Advice on Teaching Yourself

[bristol92]

Hello Everyone
I was wondering if anyone has advice on learning an instrument by yourself. I have a hard time being disciplined and was wondering if anyone has any tips. How to keep a good practice schedule, different things to practice, stuff like that! Also if you have taught yourself tell me your experience in that and how you kept motivated. Thank You!
-Sophie

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Get David Overthrow's beginner book

 

[ZenG]

I would think some of it is how much instinctively music-minded a person is to start with.

I had both feet in the door musically before I got serious about bass. So it wasn't hard to get started at all, nor is it hard to find ways and methods to practice etc etc etc.

Half the time I don't have to learn certain things...because I know what they are already.

If I was starting out "cold" it would be a different story. I guess I'd be on the net looking at a lot of tutorials and videos as well as scouring this site for info.

Plus using books like KBD just posted..

 

[Stumbo]

Can you sing? Remember lyrics & melodies?

Check out the link in my sig. below for lots of great TB info that may help you out.

 

[hrodbert696]

Esperanza Spalding says that no one really "teaches themselves." If you're learning from a book, from internet tabs or youtube videos, from listening to recordings and trying to reproduce what you hear by ear, you're still learning from other people - just without them being in the room with you.

I think the most important thing is having a regular practice time, preferably daily. It's better to touch your instrument for fifteen minutes every day than to have a marathon three-hour session and then not touch it for a week. For me, I started getting up an hour earlier every day and practicing through headphones while the rest of the house was asleep.

Split your time between technique/theory work and learning songs. By technique and theory, I mean stuff like fingering exercises and scales; that's the stuff that really gives you the skills to be a better musician. Learning songs, of course, is more fun, and is presumably what you took up the bass for anyway, right? Do nothing but theory and the whole thing becomes dull and academic and discouraging; do nothing but songs and you're stagnant as a musician and can't branch out beyond "these are the songs I know." So do both.

TAB is controversial. I used it a lot when I was starting out - I had a big three-ring binder of printed out TAB transcriptions of songs. Personally, I think that was fine. Following a TAB showed me a lot about how to use the fretboard and how great bassists built their lines. At the same time, you don't want to be overly reliant on it. Much of what's on the internet is incorrect, and a person who only learns from it can become a "tab monkey," who fingers the frets in the order the TAB said but doesn't really understand what notes they're playing or why and can't do anything they don't have a TAB for. Learn your theory and try figuring out songs by ear so that you can wean yourself off the TAB. I hardly ever look at one any more, though once in a while there's still a tricky bit where I will check to see how others are interpreting it.

Have fun and good luck!

 

[5544]

I don't know what your musical level is at but here are my current goals because I need a better foundation.

Memorize the the notes on the fretboard.
Memorize the notes names of a scale.
Memorize the note locations of a scale on the fretboard.
Memorize the chord numbers (I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, VII°).
Memorize the chord notes in each number.
Memorize the note names of each line & space from sheet music.

I will spend about 5 to 10 minutes on one thing, then move on to something different. Alternate between the bass in my hand and sitting at desk with paper and pencil for theory so I get a break from the other.

Also instead of going over the same things in every day in the same order, I will mix the order up but be sure to alternate between bass and paper.

I have a couple of Hal Leonard beginner song books that I will use for reference. Find a song in the same key I am learning the scale in. Play the song (maybe not at full speed) while saying the note names out loud.

Treble and bass note reading worksheets:

http://www.conejousd.org/Portals/36/TEACHERS/apayne/Treble Clef Note Reading Packet.pdf

http://mcfarlandakchoral.weebly.com/uploads/3/8/3/1/38313119/bass_clef_note_reading_packet.pdf

 

[Qlanq]

This guy explains stuff really well. It really helped me when I started to lean bass again.

 

[Chicory Blue]

When I decided to learn in earnest, I shelled out for like three or four professional lessons- just enough to learn how to properly hold the instrument without causing long-term damage, how to practice scales and fingering drills, and to identify and iron out some of the easier bad habits to form. I highly recommend taking at least two- one to get started, and one to catch anything you misunderstood from the first time.

