Improve your ear, technique & fretboard fluency all at once!

Yo playa’ (bass player that is)

Grab yo’ bass & let’s have some FUN! In today’s video we’ll be doing some pretty high value stuff.

WARNING: If you’re an absolute beginner what we’re doing *may* be a little challenging, and it *may* take a while to ‘get it’ all under your fingers. But if it does don’t worry… The time and effort invested will be very well spent.

For intermediate players this will be pretty straight forward. Still very valuable though.

Peace

– Alex

P.S. For intermediate players I have a more advanced take on this too. If you’re interested let me know. Beginners let me know if you want something even more basic.

Published by

Alex Sampson

Alex is the founder and owner of BassGuitarTips.Com

33 thoughts on “Improve your ear, technique & fretboard fluency all at once!”

  1. Good Groove … I’ve been getting your email, etc.. but really haven’t got back into the Bass since the early 70’s.

    You’ve got a great sound … just might grab my Axe and play along.

  2. I am a beginginer and a left hand player I need basic basic, but I know I could lern I just need to see you playing and, I think it will be like looking into a merear

  3. Another great video. Keep ’em coming. Your tools have been a great help in redirecting my playing. I’ve gotten smoother, groovier, and much more acurate. Thanks again.

    And, finally won one of those “the bass is easy and any monkey can do it” discusion thanks to your instruction. Yes, I did go through EVERY topic, from 1 to end (Bass Guitar Secrets). Of course, I had to back up what I was saying… and did… Cool feeling.

    Keep it groovy and leave them with their mouths open…

  4. I enjoyed that, thanks. Some commentary on what theory was behind each of the little licks would have good, but I guess you’ll have put that on part 2 of the video: I wasn’t quick enough off the block to get to that before it disappeared tho!

  5. Alex,
    How can I get a copy of the track you were playing along with? It has a good sound and I would like to try some things with it.

    Thanks!

  6. Thanx Alex,

    Man what a fun way of learning how to be creative and when to drop in those
    fancy licks. I can see myself jumping into a solo any time now.

    Cheers.

  7. Alex,

    Keep them coming. These are great exercises. I have the Bass Chopz course and it is great. The video helps to cement whether or not I am doing the course right. Thanks for all you do.

  8. Great fun Alex, It helped me three ways:
    1. Helped me with ear training.
    2. Helped with memorizing what I heard.
    3. Helped use what I’ve learned with the Fretboard Formula course!
    Great lesson overall!

  9. Alex – another great video by you, but still way way out of my skill set ability. As the absolute beginner that I am if you could do videos of more real basics. Things like how to do 1,3 5 patterns without moving the fingers my left hand all over the fretboard. Different patterns for more efficient basic playing and fingering for really basic bass playing. Stuff that someone who has just picked up the base would like to know how to do. The real ABC’s.

    Thanks again for the fretboard formula course it is a lot of help.

    Bob

  10. hay alex, scooga here. Ithink it’s great what your doing. you are great teacher in your own way. i’ve been playing 4 seven yrs now. I love old school r&b I can play maybe 200 songs. but I don’t know scales, or how 2 solo. Iknow crazy ain’t it. can you help me out. I thought it was no biggie the guy,s in the band say it don’t matter. I think it do. so what should i do. oh i don’t don’t know scales either. SAD!!!

  11. hey alex,
    thanks for the “call & response” lesson (and all the others, too). this is a great way to practice ear training. i’m having fun w/ this. also, congrats to you and your lady on your first baby. let us know the good news. michael

  12. Hay Alex, I’ve just gota say thanks man I’m a drumer that started to play guitar unti my fret hand got cruched by a baseball bat and no longer coul form cords cuz i dont have the use of my pinky and limited use of the ring finger. Thas when i picked up the bass bout 2 years ago ive had some fun playn in a 60’s band even though im only 32, but i moved a year ago and have no one to play wit now. i wanted to pick my bass up and play last month cuz i got laid off and had nothing to do but i qickly relized that i was out of practice and needed help with growth. thats when i found your site online. i cant tell you enough that as soon as i get a job I WILL be bbuying your full cours!! the little bit of free stuf has got me so motivated to play again! Im not shure if its my computer but the video playing the chicken that you posted keeps skipin or cutting out i havent had a prob. with any thing i recived from you yet, gut please keep sending suff !!!!!!!Thank you so much for the motivation back!

  13. Hey Alex i have been playing for quite sometime. 9 years to be exact but i feel stuck. When i as first introduced to the bass i was taught to play using patterns and not by ear. Even when i learn an entire song it is stored in my brain as a series of patterns. I HATE THIS cause all my playing is sort of choriographed.
    I can play by ear though meaning i can get the chord of the song but i want to be able to learn how every fret on the fret board sounds and be able to sing something in my head and play it right away without having to try 10 tens. I practice alot but because my brain is used to learning by patterns it has created a road block for me. I want to be able to play by singing it my head and then playing it.
    Any ideas.

  14. Hi Alex everything looks great on this site,Im just beginnig to learn can you give me something a little more basic?

  15. Dear Alex,
    I am a great fun of yours. It is rather unfortunate that I have less time at the cafe to watch your videos. I will be very greatful if you could send me videos that can be downloaded so that I can download them when I get to the cafe. I will like to practice them in the house. Thank you very much.
    Jonathan
    Ghana.

  16. ha Alex i am the most beginner of beginners i am 42 an disabled and bought a bass and i have not been sucessful at learning anything.

  17. Alex: I have been playing for many years, but I still find it difficult to follow along and play exactly what you are playing. I certainly don’t consider myself a “beginner”, so does this mean I am totally lame? I guess I need to work on my ear.. a lot more. It would be great if your licks were tabbed out.. then I could figure out exactly what you are doing. Any chance of that? Thanks!

  18. Hey ya!
    First of all thanks heaps for this. I think I’m like the majority here and would like to ask for something basic once again.

  19. Alex great stuff. Ive been messin with the bass for years but now I am ready to grow! thanks for your hard work.

Leave a Reply to Mello Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *