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A Bass Guitarist and a Computer
By Stephen Scovil
April 13, 2002
There's a lot of press now on ways to use the Internet to download and listen to all sorts of music from around the world. What doesn't get much press is how the Internet is a great resource for those who want to play their own music too!
Everyone knows the Internet is an incredible learning tool, and this applies to music education too. Learning bass guitar myself, I can find endless information and answers to my questions over http://www.activebass.com, a massive collection of bass guitar examples, information, articles, discussion, and even interviews.
If you're still relatively new to playing bass guitar, like me, you'll want to check out the "Lessons" section. From here you have access to a large collection of bass tabulature and lessons for different skill levels for all sorts of different playing styles. If you click on "Learning Tracks" on the left side bar you'll be presented with technique lessons, tips, and examples for your skill level. So if you want tips on buying a bass or tuning your bass, which you can find in the "Beginner" section, or if you're looking for exercises to practice your playing or some tips from experienced bassists, check out the "Intermediate" or "Advanced" sections. There are lessons for almost everything, and even if there isn't, you can always ask the people themselves in the "Discussion" section.
The "Discussion" section, or "FretBuzz" as they call it (you can find the link at the top bar), is a place where you can ask all sorts of interested bassists for answers to your questions. There are discussion forums for areas such as "Instruction", "Theory", and "Repair" to address the many types of questions you may have. You will have to register to post in these forums, but the link is right on the page and registration is free!
So maybe you aren't a beginner looking for help, but rather you want some information on buying some new bass gear or maybe even a new bass guitar. ActiveBass made their "Products" section just for people like you! It's filled with reviews and information on products ranging from basses to instructional videos. Once you find your choice basses or other goodies and are considering buying one of them or finding out more about them direct from the manufacturer, the "Products" section holds a comprehensive list of companies' official sites you can visit.
So now you know where to learn about reviews on equipment and where to consult professionals on bass guitar. But what if you just want to get down to playing?
ActiveBass provides a searchable database of tabulature for all sorts of different songs and artists. So if you're itching to learn an old Beatles song to play, look it up! After a while, you'll wonder how you ever got along without this site!
Good luck, and happy playing!
Stephen Scovil is a Community Access Program Web Team member.
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