With that much out of the way, most any learning resource was as good as any other. I was especially keen on "How to Play Bass in 50 Songs," from how-to-play-bass.com, but really, as long as you know what finger to put where, most any path will carry you forward.

--^@

 

[bassdude51]

The best way to teach yourself is to get a decent bass teacher and take lessons. Not being a smartie here. I learned to by by ear and went that route for 16 years and then one day I started to take lessons from a real deal bass teacher. Learned more in my first lesson that I did in all of those 16 years prior.

In less than 6 months, I had all the basics of music theory applied to bass. This allowed me to improvise my own bass lines and to learn songs by ear and usually before the song was finished.

No substitute for a real deal teacher.

But, we have the internet now, youtube, DVDs. Self teaching is now fantastic.

Learn your major and minor scales in all keys. Learn the blues scale. Learn your major and minor triads. With this knowledge alone, you can play the bass to just about any rock, pop, etc.

 

[LowNloud1]

I learned without the benefit of a teacher or the internet or books. 100% self-taught. I just learned playing along to music that I liked. Everyday, building calluses, until I could play 2-3 hours (like for a gig). It helped that I could figure out the chord progressions to a song and I also learned to figure out patterns so I could play with other guitar players by watching their hand/chord positions.

Sure, I developed what some people believe is a less desirable way of playing (thumb-pick) but it has served me well for decades and across many music genres.

 

[JJR58]

I learned without the benefit of a teacher or the internet or books. 100% self-taught. I just learned playing along to music that I liked. Everyday, building calluses, until I could play 2-3 hours (like for a gig). It helped that I could figure out the chord progressions to a song and I also learned to figure out patterns so I could play with other guitar players by watching their hand/chord positions.

Sure, I developed what some people believe is a less desirable way of playing (thumb-pick) but it has served me well for decades and across many music genres.

Kinda did the same thing myself.

Mainly played along to my favorite tunes, started figuring out what the patterns were.
Also practiced a lot to get the hand strength going and building the calluses as you said.

Had a teacher here and there along the way as well.
Learning theory is very helpful, wish i would have known that early on.

 

[BassAndReeds]

There's really two ways to get good at music.

1. Study with a knowledgeable teacher. (Will save you time in the long run. But not all teachers are equal)

2. Listen, listen, listen. Transcribe. And the listen again. (Time consuming and easy to do wrong. However, it produces much better results than book learners)


So in effect, get your hands on all the James Jamerson, Piano Palladino, Marcus Miller, Duck Dunn, etc albums you can get your hands on and internalize them. Good luck.

 

[Chili_Time]

There are likely many good books to use for self study. I'm using the Hal Leonard Bass Method books which I have found to be very well structured for self study. They have been fun for me to learn from but I admit I'm pretty motivated and hit it for at least an hour a day. If you just progress from play along practice track to practice track then your practice schedule is pretty much set out for you. Methodical books with each lesson building on the prior material. I also go to you tube for supplemental instruction when I need it. There is a thread of us going through the book so if you take this option feel free to join us. I think I may go to a teacher when I get to book 3 which covers improvisation and the more complicated lessons. Book 1 and 2 have been doable via self study although a good teacher would no doubt have enhanced my learning. Still I'm having fun enjoying the process and learning.

The Hal Leonard Bass Method thread

Hal Leonard Bass Method - Complete Edition: Books 1, 2 and 3 Bound Together in One Easy-to-Use Volume!: Ed Friedland: 0073999950748: Amazon.com: Books

 

[blixild]

You don't need to be self taught to lack discipline and good practice habits! I can attest to that personally.

I taught myself to play bass, but I had the benefit of playing piano before that so my fundamentals were solid already.

