Name: How to Learn Bass Scales (Become a Better Bassist, Not a Robot) @BassBuzz
Uploaded: 2026-09-18T08:17:00-05:00
Duration: 8 min 17 s
Description: How to Learn Bass Scales (Become a Better Bassist, Not a Robot)

How to Learn Bass Scales (Become a Better Bassist, Not a Robot)

BassBuzz 2026-09-18 | How to Learn Bass Scales (Become a Better Bassist, Not a Robot)

Slap... Practice THIS Daily (10 Mins)

BassBuzz 2024-02-10 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: http://yeah.bassbuzz.com/daily-slap
Wanna get better at slap bass in just 10 minutes a day? This stupidly simple exercise will level up your speed, technique, and accuracy.

Free PDF with 10min slap workout routine: bassbuzz.com/go/slap-daily
Playalong audio: soundcloud.com/bass_buzz/daily-slap-practice-track

2 weeks from now, you walk into the music store and lay down this SICK slap riff. The owner says “Wow, you’re so good at slapping! How did you learn to do that?”

The secret? This video, and 10 minutes per day of practice. This one slap bass exercise will help fix bad tone, worse accuracy, and worse-er speed.

This exercise has been tried, tested and approved by my students on the BassBuzz forum. At the end of the video, you’ll see how they did after 14 days.

So prepare to ditch your bad habits and get the most out of your 10 minute routine. Practice this exercise every day and you'll become a master of tone, accuracy and speed while slapping.

In this video, you’ll learn how to:

* Master tone, accuracy and speed while slapping
* Use the ‘teeter totter’ technique for slap bass
* Sexy up your slap lines with ‘ghost notes’
* Play 92.3% of all hammer ons
* NOT get kicked out of music stores for slap crimes

Thanks to Neville and the crew at Loud and Clear Music in Cotati CA for the hijinx! Stop in if you're in the area, my favorite music consignment shop in town. - loudandclearmusic.com

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#SlapBassLesson #BassBuzz

Bass Scales for Beginners (5 Stupidly Simple Steps)

BassBuzz 2024-01-06 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: http://yeah.bassbuzz.com/scale
Getting overwhelmed trying to learn bass scales and actually make music? Sidestep the struggle with this simple step-by-step method.

Free bass scales for beginners PDF: bassbuzz.com/go/major-scale

Remember the first time you picked up your bass? You gazed deeply at the neck, and you instantly knew exactly where to place your fingers, to make amazing music that would CHANGE THE WORL-

Yeah, me either. Bass scales are the secret to coming up with bass lines + learning songs easily… but not the way most people learn them.

In this lesson, you’ll learn:
* The most famous beginner bass scales shape since Leo Fender gave birth to the universe
* How to play scales anywhere on the neck
* The “copy/paste” cheat code for bass scales
* Why good artists copy and great bassists STEAL
* The Jaco endorsed glue for bass scales
* What it looks like when a 34 year old man plays with LEGOs in his living room

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#BassScales #BassBuzz #BassBotApproved

Precision vs Jazz (If I Could Only Have One)

BassBuzz 2023-12-09 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: http://yeah.bassbuzz.com/battlepvj
The Jazz bass is more popular than the Precision… but many pro’s prefer P bass. So which bass is better?

* Free PDF to help you pick P vs J bass - bassbuzz.com/go/battle-pvj
* Bass tabs for all those tasty P/J riffs - noteflight.com/scores/view/674354bbffe0f918a07691e95639b97dad1ff1dc

The Fender Jazz and Precision are the two most legendary basses in history, making up 83.5% of all recorded music. Or something like that, I didn’t actually do the math.

They sound and feel TOTALLY different, and you need to know the differences to figure out which is right for you, P bass vs J bass. That’s why in this video I’ll walk you through:
* Which is better for rock?
* What about funk?
* Emm, what about soul?
* But seriously, what about SLAP?
* If I could only have one, which bass I’d pick

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#Precision #Jazz #BassBuzz

Jamersons Stupidly Simple Exercise (for Killer Bass Lines)

BassBuzz 2023-11-18 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: http://yeah.bassbuzz.com/jamerson
James Jamerson used THIS exercise as a cheat code to create hit after hit bass line - lemme show you how to use it to write your own bangin’ bass lines in ANY style of music.

Free PDF with the exercise in every key - bassbuzz.com/go/jamerson-exercise
Bonus video with full exercise playthrough - youtu.be/LD-C0PRfTdA
Learn more about roots and fifths - youtu.be/Z6TCexKJpAQ

YOU have heard James Jamerson whether you know it or not - he was a legendary bassist who played on nearly every Motown record, and influenced every modern electric bassist who came later, from Paul McCartney to Robert DeLeo to Geddy Lee.

But Jamerson wasn’t flying blind - he developed an exercise to help him practice his “chromatic approach to bass playing”.

In this lesson, I’ll explain what the hell that means, and the three critical ingredients you need to take this from plain old finger workout to being a cheat code for legit bass lines in any style. You’ll learn how to:
- Make roots and fifths non-boring
- Use notes outside of the scale without creating chaos and destruction
- Play rhythms that sound more funky
- Identify which songs Jamerson played drunk

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#JamesJamerson #BassBuzz

Top 10 Rock Bass of 2023

BassBuzz 2023-10-22 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: http://yeah.bassbuzz.com/rock2023
Rock bass in 2023 - innovators or imitators? Check out 10 of the headbangingest bass lines and see what you think.

All the bass tabs: noteflight.com/scores/view/19cecb4545646469d635ccfdec7b314c4e112b3e
Spotify playlist: open.spotify.com/playlist/68ChT4uE5Jx5BRZW2I9brM

I was surprised by some of the bands that ended up on this list, from old favorites like Metallica, Foo Fighters and Royal Blood, to some new names like The Warning and Måneskin.

You could keep reading this… or you could just watch the video. Or click on this link that will automatically make you better at bass - yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe

#RockBass #BassBuzz

10 Songs That Taught Me Metal (Easy to Effin’ Hard)

BassBuzz 2023-10-01 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: http://yeah.bassbuzz.com/10metal
Wanna level up your metal game? Here’s 10 songs that helped me suck less at the dark art of metal bass.

All the metal bass tabs + sheet music - noteflight.com/scores/view/b8677dfa4e53e121a8a44b1007e860932198ccf4
Spotify playlist - open.spotify.com/playlist/4SHgKkNApSlUw1nSd0Jjqd

These are 10 songs that taught me metal bass, from “easy” to “almost died in the attempt.” Seriously.

Does that mean all metal is hard? Nah, plenty of metal bass riffs are easy peasy. If you can play them and learn from them, you’ll be a solid bassist that people wanna play with, even if you can’t play flashy.

In this video, you’ll learn:
* How Bob Daisley snuck melodic metal bass behind Ozzy
* Geezer Butler knew when NOT to hammer on
* A System of a Down riff to test your clumsy fretting fingers
* Steve Harris clanks and clacks so freaking fast
* The John Myung line that caused me a Panic Attack
* How Cliff Burton proved that bassists could shred
* How to drive a song HARD like David Ellefson
* Tips from Slayer on writing heartwarming song titles like “Raining Blood”
* The “pick vs fingers” debate settled for the millionth time
* You don’t always need theory…well, you do…but you don’t?
* Low D string = pretty friggin’ metal
* The Racer X song that actually almost destroyed my self confidence

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#MetalBassLesson #BassBuzz

How I Would Learn Bass (If I Could Start Over)

BassBuzz 2023-09-17 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: http://yeah.bassbuzz.com/how
If I could learn bass all over again, THIS is what I’d do differently. And no, it’s not practice more with a freaking metronome.

Ya know when you first start learning an instrument, and you’re SUPER PUMPED?

But then the novelty wears off, life starts getting in the way and you find you’re practicing less and less?

