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Bass Guitar News and Resources
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The Bass Forum
Whether you are a beginner looking for some help and advice, or an expert looking to share your knowledge, the Harmony Central User Forums are the place to be. Join the world's largest musician community and talk about gear, artists, technique, funny stories, and anything else of interest to bassists.
If your interests go beyond the world of bass, then jump right in and view all the active forums.
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Bass Instruction
- ActiveBass.com
Member-contributed interactive bass lessons with tab and customizable
music playback -
- Bass Lessons
Lessons covering bassline construction, slapping and tapping techniques as well.
- Hanging Ten on Bass
A method for developing the use of all five fingers on your picking hand, allowing you to pull off some amazing riffs.
- LTV Music
Online bass lessons given by a fusion-type band
- Running with the Bass
Some basic theory and tips to help bass players liven up the bass lines in their music.
- Running With the Bass: Part II
Extended theory with ideas for bass line construction over minor chords and chord changes.
- The InterChart
A Java applet that will display scales, arpeggios, and chords, with plenty of options (be sure to set the instrument presets at the bottom for bass tunings)
- Dave's Guitar and Bass Resource Pages
Scale and chord diagrams, primarily for 6-string and 7-string bassists
- ChordFind.com
A JavaScript chord display utility for guitar, keyboard, and 4-string instruments.
- Bass Guitar Scale Page
- Wheat's BassBook
An instructional site that covers a variety of bass playing topics.
- Groove Tales
Some theory and exercises.
- BassLessons.com
A free service for locating a teacher, plus book reviews, articles, lesson links, and interviews.
- Rockbass
Beginner To Pro In Four Weeks A shareware bass instruction site.
- Adam Nitti's Home Page
Contains from basic lessons, some of which also appear at BassLessons.com.
- Bass Boulevard
A new bass instruction site covering things like scales, modes,and intervals.
- Graphic Bass
A JavaScript-based utility for creating tablature as gif images.
- Vision Music
Some free lessons and MIDI jam tracks.
- "A Jazz Improvisation Primer"
by Marc Sabatella
- Jazclass
Not aimed specifically at bass, but may still be useful. It's set of free jazz lessons accompanied by sheet music and MIDI files. You can also buy additional lessons.
- RobTougher.com
Offers a number of web-based music theory drills.
- Harmonie
An instructional site with MIDI example files (In French only).
- Marco Accattatis' Transcriptions Page
Transcriptions (not tabs) for a selection of jazz tunes.
- The Guitar Instruction Page
has some other lessons and aids that you may find useful.
- South Bay School of Music Arts
Music school is the San Jose, CA area for adults and children
- Talk Bass
Bass guitar and double bass instruction, news, tabs, discussion, articles, reviews, and more.
- Enable Electric Bass
Instructional software for bass.
- Get It All.Net
Sells packs of licks, scales, and lessons on CD or in downloadable format.
Product Review Databases
These databases are intended to be used as a reference when you are shopping around for new gear. It relies on people like you to share your comments, complaints, or praise. This is your chance to tell people how cool something is, what to stay away from, or just what you think people need to consider before buying.
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Most Recent Submissions
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Browse by Manufacturer
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Contribute a Review
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Effects
This link will take you over to the Effects Page. It has a FAQ that explains how some common effects work and how to go about building your own, a source for lots of effects schematics, and an Effects Database where you can browse reader comments and submit your own comments for others to read (there aren't many bass effects units represented here yet, but you can change that!).
Browse Effects »
Bass FAQs
The rec.music.makers.bass FAQ covers topics from how to tune a bass and write tablature, to recording bass and using effects.
There is another Electric Bass FAQ 1.1 (from The Bottom Line) (14K). It has some overlap with the above FAQ.
Software
You can get the Bass Tab Creator 2.58 Source Code (15K) and compile it on UNIX, DOS, and Atari ST platforms (the compiled Dos program is on the Dos Software page - the link below will take you there).
For other programs, click on your platform:
Newsgroups and Searchable Archives
Here's a listing of some newsgroups of interest to bass players:
You can search these newsgroups via Deja News.
