Almost all of my close friends play guitar and are pretty ignorant. They all think that guitar is older than bass in general. This started because I always say that bass is much better than guitar. Last night we had a huge debate over this. I kept on telling them that the double bass has been around centuries longer than the acoustic guitar (which they think is older). They are the most frusterating bunch of lunkheads. Me being the only bassists out of any of my friends must defend it! I need the help of you wonderful people to help me prove my ignorant, guitar-loving, friends wrong. Also, they believe that guitar requires much more coordination, even after I try and explain to them that using 2 or 3 fingers to pluck a string requires much more coordination than strumming with a pick. I know that you all think that I am some sick child who hates everyone, but thats not true, I just want to prove them wrong. :p

Put this up in the Double Bass part of the site. They will be able to tell you.

In fact... g**tars in their early stage had only 4 stings, just like Jaco! :cool: :D

Also... the very first bass wasn't electric...

EBP

Franky, who cares...

i would say that guitar type instruments came first because youd could carry them around easily and play anywhere but when people started playing together, then lots of other instruments (such as bass) developed. just a geuss

Originally posted by Nuttboy311
This started because I always say that bass is much better than guitar.

Stop saying that bass is much better. If they are your close friends you'll respect their feelings. 99% of the time you'll be playing music with non bassists. A band is a bunch of mates with a common interest not a long running argument.

The lute (the fore-runner of the guitar) is actually a VERY old instrument, dating back as far as 2000 years. The lute was brought into Europe by the Arabs sometime during the middle ages, only they called is an Ood.

Bass is a much later instrument, when people started to get the concpets of musical theory and syncopation. My guess is that the bass instrument (not counting drums) has only been around since about the 1500s or so.

Rock on
Eric

Originally posted by CS


Stop saying that bass is much better. If they are your close friends you'll respect their feelings. 99% of the time you'll be playing music with non bassists. A band is a bunch of mates with a common interest not a long running argument.

It is just a childish argument, we all love eachother. ;)

Originally posted by Eric Cameron
The lute (the fore-runner of the guitar) is actually a VERY old instrument, dating back as far as 2000 years. The lute was brought into Europe by the Arabs sometime during the middle ages, only they called is an Ood.

Bass is a much later instrument, when people started to get the concpets of musical theory and syncopation. My guess is that the bass instrument (not counting drums) has only been around since about the 1500s or so.

Rock on
Eric

I know of the lute, but I was speaking of the conventional guitar and bass. Not its origins.

What? Like Double bass and/or chello? Or what?

the acoustic guitar, i'm sure, is younger. sure there's lutes or oods or whatever, but if you're comparing an acoustic guitar, as in, the 6 string thing with a circular hole in the middle, still played today, etc etc, the upright bass has been around longer... back to the 15th or 16th century i'm pretty sure.

Sorry, I think you're on a loser there!

Guitar in a different form, lute or whatever, is a much more audible frequency to most people than bass. The first instruments would have been in that frequency, why would anyone build and instrument that people can hardly hear? The 1st instruments would have been played by some guy singing along in the pub or whatever.

I'd estimate guitars or simelar stringed instruments have been around for probably centuries longer than bass in almost anyform, probably since the dark ages when everyone wore leather slippers and died of the plague at the ripe old age of 25 etc...

Originally posted by Nuttboy311


I know of the lute, but I was speaking of the conventional guitar and bass. Not its origins.

What is a "conventional" guitar and bass? If you mean electric then it's pretty clear that electric guitars were around long before electric basses.

The Double Bass is in no way the equivalent of an acoustic guitar and to compare the two is just a fallacious argument. The DB was developed as an orchestral instrument whose higher pitch equivalent was the viol or violin family.

The acoustic guitar was based on the lute or oud - Spanish guitar playing is very much influenced by "Moorish" music, which was around for over 2000 years as has been mentioned.

You can't just take an arbitrary decision and say that xxxx is "conventional" - this is not a valid concept and the development of intruments is not something that has stopped or started at one particular time - it is continuous.

Originally posted by Bruce Lindfield


What is a "conventional" guitar and bass? If you mean electric then it's pretty clear that electric guitars were around long before electric basses.

The Double Bass is in no way the equivalent of an acoustic guitar and to compare the two is just a fallacious argument. The DB was developed as an orchestral instrument whose higher pitch equivalent was the viol or violin family.

The acoustic guitar was based on the lute or oud - Spanish guitar playing is very much influenced by "Moorish" music, which was around for over 2000 years as has been mentioned.

