When you’re learning to play a string instrument, the first few months can be a little difficult. However, finding ways to make practicing fun can help you make progress and keep your enthusiasm high. This is especially true if you want to become a proficient musician.
Fortunately, there are tons of new ways for student bass players to learn. Mobile applications for iPhone and Android are great for enhancing your knowledge when you have your instrument nearby, and for those inevitable times when you don’t. Moreover, there are many upright bass instructional curriculum available for purchase, which are designed to introduce bass for beginners in an easy to understand method, usually through a combination of videos and print materials.
However, if you looking for supplemental learning tools to enhance your bass instrument training, the following apps offer a range of benefits for developing your technique and reaching new goals.
Cleartune - Chromatic Tuner by Bitcount ltd. Having an accurate tuner is an essential part of playing the string bass. Although there are countless free chromatic tuner apps, this one is highly recommended, with tons of professional endorsements. Particularly lauded for bass tuning precision, the clear dial offers high visibility in a basic, easy to use app. A $3.99 download for Android devices, this simple, mobile tuner is worth the investment.
Double Bass Tuner Simple By Pavel Nikitenko is a great alternative tuner for student bass players. In fact, it is specifically designed to help students ascertain the correct bass notes. For $.99, this iPhone, iPad app is a good choice for actually learning how to properly tune your bass and to have on the go.
Learn Double Bass – (scales arpeggios melodic beginner exercises) from Purely Double Bass, by Music Future Ltd. This all-encompassing app is chock full of training exercises, routines, and practice innovations. It’s designed to offer comprehensive improvement and features excellent graphics with an advanced visual interface that broadcasts scales, arpeggios, and rhythm accompaniments. With a highly visual fingerboard, a moving music score, and customizable tempo, this app gives student bass players a variety of practice helpers to transform boring sessions. The play-along options really help focus your timing and intonation skills. Download this iphone and ipad app for a $2.99 subscription, but as you progress past the first 70 routines (which will take you a while), you can purchase more music within the app.
This student bass training tool is also available for Android users, you can download it for free at the Playstore.
Learn To Play Double Bass by GR8 Media. This $4.99 app is available for iPhone and iPad users and offers a comprehensive learning supplement. With over 220 detailed videos, this app is specifically designed for beginners and includes bowing, slapping, and plucking techniques in a variety of musical styles. Because it can be difficult to master certain skills, this app covers everything from how to accurately tune your upright bass to how to read a swing bass progression, in easy to follow video format.
The String Club by Kusog Software, Inc. is a free download for Android users and allows student bass players to perfect their performance abilities. Created specifically for the violin family of instruments, you can play along to numerous tracks, controlling the tempo, or the number of parts you hear. Easy to follow music scores and the ability to add your own picks enhance sight reading skills and take beginner students to the next level.
Speedshifter by ABRSM Publishing Ltd. Created by the Associated (exam) Board of the Royal Schools of Music, this $3.99 download is an exceptional tool for beginner bass students and musicains of all levels. It features tempo controls and loop functions to enhance your practice times, making it much easier to master new compositions. Available for Android users, there is also a “lite” version that you can try out first for free.
AURALBOOK by ABRSM. The exam board has also created an effective app tool for helping beginner musicians build their intonation skills and recognize bass notes. AURALBOOK is available for both iPhone and iPad, as well as Android users in grades 1-8, but can be used by any student bass player. An effective learning tool, it delivers an excellent way to work on your sight reading and intonation skills. With interactive games and tests that improve your recognition, the International Journal of Music Education has stated, “AURALBOOK is an effective tool to learn aural skill. Students show significant progress in different stage.” Download the Android version for free, but the iPhone version by Playnote Limited cost $13.20 each.
When learning to play double bass, there are many tools available that will help you succeed. With the right app, you’ll be amazed at how quickly you’ll make progress.
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