Should you take bass lessons? This question is asked by both beginners and experienced bass players alike. While beginners are looking to excel as quickly as possible, experienced players are looking for that extra bit of knowledge that will make them even better than they already are.

The truth is, bass lessons are not for everyone. Let’s take a look at some hypothetical situations to help decide if bass lessons are right for you.  [Read more…]

Choosing your first bass guitar can be tough. After all, there are so many choices to be made. In this article, we’re only going to focus on one important choice – the number of screens.

Many bassists (beginner and otherwise) have a hard time choosing how many strings their next bass guitar should have. There are so many options available – from the standard 4-string, all the way up to 12 strings or more. For most people (especially those choosing their first bass), it’s usually a tough choice between 4, or 5 strings.

So, should your first bass have 4 or 5 strings?

Let’s take some time now to help you decide.  [Read more…]

It’s been an endless debate. Pick or pluck. Fingers or pick. It seems that no matter what you choose, the opposite group will lash out at you.

“Picks are for beginners!” the pluckers would shout. “You can play easier with a pick. so you’d be a fool not to” the pickers would say in response. These two groups have been arguing against each other for years, and it never really amounts to anything.

It’s kind of funny, because both groups are wrong. So which should you actually use? When you’re playing bass guitar, should you use your fingers or a pick?  [Read more…]

eBay can be a great way to snatch a deal, but it runs the risk of coming with a huge cost.

eBay has been a resource for musicians to buy and sell their instruments for years now, with thousands of transactions taking place each day. This is great for us musicians – sellers can sell their old gear to buy new stuff, and buyers can hopefully snatch a deal at a discounted price. However, transactions don’t always go that smoothly, especially when handling something as fragile as a bass guitar.  [Read more…]

Have you ever tried getting a new band together? It’s not easy. Many people are forced to turn to websites such as Craigslist or Bandmix to find local musicians, and it doesn’t always turn out well.

9/10 times you’ll find people aren’t serious about the music. They want to ‘play band’ rather than play in a band. They overestimate their abilities, and if you can actually get them to meet up with you it’s a huge letdown.

Fortunately for you, this is especially true with bassists. This means that if you actually care about your instrument (I’m assuming you do, since you’re on this site!) you’re at a real advantage.  [Read more…]

Should you play bass or guitar? Choosing a new instrument to play can be tough, especially if you’re a beginner who doesn’t have the time or money to test out a bunch of different options. While each and every instrument has its pros and cons, the benefits of playing bass guitar often go unnoticed by many beginner musicians.

While many believe that guitarists are the only band members to shine, the fact of the matter is that playing bass guitar in a band has a lot of hidden benefits too. Here are some reasons to learn to play this beautiful instrument [Read more…]