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Post subject: Online Bass Lessons / U-Bass
Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 7:30 am
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Hi all,

My girlfriend has recently bought a Kala ukelele bass, which is one darn lovely sounding little instrument, and is trying to learn how to play it. Im trying my hardest not to teach her bad habits, being a self taught guitarist myself! So have suggested she go online and find some good tuition, she has found one guy she really likes in australia who does youtube stuff, but after the first few free lessons you have to pay quite a lot to get sent the whole course. SO, before she pays out lots of money i thought id see if anyone here would recommend any online tuition in paticular?

To give you an idea what she wants, she wants someone who isnt all pretentious and moves too fast, someone who explains things very clearly for a beginner, and gives useful advice rather than just saying `so it should sound like this` and then showing off for 10 minutes at a time (hence thats me out). Also as she is playing a ukelele bass, she doesnt need all the fast rock techniques and the slapping and all that, just how to play along to melodic stuff and understand the intrument in a way she enjoys.

Any advice or recomendations? From being a forumite here for quite sometime, my first thought when she struggled to find anything she liked was... Wonder what brother dave would suggest :D Incidently would also be interested to see if anyone else has tried the U-bass or knows of it, i was very impressed. Apologies if this is non fender related, but i like this forum and id always like to try here for advice first.

Thanks

Olly

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Post subject: Re: Online Bass Lessons / U-Bass
Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 3:48 am
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That is a very valid point. There is no course specifically for the Kala U-Bass. I am very familiar with this instrument and have played the fretless U-Bass a couple of times and find it an amazing little bass. I don't know if she has the fretted or the fretless one. The fretless Kala reminds me a lot of the Ashbory bass. I think the pickup system is roughly the same. There is no course specific to an Ashbory either. All the Ashbory's are fretless. The Ashbory has been an FMIC product for years under three different badges starting as the Guild Ashbory, the DeArmond Ashbory and now just the Ashbory by Fender. The fretless Ashbory and the fretless U-Bass sound almost identical but I think the U-Bass is easier to play because the strings are easier to move around on and the scale is a couple of inches longer on the Kala.

Fortunately the Kala and Ashbory both tune EADG just like a traditional bass and the fingerings are the same. Therefore any electric bass tutor will be of benefit.

First thing, I'd suggest locating a good local BASS instructor for a few in person lessons. They can be very motivational and you should see improvement after 2 lessons or bail on that instructor. Pay for the first couple of lessons on a per lesson basis. If you plan to continue after that buy a lesson package if it is cheaper and you plan to continue.

I do not recommend online monthly subscription tutors because they are an ongoing expense with monthly fees usually.

Instead I'd suggest Carol Kaye's "How To Play The Electric Bass" as an introduction to her materials. Her other printed material is very good and so are her DVD's. I get more from her printed stuff and cd's. It is simply stated, cuts to the chase and makes good sense. Her DVD's are helpful also but I suggest starting with that particular book and the accompanying CD's as it was the first method that really worked for me. (Back then it came with LP records and not CD's.) This is not exactly "very beginner" level but most of the beginner-beginner stuff is how to hold, tune and adjust the instrument and she probably has that down. Beginner stuff is also how to read standard notation and the fingerings for the notes and all that is online for free.

You can buy that book on AMAZON but it is cheaper direct from Carol at: http://www.carolkaye.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=32&osCsid=08ea012e08a2982c69865df686b3ff26

Since both the Kala U-Bass (especially the fretless one) and the Fender Ashbory Bass have a lot in common with and can sound very like an upright acoustic bass it also makes sense to incorporate at least some upright playing techniques and upright fundamentals to your style. Good printed tutors on upright play include the "Upright Bass Primer Book" and Audio CD by Andy Howald. There are many others. Upright is a whole different animal, and I'm trying to get more upright sounds in some of my play style from time to time. Skilled upright players can make a Kala fretless sound more like an upright than I can just because of their polished upright style of play. Listening and copying some bluegrass and jazz licks is free. That's mostly what I've been trying out.

Another alternative is the one time purchase software EMEDIA BASS METHOD software for about $52 from Amazon. It loads into your computer. No monthly fees. Take it at your own pace. There are enough lessons on that to keep her busy for six months.

I agree that watching someone show off for 10 mins is intimidating and pretty much worthless. I prefer printed matter I can pursue at my own pace and understanding with accompanying music tracks to fit my lines into. I can do it on my own schedule.

Good luck!


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Post subject: Re: Online Bass Lessons / U-Bass
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2012 4:02 pm
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Thanks loads for that, the carol kaye idea in paticular sounds ideal, i always thought she seemed very cool.all the best and happy christmas

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