Hot Bass How-Tos
How To: Drop D tune a bass
This is a tutorial video on how to play bass, brought to you by How to Play Bass, hosted by Paul Wolf. In this lesson Paul teaches you how to tune your bass guitar down to what is called "Drop D" tuning. Follow along with him, as Paul demonstrates how to achieve this tuning by two different methods. The first method is done by tuning to the 'A' string, and de-tuning the 'E' string to 'D'. The second method involves a similar process, this time using the 'D' string to achieve the same effect.
How To: Play the bassline for "Soul Man" by Sam & Dave
"Soul Man" was one of the biggest hits of 1967, and still holds its ground in success. Sam & Dave's hit single, written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter, will forever live on in the music world, and through you… if you play bass. This video is a beginner's lesson to bass guitar, which teaches you how to play the baseline for "Soul Man" by Sam & Dave, with the baseline perfected by Duck Dunn. This is a good bass line for beginners who've played for a bit to get their fingers around.
How To: Play "Le Freak" by Chic on the bass
Le Freak by Chic is a popular song from the 70's and the epic bass player on the track was Bernard Edwards. The song for bass players is all about sticking in the pocket and grooving hard when it calls for it. In this excellent lesson you will learn how to play each section of the song from the intro, through the extended bridge, and more!
How To: Play "Every Breath You Take" by the Police on the bass
Want to know how to perform the bass line from the Police's "Every Breath You Take"? See how to play it with this free video bass lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song's bass line. While this tutorial is best suited for intermediate players, bassists of all skill levels can play along given a little time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing this classic Sting song on your own bass guitar, watch this how-to!
How To: Play "Don't Look Back in Anger" by Oasis on the bass
Want to know how to perform the bass part to Oasis' "Don't Look Back in Anger" from their 1996 album (What's the Story) Morning Glory? Learn how to lay it down with this free video bass lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song's bass line. While this tutorial is best suited for intermediate players, bassists of all skill levels can play along given a little time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing this Oasis song on your own bass guitar, watch this how-to!
How To: Play the bassline from the Beatles' "Come Together"
Want to know how to perform the bass part to the Beatles' "Come Together"? Learn how to lay it down with this free video bass lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song's bass line. This tutorial is best suited for beginning players. For more information, and to get started playing this classic Beatles song on your own bass guitar, watch this how-to!
How To: Play the song "China Girl" by David Bowie on the bass
China Girl by David Bowie is a classic song from Bowies golden years. The intro riff alone on the bass is really cool! Wanna learn how to play the song? Well, looks like you're in luck! In this video you will get a quick lesson on how to play the four main sections of China Girl by David Bowie.
How To: Play the song "Radioactive" by Kings of Leon on the bass
Radioactive by Kings of Leon is a very straightforward song for bass players, although as they say in the world of music "simple is almost always better". If you're just getting started on bass, or if you're just really into the song and want to learn it on bass, this video has what you need. In it you will get a full lesson on how to play "Radioactive" by Kings of Leon.
How To: Play "Light My Fire" by The Doors on the bass
This is a great lesson by Paul from how-to-play-bass.com for playing the bassline from The Doors' "Light My Fire". It's a simple bassline that utilizes triads and simple chord changes.
How To: Change Strings on an Upright Double Bass
In this video, I describe and show how to change strings on an upright double bass instrument. Several important thing that should be considered: First of all, don't change all strings at once, as this could damage your instrument if the sound post falls or changes position. So please, only change the strings one after another. Secondly, mark the position of the bridge; it may change position during string change, but it shouldn't. Thirdly, apply some graphite to the slots of the bridge and s...
How To: Play the bridge bassline to the disco classic "Disco Inferno" by the Trammps
There may only be one thing hotter than a disco inferno and that's learning how to play the bass line from 'Disco Inferno'. Throw down some heavy tones and watch them shake it on the dance floor. This disco classic will show you how to play the bridge section of this classic disco hit.
How To: Play "Little Wing" by Jimi Hendrix on the bass
Want to know how to perform the bass part to Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing"? Learn how to lay it down with this free video bass lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song's bass line. While this tutorial is best suited for intermediate players, bassists of all skill levels can play along given a little time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "Little Wing" on your own bass guitar, watch this how-to!
How To: Play the song "Walking On The Moon" by The Police on the Bass
As a Bass player you should probably try to learn every single Police song that you can. After all, they made a name for themselves for mixing unique styles such as Reggae, 80's rock and more! In this video you will get a tutorial on how to play the Police song "Walking On The Moon".
How To: Play the song "Crazy Little Thing" by Queen on the bass
A classic song by Queen is "Crazy Little Thing" which contains a few basics that you should know on bass including: Blues walking, I IV V progressions and more! In this video you will get a full tutorial on how to play the song "Crazy Little Thing" by Queen.