Classified Ads
The Harmony Central Classified Ads provide an area to buy and sell used equipment. You can Post a Classified Ad (for free, of course) if you have something to sell or are looking for a specific item, and use the form below to look at the ads currently available. You can also Search the Classified Ads or Edit or Delete Your Ad.
If you are buying (or selling) an item, and want to protect yourself from getting ripped off, you may want to look into escrow companies like Safe Buyer, and escrow.ca to see what they have to offer. If you're looking for more places with classifieds, (for buying/selling gear and finding other musicians), try BassGear.com, plus there's a listing available on the Services page.
Magazines
- American Songwriter Magazine
- Audio Amateur Corporation
Publishes several magazines including Audio Electronics, Glass Audio, Speaker Builder, and Voice Coil. They also sell books and software on the same topics.
- Bass Guitar Magazine
- The Bottom Line
A mailing list devoted to bass playing. - Bass Guitar Magazine
UK print magazine for bass players.
- Bass Player (Order Subscription)
- Bassics Magazine (Order Subscription)
- Gig Magazine (Order Subscription)
- Bass Inside Magazine
New on-line magazine with artist interviews, product reviews, and more.
- Music Connection Magazine
Focused on the business of music.
- Musiciannews.com
Web portal with gear and artist news, articles, classifieds, and more.
- Recording Magazine (Order Subscription)
- Sound on Sound Publications
The web site for Sound on Sound and Sound Pro magazines, covering hi-tech recording technology. Full access, on-line subscriptions are available.
- JungleVoodoo.com
online magazine which targets drum and bass and electronic music
Manufacturers
Links to a number of bass and amp manufacturers, such as SWR, Fender, Steinberger, Tobias, and Peavey. There are also links to effects manufacturers and companies that make some accessories - necks, pickups, and imprinted picks.
Browse Manufacturers »
Retailers
A listing of stores on the web selling bass gear, including some vintage instrument dealers. Some feature weekly or monthly specials.
Browse Retailers »
General
- Bass Tip of the Day
Daily tips on playing bass and bass guitar. Daily ezine plus hundreds of archived tips; directory of thousands of related sites.
- BassLinks.com
Search engine and web directory for bass-related sites.
- Electricbass.com
Classifieds, message boards, mailing lists, links, and more.
- Bassworld.co.uk
Community site with news, forums, and more.
- Home Bass
- Bassically
Featured artists, online and correspondence lessons, news and reviews, links, ads, and more.
- Online Bass Tuner
Generates notes for tuning your bass to along with a little tutorial.
- Low End Bass
Links to user and manufacturer sites.
- Arno's Bass Links
Categorized listings of bass links.
- Planet Bass
Interviews with a wide range of bassists.
- basslinks.nl
Links for gear manufacturers, bassists, and more.
- Bass Gear Reviews
- BassLessons.com
Services for finding a teacher, plus book reviews, articles, lesson links, and interviews.
- Ugly Bass Player
Discussion forum, bass player locator, and more.
- J.D.'s Bass Page
- altguitarbass.com
Website for the Usenet group alt.guitar.bass.
- FretlessBass.com
A registry of fretless basees where you can upload a picture of your bass.
- Headless Lounge
A gallery of headless basses.
- The 12-String Bass Page
Pics, specs, and other info on 12-string basses.
- LargeSound.com
Resources for owners of the Ashbory Bass made by Guild and DeArmond.
- Poppyto
A French-only web site for bassists with video lessons.
- Bass-Station
A just-established mailing list for bass players to chat, discuss, and exchange ideas.
- The Bassment
Primarily a collection of links to lessons, articles, and other sites, plus some MIDI files.
- BunnyBass Instrument Archive
Digital archive of guitars and basses to browse.
- Bass Pro Tips
Sells a variety of instructional materials, books, videos, and strings.
- Electric Upright Bass Database
A searchable listing of luthiers and user comments.
- Electric Upright Bass Site
Links to upright electric bass/accessory makers and related sites.
- GearSearch.com
Instrument manufacturer and retailer links.
