I recently started learning bass...
 

....are there any well known songs for beginers?

I started with drive by Incubus, that's an easy one

i think it's really futile to try learning a list of random tunes from strangers unless you've already tapped out everything you already like (which you haven't mentioned yet). if i've said it once....

playing music is not a competition




no one will care what tunes you know how to play unless you're auditioning for a cover band. stick with what YOU like, it'll make learning the instrument far more rewarding.

personally i'm also against getting a list of the simplest tunes to start with. i've always gone straight for the pinnacle of what i wanted to achieve in the moment with the knowledge that i would ultimately 'fail' as a beginner. first tune i tried learning on bass was 'higher ground' by the chili peppers. hard as hell when you've never slapped or popped, but i stuck with it for a while, and when i tried the 'simpler' RHCP tunes i breezed through them.

as opposed to having a steady climb i started at a personal peak (and struggled), but you better believe by the time i revisited that peak i SMOKED that bass line.

I first practiced by playing songs and learning scales. That was a mistake (sort of), you need to make sure you can keep rhythm. So buy a metronome and play basic basslines with it. That's what I have been doing now.

yea start with basic techniques like scales
and finger/picking exercises with metronome
yea its boring but ill keep you stead and solid

Too true - its a labour of love learning music. Its easier to be inspired if you actually like the stuff you`re striving at.

Good luck dude!

I still haven't figured out how to slap or pop. Any tips? Any techniques? I always blame it on my bass being cheap but I highly doubt thats the real problem.

Also, I wholeheartedly agree.

Listen to the music that got you into playing bass in the first place, and then look for the tabs online and learn them.

slapping and popping isn't that rough, it's not something i've done in years though hehe. generally speaking slightly higher action will make it easier for your slaps and pops to come through more clearly.

the technique came about as a way for bass players to accentuate the bass kick (slap) and snare (pop) hits from the drummer.

my method has always been to shape my right hand into a loose fist with my thumb sticking out and my index finger curled outward. the basic motion comes from your wrist as you shake the fist back and forth. the trick is alternating between coming down with your thumb (the slap) and pulling off with the tip of your index finger wrapped under the string (the pop). you don't actually need to pluck with your index finger, so long as the tip wraps around the string. once you find the right position for your hands you'll notice that you don't need to move your index finger to pop the string.

generally speaking it's a very aggressive style, it's not something to consider for a melodic passage. a friend of mine got me in the habit of beating the crap out of pop cans with my thumb as a slapping endurance exercise back in the day.

starting off slow will also help you develop a better technique. straight 4/4 octaves are good practice if you can stop giggling at the fact that you sound like a cheeseball disco tune haha.

here's the line for the chemical brother's 'block rocking beats'. it's a very clear example of the style, not 'too' cheesy and it sticks to the same 2 strings throughout (unless i'm forgetting a part of the song haha).


G----3-----5-----3-----5--------8----
D-------------------------------------
A-1-----3-----1-----3------6-6-------
E-------------------------------------

repeat as necessary, everything on the A string is played with a slap from your thumb and everything on the G string is popped by your index.

the 'higher' version of the line is just 2 frets higher on everything. the cool thing with slapping and popping is that your left hand is generally relaxed. it's a two finger line, my index finger frets the low note and my pinkie frets the higher one (if you don't have pinkie strength yet S&P will develop it).

...You're a freak Dave. You always take the exact opposite approach I do to guitar or whatever. I have no idea how you do it. It astounds me :lol:

I started playing guitar, my dad showed me 4 open chords that he had to re-show me every time I picked it up for about a week. I just strummed those along for a couple of months and then I learned how to read tab and Learned a typically terrible cover version of Smells like Teen Spirit.