THESE are the critical moments that make or break you as a bassist. How you respond in these moments dictates whether you stick with it… or not.

But if typical bass lessons, about [scales] and [fretting technique], are the solution in these tough moments… why do some many people give up?

Because playing bass - and sticking with it - is more than just learning the “outer game” of technique and theory. If you neglect your “inner game” you run a serious risk of doing what I did - realizing you’ve p*ssed years up the wall, which is a charming British expression for wasting your damn life.

So lemme show you the secrets to the “inner game” of learning bass, so that you don’t waste years playing badly and learning slowly.

*King actually pulled this quote from Philip Roth’s “Everyman,” from a character who is quoting the artist Chuck Close. Most writers and artists share this feeling, but Close gets the quote cred.

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#InnerGameofBass #BassBuzz

Top 30 Most Iconic FUNK Bass Riffs

BassBuzz 2023-08-19 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: http://yeah.bassbuzz.com/funkriffs
Need some funky bass inspiration? Take a juicy bite of these bass riffs, from Stevie Wonder to RHCP to Vulfpeck. It’s business time.

Wanna play along? Here’s bass tabs + sheet music for every iconic bass riff, in order: noteflight.com/scores/view/b1918c91ed83d1bc4861fbc8b20816a604c1933d

REALLY wanna play along? Here’s a bonus edit with no zooms or cuts to distract you from following my hands. Enjoy, ya bass nerd 🤓 - youtu.be/khpXNXXoyQw

SPOTIFY PLAYLIST: open.spotify.com/playlist/3NA6WCjEsOqtnLimIi8esU

I had so much fun putting all my favorite funk riffs together for you in this vid. I mean, a lot of my favorites. I would have put 20 more Larry Graham bass lines if you’d tolerate it. 😛

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#IconicBassRiffs #BassBuzz

The 5 Levels of Longview (For Bass)

BassBuzz 2023-08-05 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: http://yeah.bassbuzz.com/longview

You think Longview is just a basic beginner bass riff… but there’s more to Mike Dirnt’s magic than meets the eye.

Longview tab + sheet music: noteflight.com/scores/view/6474247dc4e706a99a12c78c30c4d7868c9df707

Yep, we’re talkin’ about Longview, from Green Day’s 1994 Dookie album. Whether you call it punk rock or pop punk or power pop, we can all agree that Mike Dirnt kills it on the bass.

This is a super popular “beginner bass riff" that everyone wants to play on day one, but there are a bunch of ways you can go wrong. In this video I’ll walk you from level 1 - Noob level - to level 5 - Mike Dirnt beast level.

I bet you didn’t know these things about Longview:
* You can play it as a total n00b and survive a garage jam
* It’ll teach you a rhythmic concept important in jazz, blues, and other styles
* You need to hold a strategic piece of plastic to play it right
* Mike and Billie Joe did something super weird with their tuning before they recorded this album
* Dirnt copped some serious Peter Hook vibes in part of the riff

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#GreenDay #DirntDirntDirnt

10 Levels of Arpeggios (Beautiful to Beastly)

BassBuzz 2023-07-15 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: http://yeah.bassbuzz.com/arps

Let’s see how beautiful bass arpeggios can get… and how much I had to SWEAT to play level 10.

Full bass tab and sheet music: noteflight.com/scores/view/55f196755cd0e4a45d9eecb90dd0cf65e1febac5

Props to Justyn Delbridge for cowriting this with me. (curse you for writing those brutal slap fills at the end 😜)

Thank you so much for watching and listening, I had a lot of fun writing and practicing this one. Subscribe so you don’t miss the next one - yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe

Practice THIS Daily (10 Mins)

BassBuzz 2023-07-01 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: http://yeah.bassbuzz.com/daily
Wanna get better at bass in just 10 minutes a day? This stupidly simple exercise will level up your speed, technique, and walking bass.

Free PDF with workout routine + advanced exercise: bassbuzz.com/go/practice-this

ONE EXERCISE… TO RULE THEM ALL…

An exercise so stupidly simple that a beginner may utilize it, but so flexible that even advanced players will reap its rewards.

This routine will help you progress every single day with just 10 minutes of practice, BUT you won’t get those benefits unless you do this exercise RIGHT.

In this video, prepare to ditch your bad habits and get the most out of your 10 minute routine. Practice this exercise every day and you'll become a master of finger shifting, walking bass lines and plucking.

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#OneExerciseToRuleThemAll #BassBuzz

Is Bass DEAD? I Listen to Spotifys Top 10

BassBuzz 2023-06-10 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: http://yeah.bassbuzz.com/spotify
It’s a tough time for bass in pop music, with all the synths, 808s, and loops… is bass DEAD?

In this video we’re gonna check out the Top 10 off Spotify to see what people are listening to, and find out - is there any salvation for us bass players? Or should we just pack up our basses and call it a day?

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#Spotify #BassBuzz

Make Your Sh*tty Bass Play Like a DREAM (5 Steps)

BassBuzz 2023-05-27 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: http://yeah.bassbuzz.com/setup

Can a simple bass setup make a cheapo bass sound as good as a $1000 axe?

In this video I’ll show you how to set up your bass with a dummy-proof step-by-step method. (just TRY and screw this up, I dare you)

You’ll save a ton of money doing this yourself, and all you have to do is waltz through the five bass set-up steps I show you in the video:

*1. Adjust Your Trussrod*
This gives the neck the right amount of bow for buzz free playing.

*2. Set Your Bridge Saddle Height*
Get the strings the right distance from the fretboard so they’re easy to play (still with no buzzing).

*3. Check the Nut*
Measure to find out if you need professional help (the bass, not you personally).

*4. Tune Up Intonation*
Get your notes in tune ALL over the neck.

*5. Pickup Height*
Dial in solid volume without distortion.

Chapters:
0:00 How to Setup Your Bass
1:30 Step 1: Trussrod
5:00 Step 2: Bridge
8:21 Step 3: Nut
9:47 Step 4: Intonation
12:21 Step 5: Pickups
14:57 Can Gio Tell?

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That's Gio Benedetti rockin' the blindfold - giobenedetti.com

#BassSetup #BassBuzz

7 Reasons Thundercat is Funkin Awesome (+Lesson Tips)

BassBuzz 2023-04-22 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: http://yeah.bassbuzz.com/thundercat
Thundercat is one of the most popular bassists in the world, and possibly elsewhere...so what’s his secret?

THUNDERCAT BASS CHORDS PDF - bassbuzz.com/go/thundercat-chords
THUNDERCAT SPOTIFY PLAYLIST - open.spotify.com/playlist/4Fi5VCXI4RORWep7kMUUAE?si=4e37be439ff54f12

Fix your flying fretting fingers - youtu.be/STl_VANwR6s

Normally things like bass solos, bass chords and effect pedals are a foolproof way to make band leaders and audiences cringe.. and often for good reason.

But Thundercat is a musician first, and a bass player second. (and a cat daddy third, I guess?)

He redefines what it means to be a bass player and finds a happy medium between what's appropriate and what's overkill. He doesn’t just shred for flash - he fully supports the music and fills up the sonic space to make the song better.

So what planet did his creativity come from? How did a man named Stephen Lee Bruner use his love of comics to create his alter ego of Thundercat and fuel a bass revolution?

In this video, I explore the story of how he uses thunderously fast chops, wubby effects and colorful chords to reach the pinnacle of bass kool-kat-ism. Thundercat hoooooooooooo!!!

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#Thundercat #BassBuzz #MeowMeow

Bassist Hears Thundercat Song for First Time (Mind Blown)

BassBuzz 2023-02-25 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: http://yeah.bassbuzz.com/funnything
I’ve never heard “Funny Thing” by Thundercat before… now I have to write my own bass line. In front of you. In 3 takes. Let’s hit it.

