need easy beginner bass songs to learn

Good point

Okay, going through the list and started with U2's With or Without You tabs. I see it, and this reminds me of a question I've been meaning to ask you guys.

Why is it played thus

Code:

G----------------------------------------------------------------------
D----------------------------------------------------------------------
A--5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5---0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-----------------
E-------------------------------------------------------3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3

when economy of motion would really tell me to just do it thus

Code:

G----------------------------------------------------------------------
D--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-----------------------------------------------------
A--------------------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-----------------
E-------------------------------------------------------3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3

Does it have something to do with different sounds from loose strings vs. stings on frets, or what?

It's probably just the tabber's preference.

Playing open D's isn't my favourite thing to do, though. I'd rather play the 5th fret on the A, but that's just me. Work out a way YOU like.

ThreeLetterSyndrom wrote:Playing open D's isn't my favourite thing to do

This may be a stupid, or perhaps an unanswerable question, but why? Why is that different from playing any other string/note? Just because?

its just the different tone you get, when i play with or without you i play all on the E string, i just like the deep tone i get.

It's much easier to mute in the 5th fret version.

I generally try to avoid opens when I can. It just sounds a bit more "rattly", and I don't like the sound.

ArniVidar wrote:

ThreeLetterSyndrom wrote:Playing open D's isn't my favourite thing to do

This may be a stupid, or perhaps an unanswerable question, but why? Why is that different from playing any other string/note? Just because?

It's because I'm a pretty rough player (I taught myself to play on a bass with an action of 5mm or something), it feels pretty weird for me to pluck the two top strings when they're open. I don't really know why, I just know that I'd rather play a 5 on the A instead of a 0 on the D.

You'll have to figure it out for yourself, do what you like.