Bassists playing multiple instruments.....

5intheface · #1 06-08-2006, 06:28 PM

What is it about us bassists that we always seem to many othe rinstruments in addition to bass? Is it that we get bored? I'm mainly a bassist (fretless, fretted and upright) and also play guitar, harmonica, mandolin, ukelele and am learning piano.

But just think about the number of talented bassists that are also proficiant at a number of other instruments:

Jaco- Drums, guitar, piano, steel pans, sax, probabaly anything he put his mind to

Paul McCartney-Piano, guitar, drums, ukelele

Rick Danko-Violin, trombone, guitar,

John Paul Johns- guitar, mandolin, koto, lap steel guitars, autoharp, ukulele, cello

Marcus Miller- clarinetist, bass clarinet, keyboards, saxophone, guitar

Jack Bruce-Guitar, harmonica, cello,

see how many mroe you can conjure up.

superbassman2000 · #2 06-08-2006, 06:42 PM

i don't think it's because we are bored, but i think that when you play bass you need to look at the songs you play in a more compositional light, rather than solo-solo-me-me-me.
at least thats from my standpoint

i enjoy bass (also DB), guitar, purcussion, piano/synth, tenor saxophone, and i really want to learn to play the esraj too

steve21 · #3 06-08-2006, 06:43 PM

bassists are cool. that's all there is.

and jpj played a lot more stuff.

anyways, i've been known to rock cowbells. :-p

**Mark Wilson** · #4 06-08-2006, 08:00 PM

I play bass, flute, piano, drums, percussion, Sax(es), Trumpet, Trombone, Violin, upright bass (w/ bow as well) and i've recently been getting into the eastern instruments. Sitar, and Lute. :O

-mark

5intheface · #5 06-08-2006, 10:13 PM

Might I ask how old you are Mark and how were able to to learn so many instruments from so many differant families?

How proficiant do you consider yourself on each?

#6 06-08-2006, 10:16 PM

I'm a multi instrumentalist myself, more or less. In my lame experience, I've found that it's like languages, once you've learned two, learning more becomes progressively easier. Now, if only I knew something other than English and a few swear words in Italian.

Jazzin' · #7 06-09-2006, 12:01 AM

It's because we want to see music from the other side.

markjazzbassist · #8 06-09-2006, 12:03 AM

I can PLAY bass, sax, and guitar.

I attempt to play drums.

I think there is a big difference. I know people that think that since they know one chord, they play guitar. I consider playing a instrument as being proficient on it.

BrandonBass · #9 06-09-2006, 12:23 AM

billy sheehan can shred on a guitar, he can play drums and sing too

didnt duff mckagan make and album where he does all the singing and instruments?

galore · #10 06-09-2006, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Jaco- Drums, guitar, piano, steel pans, sax, probabaly anything he put his mind to

Paul McCartney-Piano, guitar, drums, ukelele

Rick Danko-Violin, trombone, guitar,

John Paul Johns- guitar, mandolin, koto, lap steel guitars, autoharp, ukulele, cello

Marcus Miller- clarinetist, bass clarinet, keyboards, saxophone, guitar

Jack Bruce-Guitar, harmonica, cello

Flea studied trumpet...

Quote:

i don't think it's because we are bored, but i think that when you play bass you need to look at the songs you play in a more compositional light, rather than solo-solo-me-me-me.

Absolutely. I mean, there are some exceptions like Disciplin a Kitschme

but that's lead guitarist's job, right?

Aussiephoenix · #11 06-09-2006, 03:01 AM

I guess its because bass mixes rhythm with melody and we endup understanding or wanting to understand the other instruments around us...

I started out a Drummer, turned guitarrist and turned Bassplayer. I still play guitar and percussion once in a while. I also know a few tricks on the Didgeridoo...

