OK, so I'm a wank artist on the guitar, but realize that bass guitar and bass are two totally different things (even though most guitarists like to say that its like a guitar but only with less strings, blah blah blah). My question to the bass players on the forum is this:

What is a good band to start learning basic slap bass methods?
Good tab sites for bass?
Good bass players to take note of their technique?
A band for fingerpicking, slapping, and pick.

For all of the bass wankers, I'm not interested in hearing Victor Wooten and ________*REPLACE foreign name* but I would like some input on a starting point. I have 80 students already and don't really have time to save the world through a bass solo or fight dragons, or have anything to do with that knob Billy Sheenan.

I just need the basics to start because all of the bass students are beginners/intermediate and I have to stay ahead.

Thanks for your time.

Basic slap methods, for me, I really think Flea is the man for this...I remember seeing a video lesson he did for a site a little while ago which I think was a great beginners slap lesson..I'll try and remember where it was... it was thesomething.com I'm sure...anyone nkow the one I mean...I think he played skinny sweaty man...i think...

Even though you're not a wooten fan, I think his instructional stuff is great, I think he really explains things well, and really teaches the important foundations of good technique, plus, they guy has immense fun playing, which is ul;timately what it should be about

Basic slap methods, for me, I really think Flea is the man for this...I remember seeing a video lesson he did for a site a little while ago which I think was a great beginners slap lesson..I'll try and remember where it was... it was thesomething.com I'm sure...anyone nkow the one I mean...I think he played skinny sweaty man...i think...

Even though you're not a wooten fan, I think his instructional stuff is great, I think he really explains things well, and really teaches the important foundations of good technique, plus, they guy has immense fun playing, which is ul;timately what it should be about

Thank you sir

I just made the Wooten comment because guitarists like to name drop.

eg:

"hey, anyone know some good exercises for a beginner?"

"Rustey Cooley, its not that difficult LOL, I can do it at 300bpm no problem, all you have to do is shred sweeptaps and alternate pick on 4 notes per string. Once you do that, get into some Michael Angelo, he's alright too.."

Thank you sir

Oops!

Let me see if I can be of some assistance...first, tab sites for bass. So far, I've been pretty lucky at these three:

MXTabs.net
rockmagic.net
ultimate-guitar.com

Good bass players to take note of technique:
Obviously you know the "bass gods" so I'll spare you those guys.
For me personally, I listen to:

David Ellefson (Megadeth) - basic but solid
John Myung (Dream Theater) - great use of a six string
Jason Newsted (Flotsam and Jetsam, Metallica, Voivod)
Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath) Fills and bends
Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) - excellent finger techniques
Steve Digorgio (Testament, Sadus)
John Paul Jones (Zeppelin)
Mike Starr (Alice in Chains, Heart)
Peter Steel (Type O' Negative)
Geddy Lee (Rush)
Bryon Stroud (Strapping Young Lad)
Jim Sheppard (Nevermore)
Frank Bello (Anthrax) - Excellent picking techniques
Joey Vera (Fates Warning, Amoured Saint)
John Campbell (Lamb Of God)
Mike Young (Devin Townsend Band)

Hope this helps - I can think of more, but honestly it really just depends on the song...and it can depend on the person learning and how well the listener pays attention to what is being played because it takes a careful ear to really chose the correct key and notes.

Happy Hunting, let me know if you have more questions.
R U M B L E F I S H

OK, so I'm a wank artist on the guitar, but realize that bass guitar and bass are two totally different things (even though most guitarists like to say that its like a guitar but only with less strings, blah blah blah). My question to the bass players on the forum is this:

What is a good band to start learning basic slap bass methods?
Good tab sites for bass?
Good bass players to take note of their technique?
A band for fingerpicking, slapping, and pick.

For all of the bass wankers, I'm not interested in hearing Victor Wooten and ________*REPLACE foreign name* but I would like some input on a starting point. I have 80 students already and don't really have time to save the world through a bass solo or fight dragons, or have anything to do with that knob Billy Sheenan.

I just need the basics to start because all of the bass students are beginners/intermediate and I have to stay ahead.

Thanks for your time.

You can very much learn the basics from jazz players. Victor has some awesome videos where he talks simply about the groove, which is the most important part of bass playing. If you don't have feel for the music, you can't be as good at bass. If you want to teach your students well, teach them that. If you don't want to listen to Victor, I recommend you don't teach IMO.

Some of the best bass parts I've seen, musically and otherwise, come from Mudvayne's bassist on their L.D. 50 album. He combines slaps, pops, slides, and everything else in there, and the bass has its own mind. He was my main inspiration as a bassist; I hate following the guitars' root.

Most of the first bass lines I learnt were from Rage Against the Machine, not that hard, but still fun to play.

Some of the best bass parts I've seen, musically and otherwise, come from Mudvayne's bassist on their L.D. 50 album. He combines slaps, pops, slides, and everything else in there, and the bass has its own mind. He was my main inspiration as a bassist; I hate following the guitars' root.

I think he's great too....not the world's msot technical player, but that's not really important, I think everything he writes just fits the music perfectly and he has a great style

Basic slap methods, for me, I really think Flea is the man for this...I remember seeing a video lesson he did for a site a little while ago which I think was a great beginners slap lesson..I'll try and remember where it was... it was thesomething.com I'm sure...anyone nkow the one I mean...I think he played skinny sweaty man...i think...

Even though you're not a wooten fan, I think his instructional stuff is great, I think he really explains things well, and really teaches the important foundations of good technique, plus, they guy has immense fun playing, which is ul;timately what it should be about

I just got that Flea DVD a couple of weeks ago and its awesome.

Yeah keep in mind that bass is a very rhythmic instrument that works really well when closely connected with the drums.

Also, as much as I love Les Claypool, don't try and learn his stuff if you want to learn how to be a bassist. Its very unorthodox (but so damn good).

Billy Gould (Faith No More) is one bassist who comes to mind that is an all round complete bassist. Doesn't show off a lot but plays the most perfect bass lines and his styles (like most Faith No More songs) are always different.

David Ellefson (Megadeth) - basic but solid
John Myung (Dream Theater) - great use of a six string
Jason Newsted (Flotsam and Jetsam, Metallica, Voivod)
Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath) Fills and bends
Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) - excellent finger techniques
Steve Digorgio (Testament, Sadus)
John Paul Jones (Zeppelin)
Mike Starr (Alice in Chains, Heart)
Peter Steel (Type O' Negative)
Geddy Lee (Rush)
Bryon Stroud (Strapping Young Lad)
Jim Sheppard (Nevermore)
Frank Bello (Anthrax) - Excellent picking techniques
Joey Vera (Fates Warning, Amoured Saint)
John Campbell (Lamb Of God)
Mike Young (Devin Townsend Band)

You put Jason Newsted but not Cliff?