Bass guitar for dummies 3rd edition pdf free download

A taut steel string vibrating at the rate of times per second creates a current that fluctuates times per second. For more on tuning, see Chapter 2. Guitars, therefore, make sound either by amplifying string vibrations acoustically by passing the sound waves through a hollow chamber , or electronically by amplifying and outputting a current through a speaker.

How a guitar produces different sounds — and the ones that you want it to make — is up to you and how you control the pitches that those strings produce. Left-hand fretting is what changes these pitches. Your right-hand motions not only help produce the sound by setting the string in motion, but they also determine the rhythm the beat or pulse , tempo the speed of the music , and feel interpretation, style, spin, magic, mojo, je ne sais quoi, whatever of those pitches.

Put both hand motions together, and they spell music — make that guitar music. And the task is never fun. Unlike the piano, which a professional tunes and you never need to adjust until the next time the professional tuner comes to visit, the guitar is normally tuned by its owner — and it needs constant adjusting. One of the great injustices of life is that, before you can even play music on the guitar, you must endure the painstaking process of getting your instrument in tune.

Fortunately for guitarists, you have only six strings as opposed to the couple hundred of a piano. Also encouraging is the fact that you can use several different methods to get your guitar in tune, as this chapter describes.

Before you can tune your guitar, you need to know how to refer to the two main players — strings and frets. The 1st string is the skinniest, located closest to the floor when you hold the guitar in playing position. Working your way up, the 6th string is the fattest, closest to the ceiling.

Whenever you deal with guitar fingering, fret means the space in between the metal bars — where you can comfortably fit a left-hand finger. The first fret is the region between the nut the thin, grooved strip that separates the headstock from the neck and the first metal bar. The fifth fret, then, is the fifth square up from the nut — technically, the region between the fourth and fifth metal fret bars.

Most guitars have a marker on the fifth fret, either a decorative design embedded in the fingerboard or a dot on the side of the neck, or both.

You can always check out the diagram on the Cheat Sheet at the front of the book while you get comfortable with these naming conventions. One more point of business to square away. As long as the strings are in tune in a certain relationship with each other, you can create sonorous and harmonious tones. Those same tones may turn into sounds resembling those of a catfight if you try to play along with another instrument, however; but as long as you tune the strings relative to one another, the guitar is in tune with itself.

To tune a guitar using the relative method, choose one string as the starting point — say, the 6th string. Leave the pitch of that string as is; then tune all the other strings relative to that 6th string. The fifth-fret method The fifth-fret method derives its name from the fact that you almost always play a string at the fifth fret and then compare the sound of that note to that of the next open string.

Play the fifth fret of the 6th low E string the fattest one, closest to the ceiling and then play the open 5th A string the one next to it. Let both notes ring together. Their pitches should match exactly. If the 5th string seems lower, or flat, turn its tuning key with your left hand to raise the pitch.

If the 5th string seems sharp, or higher sounding, use its tuning key to lower the pitch. Play the fifth fret of the 5th A string and then play the open 4th D string. Let both of these notes ring together. If the 4th string seems flat or sharp relative to the fretted 5th string, use the tuning key of the 4th string to adjust its pitch accordingly. Play the fifth fret of the 4th D string and then play the open 3rd G string.

Let both notes ring together again. If the 3rd string seems flat or sharp relative to the fretted 4th string, use the tuning key of the 3rd string to adjust the pitch accordingly. Play the fourth not the fifth! Let both strings ring together. If the 2nd string seems flat or sharp, use its tuning key to adjust the pitch accordingly. Play the fifth yes, back to the fifth for this one fret of the 2nd B string and then play the open 1st high E string.

If the 1st string seems flat or sharp, use its tuning key to adjust the pitch accordingly. You may want to go back and repeat the process, because some strings may have slipped out of tune. Simply use your right hand! After you strike the two strings in succession the fretted string and the open string , take your right hand and reach over your left hand which remains stationary as you fret the string and turn the tuning peg of the appropriate string until both strings sound exactly the same.

If you want to bring your guitar into the world of other people, you need to know how to tune to a fixed source, such as a piano, pitch pipe, tuning fork, or electronic tuner. Using such a source ensures that everyone is playing by the same tuning rules. Besides, your guitar and strings are built for optimal tone production if you tune to standard pitch. The following sections describe some typical ways to tune your guitar by using fixed references.