Need the bass tab and sheet music for the original Funny Thing bass line? Here ya go -
FULL BASS TAB: noteflight.com/scores/view/5e4e5b2fe5be02d385b68fed2cfb86eae23a468c

Thundercat is one of the most shredding bass players alive today - what am I getting myself into?

“Funny Thing” is the most popular track from Thundercat’s 2020 album “It Is What It Is,” featuring his beastly signature 6-string bass sound.

Watch the video to see if I was able to fake it okay on 4-string, and how my bass line compared to the original. (hopefully not terrible)

I had to dig into Thundercat more, here's a full mega video on why he's awesome: youtu.be/vMD3ZRi5RfA

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#Thundercat #BassBuzz

Top 30 Most Iconic Bass Riffs

BassBuzz 2023-01-28 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: http://yeah.bassbuzz.com/iconic-riffs
Need some bass inspiration? Take this megadose of iconic bass riffs, played chronologically from Cream to Led Zeppelin to Gorillaz.

SPOTIFY PLAYLIST: open.spotify.com/playlist/3ZEqrMzUGcmRv9T7qDMS4K?si=4926960fb1ed4a59

Want to play along? Here’s sheet music and bass tabs for every iconic bass riff, in order: noteflight.com/scores/view/b6aba8d47d8e6e620b177f33b0d55a0460bc8e5e

I really enjoyed putting this list together for you. It’s cool to see how bass riffage has changed over the decades. I love them all… but if I had to choose, I can’t resist a good 90’s bass riff. RHCP *and* RATM. Come. On.

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#IconicBassRiffs #BassBuzz

7 Days to Learning Bass (Beginner Lesson)

BassBuzz 2023-01-14 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/7days
Time to get badass - this complete practice routine will teach you to lock with a beat and crank out solid bass lines in 7 days.

🎸 Free Practice Resources:
DAYS 1-4 PLAYALONGS: on.soundcloud.com/rqF4U
DAY 3: Bass fretting deep dive - youtu.be/XdrDozdlEWc
DAY 4: Root-fifth science - youtu.be/Z6TCexKJpAQ
DAY 5: Bass Notes Cheatsheet - bassbuzz.com/go/notes-cheatsheet
DAY 5: Bass fretboard notes - youtu.be/tcok98Vk6uA
DAY 5: Chord Chart Practice Sheet - bassbuzz.com/go/charts-practice
DAY 6+7: Jam with Radiohead - youtu.be/XFkzRNyygfk

This isn’t the same old super basic beginner bass lesson where I teach you how to plug your bass in - been there, done that. youtu.be/7anFuDXV2j8

You’re gonna learn the basics by actually playing music. You’ll learn how to:
- have fun improvising
- lock in with a beat
- make up cool sounding riffs
- crank out solid bass lines
- read chord charts, the secret to quickly learning songs
- play along with real songs

This lesson is designed so you learn your first skill on day 1, pause the video and go practice. Then come back on day 2, rinse and repeat, until you’ve graduated by the end of the week.

(you can rip through the whole video in one go if you want, I'm stuck in your screen and I can’t stop you)

Chapters:
00:00 - Day 1
03:54 - Day 2
08:51 - Day 3
11:35 - Day 4
14:35 - Day 5
18:05 - Day 6
20:24 - Day 7

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#BeginnerBassLesson #BassBuzz #NoobJoshApproved

What Bass Pedals Should You Actually Buy?

BassBuzz 2022-12-15 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/live-2

Pedals, pedals, pedals. Let's talk bass pedals. What pedals should you actually buy? Do you really need any? And what pedals will make you a better bassist?

Make sure your credit card isn't within arm's reach, because pedals are a huge GAS danger zone. (at least for me, yikes)

I'll also share some of my favorite music with prominent use of bass pedals, and answer all your questions, pedal-related and otherwise.

Subscribe and turn on notifications so you don't miss the next stream - yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe

#BassBuzz #Livestream

Bass Mistakes That Are SLOWING You Down

BassBuzz 2022-12-10 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/mistakes2

Stop wasting time in the shed - shave years off your practice by avoiding these 5 common bass mistakes.

You can’t unsee this lesson - by the end of it you’ll know how to:
- Stop repeating mistakes
- How to practice bass more efficiently
- Structure your practice to avoid time-wasting
- Stay out of panic mode on a gig
- Recognize patterns that help you remember songs and bass lines
- Learn songs at the right level for you

20 Easy Bass Songs to Learn - open.spotify.com/playlist/5l2Rb4lOxfWtFolvKBG5Ln

Gear used in the video (not affiliated):
2016 Squier Vintage Modified Jazz with Audere preamp
GruvGear SoloStrap Neo 4”
Noble DI
Audient iD 14

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#BassMistakes #BassBuzz

Im Your Bass Teacher. Ask Me Anything.

BassBuzz 2022-11-17 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/live1

Welcome to the first ever BassBuzz livestream! I'll answer all your questions, share some behind-the-scenes on recent videos, and play some bass.

Subscribe and turn on notifications so you don't miss the next stream - yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe

#BassBuzz #Livestream

7 Basses You Should NEVER Buy

BassBuzz 2022-11-12 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/7basses
Are you accumulating too much bass gear? Time to kick GAS to the curb and learn the 7 basses you should NEVER buy.

I’ll explain why you should stop getting suckered by:
- The hot new bass
- Compromise buys
- Expensive basses that put you in debt
- Basses for the wrong style and level
- That extra bass you don’t need that made your spouse angry

When you focus less on gear, you focus more on *playing* and can become a better bassist. So stick around to the end of the video where I’ll give you my cunning plan so GAS never gets the best of you again.

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#BassesYouShouldn’tBuy #BassBuzz

10 Songs That Taught Me SLAP (Easy to Effin’ Hard)

BassBuzz 2022-10-15 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/10slap
Learning slap bass is a long lonely road… here’s 10 songs that taught me how to slap, and how you can level up YOUR slap bass game.

All the metal bass tabs + sheet music - noteflight.com/scores/view/99c061909906d13a10f4ab3bde51180d0fdbbd5b

When I started playing bass at age 13, nothing seemed cooler than slap bass. But frankly I sucked at it… for kind of a long time. That’s why all these slap bass lines were so crucial to get my technique to the next level.

Which slap lines, you ask? Well you’ll have to watch the video, you saucy reader of descriptions. You’ll learn things like:
- The easy formula Stuart Zender (and everyone else) uses for funky slap
- That yes, Flea bass lines will appear in almost every slap bass lesson ever
- A trick Les Claypool of @officialprimus uses to sound more melodic
- Who the grandfather of slap bass is
- How impossible it is to slap the bass too hard (thanks Louis Johnson)
- Nate Phillips sexy thumb-fingers hybrid technique
- @MarcusMiller1 slaps amazingly and once wore parachute pants
- Stupid-sounding-but-fantastic advice from Mark King about slapping fast
- @squarepushermusic is not a human and he slaps too fast
- How @victorwooten re-revolutionized slap bass

SPOTIFY PLAYLIST: open.spotify.com/playlist/2utdUogbwfKqiDEgXheqJh

Check out the original 10 Songs That Taught Me Bass: youtu.be/LrVztlpY89I

Need more slap? I got you covered - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOl84QQMcy_CsGCI0lJ1eDt0tB5I9MDmR

Help me glue my thumb back together by subscribing to BassBuzz - yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe

#SlapBass #BassBuzz

Flea Teaches His Stupidly Simple Slap Drill (For Insane Speed)

BassBuzz 2022-08-21 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/flea2
Build your slap bass speed, endurance, and accuracy with Flea’s slap speed drill, + learn how to make your own slap lines RED HOT.

