Fender wants to make learning bass easier than ever with new Fender Play lessons

Fender has added bass lessons to Fender Play, joining guitar and ukulele on the learning platform.

The new lessons promise to make learning bass easier than ever, with a range of styles and artists, including James Brown, Curtis Mayfield, Maroon 5, Bob Marley and more.

As per other Fender Play courses, players progress via bite-sized lessons, but this time, there’s a focus on bass-specific skills, including slap bass, hammer-ons, playing with a pick, slides, and how to read rhythm and ghost notes.

Players can sign up to a 30-day free trial at play.fender.com, after which it costs £9.99/€9.99 per month. A year of unlimited lessons costs £89.99/€89.99.

Fender Play is available now on iPhone, iPad, Android devices and desktop.

Bass additions to Fender Play

• NEW BASS INSTRUCTORS: Learn from top bass instructors Pete Griffin, Chelsea Stevens, Ozzy Carmona, Nikki Stevens, Darren McGuire, Dan Ellis, Travis Dykes and Harley Duggan; they join the Fender Play team from prestigious schools, like Berklee College of Music and Musician’s Institute in Hollywood
• SONGS: Play favorite bass-driven songs, including:
• “Basketcase” – Green Day
• “Everlong” – Foo Fighters
• “I Got You (I Feel Good)” – James Brown
• “Move On Up” – Curtis Mayfield
• “One Love” – Bob Marley
• “Push it” – Salt-N-Pepa
• “Sheena Is A Punk Rocker” – The Ramones
• MULTIPLE CAMERA ANGLES: Easily see finger placement with "close up" shots designed for new players and a unique “over-the-shoulder” camera angle that captures the player’s point of view
• VARIETY: Learn a blend of popular styles–including funk, rock, R&B, blues and pop
• BASS IN CONTEXT: Leverage backing drum loops and click tracks–as featured in Fender Tune Player Pack–and learn how to lock in with the rhythm section. Many bass songs also feature corresponding guitar lessons, designed as complements, so players can practice with friends
• SKILLS: Explore five levels and hundreds of lessons teaching reading and counting rhythm, slap bass, how to jam with a drummer, slides, walking bass, moveable patterns, playing with a pick, arpeggios, building basslines and more. Learn a skill, then play a song using those techniques
• TOOLS: Look up concepts with the “Bass Glossary” and easily follow along with song tablature
• TRACK PROGRESS: See progress in real time on a dashboard tracking number of songs/riffs, courses and lessons completed