginners and it’s not expensive, it’s quite cheap actually.
How to try out guitars in a music shop
      If you don’t know how to play anything, try to pick each string and get the feel for a guitar. Then press down with your finger on first fret, and play every note on every fret, and make sure you don’t hear any fret buzz. Chances are, if there is one, you’ll have to pay extra for a good setup later (which you're probably end up doing soon anyway, so not a big deal). Also, check out the action. The action is the distance between strings and the neck.
      If the guitar has really high action it will be harder to play. On the other hand, if the action is low it will be easier to play, but setup would have to be really good, otherwise you’ll get fret buzz when you play a note. You can always ask someone in the shop to help you with this.
      Once you get that perfect guitar for you, the first thing that you need to do is learn the basic guitar chords, then practice the right things, play as much as possible, and you can progress really fast. Though keep in mind that you’ll never get far on guitar unless you learn how to overcome obstacles that will come in your way.
      If you're still not sure what guitar is for you, and you're on a tight budget, my advice would be to go for the electric. It doesn't matter really as long as you're satisfied with the guitar you bought.
      Keep in mind that in the end, guitar is just the instrument, the music is in you. ;)
Article Source: http://www.streetarticles.com/music-instruction/best-guitar-for-beginners-how-to-chose-the-right-one
Learn to Play Guitar Chords - 3 Simple Steps
      So you have you have decided to learn to play the guitar! You may be sitting there, with a note book and a guitar in hand, wondering how exactly you should go about doing this.

      1. Patience is a virtue! As frustrating as it may be to learn all those chords and chord transitions, you are going to need patience. When you start getting frustrated, put the guitar down for awhile, and continue later in the day or the next day.
      2. Start off by learning basic open chords like C,G,A and D. There is plenty of guides you can find online or at music shops that will help you along. They may take some time to learn, but stick with it, practice every day, and make sure you can play them easily before moving on to chord transitions.