We're more talented I guess, lol

addylewis · #12 06-09-2006, 03:41 AM

Well...I started off on piano as a kid then got bored and moved onto self-taught guitar at 13 (y'know...as ya do) then at college I started learning Drums for the hell of it - our teacher (who was actually a bassist by trade) was doing workshops with everyone...everyone except for me and my mate were guitarists so there was a choice of either bass or drums as a "second instrument"...I chose bass, but he said "your already doing guitar as your second, hell - you may as well do drums as well as everyone else is" - I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO CHOSE BASS!! (which was lucky for me...I got one-to-one lessons rather than a group workshop) I'm now a 1st instrument bassist, and hardly play guitar or piano anymore (but I had a fairly solid base on both before I stopped so I CAN still play a little if I ever need to...)

basste · #13 06-09-2006, 04:17 AM

perhaps we all are musicians before all ? And bass is our favorite way to express ourselves in this universal language ?
i think.
i play guitar, drums, percussions.. I would like to play Sax but haven't got money to buy one, and to take lessons.
I would like to try mandolin, cellos, and other stuff like citar...

nysbob · #14 06-09-2006, 06:33 AM

I just released this record.

I played -

electric & upright bass
electric & acoustic guitar
hammond organ
piano
mellotron
accordian
harmonica
synths
percussion

and did most of the singing

I did NOT play drums!

threshar · #15 06-09-2006, 06:48 AM

I played Sax in 4th-6th grade, but quit because my teacher made it unbearable (he was more concerned about my foot tapping correctly than the music sounding right).

Then a number of years later I saved up for bass. I loved it.

Eventually my brother gave me his old electric guitar he never used so I started noodling around on htat. (never doing much).

After a few failed band attemps and a lot of music brewing in me I decided to just learn the "rest of them" so I could write my music and not worry about the band falling apart, or them not playing what I wanted (and not in a good way - I have no issues if someone modifies some of my stuff for the greater good.. but when it ends up sounding like poop).

So I play guitar (elec, acoustic), keys, "drums" (not well, mostly just sequence drums), recording, mixing, etc.

But hte bass is my main instrument and what Il ove to play. A bit over a year ago I joined a great band playing bass. Since then I haven't hit the other instruments as much.

So for me it was a solution to a problem to learn the others. (And it can be helpful to have an idea where the other guys are coming from)

bassist15 · #16 06-09-2006, 09:49 AM

Bass is of course my main instrument. I started playing music in 6th grade playing tenor sax which I still do , though im nowgoing into my sophmore year in high school. I can also play the drums pretty well. I can also play alot songs on harmonica.The other things I can play a tune or two but i usually just mess around. Piano and ac. guitar . I jsut started on guitar so Ill get better with time.

**j-raj** · #17 06-09-2006, 12:54 PM

Avishai Cohen- Bass and Piano
Marcus Miller- Bass, Gtr, Sax, Bass Clarinet, Drums, Piano

Lorenzini · #18 06-09-2006, 03:14 PM

Gary Peacock plays great piano.

True story about

Jeff Berlin. I got to jam with him on "Pinocchio" last week. I was playing with another teacher at PSM (I play the piano as my primary instrument) and the guitarist went to go talk to a bass player. I started playing Pinocchio and Jeff was like - Hey man, I love that tune! - picked up the guitar and it was just sick. He is a monster on guitar as well as bass. The guitarist came back and almost **** his pants in awe. But if you ever call Jeff a great guitarist, he'll deny it.

Jeff also plays piano.

Snarf · #19 06-09-2006, 03:38 PM

Besides fretted/fretless electric and double bass, I do play drums, bagpipes, smallpipes, and whatever kind of tin whistle you throw my way. I want to learn sax bad.

**j-raj** · #20 06-09-2006, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorenzini

Gary Peacock plays great piano.

True story about

Jeff Berlin. I got to jam with him on "Pinocchio" last week. I was playing with another teacher at PSM (I play the piano as my primary instrument) and the guitarist went to go talk to a bass player. I started playing Pinocchio and Jeff was like - Hey man, I love that tune! - picked up the guitar and it was just sick. He is a monster on guitar as well as bass. The guitarist came back and almost **** his pants in awe. But if you ever call Jeff a great guitarist, he'll deny it.

Jeff also plays piano.

nice, that's a killer story!

...Pinocchio is one of my favorite Shorter tunes!