tips

I want to buy a Fender Marcus Miller signature 5 string but I don't have that much money right now and income is close to non existant. So should I buy a Squier 5 string and upgrade it or save up money and eventualy buy the Fender, what would you guys do?

Hello everyone. I wanted to learn "Folklore" by Opeth and I can't find any good tabs on the internet so my second plan was to find the isolated bass track and try to play it by ear but i couldn't find any isolated bass track either. Is there any way to make isolated instrument tracks yourself or...

My band recently decided to drop a song from E to E♭. I had been using a second bass, tuned down a half step, for this one song only. I finally, somewhat reluctantly, bought an EHX Pitchfork for this song (try to find a Digitech Drop ANYWHERE in the US, new or used, at this particular time!)...

i’m not a very good singer, but i’m a pretty good bassist (i’d like to think!) and as per my inspirations, i’ve been lead to believe there’s not anything cooler than a singing bass player. i’m only 16 so probably i have to room to grow. if not, i can at least have fun trying! so, what’s any...

There are several places I play where the clientele doesn't always have cash... but they frequently ask if we have a Venmo. I have a screenshot of our QR code on my phone and share it with them... but one band I subbed with actually printed out little handbills with their band info and Venmo QR...

I recently purchased a Bird of Paradise plant to have a little greenery outside my condo. It's less than three feet high, appears healthy and came in a decent-sized plastic pot (approx 10 inches deep, 10-11 inches across). From what I've learned, it would probably be best to get the plant into...

Any Bass Looping Tips and Techniques for a great sounding loop?

I'm getting ready to start my build (will be starting on 10/12) and have been practicing, since this is my first build. I got my Warmoth neck - here are some specs: Short Scale Warmoth Style headstock Wenge Ziricote Fingerboard I purchased a bass routing template from StewMac, but the...

C’mon, we all have that ONE bass, that we just cannot bare to part with! Sadly, we know that one day, that bass is not going to be the same bass you originally fell in love with. :crying: Stuff happens! :facepalm: Parts may need replacing, or just slowly wear out over time... However, with...

Hey guys. So, I've been using my Fender Rumble 100 V3 for nearly 2 years without any trouble UNTIL recently. Been gigging a ton and so I've just been leaving it in the car instead of lugging it in and out of the house nearly everyday. (Lazy, I knowo_O) I live in the south so the summers get...

My band is going to have our first rehearsal in a few days, we've been practicing Doobie Brothers' China Grove, and our own 2 minute jig. Just wondering how rehearsals usually go, and what to plan for.

Hi good people. I gave up trying to find a good piece of wood to make a custom body myself. Instead I got a loaded body from a cheap bass I've purchased a couple of months ago. So I have to bolt the body and neck together. Sounds easy, but last December I already ruined a black body trying to do...

So I have been play for 5 months now and have not taken any class due to time and money and whatnot. Though I feel like I've developed a bad technique because I didn't really take positioning into consideration and I just kinda took off and did pretty well. Ok so, I fret (if that's how you say...

I am starting a jazz jam at a local bar. What tips do you have and issues to avoid? Thanks!

Hi all, I was wondering if you have any tips on switching from fretted to fretless bass? I am totally blind so any tips by feel would be great. Thanks

I am making some custom cables and have come to the Website Redco.com they have a ton of cable tips for sale at various prices. I am just wondering if anyone can give me a heads up on a certain type that would be best. I have used Neutrik and Amphenol in the past. Obviously those are the main...

What would be the cheapest head you could possibly think of? Should have about 200+ watts. An very intense overdrive built in would be great. Size, class, tube/solidstate and weight is completely irrelevant. Ugly and weired recommendations are welcome!

I have a bunch of complaints about my Peavey Millennium AC BXP 4. This is probably because it's a used bass, and my first one, and was bought with "good budget" instead of "good tone" in mind by my dad. So, what I think is the treble pot(the manual page on the configuration doesn't help, I...

Hi! I just finished and performed the Dragonetti concerto. I’m wondering are there any pieces you’d suggest for me to play now?

I'm looking for some eq tips. I'm generally really happy with my sound but for one fairly specific exception. Bass slides. I know it's a little silly, but there are a lot of songs where the slides between notes add a lot. And without them everything the groove is really lacking. They used to...

I'm looking for technique advice for paying melodic lines over the bridge pickup on a Jazz bass. I like the feel of a P-bass played over the pickup but love the sound of a Jazz played over the bridge pickup. I've been practicing for months and it feels really awkward still. My hand/arm...

