Seeking wisdom

[bobcat]

Gary, you are a cruel, cruel man. You don't happen to want to give up a bass or two for a poor, starving college student like myself, would you?

Ray, welcome to the forum! Step 1: take some bass lessons. That's what I did, and I believe that's what's recommended for learning to play. When you practice, learn scales and easy songs ("Another One Bites the Dust" comes to mind, as does the generic blues lick that comes in any beginner bass book) . . . it took me a while before I attempted any Yes, and the first song I played was "Owner of a Lonely Heart" . . . then on to "Long Distance Runaround". After several years of practicing my butt off, I can finally do stuff like "Heart of the Sunrise" and "Roundabout" and, my favorite, "Siberian Khatru", all pretty much with my eyes closed (though I'm better with them open). It's amazing what you can do if you just keep playing. Seriously, practice makes perfect, and you certainly have some amazing basses to practice on . . . I had a Squier P-bass for two years before I managed to get my Ric.

[geddeeee]

Good advice from everyone! Most of all, enjoy yourself. The Rick will make that a lot easier to do. It's a fine instrument and easy to play...

[relayer4u]

Thank you everyone for the warm welcome and great advice and links. I think that some lessons are in my plan.

Couple more questions, should I get a metronome to help me learn timing, and can anyone recommend a store/tech in Las Vegas for instrument setup?

Again thanks. I'll keep reading and maybe post occasionally as things progress. I'd love to have a closet full of Rick basses myself one day, they're the most beautiful instruments I've ever seen.

[doctorwho]

Ray, you should cross-post your request for a Las Vegas luthier recommendation in "The Vibrola" section, that way the Forum expert luthiers will see it. A simple title like "Good Las Vegas luthier wanted" should work.

[cheyenne]

I cant agree with Steve Cooper enough. LEARN YOUR FRETBOARD!!! Learn the different notes on each string!! Very important! I used to be limited to playing in a certain place on the neck, I could never figure out how Chris Squire and Geddy Lee could get such great tone on certain notes. The secret lies in how certain notes sound played on different strings, and at different positions on the neck.

Example: An octave "B" played on the fourth fret of the "G" string will sound considerably "lighter" or "thinner" than the same note played on the 9th fret of the "D" string. Experiment, learn, try figuring out songs at different locations. It will make you a much better player.

[johnallg]

Welcome Ray. I also recommend once you get the fretboard down and some scales and such, to google for Yes tabs. You will find many bass tabs for the major classics Yes and Chris has done. Two to look for and start on is "Long Distance Runaround" and "South Side of the Sky". Both are easier to learn than they sound. If I can play them, anyone should be able to!

I also second the fact the Rick is easy to play and you have two great ones to learn on.

[ram]

Welcome Ray; Get your bass set up. The web sites are good but if you don’t feel conferrable doin it, find a good luthier (familiar with Rics) to set it up for you. Do the videos and web sites for self-help. Then find a good teacher and get some lessons. You have plenty of time to develop bad habits (I call it style). Learn the scales (major, minor etc) and run them all over the finger board – over and over and over. If you are going to learn Mr. Squire’s stuff, I would recommend starting off with small pieces. Then expand your repertoire. Mostly, when you get conferrable playing, find some folks and play/jam/create. That is where you will really learn to play and that is really making music. Best wishes to you in your bass playin endeavor. Now get out there and pluck a string or two!