Hot Bass How-Tos « Bass

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 Play bass: Two handed tapping technique

This video is a bass lesson that demonstrates how to use a two-handed tapping technique often used by Eddie Van Halen and others on guitar. To do this on bass, you should put your middle finger over the top of your index finger to make a more solid tapping finger, and put your hand up the neck with your thumb on the back of the neck. Land your finger to tap, and pull to pluck the string. He places his left hand on the frets in anticipation of pulling the string with the right hand. He demonst...

How To: Play the bass like Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers

Finbar Taub explains how to play the bass guitar like Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers. Part 1 of 2 - How to Play the bass like Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers.

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 "London Calling" by The Clash

Paul from how-to-play-bass.com gives a great lesson on how to play "London Calling" by The Clash. This is a great pacing, walking bassline with ample slides and triplet rhythm. Pay attention.

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: Play the bassline from "Tears of a Clown"

Do you love the song "Tears of a Clown" by Smoky Robinson? Well, if you're a beginner bass player you're in luck. In this tutorial from How To Play Bass, learn how to play Bob Babbitt's bassline to "Tears of A Clown". This lesson is geared toward beginner bass players.

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 "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: 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: Play "Moondance" by Van Morrison on the bass

Paul from how-to-play-bass.com gives a great tutorial of a simplified bassline to "Moondance" by Van Morrison. Paul reduces the walking jazz bassline to an easier format for beginners.

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 upright bass scales

Play upright bass scales and learn about minor and major scales. Learn about upright bass octave scales in this free stringed instrument video from a music teacher.

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 "Let It Be" by the Beatles on the bass

Want to know how to play the bassline to the Beatles' "Let It Be"? 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 this great (and simple) Paul McCartney song on your own bass guitar, watch this how-to!

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: 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 "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: 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: Play "Under Pressure" on the bass

This great tutorial shows you how to play John Deacon's bassline to Queen's "Under Pressure". It's a great breakdown of the various parts and notes so you can learn it very quickly.

How To: Play the upright bass

The upright bass can be played with fingers or with a bow. Learn how to play upright bass in this free double bass video lesson from a music teacher.

How To: Play minor scales and arpeggios on the upright bass

Practice upright bass with minor scales and arpeggios. Learn about scales, sharps, flats, and more in this free upright bass video from a classical and jazz bassist.

How To: Play soul music on the bass guitar

Would you like to be a soul master? Learning to be an R&B and soul bassist has never been easier with these free videos on music theory.

How To: Learn how to play the bass using tapping techniques

In this two part bass guitar lesson you will learn to play using the finger tapping technique. Part 1 of 2 - How to Learn how to play the bass using tapping techniques.

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 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: 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 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 "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: Play the bass line to "Rain" by the Beatles

Want to know how to play the bass line to the Beatles' "Rain"? 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 "She's Not There" by Santana on a bass guitar

"She's Not There" is a great song from The Zombies in the 1960s, a top-ten hit in the U.S., and it spawned a number of covers, including hit version from his 1977 album Moonflower. Not quite as famous as the original, peaking at #27, but good nonetheless. And that's the version you'll be learning in this bass how-to.

How To: Play the bass to Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit"

Kurt Cobain's simple but majestic songwriting for Nirvana has been perhaps the greatest boon to aspiring rock musician of the last two decades. The video from How To Play Bass details how to play Krist Novoselic's iconic bassline from the song Smells Like Teen Spirit. Even if you can't count sixteenths, this video should have you playing the song quickly and is a great way for beginners to learn to play a really fun part without needing too much experience.

How To: Play The Clash's "Should I Stay or Should I Go" (bass)

Should you stay or should you go? Well, that depends on if you want to learn how to play the baseline for "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" by the Clash. If you're staying, pick up your bass guitar and get ready to rock! Watch this video lesson to see the baseline broken down and spelled out, note-by-note, along with fretboard positions and strings to play. Plus, you can hear the notes of the line played against a metronome click to ensure that you can hear the rhythm.

How to Play bass: Double stopswith tritones

How to Play Double-Stop Boogie with Rich Appleman and Danny Morris When you play double-stop, you have two techniques to choose from, like strumming two post strings at the same time. You could also play this by strumming 2 adjacent strings. Tritone means three tones. Try to slide in and out of the tritones to make a nice sound on the base coupled with an open string. Couple it with a nice chord, you can now play the double-stop boogie.

How To: Play basic walking bass lines

If you are looking to begin playing the bass then this how to video is the place to start. This is a short demonstration lesson detailing the basic principles of walking bass lines. You will learn some easy scales and how to play a walking bass line for whatever song you are playing. With this tutorial you will learn tips to improve your walking bass technique.