Bassists playing guitar (awkward)

your idol · #1 02-07-2010, 05:29 PM

so i can play guitar too as its what i started on but i only have acoustic around the house with piano wire strings.

im thinking about having ONE very nice guitar at the house for personal playing and working out guitar parts that jive while writing music.

its been about 5 years since i picked up bass full time and put down the guitar. i havent touched one since.

as i picked a sweet old school tele and started to play it felt insanely strange to me..no neck weight tight tight tight fret spacing bareley there strings and every time i went to pull a bend and i was bending like 6 notes past the original. it sounded like a damn sitar. i play with flats with high action and alot of bends on my bass so this isnt shocking that i was a little tuggish to thos 9' on the tele.

anyway is there anyone that plays both regularly and dosent brutalize guitars when they play..any tips tricks to esing off my natural finger throttle with keeping my natural speed and emotion of playing up?

btw i played a Les Paul custom and since i always played gibson before it felt much more naturl to m and had heavier strings but it was still insane.

RobbieHassett · #2 02-07-2010, 05:30 PM

i'm actually a guitarist that went to bass. guitar is a much more fragile insrument, it just comes with time. it's funny because when i started on bass, i had to strengthen my fingers all over again...so we have sort of the opposite problem.

pasta4lnch · #3 02-07-2010, 05:35 PM

I play both regularly. Fender on both too (strats and p's) I don't have much problem switching back and forth. in fact playing both has given me a cooler insight.

. . . and fwiw I feel Gibson's (guitar and basses) feel like 2x4's w/ strings

thicker strings might help. just playing more will probably be the most helpful. the more you play the more used to it you'll be.

FunkMetalBass · #4 02-07-2010, 05:51 PM

I play both (bass first, then guitar). The only way to do it is to just play both evenly. It'll take a lot of practice to get back into guitar, but time and patience are key.

LEntless · #5 02-07-2010, 05:55 PM

I played guitar for around 8 years. Never really liked it much. Just picked it up to play and never really got anywhere with it- some random shredding and technical rhythm. I never really liked the high end of guitar, except in chords.

Picked up the bass, and I can't stop learning it. Just a new level of fun for me. I hardly play guitar now, but I DO NOT ignore it. Playing guitar is a good break and gives me insight on new stuff to play, so it's a win/win situation.

paganjack · #6 02-07-2010, 05:58 PM

I enjoy playing on my Les Paul now and again- I think i have .10s on it. Definitely takes me a few minutes before it feels natural again. I much prefer playing bass, it just feels much more "right" for my hands. I like getting to stretch them out.

If you want to feel like an awkward giant ogre-ish bassist, try playing on a violin! It's SO TINY!

your idol · #7 02-07-2010, 05:59 PM

thanks im way outta the game When in TF did les paul customs start costing almost 3 grand?!?!? teles are 1400?!?!?

i remember when you could go snag a 70's LP deluxe or custom for under 1500 now theyre 2-3k even...its insane

waleross · #8 02-07-2010, 07:04 PM

I'm back playing bass again and taking lessons on the guitar(unreal ! ) . the guitar is fun and its opening up my ears . The guitar is more demanding but having a young rock guitarist as a teacher helps . .

A-Step-Towards · #9 02-07-2010, 07:37 PM

I love bass but guitar is sweet to , i think you just need to get back into it slowly if its been 5 years since ou have played one i can see how it would be hard, i play both regularly and i play each as a guitar or bass, i dont play guitra on bass or vice a verse it takes some time to get use to but practice both equally and you'll be good.

SpamBot · #10 02-07-2010, 07:52 PM

SRV style, 13s baby. You'll get great tone too.

Luke.Walton · #11 02-07-2010, 08:08 PM

I started on guitar and I still enjoy picking it up and noodling, however I am barely competent

.

I think playing guitar helps/helped me with my bass playing especially in a band setting. Same with any instrument pretty much

your idol · #12 02-08-2010, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpamBot

SRV style, 13s baby. You'll get great tone too.

back in the day as a guitar player i used to rock 13s . i played solid old school punk rock and its sounded great on a gibson and i didnt have to replace strings mid set so much

MakiSupaStar · #13 02-08-2010, 09:20 AM

Kind of in the same boat. Guitar just feel so flimsy and fragile to me.

Phalex · #14 02-08-2010, 09:39 AM

I can get around ok on a classical guitar neck, but my guitar players strat is wayyyy too skinny.

iamlowsound · #15 02-08-2010, 10:40 AM

Practice. I don't find it hard to switch back and forth at all. Although I play with chromes and super low action on bass.

lowsound

Nightlyraider · #16 02-08-2010, 12:14 PM

I've played alot more bass then guitar now; but still try to dink around on the Guitar to keep on learning.

The biggest thing for me is how easily I can move the small gauge guitar strings around (bends) when I am used to .100+ for my E and B strings.

bassman0221 · #17 02-08-2010, 12:33 PM

I started playing bass first, then 3 years later started on acoustic guitar then a few years afterI aqcuired a elcetric guitar. I enjoy plplaying both very much and have not destroyed anything yet lol. It just takes practice/time to get used to it.

bassbenj · #18 02-09-2010, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

Practice. I don't find it hard to switch back and forth at all. Although I play with chromes and super low action on bass.

lowsound

Exactly. I play more than just bass. I also play drums and banjo. Even blow some harp. Studied piano for years (still suck!) and also own vibes but haven't practiced in years. I started on guitar years ago and gave up and switched to drums and bass. But now lately I'm back a guitar noob again!

So what's the secret? It's just practice and coming to an understanding of what each instrument is all about. What I do is sort of create a separate compartment in my brain for each instrument. And then which ever one I'm playing I sort of go into that mode of thinking.

Various instrument do provide different aspects of music and performance and you have to recognize that. A bass player for example sits back in the show but is actually directing the entire band. He is driving groove and harmony and rhythm. He can make the guitar player do whatever he wants simply by the choice of what he/she plays.

A front instrument like a guitar, is more concerned with melody and even more the guitarist has a different job. Their job is to get the attention of the audience and pull them into the band. So there is much more personality and charisma being brought out with far more intensity than what a drummer or bass player would do. So right off your "compartment" thing has to store two different "personalities" and the amount of personality intensity one brings to a performance. Note I'm not saying that bass players have no force of personality. I'm saying that a bass player directs his force of personality THROUGH his bass at the BAND. Whereas a guitarist/singer will direct the force of their personality into the audience's face. It's just two different jobs that need to be done.

This is why I find playing a number instruments to be so educational. It really helps you realize the various roles that need to be covered. On the other hand, the down side of that is that each of your instruments has to share practice time with the others.

So do I "brutalize" guitars? I hope not, although I must admit that I really don't like standard guitar picks and play guitar with those big Fender triangular picks instead. I hope that's not too "brutal"!

anthowl · #19 02-09-2010, 12:23 AM

i play bass very free and loose, when i play guitar i have to play very tight and confined. i approach the two very differently.

sonic assassin · #20 02-09-2010, 12:43 AM

i go from one to the other no problem. the second i feel the neck on it, i know what im playing and my brain just switches over. never have to sit down and think about it.

ive switched mid show. didnt make a difference. i play 5 strings.. that doesnt throw me either.

bass is a good way to warm up the hands to play guitar. makes you feel like a giant

going on 7 years of guitar and 3 or 4 years of bass.