These methods not only enable you to get in tune, but also to make nice with all the other instruments in the neighborhood. Chapter 2: Turn On, Tune In Taking a turn at the piano Because it holds its pitch so well needing only biannual or annual tunings, depending on the conditions , a piano is a great tool that you can use for tuning a guitar.

Assuming that you have an electronic keyboard or a well-tuned piano around, all you need to do is match the open strings of the guitar to the appropriate keys on the piano. Figure shows a piano keyboard and the corresponding open guitar strings. Middle C E Figure A view of the piano keyboard, highlighting the keys that correspond to the open strings of the guitar. So you need a smaller and more practical device that supplies standardtuning reference pitches.

Enter the pitch pipe. The pitch pipe evokes images of stern, matronly chorus leaders who purse their prunelike lips around a circular harmonica to deliver an anemic squeak that instantly marshals together the reluctant voices of the choir. Yet pitch pipes serve their purpose. For guitarists, special pitch pipes exist consisting of pipes that play only the notes of the open strings of the guitar but sounding in a higher range and none of the in-between notes.

The advantage of a pitch pipe is that you can hold it firmly in your mouth while blowing, keeping your hands free for tuning. The disadvantage to a pitch pipe is that you sometimes take a while getting used to hearing a wind-produced pitch against a struck-string pitch. But with practice, you can tune with a pitch pipe as easily as you can with a piano.

And a pitch pipe fits much more easily into your shirt pocket than a piano does! Check out Chapter 16 for a picture of a pitch pipe. Sinking your teeth into the tuning fork After you get good enough at discerning pitches, you need only one singlepitched tuning reference to get your whole guitar in tune.

The tuning fork offers only one pitch, and it usually comes in only one flavor: A the one above middle C, which vibrates at cycles per second, commonly known as A Using a tuning fork requires a little finesse. You must strike the fork against something firm, such as a tabletop or kneecap, and then hold it close to your ear or place the stem or handle — and not the tines or fork prongs — against something that resonates.

This resonator can be the tabletop again or even the top of the guitar. You can even hold it between your teeth, which leaves your hands free! It really works, too! The task may not be easy, but if you do it enough, you eventually become an expert.

Chapter 2: Turn On, Tune In Experiencing the electronic tuner The quickest and most accurate way to get in tune is to employ an electronic tuner.

This handy device seems to possess witchcraftlike powers. Some older, graph-type tuners feature a switch that selects which string you want to tune. Figure shows a typical electronic tuner. Figure An electronic tuner makes tuning a snap. Electronic tuners are usually powered by 9-volt batteries or two AAs that can last for a year with regular usage up to two or even three years with only occasional usage. For more on tuners, see Chapter For your tuning convenience, we play the open strings on Track 1 of the audio CD that comes with this book.

Unlike a cassette tape — or any analog tape system, for that matter — a CD always plays back the exact pitch that it records and never goes sharp or flat, not even a little bit. Chapter 3 Ready, Set. They fit comfortably into the arms of most humans, and the way your two hands fall on the strings naturally is pretty much the position from which you should play.

In this chapter, we tell you all about good posture techniques and how to hold your hands — just as if you were a young socialite at a finishing school. We jest because we care. But you really do need to remember that good posture and position, at the very least, prevent strain and fatigue and, at best, help develop good concentration habits and tone. After we get you positioned correctly with the guitar, we go over some basic music-deciphering skills and show you how to play a chord.

Hand Position and Posture You can either sit or stand while playing the guitar, and the position you choose makes virtually no difference whatsoever to your tone or technique. Most people prefer to practice while sitting but perform publicly while standing. The one exception to the sit or stand option is the classical guitar, which you normally play in a sitting position.

The orthodox practice is to play in a seated position only. Place your feet slightly apart. Balance the guitar by lightly resting your right forearm on the bass bout, as shown in Figure You should be able to take your left hand completely off the fretboard without the guitar dipping toward the floor. Figure Typical sitting position. Classical guitar technique, on the other hand, requires you to hold the instrument on your left leg, not on your right.

This position puts the center of the guitar closer to the center of your body, making the instrument easier to play, especially with the left hand, because you can better execute the difficult fingerings of the classical-guitar music in that position.