Just plopped an Audere JZ3 in my 2010 MIM Jazz 5er yesterday. The tone on the bass was pretty good in standard passive mode, but limited. But the bass is so good I don't see myself selling it for a good long time if ever, and it deserved an upgrade. Does anyone have any tips or thoughts on...

My band is going into the studio for the first time this weekend to record a little EP/demo, and I'm trying to figure out what to expect/how to be prepared when it comes to getting "my sound" down on a recording. My normal signal chain when playing with the band is passive pbass-->compressor...

In my experience I find theatre gigs to be the most fun and challenging part of being a bass player and as such it's my dream career path. I do 2 regular ones a year but only one of them pays and I would love to start playing bigger theatres or join a tour. Does anyone have any tips or know how...

I've decided to finish an alder jazz body in 100% pure tung oil. I'm a bit of a nube to this and chose this method for ease and simplicity. How many coats should i expect to put on? Also any tips for the shiniest/glossiest outcome i can get? Should i polish with a wax after for more shine or...

Folks, I am flying to Germany via Air France in a month or so. I am bringing my Chadwick Bass. I also plan to bring my Headway EDB-2. I haven't flown in a long time, much less with gear. Will I run into problems taking the EDB-2 in my carry on or hand bag in the plane? I plan on purchasing...

I used to have a mag300 with a 15" cab and at other times a 4x10 But now wattage doubled im not sure what cab to run on a 600w Playing mix of Doom/heavy psych so melting paint from the walls is good :) Just moved house though so the budget is limited. :(

During part of my show I like to employee a technique of pounding on the bass on the neck and the body. I'm inspired by Mark "The Animal" Mendoza, Michael Anthony, and Chuck Wright in this playing style. I only really use it to play one song in the set. Still, I think it should stay in tune. I...

Hi guys! :( On a rainy Sunday, I just finished assembling my OWN bass guitar with premium components and a astonishing paint job, so I ended the work by posing some strings on the bass and puting a jack cable on it... and so far, no sound. And also the strings sound dark and bad when the box...

I don't see how I can be a complete bassist without knowing how to double thumb adequately as part of learning slap technique. And while I don't think I have issues with the motion, per se, my upstroke always seems weak. I've got little "meat" next to my thumbnail, so while doing the...

So I took my little pedalboard I've been working on for a couple of weeks (cabin fever project) out for its virgin gig last night. Lots of fun! But at one point I bypassed it and plugged straight into the amp, and was - not shocked, but a little surprised how much tone loss I was suffering. I...

hey, so i just picked up a ss squier vintage modified jaguar, and im having a bit of trouble. all the strings play really nicely except for the e string, which hits the fretboard when playing and makes a loud "clack." it feels very loose, even when in standard tuning. somebody suggested that i...

Hi Justin, I've recently been getting into the production side of music after working with lots bands and songwriters over the years. I was wondering if you - or anyone else in this forum - had some helpful tips for recording bass both creatively and professionally? I like to collaborate...

I am thinking I can: Zimmerman-ise it (as suggested previously I think) - that it practice it like the old A E exercise; Alter the notes (dotted rhythm, eg a semiquaver followed by a quaver, etc.); Practice it slowly and progress to speed ......?? Conductor wants it played in 1. As the only DB...

Hi fellow bassists! Right now i have some trouble deciding which bass to buy next. I usually play rock, metal or punk, mostly heavy metal and thrash metal. I have been looking at several basses, but i just can't decide which one. One more think to note is that it doesn't need to be a 5-string...

Bottom line is my mind wanders. Smoking herb makes it worse, so knowing that I try to limit it these days but even without that my mind sometimes stays unfocused and pretty much always has. It's worse on tunes Im not really into or struggle with. That said, when Im focused I'm really focused...

Picked up a nice old Gibson Grabber on reverb for a great price... but it stinks. Great condition otherwise, completely stock including the bridge cover and case. The original hardware had a bit of corrosion and the pots were a bit scratchy, those were easy enough to clean up. I febreezed the...

My hands are pretty small and my ring and pinky finger are extremely weak. I started playing bass guitar a month ago and need to learn how to stretch my ring and pinky finger. Any suggestions?

I played 4 strings exclusively for 20 years and made the switch to exclusive 5 string 3 years ago. I decided to bring my 4 string to a rehearsal last night and was making all kinds of mistakes. I didn't see that coming. Do any of you have any tips on how to make the transition back to 4 string...

A great opportunity popped up that I just auditioned for and won the other day. Cover band, good pay, mostly in-town shows. I just wanted to reach out to you guys in the corporate/wedding/festival band scene for any words you wished you had heard before you started. Help a noob out? I've got...