Stingray of New

[Big C]

Hello to all,

New member, as seen by the 'newbie,' status hung on the incoming freshman. I am a new owner of a Stingray I bought at the Guitar Center in Montgomery, Alabama. It is a four string looking like the picture in my avatar. I would like to know the semantics of my bass, though. Like what differentiate's the Stingrays, other than by color and strings? Also, being a begining bass player, I would love some tips - i.e., things that you don't want to do as a bass player, etiquite wise, things to do to be a better bass player, etcetera. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks for the input. GB.

 

[adouglas]

I would love some tips - i.e., things that you don't want to do as a bass player, etiquite wise,

Oh, boy. This is gonna be good.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[sandaas]

well, here's one thing you should do; practice to a metronome. Bassplayers who are totally off time = BAD

Most importantly, Have fun and lots of it!

Welcome to the forum



did I mention these are things you SHOULD do?

 

[adouglas]

Some truths:

Less is more. Repeat this to yourself at least a hundred times a day.

Doing the basic thing right (e.g., learning to play a simple I-IV-V line in perfect time) is MUCH more important than learning to slap and pop, tap, or play a million miles an hour.

Pay attention to what you're doing. LISTEN to the music. (Ever hear a crappy band playing an old, tired song? They're on autopilot...not listening to what they're doing.)

Play straight, always. You may think you sound fantastic with a couple o' bunch o' beers in you, but you don't. Really.

WEAR EARPLUGS, DAMMIT (See the tinnitus thread)! If it's too loud, you're not too old. It's just too loud.

Every minute you spend learning the fretboard and your scales, as tedious as it might be, will pay off in spades later on.

Don't get bogged down with tedium. Kick it out once in a while and just have fun...but always go back to those fundamentals.

 

[hankSRay]

Hey, Welcome to the forum

 

[adouglas]

Oh, BTW...you've already done something really, really smart:

Bought a good instrument to begin with instead of some cheap, flashy piece o' excrement.

Too many newbies go in the wrong direction, again and again and again, before finally spending the money for a decent bass.

Well done!

 

[Rimshot]

The best advice I can give is to play EVERYTHING! If you love music (and it's obvious we all do!) then learn the poop out of all the songs you can get your hands on. Besides the bassline:learn horn parts, learn the vocal melodies, hell, learn the solos.

Ettiquette tip: never tune at stage volume.

(note to self, check dictionary for spelling of ettiquette)

 

[Dr Stankface]

First and foremost, welcome! We seem to have ANOTHER Alabama EBMM player.

We're smarter than we look down here in the south.




I think.

 

[syciprider]

Play it like you stole it.

 

[maddog]

Play it like you stole it.

or as I like to say, play it like you have the title and the KBB is under $500.

Welcome aboard.

 

[tkarter]

Welcome to the forum. If you want to be a great bass player you will be.

tk

 

[UKFIN]

Practice, practice ,practice

Watch other bass playes , look what they do. then develop your own style

Remember you wont become a bass player by osmosis ( ie hanging around bass players, talking in forums etc) Practice and play live .

 

[phatduckk]

hey buddy - welcome to the forum and more importantly welcome to the bass world

as far as do's and dont's" as a bassist: just have fun. thats the most important thing; as far as youre playing style ... youll grow into it. some people like to say "less is more" or other things (they migt be right) but it doesnt matter unless youre having fun. have fun and you'll grow into your own style

 

[ras1983]

Hello to all,

New member, as seen by the 'newbie,' status hung on the incoming freshman. I am a new owner of a Stingray I bought at the Guitar Center in Montgomery, Alabama. It is a four string looking like the picture in my avatar. I would like to know the semantics of my bass, though. Like what differentiate's the Stingrays, other than by color and strings? Also, being a begining bass player, I would love some tips - i.e., things that you don't want to do as a bass player, etiquite wise, things to do to be a better bass player, etcetera. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks for the input. GB.

Hellio and welcome. glad to see you have chosen to remain on this forum.

i have three things which will make your life easier:

1. Always, ALWAYS practice to a metronome or drum tack of some sort. this is the ONLY way your timing will be prefected.

2. Learn some technical exercises and scales and practice EACH ONE for 3 minutes, as fast and as cleanly as you can. basically, you want to practice exercises at the fastest tempo that you can play CLEANLY. if your playing is sloppy, or if the notes sound choked, the tempo is too fast and you need to slow it down a tad. but, don't ever go backwards in tempo, the idea is to develop your maximum speed and PRECISION so that it becomes much easier to play at slower speeds.

3. Never, NEVER, NEVER forget to have fun. practice is not meant to kill your motivation, it is meant to halp you improve. if you feel that you need a break from practising scales and exercises, then just go to a freind's house and jam, or play along to a CD or something. our love of music and the enjoyment we get is the reason we play instruments.

its taken me a while to learn these things, i hope that they can be of help.

 

[Steve Dude Barr]

Always, ALWAYS practice to a metronome or drum tack of some sort. this is the ONLY way your timing will be prefected.

LOL...music is not perfect...if you want perfect then just program bass tracks in.

 

[ras1983]

LOL...music is not perfect...if you want perfect then just program bass tracks in.

Well, aiming to become perfect is as close as any human will get to perfect.

 

[Steve Dude Barr]

But, will it get you an extra piece of chicken??? Hmmmm??

 

[ras1983]

But, will it get you an extra piece of chicken??? Hmmmm??

I don't know, i will try it out next time at KFC...

"Hey, check out my timing...1 & 2 & 3 & 4....

...now give me a free chicken breast. failure to do so will result in me hitting you with my bass. kapish?!"

a few moments pass by, they're playing pink floyd's 'Money' over their speakers...

"funny, i don't remember sirens in this song... ah crap, you called the cops, didn't you?"... WHACK.

 

[Steve Dude Barr]

You mean "capiche'"?? Where you from??

 

[Steve Dude Barr]

The Correct Way to Come Home Drunk:


Two married buddies are out drinking one night, when one turns to the other and says, "You know, I don't know what else to do. Whenever I go home after we've been out drinking, I turn the headlights off before I get to the driveway. I shut off the engine and coast into the garage. I take my shoes off before I go into the house, I sneak up the stairs, get undressed in the bathroom, stick my foot in the toilet and pee down my leg to prevent splashing sounds. I ease into bed and my wife STILL Wakes Up, and Yells at me for staying out so late!

"His buddy looks at him and says "Well, you're obviously taking the wrong approach. I screech into the driveway, slam the door, storm up the steps, pee hard into the toilet water, then use the full flush, throw my shoes in the closet, undress in the bedroom, then jump into bed, slap her on the ass and say!, WHO'S HORNY????!!!" and she acts like she's sound asleep.