Chapter 13 shows the classical-guitar sitting position. This device enables your left foot to remain on the floor and instead pushes the guitar up in the air. Chapter 3: Ready, Set. Not Yet: Developing the Tools and Skills to Play Standing position To stand and play the guitar, you need a strap that is securely fastened to both strap pins on the guitar or otherwise tied to the guitar.

Then you can stand in a normal way and check out how cool you look in the mirror with that guitar slung over your shoulders. You may need to adjust the strap to get the guitar at a comfortable playing height. Your body makes a natural adjustment in going from a sitting to a standing position. Just stay relaxed and, above all, look cool. Looking cool is just as important as knowing how to play. Figure shows a typical standing position.

Figure Typical standing position. All your knuckles should be bent. Your hand should look about like that after you stick a guitar neck in there. The thumb glides along the back of the neck, straighter than if you were making a fist but not rigid. To fret a note, press the tip of your finger down on a string, keeping your knuckles bent. Try to get the fingertip to come down vertically on the string rather than at an angle. This position exerts the greatest pressure on the string and also prevents the sides of the finger from touching adjacent strings — which may cause either buzzing or muting deadening the string, or preventing it from ringing.

This technique will give you the clearest sound and prevent buzzing. Building up the strength in your left hand takes time. You may see advertisements for hand-strengthening devices and believe that these products may expedite your left-hand endurance. Because of the strength your left hand exerts while fretting, other parts of your body may tense up to compensate.

At periodic intervals, make sure that you relax your left shoulder, which has a tendency to rise up as you work on your fretting. You want to keep your upper arm and forearm parallel to the side of your body.

Relax your elbow so that it stays at your side. Not Yet: Developing the Tools and Skills to Play The important thing to remember in maintaining a good left-hand position is that you need to keep it comfortable and natural. If your hand starts to hurt or ache, stop playing and take a rest. As with any other activity that requires muscular development, resting enables your body to catch up.

Electric endeavours Electric necks are both narrower from the 1st string to the 6th and shallower from the fingerboard to the back of the neck than acoustics. Electric guitars are, therefore, easier to fret.

The biggest difference, however, between fretting on an electric and on a nylon or steel-string acoustic is the action. On an electric guitar, fretting strings is like passing a hot knife through butter. The easier action of an electric enables you to use a more relaxed left-hand position than you normally would on an acoustic, with the palm of the left hand facing slightly outward. Figure shows a photo of the left hand resting on the fingerboard of an electric guitar, fretting a string.

Figure The electric guitar neck lies comfortably between the thumb and the first finger as the first finger frets a note. Classical conditions Because nylon-string guitars have a wide fingerboard and are the model of choice for classical music, their necks require a slightly more ahem formal left-hand approach. Try to get the palm-side of your knuckles the ones that connect your fingers to your hand to stay close to and parallel to the side of the neck so that the fingers run perpendicular to the strings and all the fingers 31 32 Part I: So You Wanna Play Guitar are the same distance away from the neck.

Figure shows the correct left-hand position for nylon-string guitars. Figure Correct left-hand position for a classical guitar. Right-hand position If you hold a guitar in your lap and drape your right arm over the upper bout, your right hand, held loosely outstretched, crosses the strings at about a degree angle. This position is good for playing with a pick. For fingerstyle playing, you want to turn your right hand more perpendicular to the strings.

For classical guitar, you want to keep the right hand as close to a degree angle as possible. On acoustic, you can play either with a pick or with your fingers.

On both electric and acoustic, you play most rhythm chord-based accompaniment and virtually all lead singlenote melodies by holding the pick, or plectrum the old-fashioned term , between the thumb and index finger. Figure shows the correct way to hold a pick — with just the tip sticking out, perpendicular to the thumb. The more vigorous the strum, the more elbow you must put into the mix. For playing lead, you use only the more economical wrist motion.

Picks come in various gauges. Thinner picks are easier to manage for the beginner. Fingerpicking means that you play the guitar by plucking the strings with the individual right-hand fingers.

The thumb plays the bass, or low, strings, and the fingers play the treble, or high, strings. Maintaining a slight arch in the wrist so that the fingers come down more vertically on the strings also helps. Chapter 12 contains more information on fingerpicking style, including figures showing proper hand position. A perpendicular approach enables your fingers to draw against the strings with maximum strength. See Chapter 13 for more information on the rest stroke and free stroke.

