Some bass help...

[Damageinc840]

Hey, I've been playing bass for a few years, and im currently involved in a prog/death hybrid project (when we record the demo im gunna post it here), and i have very limited knowledge of finger tapping on bass. Ive read some manuals with instructions, and i can do some very basic stuff, but there's a lot of guitar fills that my guitarists harmonize, and I think it would add a lot if i could tap along with it.

So, does anyone have any tips, maybe some exercises to help me build up speed, stretch and hit those notes right? Anything at all would be great guys, thanks in advance.

\m/ Rock on \m/

np - Liquid Tension Experiment-Acid Rain

 

[OfSinsAndShred]

Learn stuff like Sea of Lies, Pharaoh, and Egypt. John Myung does some crazy tapping. Check the web to make sure you have the technique (you probably know the basic fundamentals of the technique)... start slow and gradually work it up to speed. *shrug* That's all I got man. Good luck, let us hear your music sometime!

 

[CarwynHywel]

Check this: Bill Dickens - Left Of Center. Its silly tapping. But my advice is, practice tapping octaves, then double-stops and small chords, stuff like this:


---14----16-
---14----17-
------------
-5-----3----


And just get your strength up. Two handed bass tapping is all based (pun not intended) around roots or walking or something in the left hand, and melodies on top with the right.

 

[Thornmoon]

So, does anyone have any tips, maybe some exercises to help me build up speed, stretch and hit those notes right? Anything at all would be great guys, thanks in advance.

practice scales and arpeggios by tapping..

Use a metronome.

Start slow and gradually build up speed.

 

[Bassmasta]

All the above stuff mentioned is great

Here's another example for you to practice (a variation of the Metropolis Part I bass solo by John Myung of Dream Theater)

---------------11------------------12----------------14---
----4---------------------5------------------7-------------
-----------9-------------------10----------------12-------
-2-------------------3-------------------5----------------
`LHI`LHR`RHI`RHR```LHI`LHR``RHI`RHr``LHI`LHR`RHI`RHL`

LHI = Left hand index finger
LHR = Left hand ring finger
RHI = Right hand Index
RHR = Right hand Index

Of course, this isn't the only kind of tapping there is, but use this as a basis to get your fingers stronger, and check out Victor Wooten for crazy tapping, John Myung, Stu Hamm, and many others.

Cheers

p.s - ignore the `s I just used them for spacing.

 

[MorphineChild205]

As far as Symphony X goes, there's some wicked tapping bits in the following songs:

Masquerade '98
The Edge of Forever
Sea of Lies
Out of the Ashes
In the Dragon's Den (I think it's tapping, anyway)
Fallen
King of Terrors
Frontiers

I'm sure there's more, but that's all I can think of right now. You also might want to try New Millenium by Dream Theater for some slower, easier tapping.

 

[OfSinsAndShred]

John Myung's "Progressive Bass Concepts" has a whole section on it. My friend is a crazy bass player and he says it rocks. Also Victor Wooten and Steve Bailey's "Bass Extreme" (or something like that) is about amazing.

 

[Damageinc840]

Much thanks guys, i appreciate it, anything else? ie websites or books that can help?

 

[Bassmasta]

http://www.bassically.net might have a few videos/instructions on tapping.

Cheers