First there was guitar, then there was the ukulele, and now if you want to keep rhythm for the band, you can learn how to do that, too.
Everyone has the ability to learn a musical instrument in them, it just takes a bit of dedication and practice, but it helps to have someone there showing you the ropes.
You can read about how to start, but often it’s the practical video that gets you over the line, and online, there’s a fair amount of that. Videos on YouTube make for a great way to start, as well as online education programs.
Fender’s platform has seen an update this week, offering the ability to learn what is the rhythm keeping section of the band, the bass.
The addition means the Fender Play monthly subscription program can not only teach you guitar and ukulele through a variety of song styles, but also a bass, learning rhythm, slap bass, and more, and teaching through songs that are bass driven, such as James Brown’s “I Got You (I Feel Good”, Foo Fighters’ “Everlong”, and Curtis Mayfield’s “Move On Up”.
Techniques like the walking bass are also taught, and if you’re learning with friends, Fender says many of its bass song lessons also have corresponding guitar lessons, so you can work together, seeing what the music sounds like at the same time.
It’s worth noting that you don’t need a Fender bass to play, and can grab any electric bass to learn the ropes.
While we’re sure Fender would prefer if you had a Fender Precision or Jazz Bass, or just any bass with the name “Fender” on it, the service — which is available for iPhone, iPad, Android, and web browsers — simply calls for a bass. That could be a Yamaha, an Ibanez, or one you’ve built yourself.
In fact, you could technically watch the videos without having a bass, but we’d bring the bass just because that’s what the platform is for: learning with an instrument.
Locally, Fender’s Play platform is priced at $13.99 per month, though a year of unlimited lessons is also available for $129.99, making it the sort of thing that could go nicely alongside a new guitar or bass guitar.