With the help of the chord diagrams, rhythm slashes, and tablature that we explain in this section, plus hearing what all this stuff sounds like through the magic of CD technology, you can pick up on everything that you need to understand and play the guitar.

Beginning in Chapter 4, listen closely to the CD and follow the corresponding written examples to make sure that you understand how the two relate. All you need to do is understand where to put your fingers to form a chord. A chord is defined as the simultaneous sounding of three or more notes. The vertical line at the far left is the low 6th string, and the right-most vertical line is the high 1st string.

The thick horizontal line at the top is the nut of the guitar, where the fretboard ends. So the first fret is actually the second vertical line from the top. An O indicates an open string that you do play. In such cases, the top line is not the nut. In most cases, however, you deal primarily with chords that fall within only the first four frets of the guitar. They use this shorthand because, although a particular musical concept itself is often simple enough, to notate that idea in standard written music form may prove unduly complicated and cumbersome.

The chord in your left hand determines what you play. Say, for example, that you see the diagram shown in Figure Figure One measure of an E chord. Taking a look at tablature Tablature or just tab, for short is a notation system that graphically represents the frets and strings of the guitar.

Whereas chord diagrams do so in a static way, tablature shows how you play music over a period of time. For all the musical examples that appear in this book, you see a tablature staff or tab staff, for short beneath the standard notation staff. Tab is guitar-specific — in fact, many call it simply guitar tab. It does, however, tell you what string to fret and where exactly on the fingerboard to fret that string. Not Yet: Developing the Tools and Skills to Play Figure shows you the tab staff and some sample notes and a chord.

The top line of the tab staff represents the 1st string of the guitar — high E. The bottom line of the tab corresponds to the 6th string on the guitar, low E. The other lines represent the other four stings in between — the second line from the bottom is the 5th string, and so on.

A number appearing on any given line tells you to fret that string in that numbered fret. For example, if you see the numeral 2 on the second line from the top, you need to press down the 2nd string in the second fret above the nut actually, the space between the first and second metal frets.

A 0 on a line means that you play the open string. Figure Three examples of tab staff. You can play a chord the simultaneous sounding of three or more notes several ways on the guitar — by strumming dragging a pick or the back of your fingernails across the strings in a single, quick motion , plucking with the individual right-hand fingers , or even smacking the strings with your open hand or fist.

For the guitarist, that means learning some left-hand chord forms. Fingering a chord After you think that you understand somewhat the guitar notation that we describe in the preceding sections, your best bet is to just jump right in and play your first chord.

After you get the hang of playing chords, you eventually find that you can move several fingers into position simultaneously. For now, however, just place your fingers one at a time on the frets and strings, as the following instructions indicate you can also refer to Figure : 37 38 Part I: So You Wanna Play Guitar 1. Place your first index finger on the 3rd string, first fret actually between the nut and first fret wire but closer to the fret wire.

Apply just enough pressure to keep your finger from moving off the string. Place your second middle finger on the 5th string skipping over the 4th string , second fret. Again, apply just enough pressure to keep your fingers in place. You now have two fingers on the guitar, on the 3rd and 5th strings, with an as-yet unfretted string the 4th in between. Place your third ring finger on the 4th string, second fret. You may need to wriggle your ring finger a bit to get it to fit in there between the first and second fingers and below the fret wire.

Figure shows a photo of how your E chord should look after all your fingers are positioned correctly. Now that your fingers are in position, strike all six strings with your right hand to hear your first chord, E. Figure Notice how the fingers curve and the knuckles bend on an E chord. Avoiding buzzes One of the hardest things to do in playing chords is to avoid buzzing. A buzz can also result if a fretting finger accidentally comes in contact with an adjacent string, preventing that string from ringing freely.

This is the part where you start actually playing the guitar. Chapter 4 presents you with some tools that will be your first and longest-lasting friends: open position major and minor chords. If you only work hard on one chapter in this book, let it be Chapter 4.

Chapter 5 provides you with the basics of single-note melodies, so that you can inject some melody into your playing. Also includes music score animation for easy music learning. It taught me everything I needed to know about playing bass. For example, you can play an F chord on the guitar in exactly one billion and seven ways. Inside chords, which include a bass note, produce a deeper, fuller sound, and are good for when there's no bass player around.

