Top 5 myths about learning bass

I played guitar for many years and there was a band I liked that needed a bass player. It took about 3 weeks of rehearsals before we were ready for a show. We killed at every show. Bass was really not that hard to learn for me. No picks also.

I have created so many original songs on my bass alone!!!!....once you pick one up and thump out some interesting lines and grooves all of a sudden guitar parts flash in my head i never would have thought of without those bass lines...its amazing what you can do with a bass!!!

I have a REAALLLY hard time playing most cover songs because the bass is so boring in the recordings. Most bands play the easy shit so they dont have to work hard for their gig money but man...I have so much fun at home playing what I want now...not for a crowd. There are so many songs out there to play that are fun as well as usable in a gig situation but again...no-one will play them because they either suck, or are lazy...i choose to stay home and play now its much more enjoyable. It comes down to material really, you will have a hard time finding any quality out there that makes you wanna play Bass...sad but true.

No #1 Myth: You need to be bald to play bass

So glad that No.4 is a myth 😊

If you have a looper on stage like Jaco you can loop on a major or minor scale rythm bass and go over it with the melodies .. so if you have a drummer that you can groove with and a guitar player to flow with you can loop a bass rythm and loop then play melodies .. while the guitar plays along with the rythm and the drummer play a groove beat ...

Jason newsted and lemme play with a pick as well

Myth 1 is shared with the Saxophone. Which is very easy to get started on, but even outside of technique, tone too requires much practice.

Bass is the superior stringed instrument. But I might be biased.

I started on Bass. Tried Guitar first, threw it down. Learned bass, then picked up guitar. It actually became easier to play guitar because I already had bass knowledge.

Easy to learn? That is debatable. Sure you can learn Iron Man in one setting. But try to play the opening to N.I.B. or Metallica Pulling Teeth in one setting.

I'm trying to decide if I want to learn this, who are the easiest to teach?? Young ppl or older

here's another myth: other musicians and audience members want to hear the bass playing as many notes using the most complex techniques possible...

My first bass is going to be $3,800. 😱

I play both - bass is more fun for me - it's a much different experience

Hey! Way to really discourage me from learning Bass! NOT EPICO!

I have short fingers. Does that matter?

Playing with pig

One finger
And he plays two fingers
What a dope

i want to learn to play bass. but i don't have money😢

Do you need to have long fingers to play Bass?

Maybe this is a ridiculous rabbit hole I'm taking myself down, but I could use some other perspectives;
I started with piano and a teacher who was very "teach by guiding". It's easy to know if you're playing well because the sheet music literally tells you everything. It's also super easy to find sheet music and usually you don't have to question its' accuracy.

I love bass conceptually and it's the sort of thing I'd pick up in those tests you give kids with the items in front of them, it's just naturally what I go to, but I'm struggling to even make myself pick it up again when I can hardly find tabs that are accurate and everyone online says you should learn to play by ear later. I think of the issues I'll probably have going forward and it drains my motivation to start at all.

I’m a SUPER beginner and I’ve just gotten my bass, I was sooooo scared that this was gonna be so difficult, but this vid really cleared everything up for me, thanks mate. Cheers 😊

<-- Can't reading sheet music, I play be ear and feel.

I’m terrible at theory, but I learn what shapes and such sound good together wherever on the neck by learning songs that inspire me. Then I take that and change it when I write my own stuff. Basically, I learn techniques via learning songs then incorporate that into my own playing without copying. Really it helps me discover new things and get new ideas. I’m far from a great player, but I make more progress when it’s fun rather than feeling like work. I also couldn’t play with my fingers for the longest time. For some reason, when I learned Orange Crush by REM, something just clicked and I got it. Also for guitar and bass, I started with high end instruments, but I leaned later in, that sometimes I play better on cheaper basses because I’m not so worried about damaging it. If I buy a decent Harley Benton for 120 bucks, it doesn’t hurt as much if it get a slight ding by accident. Plus it’s easier to add to the collection without going broke. And where the cheaper basses fall short, you can kind of balance it out with the EQ. Some notes may be a bit darker or brighter, but to a non audiophile/tone snob, they wouldn’t know the difference. They’re just enjoying the music. They dont care about the brand or the eq, what pickups or strings you’re using. I found it’s better to focus on the music and having fun over the gear. One of my favorite basses is a cheap Ibanez Mikro bass I got for like 80 bucks on sale on Amazon. Sure it lacks some stuff, but for a tiny passive bass, it’s quite punchy. Sounds way different than my full scale 6 string, but not in a bad way. I just see it as a different tool in the arsenal for a different job. Or just something to fiddle with when I’m out and about. It weighs as much as a postage stamp while my 6 string is just under 20 lbs lmao I’ll take a less resonance if saves me back problems while I’m out or on my break at work. And yes, I carry a bass or guitar everywhere with me. If I have even a minute to play, I take full advantage. Better than being a zombie staring at my phone on social media.

The bass is the most fun to play for me. So many techniques and Stiles to play and mess around with Les Claypool is a perfect example of this check him out you won't regret it he is the best influence I have ever had with mixing stiles and techniques

I was getting ready to pull the plug on the whole project after being hit with 'Myth 1', but 'Myth 3' kind of rolled it back a little...not fully, but just a little.

OK , i have decided to dedicate my life to learn this majestic instrument not matter how hard it is , i have no problem playing with a pick , ill earn to buy this , AND I LOVE IT CAUSE IT MOVES SOMTHING INSIDE

I recommend learning to read music. Especially for young beginners. It is only going to be beneficial to the development of your brain, and it's a skill in the same realm as bass/instrumentalism. It may be hard, but if it were easy it isn't as useful.

How come all intros are pointless noodling with no real rhythm or melody?

Love your videos but this one left me wondering what a garidge is.

idk man 2 kinda threw me off

Great points, except number 4. I just do not understand why a musician of any instrument wouldn't want to learn to read music. As a respected educator, I think Scott should be encouraging more bassists to read. You've nothing to lose!

I've been playing drums for almost 20 years, I've wanted to learn bass for over 5 years, all my guitar friends tell me to start on a guitar. I've always love bass guitar for it's percussion sounds as well

Playing bass with a glove is non-ordinary.

Why the glove?😊

"it's not only about the root note" - still sounds nasty af

I wanted to learn the bass at 26. Thanks, I'll go to guitars after this video

Great video. I just have a few questions because I'm a complete beginner. I is something like the Rocksmith video game a decent teacher for learning bass or guitar? Could an acoustic guitar be used as a base if the top four strings are used? Thanks in advance for any and all thoughts, advice, opinions, or answers.

Regards,

All guitars are easy to play. Playing well is difficult.

You forgot the " small hands" myth

Starting out just reading tabs is the best way to get started. You can play a couple songs , and then you'll want to expand.

The only reason I follow your videos is because you talk so cool. You could probably make a boring topic sound completely funky and cool.

Playing bass with a pick just feels wrong to me... as a guitarist first. When I play bass I want to play bass. Not fat slow guitar. Fingers are essential

Sir Scott i really want to play bass since my childhood but I can't afford one, since you have a ton of bass will you bless me 1 of your cheapest 1 please 🙏🙏🙏...

myth #6
'There are instruments better than the bass.'

ABSOLUTELY FALSE

Myth number one bass players don't pull funny faces while playing 🤣

A new member of worship group in my church was playing bass in his band for more than ten years. He played bass with a PICK!

Nolly and clay gobercare both great pick players