Simple Funk in E

Here’s a simple funk line in E for bass guitar. Remember, practice it slowly to develop accuracy before you increase speed. Play it perfectly ten time in a row before increasing speed.

Aim High – Play Low!

Lane

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Right and Left Hand Positions for Bass Guitar

Using the proper hand position while playing the bass guitar will help increase accuracy and speed, and will also help prevent injury or pain.

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Next: Proper Hand Position

Aim High – Play Low!

Lane

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Preparing for an Audition

Note: The following article originally appeared in the Bass Sessions webzine.

It doesn’t matter if you plan to make a career out of music, or if you intend to play music as a hobby. Sooner or later, you’re probably going to have to audition for a band. Even Jason Newsted had to audition for Metallica before he rose to fame. Continue reading

Making a Case for Covers

Throughout my career of more than 35 years, the subject of whether to play covers or not has come along more times than I’ve tuned my bass, or so it seems. There seem to be two camps of extreme opinions bookending the middle ground in which most players camp. One extreme opinion is that anyone who plays covers isn’t a “real” musician, is a sell-out. And it’s to this camp I’d like to offer some thoughts. Continue reading

Proper Hand Position

Teaching your fingers to properly fret each note leads to greater cleanliness and accuracy.

Many of my students, whether beginners or advanced, have had one problem in common: proper fretting hand position. In this lesson, I will address the most common problem, which is where the finger meets the fret.

The next time you pick up your bass, take a look at where your fingers meet the neck. Watch other bassists when they play. Many players place their finger in the middle of the fret, and this can lead to serious problems if not corrected. Continue reading

The Importance of Daily Practice

You don’t have to spend hours a day learning to play bass guitar, but you definitely should play your instrument at least fifteen minutes every day. Here’s why it’s important.

Aim High – Play Low!

Lane

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Accuracy First

Everyone wants to play fast. But you have to crawl before you walk, and walk before you run. Here’s how that lesson applies to learning bass guitar.

Aim High – Play Low!

Lane

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Ten Times Perfect

One of the most important things about playing bass guitar is to be able to play a line perfectly every time. Here’s how you learn to do just that.

Aim High – Play Low!

Lane

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Keeping a Notebook

Keeping a notebook can dramatically speed up your learning process. Here’s why.

Aim High – Play Low!

Lane

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I Am A Bassist

Put it this way: The drums may keep the beat, but it’s the Bass that makes you move your feet. ~Dominique Baldwin (Lane’s daughter)

Lane with his main bass – a Spector NS-6XL, custom made for him over fifteen years ago.

I am a Bassist.

When I first picked up a bass, it was love at first thump. That poor bass – a copy of a rip-off of a re-make of a Fender, played through an Ampeg guitar amp – was to me the ultimate instrument.

It seems that, even then at the very beginning of it all, I knew instinctively that while lead singers and lead guitarists might be the center of attention, I would be the center of the music. I would be the thread sewing all the pieces together into the fabric of the music. I would put one arm around my drummer and the other around the rhythm guitarist (or the occasional keyboardist) and guide my section mates through the coolest groove we could groove, coordinating each’s work with the other’s as well as my own.

I would enhance the vocalist’s melody, provide the foundation for the chords, and be the keystone of the rhythm. All at once. All the time. Continue reading

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