Learning bass as a guitarist

Axe_meister

So I got myself a bass. Now I'm not a bad guitarist I know my major scales and the modes there of.
But when I pick up the bass, well I sound a bit crap.
Any good free online resources for starting bass as a guitarist?

Bridgehouse

Scott’s Bass Lessons is pretty good.

Right hand technique is the hardest conversion element imho 

Rocker

Of all the instruments with strings, the bass is one that really needs a teacher to give you the basics and the low down of bass playing.  To get you started off 'right'.  So book yourself some lessons, guitar shops probably know who teaches bass in your area.

Kasalic

Start off on bass and move to guitar........ohh, bit late for that.....sorry!

Being slightly more serious, it depends what you want to achieve, I started on guitar, played bass in a couple of bands because there were 10 guitarists for every bass player before moving back to guitar. Nowadays I can play along to most songs on bass, and I can come up with bass parts for my own songs.

I mention this as there is a definite change of mindset when playing bass and guitar. The techniques, both right and left hand will come with practice, but playing AS a bass player is not as easy.

On a practical level, you might find some use from 

Whistler

As a guitar player I pay attention to the rhythm the drummer is knocking out on the snare and high hat.

As a bass player I pay attention to the rhythm of the kick drum.

Open_G

Roots, Fifths, Major and Minor Thirds and octaves. I belive it is possible to be a perfectly functional bass player on nothing more than this. Maybe search you tube for the “Steve Harris box” there’s a great poster on there who’s vids I enjoy who does a video on this. Also look at the rhythm of something like black velvet. It’s a root note groove with a few licks here and there but is a perfect baseline for the song. 

Groove and rhythm is everything. 

Blueingreen

Bridgehouse said:

Scott’s Bass Lessons is pretty good.

Right hand technique is the hardest conversion element imho 

It depends, you have a choice of pick or fingers.

I switched from guitar to bass and bass was my main instrument for many years.  I decided that I wanted to do it "properly" and worked pretty hard on right hand technique.  During my time as a gigging bass player I always used fingers.

With hindsight I think that was the wrong decision.  On the rare occasions I play bass now I always use a pick. I think there's no musical downside, in fact I think my time and note definition is better with a pick.

Modifying my guitar picking technique for bass would have taken a fraction of the time and work, time and work that could have been spent on something more valuable.  There are a lot of great players, in every genre, using picks, including many of my favourite players (Carol Kaye, Anthony Jackson, Steve Swallow).  Given the same choice again I wouldn't even consider playing with fingers.

Danny1969

I play bass with fingers and pick. Some songs need the attack you get from a pick, some songs sound better on the fingers. I also use hybrid picking on the bass and often fret the bottom E string with my thumb. Basically there's no rules technique wise as long as it sounds good. 
If you know the basic triad components of chords, root, third and fifth then you will know how to build a basic bass line straight off the bat.