Beginning Electric Bass with Mark Epstein

Product Description

Few bassists even come close to Mark Epstein when it comes to working experience. A solid “groove” plater, Mark is quick to point out that he’s the type of bassist who really likes playing BASS on the bass. Currently residing in New York City, Mark is constantly on the move dividing his time between independent studio work and live performances. He has played with the likes of Dr. John, David Crosby, Robben Ford, Taj Mahal, Joe Beck, Dr. Johnny Smith, Maria Muldair, Curtis Stigers, Andy Timmons and Larry Mitchell to name but a few. His current gig is playing with guitar legend Johnny Winter. Mark is also a producer, a songwriter, and occasionally scores film soundtracks. Now, courtesy of Ibanez, you can study with Mark Epstein at home, at your own pace. Beginning Electric Bass covers everything you need to know to get started on bass. Over the course of the video, Mark covers such topics as basic equipment, tuning, playing scales, the role of the bass in the band and much more. Complete with student play-along segments, this tape is the ideal starting point for any beginner!

Theoretically any guitar player can switch from lead to bass although only one guitarist of note – Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake And Palmer – made a career out of it. It was rumored that he thought it would be a good way to stop attracting women. Actually he constantly switched between lead and bass while maintaining his position as lead singer. Clearly a guy with issues.

Anyway let us get onto the main features of a bass guitar. The standard tuning of a four string bass guitar is E A D G. The tunings are similar on the five string bass except for a low B string, and on a six string except for a high C string. So on a 6 string bass the tuning is B E A D G C. There are also seven string basses with a high F string.
There are several ways you can tune a bass guitar but as they are the same as those used to tune a regular guitar, I will not mention them. As with other guitars you tune the bass guitar by loosening the string and tuning up to the note you are aiming for. Tune each string separately being careful to match the sound of the string to your bass guitar tuner. While we are on the subject of tuning, be sure to do a search for a free online bass guitar tuner.

On the electric bass guitar, the music is made by plucking with the index and middle fingers or with a pick. Early Fender basses had a “thumbrest” attached to the pickguard, below the strings. This was to rest the fingers while the thumb plucked the strings. The common perception is that the pick is used by rock bass players but players of all styles have their own individual techniques, sometimes using thumb, fingers or pick according to the sound they want. The guitar can sound different if all upstrokes, all downstrokes or alternating strokes of the pick are employed.

Some bass players such as Les Claypool and John Entwistle played using their fingernails similar to a classical acoustic guitarist. There is controversy among musical historians over whether bass guitarists who pluck with their fingers are innovators who have explored new horizons or they simply were not told about plectrums.