why bass is better than guitar

[marcopalla]

Why plaing bass is so much better than plaing guitar?

I have palyed guitar for years, so boring, always pushing effects and pedals for the same sound , no groove, no rythm, no passion. Now I've been plaing bass for 5 years in bands, so cool, why people steel play guitar?

n.b. this post is a little jokeing

[dbaser]

Q: Why people still play guitar?

A: Stoned dropouts need something to do!

No offense to the stoned dropouts here... My wife plays guitar and plays very well. I think for the most part everyone wants to be Eddie Van Halen or the like so they grab the ole thin-string-thing. Power chords are boring.. grinding noise is boring... jazz guitar is beautiful.

Just my sleepy 5AM opinion.

[Oliver]

It aint better, its different.
I play 'cause low notes move me and music is lost without them.

[4stringrookie]

hmm..

As a guitar player just learning Bass...cough cough...

They are both very fun. I've got a few chord positions for you guys that will tie those fingers in a knot and cure the "boredom" of playing a 6 string...

Groovy is right. the music is lost without the Bass. Our Bass player is out and I am learning some Bass to fill in the low tones...

As a guitar player, I value the tones from the Bass.

[bass-shy]

Bassists have about ten extra inches to play with.

[dbaser]

Originally Posted by bass-shy

Bassists have about ten extra inches to play with.

That'd make a great sig!

[CrazyArcher]

Bass is not better, it's just a different instrument made for a different purpose...

[The Owl]

Originally Posted by groovyriffage

It aint better, its different.
I play 'cause low notes move me and music is lost without them.

Same here!

I happen to play BOTH instruments myself and don't seem to have much trouble switching gears. They're just simply 2 different experiences, ways of thinking and creating, one is not better than the other. Plus, there's TONS of possible ways to play each instrument.

Guitar for me has tons of cool aspects as does strapping on a 5-string low frequency beast.

[Bernie Connors]

I love guitar and I'm not afraid to admit that. I grew up one music from guitar heroes and I will always love music from SRV, Clapton and The Allman Brothers among others.

[Tbirdbassist]

Originally Posted by CrazyArcher

Bass is not better, it's just a different instrument made for a different purpose...

I'd say you can do alot more with a bass than you can with a guitar. Altough I cant play guitar very well, I appreciate its existence and its place in a band situation, Its usally the people who are playing the guitar which give it a bad wrap from bassists. All the guitarist who cringe at the thought of bass having a solo and all that. Thats what gets me.

I think there are alot more tones available for bass, from mud to dog whistle (exaggeration). As with guitar you usually here the same sound from many a different guitarists. Im sure there are guitarist who think outside the box and have tones that "pwndLOLrclors" the mainstream guitar tone, or "everyday" tone. But we just dont here them because, Well, Atleast to me, The music industry is chooding look over talent, which is bulls**t.


A guitar is very limited in range, As bass can get more than a piano( See the Adler 12 string thread). This is why I love the fact that I play bass and want to push the limits of what I and the bass can do. I am not a 12 string player, But a like the fact that bassist want more out their instrument. I am a soon to be 7 string player, But i certainly wont be abandoning the 4's I started on cause I need them for other music that I play which doesnt require extra strings. At the moment I just feel limited (I assume how JT felt when he switched to 7) at the moment and want to experiment.


Guitarists will always argue about the point of a 6+ string bass. But they only know so much, As the average guitarist thinks a 6 string bass is tuned the same as a guitar. Im ranting now, Sorry... Im finished.

[Bernie Connors]

I'm not sure that you can do so much more with a bass than a guitar. Guys like Steve Vai and other crazy talented people are doing stuff with the guitar that is pretty amazing.

You can also get extended range guitars that have pretty extreme range. Conklin will do 9 string guitars.

[The Golden Boy]

Originally Posted by The Owl

I happen to play BOTH instruments myself and don't seem to have much trouble switching gears. They're just simply 2 different experiences, ways of thinking and creating, one is not better than the other.

One think I learned is I have two entirely seperate rhythms between playing guitar and playing bass. I think I would hate to be in a band with myself.

[Tyler_The_Hate]

Originally Posted by marcopalla

Why plaing bass is so much better than plaing guitar?

I have palyed guitar for years, so boring, always pushing effects and pedals for the same sound , no groove, no rythm, no passion. Now I've been plaing bass for 5 years in bands, so cool, why people steel play guitar?
n.b. this post is a little jokeing

because it gets moe chicks and fans...... normally

[JDT]

We always say that guitar players would be lost without us, but we would be as lost without THEM.

It's not 'better', it's just different. And if you like bass better, good for you (otherwise, you are the weakest link, goodbye)

[Jonki]

Originally Posted by bass-shy

Bassists have about ten extra inches to play with.

LOL!

[metalguy2]

This thread is dumb..... Guitar is a different instrument with a different function. Just like piano or violin. I am going to leave it at that.

[Juneau]

"Well, huh, might as, might as well ask why is a tree good? Why is the sunset good? Why are boobs good?" - Joe Dirt

It just is

[Wrong Robot]

Originally Posted by Tbirdbassist

I'd say you can do alot more with a bass than you can with a guitar.

Just because you CAN do something doesn't mean it's necessary or desired to do it.

[Freaky Fender]

Originally Posted by Juneau

"Well, huh, might as, might as well ask why is a tree good? Why is the sunset good? Why are boobs good?" - Joe Dirt

It just is

Nice quote there.


Hey man, as cliche as it sounds, you can take the instrument as far as you wanna go. I'm surprised no one has done anything microtonal on the bass yet, aside from out of tune fretless playing.

[Tbirdbassist]

Originally Posted by Wrong Robot

Just because you CAN do something doesn't mean it's necessary or desired to do it.

Yes, But there are some players who do desire it and do find it necessary. Some do it to prove a point, some to it to self please, some do it to just have that range, and flexability.

Some songs sound better when you play them differently, Its not necessary, But its one's choice, Ones opinion.
4 string purist swear by their 4 strings and dont think any other amount of strings is necessary. Thats their opinion, if a 4 string is all they want and all they need, So be it, I cant call you a loser or a underacheiver for only wanting to play a 4 banger.

The same goes for ERB, You cant hate on them because they feel limited (like John Turner, or myself for instence) by the 4 or because they want more range than what the 4 can give.

Is it a necessity to play a 4, No. Is it a necessity to play a 5, 6, 7, 8+ string, No. Its all a matter of opinion. 7string+players may not need the high F string, but they find it necessary, And they put it to use.

My reasons for wanting a 7 string are these...

-I feel sometimes limited when writing with a 4 banger.
-I want to experiment with other tunings.
-I like to challenge myself.
-With the music Im playing, A 7 would fit in quite nicely.
-I like seeing guitarist dumbfounded.

Again, When it comes down to it, Its all a matter of opinion.