In our generation(s), it seems that if you wanted to get into mainstream music, you probably were attracted to either being a lead guitar superstar, or maybe a drummer. You have keys, and horns. Bass was never the "cool" instrument until Sir Paul McCartney, and IMHO John Paul Jones, but way more, Geddy Lee, ended any notion that the bass player wasn't totally cool.
I am interested to know why everyone here is playing bass, because I'm curious to see if the person *always* wanted to play bass, or whether they ended up playing bass because nobody else wood, or they didn't feel they were a good enough guitar player, they could only count to 4, (kidding!), their older cousin did - and he got chicks, a bass was given to them, etc.
Please let me know, fellow bottom end extraordinaires!
When I was a kid all I wanted to do was beat on the drums. I gave it up real young (I wish I hadn't). In middle school I started listening to older Metallica and listening to Cliff Burton play. I hit High School and I bought Mudvayne's L.D. 50 and LOVED the bass on that CD. It wasn't until I went to one of the gigs my dad's band played with a fill-in bassist that I fell in love. This guy was amazing and I loved his style. He did an amazing bass solo and thats when I decided I wanted to play bass.
My musical tastes have come a long way past Mudvayne now though but I have to credit that band for getting me interested in bass.
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I was in High School. All my friends played guitar and drums. Nobody played bass, so I figured that if I got a bass, I could be in a band right away. I was right.
I started off playing AC/DC covers, and the like.
The first bass line I learned, was "Turn Me Loose" by Loverboy.
The first album I learned was "Kiss Alive".
The first original band was "Mick Glory". We weren't as good as I thought we were.
I got fairly good very quickly, though, so I knew it would stick. It was a natural fit 25 years ago, and it still is. I'm glad and grateful that it worked out the way it has. I love the bass.
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Eric Grossman
bassist for K's Choice
I started out filling out the bass part for a band my friends started it on the keyboard.
but then i finially decided to go for REAL bass. also it was a good alternative to guitar.
i eventually left that "band" becuase i didnt like the guitarist, because he just expected everyone to think of riffs that magically fit. also nobody made the effort to actually get any songs to cover, or to WRITE any new songs.
I first played guitar for a while but didn't really had the feeling that this was what i wanted to do, so i started playing bass ... it took a time but now i know that it was the right choise.
I started because all my friends were learning how to play guitar, and I always liked to be a bit different. I figured I would learn the bass to accompany them, and I'm so glad I did. Long live the bass.
Its a combination of things I guess. At first I decided I want to do bass because the general idea was theres too many guitarists and not enough bassists lol. Although my view is different now, I found bass to be a much more relaxing instrument, mainly because of the fact you mainly play one note at a time. I was also influenced by alot of great bassists such as Mike Gordon from Phish. I soon realized how amazing the instrument could be and how underrated it was, so I want to get out there and show people otherwise.
Always loved the bottom end, always a sucker for a good walking bass line, but never gave the first thought to actually playing bass. (Still kicking myself over that one.)
Grew up playing sax then moved to keys. Picked up blues harp and recorder and a few other things along the way. Enjoyed all of it, played in a couple of bands, but nothing ever really spoke to me on a deep level.
Came into posession of a cheap Kramer bass through weird circumstances. Picked it up and started noodling around on it (again with no thought of actually playing one) and instantly it was like... "This is where I'm supposed to be!"
Why I couldn't have realized that, oh, 40 or so years ago, I'll never know.
'rick
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"Trust me, you're better off NOT being able to hear how it sounds." -- steveksux
"I've got a bit of a perfectionist under all the layers of slacker." -- nateo
I was a rythm guitarist in two bands. And decided with a good friend (singer/lead guitarist) of mine to play some Metallica songs, again I would be the rythm guitarist. But on the day of our first rehearsel called the guy who would play the bass that he couldn't come....
Luckely for us, there happened to be a drummer at my house at the time and the guy who would drum could play some excellent guitar. Well, only thing left to do to let everything fall into place was me saying 'I'll handle the bass'.
That's how I started playing bass, I got stuck with it (and quit the guitar) because I play it better (according to others, and I agree), I'm more confident playing it live, because I'm less in the spotlight and plainly because it actually was my first love. Why I did start on guitar is another story...
My brother played bass when I was younger (13-15). I thought it was a cool instrument, but I had the young kid rockstar dream, so I started playing guitar. I planned to start a band with my brother, but I couldn't play a guitar to save my life.
I started messing around with my brother's basses and within a few days I was playing some old Metallica songs. It was just a natural fit, so I stuck with it.
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"Will the people in the cheaper seats clap your hands? All the rest of you, if you'll just rattle your jewelry."
-John Lennon
Ha ha! That would do it! I really like hearing about the guys that saw everybody playing guitar, so they "went the other way" just because they wanted to be different - that's very cool, but it's amazing the variety of different reasons and ways we all ended up as bass players - usually not by design, but our heros are just exactly like us....only rich and famous. I have to wonder if there really are an equal number of bass players than there are guitar players. When I was a guitar player I couldn't find a decent bass player to save my life.
I was a lousy guitar player, so I moved onto keys and sucked just as much.
Then a friend introduced me to Geddy, so I gave bass a try. Just fell into place - I suddenly found I could play
Never looked back. Learned most of the Rush catalogue in about 12 months, went on to be inspired by heaps of other bassists and gradually gained my "voice"
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Pete
Lefty Union Member #2
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In elementary school, my music teacher demonstrated her ability to play various instruments in front of the class. When she got around to playing the double bass, my eyes lit up with excitement when I heard the sound. I was just so amazed by it.
Although I also play guitar and piano, since that day, I primarily wanted to be a bassist.
Ted
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"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
Phillipians 4:13
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I was a bad guitarist and thought bass would be easier. Then after i got my first bass I actually started to listen to music with fun bass and I quit the darkside and started to almost exclusively play bass.
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If songs could make you do something we'd all love one another.-Frank Zappa
Best decision ever!
