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[krellmusician]

I am a brass player looking to become a bass player as well.  I bought an Ashbory in part because I've been intrigued by it since first seeing one of the original Guilds several years ago, in part because it looked (relatively) easy to learn, and in part because the price was right.  I realize that the extremely short scale and lack of frets makes it significantly different from your garden variety bass guitar, and places greater importance upon your ear to tell you if what you're playing is in fact in tune.  That's fine; I'm up to a challenge.

What is the best way for me to begin to learn how to play this little beast, and how should I progress from there?

Thanks for your time.

[krellmusician]

So everyone here picked up the Ashbory as a second instrument (you already played bass)?

[Wiley]

So everyone here picked up the Ashbory as a second instrument (you already played bass)?

Krellmusician,

Does moving to the dark side of the band, where the percussionists live, give you the willies? 

As an experienced musician, your chances of mastering the fretless Ashbory are infinitely better than a total noob's.  You've already climbed the hill to understanding music theory.

No doubt, from here on in you'll catch yourself trying to tune out everything but the bass lines of songs that you perform and listen to.  There are a ton of "Learn to play Bass" books available.  Pick a couple that have some good audio samples to practice.  A little Korg metronome is a good idea too.  You are now going to be very much responsible for keeping everyone else in the band on tempo.  That's your new job.

Going forward...  Play with other musicians at EVERY opportunity.  Also, having a sense of humor will help a lot.  You're going to get a lot of razing...until they hear what your 'bory can do.

You're going to have a lot of fun.    Enjoy!

[krellmusician]

Wiley --

Thanks for the response.  I don't necessarily consider it moving to the "dark side" (bwahahahahahahahahaha)...

So the same techniques in books designed for regular bass guitars apply as well to the Ashbory (except smaller finger movements and spans)?

[Wiley]

So the same techniques in books designed for regular bass guitars apply as well to the Ashbory (except smaller finger movements and spans)?

Yep!  In this case, size DOESN'T matter!

I've gotten a lot of mileage out of a few books.  They all have excellent audio samples.  Check 'em out at Amazon.com

1.  Hal Leonard's "Bass Method - Complete Edition", by Ed Friedland, ISBN 0793563836

2.  The Complete Idiot's guide to Playing Bass Guitar, by David Hodge, ISBN 1592573118 (Don't wince at this one...it's a surprisingly good book!)

3. Hal Leonard's "All About Bass", by Chad Johnson, ISBN 1423408179

4. Hal Leonard's "Building Walking Bass Lines", by Ed Friedland, ISBN 0793542049

[tauzero]

So the same techniques in books designed for regular bass guitars apply as well to the Ashbory (except smaller finger movements and spans)?

Actually, you have more freedom because no-one's written a book on Ashbory technique saying you must have your thumb in the centre of the neck and your fingers at right-angles to the strings...

I find a rather different technique to bass guitar works well for me. Rather than having my fingers at right-angles to the strings as I do (pretty much) on bass, I point my fingers along as well as across the strings, much like the fingering position for a violin.