Here Today... Gone To Hell!

i picked up a bass about a week ago for the first time in my life and so far all i can play is black sabbath's NIB, type O negative's no.1 in black, and the beginning of metallica's anesthesia... i'm trying to play c'mon girl by red hot chili peppers but as simple as that shit sounds, it's hard as hell to play fast and accurate like flea but still make it sound good. so any tips? any songs that have a fun but unique sounding bass line that's easy? i play more for therapeutic reasons rather than to actually be a musician.. so its kinda hard to get in that mindset when what i'm trying to play is frustratingly difficult

If you picked it up a week ago, you need to walk before you try to run. Chilli Peppers and Cliff Burton's bass solo are not really where you want to start.

To keep it simple but yet fun, go for some heavy stuff - Metallica's other songs will do. The bass often follows the guitar, so you end up playing the root note most of the time. It is a lot easier and it will build confidence. "For Whom the Bell Tolls" is a simple yet powerful song, which even has a bit of bass in the spotlight in the beginning. It is very popular in guitar shops!

Once you gain a bit more confidence, you can branch out into some more technical stuff. I am currently rediscovering Megadeth from a bassist's perspective, and I am marvelling at the wonder of Dave Ellefson's playing.

any tips on exactly HOW i should go about playing master of puppets, or any song rather? i'm a little less sloppy sounding with a pick, faster if i slap, but alternating between two fingers, though lazy and relaxing, just can't seem to get the timing/rhythm down. what advice would you give me to get my fingers to alternate plucking better with my ring and middle finger? besides a lot of practice because that goes without saying.  :)

Not to be a party pooper, but I suggest you start studying and practicing some music theory and scales along side picking up songs. It'll save you a lot of time later on.... If you're serious about this, that is....

Although theory and scales are essential stuff, they can put off beginners. I remember being nothing but disappointed by guitar lessons when I was younger. My teacher put all the focus on reading music, scales, classical pieces etc when all I wanted to do was play like Kirk Hammett. Looking back on it now, I am thankful for what he taught me, but I do wish that he at least tried to mix in a little of what I wanted to do too. The end result was, after all, me dropping the classes and teaching myself. By now, if I had continued, I would have had almost twenty years of lessons and I would be a genius! Well, perhaps.

But back on to the original topic...

I play with fingers, not a plectrum. There is bass snobbery which dictates that one should play with fingers and not a plectrum - this is, of course, bollocks. I was not aware of this when I first started playing bass, and I chose fingers as they helped me feel the instrument better. As far as plucking technique goes, I don't know. I don't focus on that when I'm playing. On my right hand, I'm sure I use my first finger most, and my middle finger gets some good work done too, especially in quicker lines where those two fingers are alternated. I hardly use my third finger, and probably never use my little finger. I see slap and pop as a gimmick, and I don't do it much. On my fretting hand, I use all my fingers. Make sure that if you are playing with fingers, you pluck the strings vertically (when the bass is in the playing position) and not horizontally, or they will snap on the frets and won't ring true.

If I were you, I would play Master of Puppets. Don't spend ages trying to find out how to play it, just play it. You play it by playing it, anyway! The rhythm will come to you. If you've only just picked up the bass, you can't expect yourself to "get" it in just a couple of minutes. Hours of practice will help you nail it. Try and spend a fair bit of your practice time standing up, too. Once you can play along to a few tracks on your stereo, then go and get some theory books. By that time you'll know if you really want them, and you will appreciate what they are teaching you more.