You can't just take an arbitrary decision and say that xxxx is "conventional" - this is not a valid concept and the development of intruments is not something that has stopped or started at one particular time - it is continuous.

First, I was not the one who mentioned the acoustic guitar, that would be my friends the guitarists. Also, by conventional (it may not have been the right word to use) I meant it looks today as it did when it began, not what its origins were.

None of this really matters, your guitarist friends are very obvisouly right. Let them enjoy it, it probably wont happen again! ;)

Originally posted by Nuttboy311


Also, by conventional (it may not have been the right word to use) I meant it looks today as it did when it began, not what its origins were.

Well I think you missed my point in that I was saying instruments develop continuously - so a Double Bass today is not necessarily anything like a 17thC or earlier DB - the latter might have frets, wouldn't have machine heads as such and the strings would be very different.

"Conventional" just has no meaning in this context! :rolleyes:

I have a t-shirt that shows a Domenico Selas 5-string acoustic guitar dating from 1679, and it DEFINITELY looks like a guitar.

Rock on
Eric

Hmm, this seems to belong in ROSIN [DB]

I like Pops, but it's kinda gritty in the summertime.

"The bass is much better than the guitar" what nonsense is this Nutboy? The DB happens to be my favorite tool for making music, does that make it better than any other instrument? Do you hear carpenters arguing whether a hammer is better than a saw? (No duDe, cHiSeLs RuLe) Each tool/instrument has its unique and indispensible function in building/music. (No way man, RoUter usErs uNite agAinSt those laMe tAblE sAw neRds)

And since we're in the ROSIN forum (good call jazzbo) I'll add that I used to use Pops but find that Carlson's gives me a smoother attack.

I just got a brand new cake of Kolstein's All-Weather after using Pops for many years. I was surprised at the (favorable) difference, but I find myself having to re-apply it much more often than Pop's.

After I use up my All-Weather (it'll take about 12 years), maybe I'll try a softer grade.

From a much earlier trolling thread, I thought this was just lovely, from bassdude -


Pirastro was watching Kolstein's three all weather Petz you know kolstein he is either hard or soft. When along came the three Tomastik's and the three Hidersine's, when Nyman and Carlsson came up talking Swedish. They were either talking about Pop's sticky situation with Bernadel or Annette Funacello.

Sorta Gertrude Stein meets Don deLillo kinda thing....

Originally posted by Nuttboy311


First, I was not the one who mentioned the acoustic guitar, that would be my friends the guitarists. Also, by conventional (it may not have been the right word to use) I meant it looks today as it did when it began, not what its origins were.

But this makes no sense as your poll says "(going back all the way to stand up bass)" you can't have it both ways - you have to compare like with like. It's plainly ridiculous to say, you are going to compare a "conventional" guitar with bass "going all the way back...." !! :rolleyes:

Wait I just realised, I missed the main point of this argument - nobody gives a damn! ;)

Great quote Ed! :)

I like Pops too, but some of his later, pop-oriented stuff was banal. His work with the Hot Fives cannot be understated.

I like apples but my friend says bananas are better, should I slap him?

Originally posted by gruffpuppy
I like apples but my friend says bananas are better, should I slap him?

Apples suck.

Your just being mean.

http://www.conterra.com/bookter/loni/crying.jpg

Originally posted by gruffpuppy
I like apples but my friend says bananas are better, should I slap him?

hey Gruff, I think this warrants its own poll, say in BG OT maybe??

Originally posted by Mark Steel


hey Gruff, I think this warrants its own poll, say in BG OT maybe??

Perhaps, but a thread like that seems more appropriate for ORCHESTRAL TECHNIQUE. I may have to move it there.

Originally posted by jazzbo
Current favorite drink: Toasted Almond

Not to change the subject but . . .
How did you go from Manhattans Up to Toasted Almonds? Whats next? Midori Sour.

This thread would get to big in BG O.T. and would end up turning into a Feildy is better than God thread.

I dunno why, but the idea of a 'FiElDy is better than gOd' thread just cracked me up for about five minutes then. :D

By the way, whutz a rosin?? do iBaNeZ mak them?

2 months and 16 days for you to respond?
You need a vacation more than me.

Originally posted by gruffpuppy
Not to change the subject but . . .
How did you go from Manhattans Up to Toasted Almonds? Whats next? Midori Sour.


Midori Sours are fun, but, no. I just like to stretch, that's all. Check me out now.