What got you into bass? And keeps you going?

LyonsBass · #1 04-04-2007, 04:28 AM

Hey everyone.

I was just wondering why YOU took up bass as a musical instrument..
And what keeps you playing.

Well i guess i`m first.

I`d really have to say i wanted to be on stage since grade 3 and debated what instrument i should learn. I eventually picked bass because i thought it would be fun and rewarding.

I`m still playing because i love the instrument.
I discovered all the cool things i could do on a bass that other instruments couldnt. All the great players that were an inspiration and how good i felt after i had learned a song

Its the power in my hands. Like having a weapon of mass destruction right before me..

D Von · #2 04-04-2007, 11:04 PM

bass got me into bass

.

lol, anyway i just always liked to pick out certain parts of songs, like the drums or guitar. i never really took much consideration into bass until i went to my first concert and heard how badass it sounded. plus i always thought jason newsted was the coolest mofo in metallica. i guess all thats keeping me to play bass is just to keep my ass in bands and off the streets. i'm thinking about trying another instrument though, my gf says i might make a good metal vocalist. vocals though? i dunno...

Aaron Saunders · #3 04-04-2007, 11:12 PM

I picked up the bass because I looked up to my older brother who played the guitar.

There've been a LOT of points when I've come close to quitting this year, but what keeps me playing is one thing: that magical feeling of a perfect groove...where everything just feels right. It feels like you can place a note anywhere with any pitch, anywhere rhythmically in the bar and it will always sound great.

brianrost · #4 04-05-2007, 06:35 AM

Got into it after hearing Jack Bruce with Cream in 1968.

Still with it because I have to pay for my kid's college bills (just kidding). Seriously, I'm still doing it because I love it.

buzzbass · #5 04-05-2007, 07:32 AM

Hearing Paul's bassline in Lucy in the Sky, and seeing Gene Simmons. Who wouldn't get inspired from that ?

dave64o · #6 04-05-2007, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buzzbass

Hearing Paul's bassline in Lucy in the Sky, and seeing Gene Simmons. Who wouldn't get inspired from that ?

I read your post and for some reason the image of them switching rolls - Gene Simmons playing with the Beatles and Paul McCartney (Beatles-era) playing with Kiss - popped into my head. I laughed myself silly at that one.

I started playing bass when I started doing home recording with a friend of mine. He's a pretty good guitarist so I said I'll let him handle most guitar duty and I bought a bass so I could take care of the low end. I've decided I like it down here and that's where I stayed (though do the drums as well and still do a few guitar lines here and there).

badstonebass · #7 04-05-2007, 09:08 AM

I picked up a bass to be Gene Simmons in a trib band. Always guitar in the past.

I kept playing it because I could get a gig in a really good band right after I quit the KISS gig.

I keep playing bass for MONEY.

Steve · #8 04-05-2007, 08:35 PM

Money....and money.

I started out playing classical guitar.

jsbass · #9 04-05-2007, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D Von

bass got me into bass

.

lol, anyway i just always liked to pick out certain parts of songs, like the drums or guitar. i never really took much consideration into bass until i went to my first concert and heard how badass it sounded. plus i always thought jason newsted was the coolest mofo in metallica. i guess all thats keeping me to play bass is just to keep my ass in bands and off the streets. i'm thinking about trying another instrument though, my gf says i might make a good metal vocalist. vocals though? i dunno...

Sing and play bass at the same time. Jason is known as a bad-ass mofo for that!

buzzbass · #10 04-06-2007, 07:44 AM

[quote=dave64o;4039276]I read your post and for some reason the image of them switching rolls - Gene Simmons playing with the Beatles and Paul McCartney (Beatles-era) playing with Kiss - popped into my head. I laughed myself silly at that one.

QUOTE]

It would be cool to see the Demon standing in the middle of the Sgt. Pepper cover

You're twisted, +1

iceshaft07 · #11 04-06-2007, 07:26 PM

Kind of a funny story.

My friend Corey asked me to join a band, completely randomly out of the night.

I had previously broken the strings trying to tune them (way back when I was young and thought it was a toy) and it collected dust for years. That was when I thought the four strings were all supposed to be half steps up.

So, all I knew I had was a bass guitar with three strings. I practiced for five hours every day for two weeks-- worst of all, I didn't even know I was playing a bass guitar! I just thought it was a guitar.

I thought I was supposed to play it with a pick, but I didn't have one, so I used a craftsman flathead screw driver thing as a substitute (it was round and small like a pick).

Anyhow, shortly after I started dating my girlfriend (who played bass with lessons, and knew much more than me), she told me I was playing a bass guitar.

The band never formulated, but I kept playing anyways.

Anyhow, after I knew it was a bass guitar, I searched (and still do) the internet for styles, tabs, etc. Then I bought a twenty dollar book and read that.

It's also funny, but quite embarrasing to admit that the game Guitar Hero that taught me why hammer ons and pull offs are important. All the internet articles I read simply didn't convey the message. After that, I really started using them.

I also saw a few you tube videos on playing slap and pop, and that is when I realized that this is the instrument I want to play. Specifically, the song Higher Ground inspired me the most. I want to be a professional slap and pop bassist- I love the licks you can make using those muted notes :-).