- BassPlayer.cc
Free email for bassists.
- Experience Music Project
An interactive museum with the history of guitar and bass.
- Vintage Guitars Info
A great guide to the history of the classic guitar companies including specs, images, and serial number guides
- The Libster
- The Bass Lobster
Plans to offer a weeky series of slap lessons.
- Designing and Building a Guitar Loudspeaker Cabinet
- Serebella.com
Bass Links
- San Diego Bass Alliance
Avid and passionate bass players sharing their knowledge
Double Bass
Other Items of Interest
- PlayTheBass.com
Flash cards, staff paper, computer wallpaper, and posters, most for free.
- Loopwise.com
Collaboration site where you can get exposure and sell your services as a musician.
- Avoiding G.A.S Part 7: Building a Bass Rig
Some advice on sorting through all the options available to bassists that can otherwise be a bit overwhelming.
- Getthatsound.com
Details the gear used on a range of popular songs, new and old.
- MusicianWear.com
Sells t-shirts, hats, and other logowear from companies like Fender, Gibson, Mesa/Boogie, etc.
- 2000 Golden Axe Awards
- The Golden Axe Awards: Bass Division
A selection of fine basses from the 1999 Winter NAMM show.
- How to De-Fret a Bass
A guide to turning your bass into a fretless.
- How to do Your Own Bass Setups
An article from The Bottom Line that leads you through the process of setting up your bass.
- BassBooks.com
Sells books of interests to bassists.
- The Bottom Line
an electronic digest devoted to bass playing. The issues are distributed regularly and contain submissions of readers. To subscribe, send email to majordomo@magpie.com, with the message subscribe bass-digest in the body. The Bottom Line also has some web pages. Check out http://syy.oulu.fi/tbl.html. Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp Jam with musicians from well known bands, plus guest speakers, recording sessions, and more.
- Formentera Guitars
Learn to build a guitar on an island in the Mediterranean.
- #Bassplayer Home Page
A page for the #Bassplayer IRC channel, and the links will explain how to participate.
- DarkSonus
A site specifically for Industrial/Gothic/EBM musicians.
- Java Metronome
- Aesthetic Artist Productions
Covers a variety of music theory topics.
- Compact Bass Guitar Speaker Bottom
An article about building light weight speaker bottom.
- National Guitar Workshop
Info on their seminars/classes and how to apply.
- Musicians Institute
- Power Jamms
Play-along CDs, instructional books, and videos.
- Registry of Guitar Tutors
An accredidation program and service for guitar/bass instructors based in the UK. The Accent Guitar Studio site has news and events for the North American branch.
- Bass Collective
A music school in New York City.
- Progressive Music Center
Private lesson facility in Raleigh.
- Duquesne University School of Music: Guitar Department
- The Dick Grove 'School Without Walls'
The School That Comes To You.
- Music Tech
- HEARNET
An organization to spread information about hearing loss and how to prevent it.
- Musician's Health
Some info on common health problems for musicians plus some preventative advice and treatments.
- Musicians and Injuries
Advice and additional resources for coping with and preventing injuries such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
- Typing Injury FAQ
Although aimed at computer related hazards, this page has information about repetitive stress injuries and carpal tunnel syndrome that is useful to musicians. It will take you to information on preventative measures, treatments, mailing list support groups and more.
- The Muse's Muse
A site for songwriters with articles, classifieds, and related links.
- The Complete Jingle Course
- Applause Music Careers
Sells guides to help you get a job in the industry.
- Miller Freeman Books
- The CHURCHBASS Home Page
Info on the mailing list devoted to issues of playing bass in a church setting, including tabs.
- stand.ps.gz (21K)
Plans to help you build a stand to hold up to four guitars and basses, by Tony Cormier.
- Stick Wire
The authorized Chapman Stick(R) Web Page. It has some introduction material and technical info.
- Virtual Chapman Grand Stick
A polyphonic Chapman stick created in Flash.
- Walkman Headphone Amp (2K)
This is a post that from USENET that describes how you can take an old walkman and convert it into a headphone amp.
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