➤ Get the full tab: noteflight.com/scores/view/a09c8214ee93af9b8fce8dfa2a92163470c6dd0f

Idiot-Proof Beginner Slap Lesson - youtu.be/UfdG9gsAGlI

Slap & Pop Technique - youtu.be/600EIdfoHgM

By The Way, This Is The Place you’ll learn:
➤ How Flea taught himself to slap (fast)
➤ Which RHCP bass lines use this pattern
➤ Easily level-up your slap lines and solos
➤ Josh Can’t Stop putting RHCP puns in this description

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#FleaBassLesson #RedHotChiliPeppers

5 String Basses Suck for Beginners (7 Reasons)

BassBuzz 2022-07-10 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/5string
Is it dangerous to learn on 5 string bass? Here are all the reasons you might wanna stick to a classic 4 string when you start out.

Yeah, 5 string basses can be super cool. But also, as you’ll learn in this video:
- slapping = harder
- 25% more notes to learn (yes I do have a math degree)
- may hurt your back like an out of shape Spiderman
- can lead to tasteless rumbly playing
- harder to pluck the right string
- may make you sound like a muddy earthquake

You read all the way through this video description… you must really like bass lessons. Subscribe so you don’t miss the next one - yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe

#5StringBass #Versus #4StringBass

How to Play Bass With a Pick (from an ex-Pick Hater)

BassBuzz 2022-05-22 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/pick
Real bassists don’t use picks… except for when they do (a lot). Let’s bust this myth and find out how to play bass with a pick.

By the end of this lesson you’ll be able to answer these questions when your dumb (but endearing) friends ask you them:
- Okay seriously, do legit bassists use a pick?
- Why in god’s name would you want to use a pick?
- Picking the right pick (so you can pick while you pick)
- How to hold these weird little triangles
- Basic bass picking technique
- Different (pick) strokes for different (bass) folks

You read all the way through this video description… you must really like bass lessons. Subscribe so you don’t miss the next one - yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe

#PickBassLesson #HowToPlayBassWithAPick #PickVsFingers #ComeAtMeBro

Are Your Hands *too small* to Play Bass? (5 *BIG* Mistakes)

BassBuzz 2022-04-24 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/smallhands
Are your hands too small to play bass? No, but… these five common fretting mistakes might be wrecking your reach.

If you watch this video, you run the risk of learning:
- How not to suck at fretting with small hands
- The manuever you should be doing *regardless* of hand size
- How to get flexibility gainz
- Does a short scale bass make it all better?
- How stretchy do your fingers really need to be?

You read all the way through this video description… you must really like bass lessons. Subscribe so you don’t miss the next one - yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe

#smallhands #beginnerbasslesson #NoobJoshApproved

Ibanez SR300E vs. Yamaha TRBX304 (Jack of All Basses / Master of None?)

BassBuzz 2022-03-20 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/ibanezyamaha
Can these modern basses really “do it all”? This bass review will show you which is better, and how it compares to a classic Fender.

Yes, it’s time to battle the two most popular basses in this class - the Yamaha TRBX304, versus the Ibanez SR300E.

These basses both get hyped as being “versatile” - in this bass review we’ll find out just how versatile they really are.

I’ll do tons of back-to-back tone shootouts between the two in different style of music, plus look at their different features and build quality. (including the extremely hypey ‘gimmick switches’)

We’ll also compare them both to more classic Fender-style basses, to see if they can really deliver the tones we all wanna hear.

By the end of this video you’ll know:
- Which bass I recommend for beginners
- Which one is more metal 🤘
- Whether to go modern or classic for your first bass

If you like unbiased review videos with no affiliate links, you’re in the right place. Subscribe so you miss the next one - yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe

Check out my previous review of the Yamaha TRBX304, plus more beginner bass reviews - bassbuzz.com/gear/beginner-basses

#beginnerbassreviews #YamahaTRBX304 #IbanezSR300E

Why This Bass Line Effin’ Kills It → Roundabout by Yes (+Tab)

BassBuzz 2022-02-13 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/roundabout
How do you get that Chris Squire *sizzle*? Lemme break down “Roundabout” for you and show how you to level up your own bass lines.

Full Roundabout Bass Tab + Sheet Music: noteflight.com/scores/view/89a43486c923ee03329b304071ecf65034a44ca4

Hey, are you the bassist in a famous 70’s prog band? Me neither. But by the end of the video, you’ll sound a little more like it. I’ll cover
- What makes that epic Roundabout bass riff so… epic
- How to play bass with a drummer PROG-style
- How to sound really good by shutting up
- Chris’s top secret (and insane) melody overdubs
- WTF how is his bass tone so disgustingly good
- Watch to the end to see Chris doing his Michael Palin impression

What’s the name of this band? Would you like to subscribe to BassBuzz?
Click here if the answer is YES - yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe

#ChrisSquire #Roundabout #ToBeContinued

7 Reasons Les Claypool is Strangely Awesome (+Lesson Tips)

BassBuzz 2022-01-16 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/claypool
Les Claypool - human, or slap bass machine? Or Willie Wonka in disguise? Here’s my take, plus bass lesson tips to match his style.

Sheet music + bass tab for all the Primus riffs I played - noteflight.com/scores/view/6551000623c0da2f7b01d9f443a1f10dc32c69d7

Let’s get right into it - if you’re anything like me, your brain probably exploded when you first heard Les Claypool slapping up a storm on a Primus tune. “How does a human make a bass guitar sound like that?” you may have asked yourself. “How does Josh know what my internal monologue is?” Fair question.

The thing is, Les’s technique actually can be comprehended by mortal minds - I’ll break it down for you, so you can start learning some Primus riffs ASAP.

Then we’ll dig into all things strum. Les plays a lot of bass chords, and combines them with his slap technique to create a lot of his signature bass lines. Again - I’ll break it down, you can copy it and learn Primus riffs. Are you sensing a pattern?

But how the hell does he pick all these weird notes? I’ll dig into a little bit of music theory (hey wait stop running away) to explain why Primus sounds like Primus and not… that weird Hanson mashup that I subject you to in this section of the video.

Time to take a tour of Colonel Claypool’s tapping technique. I’ll show you some of Les’s favorite moves, plus how to approach tapping with his particular style.

Also - Les is the king of weird bass tone. Let’s talk about it. I’ll demonstrate how different he sounds compared to other basses from the same era, and how crucial his tone is to getting the Primus sound.

Finally, we end as all semi-biographical tribute videos must end… with some juicy quotes from Les about the creative process, and a painfully obvious pun based on a Primus song title.

Don’t miss the next video - subscribe here: yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe

#LesClaypool #BassLesson #PrimusSucks

Beginner Bass Lesson #1 (Your Very First Lesson)

BassBuzz 2021-10-31 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/beginner1

Life sucks without bass - so let’s get you started. In this beginner bass lesson you’ll go from total noob to rocking your first song.

**FREE BEGINNER RESOURCES:**
Bass Tone Fixes - youtu.be/0KgB7wIyTUw
Tune Your Bass - youtu.be/MjyFJYcr6-o
Learn Your Fretboard - youtu.be/tcok98Vk6uA
How to Play with a Drummer - youtu.be/PSw5uqkTPzs
7 Days to Learning Bass - youtu.be/2wNhCZdU7TQ
More Beginner Lessons - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOl84QQMcy_DtLmMRMgQ7OGyhZcrjjbUK

In this beginner bass lesson to end all beginner bass lessons, I’ll take you through 7 simple steps to get from square zero to square… bass.

First I’ll get you started with playing position and gear essentials, then we’ll dive deeper into plucking, fretting and groove. And you’ll play three beginner bass riffs along the way.

