proctorfarm

I inherited a bass a couple years ago. I played piano/keyboards and rhythm guitar. I can read music and play by ear. What helped me alot was charting out what the notes on the bass were in relation to the notes on the keyboard...thought this may help you as you said you play keyboard. It's obviously easier to know where any note is on the keyboard by simply looking at it, and where they are an octave up or down, etc. I made a chart showing the notes on the bass in relation to the exact keyboard note with its staff notation. Made it real easy for me then to work out chord arpeggios, octaves, scales, runs. etc. I uploaded the chart on here (-it has a "watermark" on it where I downsized it with free software.)
I started with a 4 string but have since got a 5 string bass-if you have a 4 string disregard the B string on the left.

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Tempoe

lol at the ignorance

Spaz91

Of course the Sex Pistols sucked, they ****ing tried their best to suck.

The Damned, however, were awesome and new when to stop being punk.

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John Swift

I think we're now slipping away from the point of the topic which is do you think I could learn to play bass without lessons?

The answer is that some do and the majority don't.

To be quite honest there was only one qualified guitar teacher in my city back in the early 60s yet musicians from my city played 'Woodstock' with 'Jo Cocker' without any formal music training other than the book many bought 'Bert Weedons Play In A day'.

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G&L L2500
Squier Affinity Jazz Bass 5
Ashdown RPM pre-amp
Ashdown Little Giant 1000
300 watt 15" powered cab
450 watt 15" powered sub bass cab
2x10 + horn
1x15x10 + horn

apotterdd

I am also self-taught. Got my first bass at 19. I knew how to read music from my days in the school band playing the clarinet (yeah I know not the bass scale) but it helped. I also back then learned to play by ear. Never wrote anything down though. I'm trying to get back into learning to play by ear again and re-learning how to read music.

Will I need a teacher? Probably if I want to develop techniques for slap and plucking (I know plucking isn't the right term but I digress) I just haven't had the need to go that route yet.

If you get stuck on something don't hesitate to ask or search the internet. And if you feel you've gotten as far as you can on your own then it might be time to find a proper teacher.

John Swift

One thing that gave me as much help as the guitar I'd learnt whilst playing guitar.
learning the intervals between notes.

__________________
G&L L2500
Squier Affinity Jazz Bass 5
Ashdown RPM pre-amp
Ashdown Little Giant 1000
300 watt 15" powered cab
450 watt 15" powered sub bass cab
2x10 + horn
1x15x10 + horn

suvis

I'm a self taught bassist as well. but i always wish i had taken formal lessons. i mean you need strong basics especially for bass. it will be fun in the beginning but when you start composing you need a good theory backing. that being said its not really a rule....if you practice patiently, you'll do better than most out there.