How To: Play bass guitar for beginners using open strings
In this tutorial, we learn how to play bass guitar for beginners using open strings. Get used to look at written notes. To do this, look at open notes on a piece of paper and work on your right hand technique. You won't be pulling straight up, your finger should be resting on the string. Pull it slightly backwards and feel the string vibrate. A nice and eve stroke will be perfect, do this for all the notes to get them to all sound the same. Then, combine looking at sheet music with your right...
How To: Boil vigor into your bass guitar strings for a "brand new" tone
This is an old school trick to revitalizing your bass playing skills— on the cheap. If you're in desperate need of some new bass guitar strings, but can't afford the cost, then there's a solution to bringing new life into them for that "brand new" tone— boil them. Boiling bass guitar strings is a great trick to restoring your sounds, but you can only do this a couple times or it will stretch them out too much and break.
How To: Play the main bassline to "Disco Inferno" by the Trammps
There's no better way to hone your bass wielding skills while shaking that fine backside of yours than grooving along to the superhit "Disco Inferno" by the Trammps. After being included on the soundtrack to John Travolta's "Saturday Night Fever," the song was catapaulted to the top of the charts and many of us still recognize the tune today.
How To: Play the bassline from "Jamming" by Bob Marley
In this tutorial, we learn how to play the bass line from "Jamming" by Bob Marley. For the intro, you will set your metronome at 90, then start to play the notes. The first bar is a B at the seventh fret of the E string, playing a rhythm with that. The second bar is E on the seventh fret of the A string. Play these together, then start with the third bar of the song. The third and fourth bar are played together, and are D and F# on the third fret of the G string. Once you start to do this, yo...
How To: Play the bassline from "Time is Tight" by Booker T
In this video, we learn how to play the bass line from "Time is Tight" by Booker T. Start with the intro playing the metronome, the chords will be: C, A, and G. You will have CCA, CCA, then CCAG for your rhythm as you are playing. Practice playing this over until you reach the first verse of the song. Now, play F on a higher string, then D, and C. The sequence is, F, F, D, F, D, C, F, D, C, F, D, C, and D. Play eight bars, then continue on to play the rest of the verses throughout the song. W...
How To: Do rhythm changes in C while playing bass
In this video, we learn how to play bass: Rhythm changes in C. A lot of times this tune is played very quickly, but playing slow can sound very nice as well. When you play slow you can see and hear exactly what the note is supposed to be like. There is more time in between the notes when you play slowly, so you have to have a lot of control over your hands and chords. When doing rhythm changes, make sure to feel the groove as you are going so you can feel you are in key with the rest of the m...
How To: Play "That's the Way I Like It" by KC & The Sunshine Band on bass
Practice makes perfect, right? And practicing challenging songs will make your bass strumming perfect faster. Take the song "That's the Way I Like It" by KC & The Sunshine Band, for instance. It has a great melody and harmony, and with only two sections is also relatively easy to play.
How To: Play the bass line in "Good Times" by Bernard Edwards
Bass players definitely don't get as much love as guitar players when it comes to glory and mainstream music popularity. After all, the base is the low-sounding, harmonizing complement to the lead guitar's riffs, offering a nice contrast but getting obscured in the process.
How To: Play Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" on the bass
Before Michael Jackson turned kind of creepy and lost his nose, he was the pint-sized frontrunner of his sibling band Jackson 5. The group sang songs that were super catchy and also fun to play for musicians.
How To: Name the parts of an electric bass guitar
In this bass guitar lesson for beginners, you'll learn how to identify and name each part of an electric bass guitar. Regardless of your preferred style of music, if you want to be great, you'll need to know the basics. And it doesn't get much more basic than knowing what each part of your bass is called.
How To: Properly hold an electric bass guitar
In this bass guitar lesson for beginners, you'll learn how to hold an electric bass guitar using the proper technique. Regardless of your preferred style of music, if you want to be great, you'll need your head and hands on the same page. And there's no better way to get your head and hands on the same page than to practice. Happily, the Internet is awash in video tutorials like this one. For more information, watch this free video lesson for beginning bassists.
How To: Fret and play an A note on a bass guitar
In this bass guitar lesson for beginners, you'll learn how to fret and play a natural A like a natural. Regardless of your preferred style of music, if you want to be great, you'll need your head and hands on the same page. And there's no better way to get your head and hands on the same page than to practice. Happily, the Internet is awash in video tutorials like this one. For more information, and to get started playing this note yourself, watch this free video lesson for beginning bassists.
How To: Fret and play an A sharp or B flat note on bass guitar
In this bass guitar lesson for beginners, you'll learn how to fret and play an A sharp or B flat. Regardless of your preferred style of music, if you want to be great, you'll need your head and hands on the same page. And there's no better way to get your head and hands on the same page than to practice. Happily, the Internet is awash in video tutorials like this one. For more information, and to get started playing this note yourself, watch this free video lesson for beginning bassists.