Things you’ll learn watching this video:
* How to plug in your bass
* How to set your bass and amp knobs
* Pro tip on how not to kill your bass batteries :P
* How to sit or stand with the bass
* Tuning makes you not sound like s***
* How to pluck like a legit bassist
* Fretting hand position for less pain and more gainz
* Groove tips so you can actually play along
* Josh definitely couldn’t get work as a professional actor

Subscribe here for more foolproof beginner bass lessons - yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe

#BeginnerBassLessons #BassBuzz #GrabLifeByTheBass

Are You Plucking the Wrong Way? (Raking v. Alternating Showdown)

BassBuzz 2021-09-26 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/pluck2
Which bass plucking technique is the best - raking or strict alternating? Let’s battle ‘em out on 3 songs to find out. Hadouken! 👊🏼💥

With all the online debate and confusion about “the best bass plucking technique,” it’s time to settle the score.

In this lesson the Strict Alternating technique will battle against the Raking technique, AKA “economy plucking.”

Technique #1, Strict Alternating, means you ALWAYS pluck index-middle-index-middle-etc., regardless of note groupings or string crossings. (or middle-index-middle-index, you can start on either finger)

Technique #2, Raking, means that when you cross from a higher-pitched string to the next lower string (like from the G string to the D string), you can reuse the finger you just plucked with, since it’ll be resting on that string after your previous pluck. That’s why it’s also called “economy plucking” - you’re reusing the same finger so you don’t have to switch.

In this vid, we’ll take both techniques through their paces by battling them out on three popular songs - “Just What I Needed,” by the Cars, “My Friend of Misery,” by Metallica, and “Johnny Kick a Hole in the Sky” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Each round’s winner will be awarded a point, and by the end we’ll see who emerges victorious. Ready… Fight!

Did this lesson clear up some confusion? Subscribe so you can keeping getting more un-confused: yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe

#BassPluckingTechnique #Raking #StrictAlternating #Round1Fight

Why Beginner / Intermediate Bassists Sound “Karaoke-y”

BassBuzz 2021-08-22 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/karaoke

You hit the right notes... but something still feels *off.* Here are 5 subtle nuances pro bassists use to make it sound *on.*

When you use these 5 sneaky pro nuances to shape your bass lines, you can tailor the right feel and emotion for the song, and move beyond the “karaoke zone” that beginner and intermediate bassists get stuck in.

In this lesson, I’ll show you 5 bass lines from popular songs that demonstrate these nuances - plus show you how it sounds when noobs blow over the details.

First up is Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down, remember when you couldn’t stop hearing that song? Now you get to hear it again, as an excellent example of the value of connecting up your notes in a bass line.

Then we’ll tackle some Willie Nelson with On The Road Again. Simple bass lines like this are a great way to expose if you’re playing with consistent rhythm or not. (pro tip - you should)

Yellow by Coldplay isn’t just a crowd-pleasing pop song, it’s also a vehicle for some very slick bass slides. We’ll dig into why Guy Berryman added these to the chorus, and how they could affect your bass lines.

Heading back to the world of folk music, we’ll use a top-grade studio bassist trick called “cutting for the snare” to get the bass line right on Proud Mary by Creedence Clearwater Revival, plus I’ll explain when to use it in your own playing.

We’ll wrap up with Best of You by the Foo Fighters, digging into the technique Nate Mendel used to get his bass line to drive super hard. And of course, I’ll explain how to do it in your own parts. (as you probably guessed if you read all this)

And if you’re still reading even after that, you should probably subscribe to BassBuzz. You’re clearly enamored - yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe

#BeginnerBassLessons #NoobJoshApproved

How to JAM a Metal Bass Solo Like Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath)

BassBuzz 2021-07-25 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/geezer
You could learn N.I.B. by rote, from a tab… or stick with me, and learn to jam your own metal bass solos just like Geezer Butler.

Full N.I.B. bass solo tab: noteflight.com/scores/view/ef71af7839e451411412db1866056866028392f9

Geezer Butler is awesome. His bass solo on N.I.B. is awesome. By the end of this video, you too will be awesome.

I’ll walk you through 5 steps to be able to create your own bluesy jammy metal bass solo just like the Geez. We’ll go through each step together, building an actual bass solo as we go.

First I’ll show you the minor pentatonic scale Geezer uses for his solo (and a ton of Black Sabbath riffs), and where to find the notes on the neck so you can move around freely.

Then we’ll cover groove and rhythm, cuz notes without groove are just… noise.

Jack Black would be proud - the next step is to add some ‘bendies,’ which takes us to a whole ‘nother level of Geezer flavor.

It wouldn’t be much of a Geezer Butler video if I didn’t show you some of his signature plucking techniques and manuevers, so we’ll go there next.

Then we’ll put the frosting on the cake with some gear and bass tone discussion. I’ll show you how to get everything dialed in, and how to get that classic N.I.B. wah-wah sound.

I talked to Ozzy Osbourne, he said you should subscribe to BassBuzz: yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe

#GeezerButler #MetalBassSolo #BlackSabbath

The 10 Rules of Bass Playing (That Pros Break)

BassBuzz 2021-06-06 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/10rules
Are rules meant to be broken? Here are 10 commonly taught “bass rules” - let’s see why the pros break ‘em, and if you should too.

According to Teacher Josh’s “proper” bass rules -
* Geddy Lee is plucking too hard
* James Jamerson doesn’t use enough fingers
* Chris Squire doesn’t either, but on the other hand
* Louis Johnson’s hand is all wrong
* Rocco Prestia’s fretting technique is a mess
* Robert Trujillo’s bass is too many miles from his head
* Peter Hook should be penalized by the FAA for flying that high
* Victor Wooten’s tone doesn’t count as “bass tone”
* Billy Sheehan don’t know enough theory to play that good
* Sting is missing the most important beat in his bass lines

Check out @TheArtofGuitar Mike's “Rules Pro Guitarists Break” video - youtu.be/zMENjmBi5uU

As you may suspect... I disagree!

In this lesson I’ll explain in detail why these legendary bassists are “breaking the rules,” and how it can improve (or hurt) your playing to follow their lead.

And at the end, I’ll challenge Teacher Josh to see if he can actually play the bass...

Click here to subscribe - how can ye have any pudding if ye don’t eat yer meat? yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe

#BassRules #TeacherJoshApproved

I Bought 5 Cheap A$$ Basses (To See if They Sucked)

BassBuzz 2021-05-09 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/cheapass
Do $100 basses actually work? Find out in this cheap bass shootout. No affiliates, no sponsors, no punches pulled.

Here are the five cheap basses I reviewed, in order, with some ‘interesting’ highlights from their product pages:

Glarry GP - glarrymusic.com/glarry-precision-electric-bass-guitar-p7.html
Good source for tech specs, plus more reviews. However, I clearly read this - “Buy a guitar and we will send a rich gift package.” Still waiting on my treasure chest, guys!

Harley Benton PB-20 - https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_hbp120bk_ebass.htm
You can read a bunch more reviews on this page, which largely reflect my experience with this instrument in the video. Kudos to Harley Benton (and Glarry) for posting detailed specs on an instrument this cheap.

Z ZTDM - amazon.com/ZTDM-Electric-Exquisite-Burning-Student/dp/B083GR5HCY
“A perfect instrument for emitting wonderful bass effect” - I read this sentence weeks ago and I still think about it sometimes. My main goal is life is just to emit a wonderful bass effect.

Polar Aurora - amazon.com/Polar-Aurora-Strings-Electric-Guitar/dp/B014IHHQ4I
Tired of basses made out of rubber and foam that bend when you’re trying to play? Fear not - “the electric bass guitar is made up of a wooden body, which is characterized by firmness that allows you to play freely.” Revolutionary!
(note: this company has already disappeared since I did these reviews)

Ebay “New Professional” Bass - ebay.com/itm/New-Professional-Golden-4-String-Electric-Bass-Guitar/312807244866
The cheapest of the bunch. According to this page, “To create faultless bass effect, you can not lack a professional bass guitar during guitar performance.” Can’t argue with that! Usually “professional” bass guitars have a brand name though…

In this video, I’ll take you through detailed tone demos for each bass, plus talk about playability and build quality (which is just as important as tone).