Besides performing and recording, Pfeiffer teaches individual bass lessons worldwide via the internet and often The world according to bass — develop the skills you need to play bass in a band The bass-ics of playing — explore the techniques for turning scales and chords into great music Making the moves, creating the grooves — discover the joy See and hear how each one is played by a teacher. I like this work because the lessons run from beginner to advanced.

It's also great for learning chord arpeggios and scales, which are essential for writing your own bass lines. This book is invaluable for anyone who has bought a 5 string bass. I love this book! This is my favorite bass book! Bass players: customize your warm-up routine with this fantastic collection of stretches, coordination exercises, pentatonic scales, major and minor scales, and arpeggios sure to limber up your fingers and hands and get you ready to play in This book introduces the beginner to the basics of playing Jazz Bass guitar.

No previous knowledge of bass guitar playing or music is required. All music theory is gradually introduced in a very easy and clear way using over 70 examples It lasts for one quarter of a beat. Step-by-step pictures take you from first day exercises to playing along with a backup track! Absolute Beginners has been designed to tell you everything you need to know from the very first time you pick up your bass guitar.

Get started with guitar — discover the anatomy of aguitar, figure out how it works, make sense of strings and frets,and develop basic playing skills Strike a chord — grasp major and minor chords, spice itup with some basic 7th chords, Go online to practice your riffs and chords and develop your style as a blues musician. Order your copy of Blues Guitar For Dummies today and get ready to start shredding!

Want to be a classical guitarist, but never had a lesson? No problem — this hands-on guide teaches you all the fundamental techniques you need to play scales, melodies, and full-length pieces in the classical style. Suitable for all ages and all types of acoustic guitars. Subscribe to our newsletter. Please select all the ways you would like to hear from us Email Direct Mail Customized online advertising. Your personal data will be used to support your experience throughout this website, to manage access to your account, and for other purposes described in our privacy policy.

Sign me up for the newsletter! Bass guitars differ from their high-strung cousins otherwise known as the other guitars in can check out Wiley Publishing's Guitar For Dummies, by Mark Phillips in half steps the smallest unit of musical distance from one note to the next. This is just a simple explenation of your first bass guitar. After browsing our selection of free bass tab PDF, view our video lessons to help you get started learning your favorite songs from start to finish.

First off, picking; you need to decide whether you want to play with your fingers, or with a pick. Using the following figures and lots of practice , you can play a perfectly authentic groove in just about any of the main musical genres.

The author gives you a lot to get your feet wet! With this book as your guide, you can become the bassist you want to be, whether it involves performing before screaming fans or just jamming with your friends. Discover how the bass is used in a variety of musical genres, gain knowledge and confidence from simple lessons, apply techniques the pros use, and polish your bass lines with online practice sessions.

Know what to look for when choosing your first bass guitar Set up your equipment Learn scales, modes, and arpeggios Combine harmony and rhythm into grooves Explore professional techniques Jam with online practice. Bass players: customize your warm-up routine with this fantastic collection of stretches, coordination exercises, pentatonic scales, major and minor scales, and arpeggios sure to limber up your fingers and hands and get you ready to play in top form!

Suitable for all ages and all types of basses including precision bass and jazz bass. Basic knowledge of how to read music and playing the bass is required to teach yourself to learn to play bass from this book.

For over 30 years, our team of professional authors, compose. Some are more difficult than others but all sound so funky! I really recommend it to anyone interested in learning this technique. Grice, UK [Amazon UK] Progressive Beginner Slap Bass contains all you need to know to start learning to be a great slap bass guitar player - in one easy-to-follow, lesson-by-lesson slap bass tutorial.

Basic knowledge of how to read music and playing the bass guitar is required to teach yourself to learn to play bass from this book. It's a great primer for anyone who wants to play rock bass in a band! If you already have some previous experience playing the guitar this tutorial may still be worthwhile. The lessons will give you an opportunity to review the basics before jumping into another series. If you feel you are ready to move on — check out our lessons on, or.

The lesson curriculum is not really my style, but all teachers vary. It focuses too soon on too much theory, and I believe in getting my students playing and having fun, thereby develop a love for the instrument quickly, rather than indulging in theoretical studies. Is Guitar for dummies a good book to improve on guitar and the theory behind it? I can confidently say I can play guitar and a few songs, just not super well!

Just looking for a book that could help me improve as I find time for it between school and work. Nothing replaces playing a ton.