question for those who also play guitar.

funkybass · #1 10-13-2010, 11:53 AM

I've been playing a bit of guitar lately. The tuning of the guitar is messing with me when playing scales and arpeggios. It's tuned in 4ths except from the G to B strings. Any other bassist/guitarists have this problem when staring on guitar?

James Judson · #2 10-13-2010, 12:21 PM

Need more clarification. I tune all my axes in fourths. I do however get a little messed up cuz the bass is a longer scale (length of the neck).

TheBasicBassist · #3 10-13-2010, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Judson

Need more clarification. I tune all my axes in fourths. I do however get a little messed up cuz the bass is a longer scale (length of the neck).

He's stating that the intervalic distance of a major third between G & B is "messing him up."

Ric5 · #4 10-13-2010, 12:32 PM

Yep the tuning on guitar is helpful for chords but cumbersome for scales and rifs.

narud · #5 10-13-2010, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ric5

Yep the tuning on guitar is helpful for chords but cumbersome for scales and rifs.

its not cumbersome if you play guitar

narud · #6 10-13-2010, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funkybass

I've been playing a bit of guitar lately. The tuning of the guitar is messing with me when playing scales and arpeggios. It's tuned in 4ths except from the G to B strings. Any other bassist/guitarists have this problem when staring on guitar?

its not a bass, dont try to treat it like one. just learn how the scales and arpeggios lay on the guitar.

funkybass · #7 10-13-2010, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by narud

its not a bass, dont try to treat it like one. just learn how the scales and arpeggios lay on the guitar.

Easier said than done. I've played bass so long it's hard to just turn off that part of my brain. I'm not treating guitar like a bass.

()smoke() · #8 10-13-2010, 04:14 PM

i just see it as one little shift when i'm moving to the B string, no major problems for me with scales or arpeggios

ninepoundjammer · #9 10-13-2010, 04:31 PM

Eventually it all starts to make sense and the shapes you play out of become pretty natural, and you start to understand where a lot of licks come from. But, yes, it's not a bass, and it probably won't sound very cool if you use the same approach you use on bass.

Practice. What else can we say?

JTE · #10 10-13-2010, 04:33 PM

They're two totally different instruments, and the mental shift from one to the other is automatic.

John

MalcolmAmos · #11 10-13-2010, 06:39 PM

Yes the pattern is different, but, not that much.
http://www.cyberfret.com/scales/basic/print.html

They strum chords we play chord tones.
Their box pattern has two more strings.

Harmony or lead is their thing.
The bottom end and the groove is our thing.

They are different, but, what you know on one transfers to the other quite easily.

**Mark Wilson** · #12 10-14-2010, 07:12 AM

Nope. Not much of a problem for me either.

plangentmusic · #13 10-14-2010, 07:28 AM

It used to be a problem for me (being more of a bassist and played guitar as a secondary instrument), but I found that I have to treat the B string as another type of positioning. You'll notice a lot of guitar licks are based on the fingering that falls naturally between the G and B strings.

Start simply -- learn some basic rock licks -- Hendrix, Iommi, Farner, -- they all use repeated patterns off the G and B. Once you get used to that, it starts to make sense.

THORRR · #14 10-14-2010, 07:35 AM

If you really wanna go crazy - try learning to play piano after being a guitarist or bassist for many years - It's insane!

behemecoytl · #15 10-14-2010, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funkybass

Easier said than done. I've played bass so long it's hard to just turn off that part of my brain. I'm not treating guitar like a bass.

you can treat it like a bass... obviously, the E-A-D-G strings are the same as bass, and you can run scales just the same.

but when you get to the B, you are in guitar territory, and have to learn the little shift as a guitar thang...

Richard Lindsey · #16 10-14-2010, 08:10 AM

I played guitar first, so it feels natural to me. And that major 3rd interval does end up providing some real advantages, IMO. In fact, I find it so useful that I tune my 6 string bass BEADGB rather than the more common BEADGC.

Try playing some chords on guitar, and you'll get an idea of why it's tuned that way. Not to say that it's impossible to play chords with other tunings, because it's certainly not, but the standard tuning definitely facilitates some things.

TripleDouble · #17 10-14-2010, 08:21 AM

Never play on the top two strings, or better yet, cut them off.

Practice the patterns and shapes until they become automatic, and try to understand the logic of the different interval and the notes you are playing. It'll click, be patient and work your ass off. Once you're used to it, the top string having a note 2 octaves above the bottom string with a string a fifth below it is very convenient for staying in a single position while improvising and playing chords over 2+ octaves.

LowDown Hal · #18 10-14-2010, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by narud

its not a bass, dont try to treat it like one. just learn how the scales and arpeggios lay on the guitar.

+ 1

exactly

Jake D · #19 10-14-2010, 08:57 AM

I played guitar for 13 years before I picked up a bass. It is the most natural thing to me. Just practice your scales in all the different positions until you can move horizontally through them on any string. Then you'll see the scales pop out when you look at the fretboard. Like that guy from "Beautiful Mind". Then you've arrived.

Raymeous · #20 10-14-2010, 09:34 AM

Although I consider myself primarily a guitar player, I have been playing bass, keys, and drums for only a few years less than guitar, and all of it for over 20 years. For me switching from one instrument, both physically and mentally, is pretty easy at this point.

The best part of being able to play multiple instruments is that your perspective changes dramatically. Any time you add an instrument to the list of things you play, you will suddenly hear it again in the songs you listen to. Face it, most guitarists only hear the guitar parts, drumers listen to the beat and snare sound, and vocalist tend to be the only one that know the lyrics other than the bass player that sings back up.

Playing multiple instruments, even if you don't do it well, will only help you to communicate ideas between your band members in their language. It also helps immensely in the song writing process. If you play an instrument you wont cheat it out of good bits to play. I tend to write with my guitar or keys, but I always leave room for a great bass part because I also play and respect that instrument. Same goes for drums and vocals. Besides funk bass bits played on a guitar is almost as awesome as two handed tapping on a 6 string bass!

For the OP; good luck and enjoy the experience and changed musical perspective. It's just more tools for the tool box!