Then I’ll pick a winner, and battle it against a more expensive bass to see it’s true that “you get what you pay for.”

Finally I’ll wrap up with some closing thoughts on whether cheapos are worth it, if you should buy used instead of new, and other general bass buying tips.

Subscribe for more no-BS bass reviews - yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe

#CheapBassReviews #NoobJoshApproved

Better Bass Tone with “The Producer Switch” (costs $0)

BassBuzz 2021-04-11 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/producer
What if you could flip a switch to magically get the perfect bass tone for any song? The power is in your plucking hand...

Full playalong tracks here: soundcloud.com/bass_buzz/sets/better-bass-tone-playalongs

Where you place your plucking hand has just as much power as buying new gear or turning knobs. In this lesson I’ll show you Lee Sklar’s secret “producer switch” so you can stop GAS’ing and confidently pick the right tone for the music.

You’ll hear plenty of demos of how these positions sound in the video - plus I’ll show you the frequency spectrum while I change position, so you can actually *see* the difference in tone.

Then we’ll dig into how you can actually learn to use the right position at the right time. I’ll spill the beans on which one’s the most common (and safest) plucking position in most styles of music, plus an easy cheatsheet for deciding when to move to your other plucking zones.

Finally, I’ll let you test these positions in three different styles of music, so you can start to get a feel for how they affect the sound in a band context. Play along with me in the video, and then make sure you use that Soundcloud link above to really dig in and absorb the power of “the producer switch.”

Here’s that full interview clip with Lee Sklar - youtu.be/4JHcAmT1R4U
And his performance video, from his killer Youtube channel - youtu.be/xA1WNHtPcuc

Wanna level up your bass tone even more? Click here to subscribe - yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe

#basstone #TheProducerSwitch #LeeSklarRocks

How to Play Hysteria on Bass (10 Simple Steps + Tabs)

BassBuzz 2021-03-22 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/hysteria
Sick of struggling to play Hysteria? This step-by-step lesson will take you to the finish line and level-up your overall playing.

Get the full Hysteria bass tab + sheet music: noteflight.com/scores/view/6661243f04ea0f40608d7df222c85f1408442d13

There’s a moment in every bassist’s life when we decide we want to learn Hysteria - but why do we struggle with it so much?

In this lesson I’ve broken the Hysteria bass riff into mini step-by-step challenges, so by the end of this video you can glue them all together and legit play the whole riff.

The first couple challenges will focus on your plucking speed and endurance, which is the engine that drives the Hysteria train. (okay, enough of that analogy)

Then we’ll go through some of the easier fretting pieces, training up on the “open string bounce,” followed by some of the gnarlier notes with plenty of fretting advice.

Getting the Hysteria bass tone is half the fun of playing this tune, so our final challenges will cover how to do a decent Wolstenholme impression.

Then we’ll wrap it all up, playing the challenges in sequence until we get to the final form of the riff. (and don’t miss the secret boss level at the very end)

Don’t get hysterical - subscribe here so you don’t pull your hair out when you miss the next video: yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe

#Muse #HysteriaBassLesson #NoobJoshApproved

Bassist Answers Google’s Top Bass VS Guitar Questions

BassBuzz 2021-03-01 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/google
Can guitarists play bass? Which one should you play? Here’s the lowdown on 10 of Google’s top bass vs. guitar questions.

Spotify playlist of recognizable bass lines: open.spotify.com/playlist/2oJd19N9YIDBPPlUIDDy3W?si=5uJSKwMXSCSVG6yWr2_sBw

The internet is very confused about the bass guitar… now at least you won’t be.

But won’t a bassist be biased when answering bass VS guitar questions?
Well, yeah a little, BUT I’ll bring in my close friend Guitar Josh for an ‘outside’ perspective, plus some questionable guitar slapping. We'll answer the questions:
- Is bass the same as guitar?
- Is bass easier than guitar?
- Should I learn guitar or bass first?
- Can guitarists play bass?
- Can a guitar be used as a bass?
- Do bassists use chords like guitarists?
- Do bassists use capos like guitarists?
- Why is it harder to hear bass than guitar?
- Should I play bass or guitar?

Don’t miss the next video - subscribe here: yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe

#BassVSGuitar #BassBuzz

10 Songs that Taught Me Bass (Easy to Effin’ Hard)

BassBuzz 2021-02-08 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/10songs
No, it ain’t just a vanity post - I’m gonna give you tips on soloing, rhythm, speed, endurance and more through these 10 songs.

All the bass tabs + sheet music - noteflight.com/scores/view/4745fcb0e4f2cfb23b7f8c228fba466e82aaa55c
SPOTIFY PLAYLIST: open.spotify.com/playlist/2utdUogbwfKqiDEgXheqJh

Yes, here we go, on a colorful journey through 10 songs that taught me bass… what’s that? You’re just scanning the description for the song titles?

Tsk tsk. You’ll have to watch the video, where I’ll tell you cool stuff like:
How Ray Charles helped me get started (not personally)
What it took to learn my first Ramones song
Life lessons I learned from AC/DC
The coolest walkup ever from The Headhunters
How to take prettier solos
Paul McCartney is good at playing with a singer
How to swing 16ths like The Meters
That time my hand fell off trying to play Muse
That time my other hand fell off playing the Mark Guiliana track at the end

Check out 10 songs that taught me SLAP: youtu.be/aS0zIvpD88Q

Help me reattach my hands (somehow) by subscribing to BassBuzz - yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe

#BassLines #NoobJoshApproved

Boring Bass Lines Fixed (With 1 Simple Walkup Trick)

BassBuzz 2020-12-26 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/walkups
Inject life into your boring beginner bass lines with these simple (but legit) walkup patterns - no theory required.

It actually doesn’t take in-depth theory knowledge to play interesting bass lines.

In this video I’ll show you some easy bass patterns you can use to avoid ploddy, run of the mill bass playing.

We’ll start with a classic 2-note walkup pattern, modeled for us by Kim Deal of The Pixies on “Hey”. I’ll break down how this pattern works, and later you’ll practice sticking it on your own bass lines.

Then we flip the pattern on its head and look at some walk *downs*, with the help of John McVie’s bass line on Fleetwood Mac’s “Gold Dust Woman.”

We can put these together in the same bass line too - I’ll show you how Verdine White did it in “Can’t Hide Love” by Earth Wind & Fire. (dance moves not included)

Now you’ve got the basics - it’s time to apply these directly to a boring bass line. We’ll try out a few of the many versions of a walkup/walkdown flavored bass line, and I’ll give you a troubleshooting hack to make these patterns even more foolproof.

If you enjoyed this lesson, I promise that you will also enjoy subscribing to BassBuzz: yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe

#Walkups #NoMoreBoringBasslines

10 MORE Gadgets to Make You a Better Bassist (Or NOT?)

BassBuzz 2020-11-30 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/gadgets2
We’re back with more bass gadgets - will they level up your playing, or clutter your closet? Let’s find out - no sponsors, no BS.

Wanna know how I rated all these bass gadgets? Watch the video so you get the full context. Here are some quick blurbs on what they do, and where to find them: *(no affiliate links)*

Funk Fingers
Mini drumsticks that attach to your plucking fingers, giving you a totally different tone and attack.

Hot Hand
Handheld expression tool that uses an accelerometer to detect your movements and send the signal to an effect pedal through the base station receiver.

NordyMute
Transform the sound of your bass, making it more muffled and ‘vintage-y’, with this plug-and-play rubber mute.

Soundbrenner Pulse
A metronome you *feel* rather than hear, through a vibrating motor you strap onto your body, which can be synced up to the app or a DAW.

Positive Grid Spark Amp
This super-compact bass amp is also a multieffects unit and a digital audio interface, which can be controlled from a smartphone or tablet.

Getaria + Xvive Wireless
Both these wireless systems are very simple - plug one in your bass, plug the other on your amp, switch ‘em on and go.

