Been Playing Guitar. Switch Back to Bass?

Poop-Loops · #1 04-26-2007, 10:04 PM

This is a stupid question, but I figured at least some of you could give an non-biased opinion (as opposed to asking this in a guitar forum).

I played bass for all of 6 months before switching to guitar. So just as I was getting the hang of the basics, the sexy allure of the guitar seduced me to the world of power chords and high-pitched bends. Another six months later I can actually play a few chords and stuff and now I want to go back to bass.

Yes, I'm indecisive. But more importantly, the reason I really switched to guitar was because I listen mostly to metal, and there isn't much bass to be distinguished from the wall of guitars there. Now that I've started listening to different kinds of music (some rock, some jazz, blues, etc.) I'm getting an itch for bass again.

In a nutshell, I heard "Soldiers of the Wasteland" by Dragonforce and decided to switch to guitar. Now (a few months ago, actually) I heard "Catch the Rainbow" by Rainbow and want to go back to bass.

I just need some advice. Would it be better to stick to guitar for now, get somewhat good, then switch, or just switch now? I enjoy playing both, so that's not the problem. And no, I can't just practice both at the same time. I just don't have the time to do that.

If it makes any difference, I have 3 guitars. And one bass. So it would be weird to not know how to play guitar while having 3. On the other hand, what difference does it make?

As you can see, I am going insane.

FrigginChris · #2 04-26-2007, 10:08 PM

i say find more time and stick with both :-)

Poop-Loops · #3 04-26-2007, 10:20 PM

Ok. I'll just drop school then...

FrigginChris · #4 04-26-2007, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poop-Loops

Ok. I'll just drop school then...

summer break is almost here

Rakie · #5 04-26-2007, 10:21 PM

I listen to lots of metal, there arent too many bands where the bassists really go for it.

Poop-Loops · #6 04-26-2007, 10:27 PM

Exactly. Which is why I switched in the first place. But I started listenening to Steve Digiorgio's stuff more (not really, just Death's Individual Thought Patterns album), Iron Maiden, Dio, Rainbow, Rush, and Black Sabbath. That should keep me going for at least a while.

Rakie · #7 04-26-2007, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poop-Loops

Exactly. Which is why I switched in the first place. But I started listenening to Steve Digiorgio's stuff more (not really, just Death's Individual Thought Patterns album), Iron Maiden, Dio, Rainbow, Rush, and Black Sabbath. That should keep me going for at least a while.

Man... I really dont know their name, but there was this heavy band I was listening to last night, Local infact.... VERY Good.... Except the singer... he's laughable the band is really heavy, two guitarists, both rip, and a great bassist, heavily influenced by Primus...

Imagine Les Claypool in a Death metal band.

Do something different on your own, don't be afraid to try new things.

Disc · #8 04-26-2007, 11:31 PM

Start listening to punk, pick up a bass.

Poop-Loops · #9 04-26-2007, 11:58 PM

Punk isn't my thing. Closest I come to punk is thrash metal.

But I'm definately not afraid to try something else. One of the reasons I want to play bass despite a lack of "outstanding" bassists in metal is because I know I can do whatever I want.

I guess FrigginChris's advice is sound. I'll wait until summer, play both, and decide then.

I should probably buy 2 more basses, though, to even out my collection, amirite???

WalterBush · #10 04-27-2007, 12:00 AM

Play both. Practice on one for a while, then switch, and see how much knowledge and skill you can translate from one instrument to the other. The two are more interchangable than you might think. IME, a guitarist with bass-playing experience is less likely to solo endlessly and turn up treble knobs until an audience's ears bleed. Likewise, a bassist with guitar experience is more likely to stretch outside a little in their playing.

If all else fails, practice whichever instrument is making you money at the time, or at least gigs if you're not getting paid to play.

xifr · #11 04-27-2007, 04:48 AM

I play both, and it's great. That way there's no issue, just divide your time up between the two.

Poop-Loops · #12 04-27-2007, 09:38 AM

Dividing my time up is the problem. Do I alternate days? Do I spend some time on one, then the other in the same day? To I spend a few months on one and then switch to the other, etc.?

Vandelay · #13 04-27-2007, 09:56 AM

I think you should dedicate at least a few months to guitar, and take lessons if possible. After that, take a checkpoint and decide which direction you want to go from there.

Phalex · #14 04-27-2007, 11:39 AM

Play guitar, and learn chord structure.

Play bass and learn to apply chord structure.

Poop-Loops · #15 04-27-2007, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vandelay

I think you should dedicate at least a few months to guitar, and take lessons if possible. After that, take a checkpoint and decide which direction you want to go from there.

I'm at that point now, actually. Played bass for 6 or so months before switching, and now I've been playing guitar for at least as much. My bass teacher is also my guitar teacher, and he doesn't care which one I pick, but encourages me to play both. Kind of cool because he tries to teach me theory and stuff that can be applied to both instruments and more. I just sent him an email asking for his input, too.

But yeah, he's been teaching me chord structures on guitar, soloing over them, and obviously that applies to playing over a chord on a bass. Back when he taught me bass, he'd still teach me chord structures and how to play over them, actually. With guitar he's teaching me lots of different chord voicings, too.

xifr · #16 04-27-2007, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poop-Loops

Dividing my time up is the problem. Do I alternate days? Do I spend some time on one, then the other in the same day? To I spend a few months on one and then switch to the other, etc.?

Just work out what works best for you. I'll just generally pick up either my bass or my guitar depending on what mood I'm in.

Also, less time on internet = more time on music

lemur821 · #17 04-27-2007, 09:34 PM

I don't see why you can't do both. Just alternate days between them if your practice time is so scarce or something.

jucas · #18 04-27-2007, 11:51 PM

I play a bit of both, don't always play one or the other in a day, just whatever I feel like at the time. I learned the guitar first because the guy giving the lessons wanted to sell a guitar and a bass... but it was good to know a thing or two so I knew what my guitarists were up to.

Now I like the bass for most things, and original stuff, but its pleasant to hang out and strum some stuff on the guitar now and then... This doesn't work if you want to play crazy metal leads, as that takes a lot of time and dedication, but rhythm should be doable, and would help on bass too.

I dunno, I guess it depends on what you want to do with guitar( or bass)... but keep both up.

69nites · #19 04-28-2007, 12:05 AM

well in your defense.

I have one bass currently because it can do any job I need.

I have to have 3 guitars just to be able to get close to the tones I want.

I don't see the big need to "decide" between the two. You can play both and practice one more than the other as it suits your needs.

Poop-Loops · #20 04-28-2007, 01:00 AM

Haha it's not that I need them to get a tone or anything, it's just that I have one standard Washburn X-30, a Tokai Explorer, and a semi-hollow Ibanez Artcore. Basically, they are all cool in their own right. It would just seem weird that I have three guitars and I can't play decently. =/

I'll talk to my instructor about this on Monday (next lesson). I'll ask if I can alternate lessons on bass and guitar per week or per two weeks or however he thinks is best.