Does anybody have tips on learning a guitar after bass?

Ways/tips on becoming better, faster,and smarter with playing the bass guitar? More info on my intrest inside?

• Ways/tips on becoming better, faster,and smarter with playing the bass guitar? More info on my intrest inside? Hey, I really enjoy playing the bass guitar but I'm not to experienced at it and it gets really frusterating when I try learning songs of the music I like. For example, songs by parkway drive, any texas in July songs, onward to olympas songs, Norma Jean songs ect. (basically the genre of the bands I listed). My problem with playing is that I can't move hands fast enough especially my left hand, (fret board hand). So what can i practice to become faster at playing? What about galloping? How can I become fast for galloping? One thing I really want to learn more than anything is to be able to come up with really cool and fun bass lines on the spot and also learn to play by ear. So what or how could I learn to do that? Basically I just want to be able to play as best as I can and I would like to eventually form a band and just create music and be able to have fun with it, with out frustrating my bandmates and they wouldnt even want to play with me ya know? That is what I am super worried about as well so I just want to become a great bassist and know as much as I can about it. So if there is anything else I would probably need to practice please let me know! Thanks so much! It really means alot to me! :)

• Answer:

  The best thing to do is to get lessons preferably from someone with experience in hard core/metal. Of course, lots of practice always helps. One technique that has helped me build up speed is what someone taught me called "spidering". Start on the E string and play the first 4 frets (one with each finger), then move up one string and one fret and play those 4 frets. So in tablature, it would be E--1-2-3-4-- A--2-3-4-5-- D--3-4-5-6- G--4-5-6-7-- then work your way up the fretboard and down the strings D--5-6-7-8-- A--6-7-8-9-- E--7-8-9-10-- Now play it in reverse and back down where you started E--10-9-8-7 A--9-8-7-6-- D --8-7-6-5-- G--7-6-5-4-- D--6-5-4-3-- A--5-4-3-2-- E--4-3-2-1-- The important thing is to start slow and don't worry about speed at first. Only speed up a little bit at a time when you can play it flawlessly. One mistake players make is to try to play too fast too quick without working up their speed. Your fingers will hurt, but it'll be worth it. Keep doing it every day and your playing will improve. Speaking of which, get yourself a bass trainer like a Tascam GB-10 so you can slow fast songs down and bring the speed up as you learn them. As with the exercise above, don't worry about speed. Just speed up a bit at a time until you get up to full speed. I hope that helps