If you're not playing with other people, find a band or make some musician friends to jam with. This is probably the most beneficial thing for your playing once you can hold down a bass line. DOn't fall into the trap of "I'm not good enough to play with other people yet." Try to find other people at similar skill levels and just do it. I played bass for 4 years before my first band (not counting jazz ensemble in high school), and I wish I had started way sooner. Nowadays my band is my primary motivation to practice - we write challenging material that absolutely requires practice, and we push each other to improve on top of it.

In the absense of a band, the next best thing is to play along with recordings - both of real songs and the recordings that come with lesson books. This will help instill the groove into you!

Others have suggested taking a few lessons with a real teacher. I'd also recommend this. You might think you're doing something well, but there could be a better/simpler way to do it that you aren't even aware of. If your financial/time situation allows it, take a few to start and maybe have a refresher lesson once a month or every other month.

I actually schedule my practice time on my calendar along with all of my other commitments - this really helps me to mentally prepare in advance and actually get my practicing done. If I didn't schedule it, I'd probably procrastinate and then never get it done.

 

[blixild]

Esperanza Spalding says that no one really "teaches themselves." If you're learning from a book, from internet tabs or youtube videos, from listening to recordings and trying to reproduce what you hear by ear, you're still learning from other people - just without them being in the room with you.

This is an interesting take. Victor Wooten argues the exact opposite - that nobody can really teach you EXCEPT yourself. Everyone else can only show you things, but it's up to you to learn it and own it. I guess it's all about perspective.

 

[ONYX]

My 2 bits......

As far as your practice schedule, here's my own personal observation (and what has worked best for me).

If I am going to learn new material, work on theory exercises, or anything that requires the brain to be "in gear", I get up early---like 5 am early---and do my practicing then. I've found that I learn things faster and they stay ingrained in my memory longer when I do this.

 

[micguy]

I got the Hal Leonard beginner books (3 in 1 deal) for Christmas. I figured after playing (selft taught) for 39 years, I could use some theory. Biggest problem is, I spend 90% of my practice time preparing for weekend gigs. I have too many gigs to go and become a beginner.

I learned from the radio. Turn it on, play crappy bass lines. Continue to play until the lines you play are far less crappy. The reason for the radio (not CD's or MP3's) is it forces you to play along with things you don't know. When it came time to go to auditions, that skill is invaluable.

 

[Dana R Gregory]

There are many fine self teaching aids out there but there is no substitute for a teacher. Being face to face with a living instructor is valuable experience and will help correct you of any bad habits you will develop from self taught methods. A teacher can show you the proper fingering technique, how to hold the bass and how to position your arms to minimize bending the wrist. Good luck.

 

[DavC]

gotta get over and fix what's in your second sentence ... ' hard time being disciplined ' ...

it does take 10,000 hrs of practice to get good at something ... firstly , That takes discipline .. !!

never practice mistakes .. !

practice for as long as you can keep your concentration .. ! a good 15 minutes is better than an hr of jerking around . !

working on the boring stuff is probably the most important ... !! and hardest to do ... i've had many students that refuse to do the necessary foundation work , yet whine when their figures don't work ... !!

but on the flip side ... you need to mix ' fun ' with the ' work ' ... my piano teachers agreed to let me work on my 'pop' music as long as i worked very hard on my scales/exercises/classical music & theory ..! which started at age 6 ... minimum 1/2 a day for the last 53 yrs .. !! on each instrument i play well = several ..

 

[JimmyM]

Esperanza Spalding says that no one really "teaches themselves." If you're learning from a book, from internet tabs or youtube videos, from listening to recordings and trying to reproduce what you hear by ear, you're still learning from other people - just without them being in the room with you.

This is an interesting take. Victor Wooten argues the exact opposite - that nobody can really teach you EXCEPT yourself. Everyone else can only show you things, but it's up to you to learn it and own it. I guess it's all about perspective.

Well nobody can force you to learn something you don't want to learn, but you still need outside input to find out about the things you don't know. They don't just appear in your brain out of nowhere. So I'd say they're both right.