Why Is Playing Bass So Damn Hard?!?

sulu · #1 09-01-2008, 09:24 AM

I am a bass player of exactly 11 days and it took me less than two weeks to realize whoever invented the elctric bass was a nut. A more difficult instrument could not be made.

When I first started playing guitar I chose a favorite Beatle song to learn - "Mother Nature's Son." In one weekend I had that complete song down. From when I first picked up a guitar it only took four days to play that song in full. Not only did I play it, but I tweaked my amp and had my Fender Strat sounding exactly like Paul's acoustic. Perfect.

With bass I chose my favorite bass song - The Beatles' "Glass Onion" - and it is damn hard to do. The notes don't flow like they do with my guitar playing, and the sound I get can not duplicate what I hear on the record -- and I am playing the exact model Paul played on that tune, the Fender Jazz. With guitar I can make a Fender Strat sound like a Martin acoustic, but with bass I can't make a Fender Jazz sound like a Fender Jazz!

Why is bass so difficult? The required dexterity is a million times greater than guitar; and the perfect sound (flatwounds, roundwounds, what gauge, pick, slap, fingers, amp...) is elusive as hell.

Just a rant. Maybe I should have bought a sitar...probably a million times easier to play.

ZonGuy · #2 09-01-2008, 09:26 AM

You are {in need of relevant help}

Visirale · #3 09-01-2008, 09:27 AM

Bass is relatively easy. Straight 4ths make it a very easy instrument to play. Just learn the theory behind it all.

Start playing Cello or Bassoon, then get back to me

.

Woodchuck · #4 09-01-2008, 09:29 AM

play nice.

spade2you · #5 09-01-2008, 09:30 AM

11 days?! Take some lessons/

Dave R · #6 09-01-2008, 09:32 AM

Beatles music can be deceptively difficult. I don't remember "Glass Onion" very well, but they wrote some tricky parts and odd time signatures. That they made those appeal popularly is a testament to their songwriting skills.

Duplicating another bass players sound can be difficult, too.

Paul used a pick. Are you playing finger style? Also, things they did in the studio can affect what you hear. And are you sure Glass Onion was a Jazz, and not a Ric or the Hofner?

Stick with it. Bass really IS easy. There's only 4 strings right?

Busker · #7 09-01-2008, 09:35 AM

Welcome to the world of bass. I had 30 years on the guitar, and it still took me months to even begin to feel like a bassist. Suck it up and practice.

SelenaBassGirl · #8 09-01-2008, 09:41 AM

lmao!He learning guitard because he couldn't hack the bass!!! (sorry, I had to do that!!!!)
actually, I am self taught and I think it is sort of easy..I mean when I bought my first bass (April 07), I thought how the h**l am I gonna play this??? and it sat for 6-7 mths next to the piano. Finally I said heck with it, took it in the computer room, turned on the music, and started playing by ear. It didn't happen overnight, but it happened. I haven't played a year quite yet but got a lot of songs down. Give yourself patience and time. Things don't always happen over night!! If you have issues, ask a fellow bass player or find a teacher. Keep at it and don't give up!!!

JazzyJames · #9 09-01-2008, 09:42 AM

Start taking lessons. Learn various styles and genres. Practice, practice, practice.

Spector_Ray · #10 09-01-2008, 09:42 AM

What a bunch of nice replies.

system_roxr · #11 09-01-2008, 09:43 AM

There alot of you out there,
of course there are guitars who are great at both,
like I do guitar too, but BASS is my primary.
Its not usually the SMARTEST IDEA to go into a bass forum and post something like that, you'll get riped to shreds.

chadds · #12 09-01-2008, 09:43 AM

Listen into the music for where bass sits. Try something easier than Beatles.

EclecticElectrk · #13 09-01-2008, 09:44 AM

oh come on.

martyman5000 · #14 09-01-2008, 09:44 AM

I'm with Busker on this one...I would delete half the crap on this site that deals with whining and silly questions.

system_roxr · #15 09-01-2008, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spector_Ray

What a bunch of nice replies.

We Try.

sulu · #16 09-01-2008, 09:46 AM

Firstly, to ZonGuy, Woodchuck, and spade2you: I can see that you have no sense of humor at all. You must be real drips at parties. I suggest you leave the fun world of bass playing and music and get into dull Lithuanian poetry reading.

Dave R:
Yes, all indications are that Paul played a Jazz on some White Album tunes, particularly "Glass Onion." And it just seems to me there is more involved in playing bass than guitar. To get that particular tone is far more difficult than guitar. Challenging as hell, but in the end I doubt that one can ever get the perfect tone that is on a record or in one's head. I can play my Ric 12 string to exactly what I want to sound like. Bass there seems to be too many variables (picking style, string type, bass itself,...) that come into play.

Busker · #17 09-01-2008, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave R

Stick with it. Bass really IS easy. There's only 4 strings right?

It is easy, but it isn't. It's relatively easy to play the notes on a lot of songs. Developing good tone and making the bass line flow? That's a lot harder to do than simply playing the notes, and takes a lot of time and practice, IMO.

varunkapahi · #18 09-01-2008, 09:47 AM

wrong forum aint it?

**Mark Wilson** · #19 09-01-2008, 09:48 AM

Sulu,

Try something easier. My first tune on bass was Day Tripper and Sunshine of Your Love.

Fairly easy tunes for a beginning. ESPECIALLY Sunshine of your love. Gets you jumping around the fretboard ASAP. haha

system_roxr · #20 09-01-2008, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Wilson

Sulu,

Try something easier. My first tune on bass was Day Tripper and Sunshine of Your Love.

Fairly easy tunes for a beginning. ESPECIALLY Sunshine of your love. Gets you jumping around the fretboard ASAP. haha

Road Trippin' (RHCP) is the first song I learned on bass,
then Sunshine of you Love.