RoadieBass Auto Tuner
Straight from Skynet, this little robot (supposedly) tunes your bass for you - just stick it on your tuner and it’ll detect the pitch and turn the knob for you.

Guitar Glove
Nothing magic here - just a nylon glove that can help with various issues including excessive sweating, nerve issues, focal dystonia, arthritis pain, and nickel allergies.

Bonk Thumbrest
This non-adhesive, no-drill thumbrest tightens right onto the edge of your acoustic bass soundhole, so you’ve got somewhere to rest your thumb.

Hearos Earplugs
Tiered earplugs like these are a good option if you don’t want to throw down on custom earplugs - just remember they only protect your ears if you take them out of the case and put them in your ears!

Sensaphonics Custom Earplugs
The gold standard for musician’s ear protection, you’ll need to work with an audiologist to take impressions of your ears to get started with these - but it’s worth the effort if you’re a pro.

Nathan Navarro shredding the Hot Hand: youtu.be/NZDtX7nziRY

Jayme Lewis testing the Roadie Bass: youtu.be/o-lB2qhGKwY

Make sure you catch the next gear review video by subscribing here, so you don’t waste money on any crappy gear - yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe

#bassgadgets #notsponsored

The 5 Levels of Smells Like Teen Spirit (For Bass)

BassBuzz 2020-11-02 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/teenspirit
Fix your flubs on this Nirvana bass rocker + take it from n00b level to Krist Novoselic beast mode. What level can you make it to?

Get this full Nirvana bass tab + sheet music: noteflight.com/scores/view/136fc276af89864293a193ea00db29085e9cf7b8

Yes! We’re tackling “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” from Nirvana’s legendary 1991 “Nevermind” record, which features Krist Novoselic’s creative melodic bass playing.

In Level 1, the n00b level, I’ll you started with a super simple version of this bass line that you can play with your friends in a garage of your choice. I’ll also break down the “Caveman Method” you can use to come up with n00b level bass lines on your own.

Then, we’ll get a little spicier in Level 2 and add some of the cool slides Krist does between notes to give this bass line more character. I’ll show you the basic technique for nailing these slides so you can spice up your bass lines too.

In Level 3, we’ll get legit and start playing the rhythm Krist actually plays - which probably isn’t what you think it is. (hint: it doesn’t match the guitar) I’ll show you a breakdown of how all the rhythms interact in the song, so you have some fresh ideas on how to approach bass rhythms on your own.

Alright, time to get controversial - in Level 4 we’re gonna try to match Krist’s bass tone a little better by using a… let’s call it an “interactive tone modification device.” We’ll also add some cool little ghost notes to glue the rhythm together.

Finally, we’ll wrap up this Nirvana bass lesson and add the final quirks that bring it to Level 5: Krist Level, including the big nasty bass slide at the very beginning.

And wait… is there a secret Level 6 hiding at the end?

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#NirvanaBassLesson #KristNovoselicRocks

Bass Lines *Any Style* with Just 2 Notes (for Beginners)

BassBuzz 2020-10-12 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/rootfifth
If you’re a beginner bassist, you don’t need tons of notes to improve your bass lines - you only need 2. (take it from Alex Trebek)

That’s right - we’re talking root and fifth, the most powerful notes in bass.

You might have already heard of these and even played them, but in this video we're going to dive deeper into exactly why root and fifth are the most awesomest of notes, where you can find them in popular songs, and how you can use ‘em to create your own solid bass lines in any style, even as a beginner.

I’ll start from the super basics, so if “root fifth” sounds like technical jargon to you now, it’ll make sense by 2 minutes into the lesson.

Then our friend Science Josh will make an appearance to break down some of the science behind roots and fifths - there’s actually some cool physics behind the reason bass players love these notes so much.

We’ll test that out in the field with Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay,” one of the most iconic root fifth bass lines. I’ll show you what it sounds like with other scale notes swapped in for the fifth. (hint: not great)

Adding fifths to a bass line creates momentum that propels the song forward. I’ll show you how important that is in “Under Pressure” by Queen, and we’ll listen to the line with and without the fifth.

Then I’ll show you some of the versatility of the root-fifth pattern with “On The Other Side” by The Strokes, which has a tasty bass line that works great on major and minor chords.

I’ll wrap it up by showing you formulas to create your own root-fifth lines in a variety of styles, using examples from classic songs like “Walk The Line” by Johnny Cash, “Song For My Father” by Horace Silver, “Girl From Ipanema” by Getz/Gilberto, and “Bonzo Goes To Bitburg” by the Ramones.

And Science Josh sneaks in a cool Rush bass line at the end. So science-y.

Adam Neely’s video on Girl From Ipanema: youtu.be/OFWCbGzxofU

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#RootFifth #ScienceJoshApproved

7 Reasons Cliff Burton F***ing ROCKS (+Bass Lesson Tips)

BassBuzz 2020-09-18 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/cliff
How did Cliff Burton become a metal bass hero? Here’s my take on Metallica’s legendary former bassist, plus tips to level up your own playing.

Sheet music + bass tab for all the Cliff riffs I played - noteflight.com/scores/view/a396c614f3a39d48651db099652e451939e323f1

What really freaked me out when I first heard Cliff was when he’d shred his bass like a lead guitar - so first we’ll break down part of his solo on “Orion”. I’ll show you 3 guitarist-style tricks Cliff uses to make that solo shred hard.

Then we’ll talk influences, metal legends like Steve Harris, Geezer Butler, and Lemmy Kilmister had a big impact on Cliff, and you can see that influence directly in the bass line examples we’ll check out.

Cliff was also majorly influenced by listening to Johann Sebastian Bach and other baroque composers. I’ll break down exactly how that influence showed up in his playing - and how it didn’t. (nobody ever talks about this!)

As any fan knows, Cliff wrote super creative bass lines that transcending the plodding root note style of other rock and metal bands. We’ll look at his line on “Jump In The Fire,” compared to Rob McGovney’s original bass line, to see this in action.

Cliff’s bass tone kept evolving through the three Metallica albums he played on - I’ll show you how Cliff’s tone compared to other metal bassists of the same era by playing back to back isolated bass lines from Steve Harris, Tom Araya, David Ellefson, and Frank Bello. (these are so cool to hear)

How do you keep up with James Hetfield’s legendary downpicking speed? Cliff had a trick up his sleeve that made it doable - you’ll probably be surprised how simple it is, and how well it works in a full band mix.

Cliff Burton played with Metallica from 1983 to 1986 - just under three years - and we’re still feeling the impact of his legacy over 30 years later.

His life ended abruptly on September 27, 1986 in a tragic tour bus accident.
It was a huge loss to his family, friends, and fans.

But the music lives on, and I have a feeling we’ll be talking about Cliff for many more years. So thanks Cliff, we love you, and rest in peace!

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#CliffBurton #Metallica #metalbasslesson #CliffEmAll

20 Tips I Wish I Knew as a Beginner Bassist (Avoid My Dumb Mistakes)

BassBuzz 2020-08-21 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/20tips
Save yourself years of frustration and slow learning - here are 20 beginner bass tips I wish I knew when I was starting out.

Spotify playlist of recognizable bass lines: open.spotify.com/playlist/2oJd19N9YIDBPPlUIDDy3W?si=5uJSKwMXSCSVG6yWr2_sBw

There’s tons of stuff I wish I knew when I was a beginner learning bass that would have improved my playing quicker and saved me a bunch of frustration… and here it is!

The beginner bass tips in this video will run the gamut of bass knowledge, from the basics of how to practice bass, to the tiny things pro musicians know to do with their gear to keep it from breaking. (or looking like a dumba$$)

Did you know you can actually learn faster by going slower? Or that going to bed can accelerate your progress more than endless practice?

By the end of this video you’ll have a handle on counterintuitive but useful truths - like those - that’ll help your bass playing keep evolving beyond the stuck points.

