First steps

• How to Tune a Bass Guitar (E A D G) – with a Tuner and by Ear – Tune your bass guitar to E A D G with the browser tuner or by ear using the 5th fret – and what helps when a phone can barely hear the low notes.
• First Notes on the Bass Guitar: Finding and Playing Root Notes – The bass plays the root note of every chord. Here’s how to find E, A, D, G, C and F in first position – and play along with whole songs right away.

Technique

• Plucking the Bass Guitar: Two Fingers or a Pick – Alternating index and middle finger, the thumb as an anchor, a pick for punchy notes – and how to keep the other strings quiet so nothing hums along.
• Sore fingertips? How calluses grow when you start playing – Sore fingertips are normal when you start. Find out how long calluses take to form and how to keep practising a little every day without pain.

Rhythm

• Time Signatures for Beginners: 4/4, 3/4, 2/4 and 6/8 – What is a bar, and how do you count 4/4, 3/4, 2/4 or 6/8? A kid-friendly guide with song examples and tips for clapping and counting along.
• How to Practise with a Metronome – Why a metronome is your best practice partner, and how to start slowly and get faster step by step without tensing up. Tips for kids and beginners.

Understanding music

• Walking Bass in the Blues: from Root Notes to a Moving Bass Line – Learn the 12-bar blues step by step: root note, root and fifth, then the walking bass 1-3-5-6-7-6-5-3 – in E almost entirely on open strings.
• Note Names for Beginners: C D E F G A B and Sharps and Flats – The seven note names, sharps and flats, and why German speakers call B “H” – explained for kids, with tips for finding notes on your instrument.
• How to Transpose a Song into Another Key – What a key is and how to transpose a song so it’s easier to play or more comfortable to sing – with a simple note-ladder trick and an example.
• How to Read Tabs: Tablature Explained for Beginners – Read tabs without sheet music: what the lines and numbers mean and how to play melodies string by string. For ukulele, guitar and banjo.
• 12-Bar Blues for Beginners: The Basic Pattern – The 12-bar blues with just three chords: the pattern, how to count it, first notes to improvise with and how to jam with a backing band. Great for kids.

For parents and teachers

• Practising with kids – keeping the joy of music alive – How parents can support a child learning an instrument: short, regular practice, no pressure, and praise for effort. Practical tips for everyday life.
• Learning app with no account: privacy, microphone and no ads – No account, no ads, no tracking: everything stays on the device, and the microphone is only analysed locally. Here is how the free learning app works.