How To: Fret and play a C note on the bass guitar
In this bass guitar lesson for beginners, you'll learn how to fret and play a natural C. Regardless of your preferred style of music, if you want to be great, you'll need your head and hands on the same page. And there's no better way to get your head and hands on the same page than to practice. Happily, the Internet is awash in video tutorials like this one. For more information, and to get started playing this note yourself, watch this free video lesson for beginning bassists.
How To: Fret and play a C sharp or D flat note on bass guitar
In this bass guitar lesson for beginners, you'll learn how to fret and play a C sharp or D flat note on the bass. Regardless of your preferred style of music, if you want to be great, you'll need your head and hands on the same page. And there's no better way to get your head and hands on the same page than to practice. Happily, the Internet is awash in video tutorials like this one. For more information, and to get started playing this note yourself, watch this free video lesson for beginnin...
How To: Fret and play a D sharp or E flat note on the bass
In this bass guitar lesson for beginners, you'll learn how to look sharp while fretting and playing a D sharp or E flat. Regardless of your preferred style of music, if you want to be great, you'll need your head and hands on the same page. And there's no better way to get your head and hands on the same page than to practice. Happily, the Internet is awash in video tutorials like this one. For more information, and to get started playing this note yourself, watch this free video lesson for b...
How To: Fret and play a G note on a bass guitar
In this bass guitar lesson for beginners, you'll learn how to fret and play a natural G. Regardless of your preferred style of music, if you want to be great, you'll need your head and hands on the same page. And there's no better way to get your head and hands on the same page than to practice. Happily, the Internet is awash in video tutorials like this one. For more information, and to get started playing this note yourself, watch this free video lesson for beginning bassists.
How To: Fret and play a G sharp note on a bass guitar
In this free video bass guitar lesson, you'll learn how to fret and play a G sharp note. Regardless of your preferred style of music, if you want to be great, you'll need your head and hands on the same page. And there's no better way to get your head and hands on the same page than to practice. Happily, the Internet is awash in video tutorials like this one. For more information, and to get started playing this note yourself, watch this guide for bassists.
How To: Get better at the bass
In this tutorial, we learn how to get better at playing bass. To progress, you first need to practice with your bass! You need to not practice once a week, you need to practice regularly, no matter how busy you are. 30-45 minutes a day is adequate practice time to learn the bass properly. Next, you will need to be persistent, because it take commitment, even when you don't feel like practicing. If you let things slide, you can continue this process. Keep daily practice in your routine. Last, ...
How To: Play the bass of Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal"
No matter how freaky and alien-like Michael Jackson got towards the end of his life, he made an unforgettable contribution to the music world. Leaving us pitch perfect songs like "Billie Jean," Thriller," and "Smooth Criminal," the dude knew how to rock in style.
How To: Play the bass line to "Parklife" by Blur
With learning any instrument, often the hardest part to gaining any fluency is being able to bend your fingers to stretch out even to the furthest notes and do so with finesse. So if you wish to become a famous bass player in a rock band, one of the best things you can do to help with finger fluency is simply practicing a few drills.
How To: Play "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straights on the bass
Do you love the song "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straights? Well, if you're a beginner bass player you're in luck. In this tutorial from How To Play Bass, learn how to play John Illsley's bassline to "Money for Nothing." This lesson is geared toward beginner bass players.
How To: Find your way around the fingerboard on the bass
In this video, we learn how to find your way around the fingerboard on the bass. If you are a beginner, you probably know the strings from thickest to the thinnest. This doesn't give you a full range of where the notes are, so try this new exercise to find them easily. First, you will pick a note and go through all the notes on the fingerboard to find where your specific note is, and while trying to find it, think about that note in your head. Once you've done that note, do all the notes, it'...
How To: Play Stevie Wonder's "Master Blaster" on bass guitar
This two-part free video music lesson presents a breakdown of bassline to Master Blaster by Stevie Wonder. This lesson covers the intro and the verse, the next part of the lesson covers the main riffs and chorus. For more information, and to get started playing Stevie Wonder's "Master Blaster" on the bass yourself, take a look.
How To: Play the Beatles' "In My Life" on an electric bass
Want to know how to play the bass line to the Beatles' "In My Life"? Learn how with this free video bass lesson. While this tutorial is best suited for intermediate players, bassists of all skill levels can play along given a little time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing this John Lennon song on your own electric bass, watch this how-to!
How To: Play "Decode" by Paramore on the bass
Interested in learning how to perform Paramore's "Decode" on the bass? See how it's done with this free video bass lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song. While this tutorial is best suited for intermediate players, bassists of all skill levels can play along given a little time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "Decode" on your own bass guitar, watch this how-to!
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