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#beginnerbasstips #talentisoverrated

Are You Fretting the Wrong Way? (Bass Fingering Showdown)

BassBuzz 2020-07-31 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/fret2

The right fretting technique is crucial for any bassist, whether you want to shred solos or just lay down a gig’s worth of grooves.

With all the debate and confusion about “the best bass fretting technique,” it’s time to settle the score.

In this lesson, the Simandl technique, AKA index-middle-pinky, will battle it out with the One Finger Per Fret technique, AKA 1FPF.

Technique #1, One Finger Per Fret means that each finger gets assigned a fret in a position, covering 4 frets total. For example, on frets 5 6 7 and 8 you’d use index middle ring pinky, respectively.

That doesn’t mean you have to hold perfectly static within that position, it just dictates the choice of which finger to use on which fret. You can “microshift” inside a 1FPF position to save energy or accommodate small hands.

Technique #2, the Simandl technique, comes from an upright bass method book by Franz Simandl first published in 1881. As the term is commonly used on electric bass, “Simandl technique” just means fretting with the index, middle, and pinky, 124, which covers a 3 fret span. The ring finger just acts as support for the pinky.

In this lesson, we’ll take both techniques through their paces by battling them out on three popular songs - “Doing It To Death” by James Brown, “Time Bomb” by Rancid, and “Plush” by Stone Temple Pilots.

Each round’s winner will be awarded a point, and by the end we’ll see who emerges victorious. Ready… Fight!

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#onefingerperfret #simandltechnique #round1fight

3 Reasons This Bon Jovi Bass Line Kicks Ass (+Full Song Tab)

BassBuzz 2020-07-10 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/bonjovi
It’s not just about the big 80’s perms - the bass line to Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer” is full of tasty riffs and runs.

Livin On A Prayer Bass Tab + Sheet Music: noteflight.com/scores/view/f2250bbef781c7616eca1f4d81bcebebd8762c85

“Livin’ On A Prayer” came out on Bon Jovi’s 1986 “Slippery When Wet” album - I’m assuming the album title referred to his huge 80’s permed hair?

This bass line was officially credited on the album to Alec John Such... but there’s a contingent of people who believe it may have actually been Hugh MacDonald, who is the band’s current bass player and played on many of Bon Jovi’s records.

Either way, it’s a killer bass line, and breaking it down might help you level up your bass playing.

The first reason this bass line is awesome is that distinctive riff that the bass starts with early in the song. It uses “pedal point” with the other instruments to create tension and release that grabs the listener. I’ll explain what pedal point is, how it works in this song, and what it would sound like without the pedal point.

Then we’ll go through some of the best bass runs (aka bass fills) in the song, and break down what makes them great. We’ll pay extra attention to the big run in the chorus where the bassist plays “over the bar line,” which is a really useful tool for making your rhythmic choices more interesting when playing fills.

Last we’ll talk structure - how the bass line follows the climbing intensity to best support the song, and how you can apply that to your own bass lines. But you’ll have to do it tastefully, otherwise you’ll sound like me in the outro.

Want more bass line breakdowns? Subscribe here, then leave a comment and tell me which song you’d like to see next - yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe

#bonjovi #livinonaprayer

Your Bass Muting Technique Sounds Like S**t (How to Fix It)

BassBuzz 2020-06-19 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/muting

Without good bass muting technique, the notes you *mean* to play will get smothered by the rumbling racket of ringing strings.

Muting means keeping strings from ringing that you don’t want ringing so that your bass lines sound clean and clear - and not like a muddy inaudible mess.

In this lesson I’ll walk you through the five muting fixes most pro bass players to keep ringing and noise out of the picture.

Fixes #1, #2, and #3 will start with your plucking hand, giving you a solid foundation for keeping your low strings muted. I’ll show you each fix, and then we’ll put them into action with the main riff from Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love A Bad Name.”

But plucking hand muting is only part of the bass muting equation - we need to get the fretting hand in to finish the job. Fixes #4 and #5 will show you how to keep your higher strings quiet with a couple simple tweaks.

Getting the plucking hand muting together is something most beginners can handle with some practice. But nailing the fretting hand muting will take more time, well into your intermediate stage of development. So don’t expect to nail fixes #4 and #5 on day 1 - get your plucking hand tight first, then start working on the fretting hand.

We’ll try out all 5 fixes with “The Big Bass Muting Test,” where you can make sure there are no holes in your muting. Then we’ll wrap up and play some Bon Jovi together.

There may be some terrible singing in the last 20 seconds - I plead insanity.

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#bassmutingtechnique #yougivebassabadname

3 Steps to Killer Bass Fills (for Beginners)

BassBuzz 2020-05-29 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/fills
Creating bass fills doesn’t have to be that hard - here’s a simple 3 step process you can use without mega chops or theory skills.

Extended Jam Tracks:
Major - soundcloud.com/bass_buzz/beginner-bass-fills-major-playalong
Minor - soundcloud.com/bass_buzz/beginner-bass-fills-minor-playalong

Step 1 is to pick a rhythm. Because even if the notes in your fill are garbage, if you really sell the rhythm, it’ll still kinda work. I’ll explain where fills usually go in a song, how long they can last, and how to come up with a rhythm to fill the space.

Also Phil Collins will appear randomly. Be warned.

Step 2 is to pick a shape. Bass shapes are the simplest way to pick notes for a fill or bass line, so we’ll walk through 3 different shapes you can use on different types of chords.

I explain bass shapes fully in this video if you want to dig in more: youtu.be/lAMRqLNo6yk

Step 3 is to stick the rhythm and the shape together. I’ll show you how to do that, and we’ll try a bunch of different fills together, so by the end of the video you’re ready to create your own bass fills, no problem.

Pretty awesome, right? Click here to subscribe so you don’t miss more awesomeness: yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe

#beginnerbasslessons #bassfills #bassPhils

10 Gadgets to Make You a Better Bassist (Or NOT?)

BassBuzz 2020-05-08 | 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/gadgets
Do these bass gadgets improve your playing, or is it just marketing B.S.? I put them to the test - no sponsors, no punches pulled.

Practice setup tips from the BassBuzz forum - forum.bassbuzz.com/t/going-ampless/6172

Wanna know how I rated all these bass gadgets? Then watch the video, silly. It’d be soooo boring to just write them here. Here are some quick descriptions of what they do:

Creative Tunings Spider Capo - allows you to selectively capo individual strings, giving you a lot more customizable tunings than a standard capo.

TC Electronic Aeon String Sustainer - Modeled after the EBow, the Aeon sends out a small magnetic field that makes the string vibrate. (translation - it’s magic)

Guitar Triller - multi-surface string striker that you can use to get a bunch of interesting sounds, very different tone than fingers or a pick.

Vox amPlug 2 Bass Headphone Amp - plugs directly into your bass, so you can easily practice with headphones, no amp required so you don’t annoy the neighbors or wake up your family.

Blackstar Fly 3 Bass Practice Amp - a tiny tiny amp that you can carry around easily. Don’t buy without watching my no-holds-barred review. 👿

TC Electronic Unitune Clip - A bass-friendly clip-on tuner with strobe or needle display.

Korg TM50 - A classic Korg tuner/metronome combo, with backlight, pitch generator, and standard metronome controls. Current gen is the TM60, I’ve had this TM50 around for a few years.

Gruv Gear Fretwrap - straps onto your bass neck to keep your strings from ringing when you’re not playing them. (and some other muting functions)

Gruv Gear Fump - a muting device you slide over the strings next to the bridge, giving you a pseudo palm-muted, old school tone

Hipshot XTender Drop Tuner - this bass gadget is a replacement for your normal tuner. With the flick of this switch lets you drop your E string down to a lower note and back on the fly. (anywhere from Eb to a low B)

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#bassgadgets #notsponsored