Learning bass: 10 things NOT to do

[howard]

That’s more or less the whole purpose of the first few modules of Josh’s course.

[sunDOG]

@PlayerUno

I object to “play with other people” for a true beginner. If you are in the intermediate stage and can detect time signature, know what to do when someone says “Key of G” and know at least a few scales/keys/modes, that is when you should play with others.

If you are going to a random jam session, where you are not quite sure who you are going to end up playing with, and what you are going to be playing, then I have sympathy for this perspective.

However, there is an alternate. Find people you want to play with, agree what you are going to play, learn it …. then go play, with others. This is a perfectly legitimate way of getting out there, engaging with other people and getting some experience. Being able to ab lib and build your own baseline for song, being able to transpose on the fly etc. can come later. Playing with others builds confidence, and it’s working for me!