Bass by accident

[techall]

Just thought I'd start a thread and see if anybody had any odd stories about how they started playing Bass.

I was working in Iraq (3 1/2 years from Sept 04 thru Feb 08) and it got pretty boring on base when the morters and rockets weren't coming in. So one day I was looking at the base bulletin board and some GI has an accoustic guitar for sale. Well, I used to strum a little folk guitar in high school so I figure "what the hell", maybe it will help me pass the time. Anyway, I go see this guy and, low and behold, it's a Dean accoustic bass. He forgot to put that little detail in the ad. Well I walked all the way across the base to buy a guitar and, by God, I'm gonna buy a guitar. I bought this thing with no idea how to tune it let alone play it. Which leads us to how I found TB. I got on the internet looking for lessons and found all you guys. I picked up a few things from the TB instructions forum and just started screwing around trying to play to songs on CDs. I'm no longer in Iraq but working in Singapore now (what a change of invironment!) and one of the first things I did when I got here wat to buy an SX and practice amp so I could drive the other residents in the condo building nuts. I'm still just fooling around playing to CDs but it keeps me occupied and out of the bars for the most part when I'm not working. I still visit this site just about everyday to read the posts and really get a kick out of some of the stories and threads.

Anybody else stumble and wind up on the bottom?

[hey]

Mine story is not nearly as interesting as yours, but I've been playing the Violin since I was 4 years old, and when I was a freshman in high school, I thought it be cool to pick up an instrument in the low end of the spectrum. Tried bassoon, but hated it, so I picked up my dad's bass guitar instead.

Haven't put a bass down since.

Fyi, I still do play Violin, it's great to use in some of my band's songs.

[DudeistMonk]

7 years ago...

My cousin had a bass at grandma's house, grandma's house is in a retirement villa and was (and still is for the most part) the most boring place on the planet next to the DMV, especially when one of my jock cousins has the TV and basketball is on all day. Anyway he knew how to play "insomniac" "blitzkrieg bop" and "smoke on the water" by the end of the day so did I. I bought my own a week later.

[T.O.Bass]

As a teenager, I was rooting around in my basement for something or other when, digging through an old-school chest I find a bass guitar. I bring it upstairs and ask my parents where it came from, my mother replies "Oh, that was a gift from Peter (an old family friend) when I was your age".

That places it as being around 40 years old now. I still have it, a Maya j-bass. It has vintage tone coming out the wazoo.

[Honk'n_down-low]

I did not choose Bass - Bass chose me - always loved it - never wanted to play anything else. I finally bought one and the rest is History. I love that now Bass is finally seeing it's day and getting the recognition it deserves. However you find you way to the bottom is cool.

[fretlessman71]

One day my brother came home with an electric guitar and an electric bass, saying that he and his friend were going to start a band. When I heard that bass, it had that same initial instinctual draw that the left side of the piano keyboard had when I was young, because I could feel those notes (I used to sit on the left side of the piano bench and POUND those notes as hard as my two year old fists could pound them)... but this wasn’t just cool; it was sexy. At least I think so now... I can’t believe I would have thought of or even used that word when I was 10. But Oh Man did I want to play that thing. And my mom said NO. Well... to be accurate, what she said was:

“Your brother has already chosen the bass to play, and I’m not going to have you two fighting over the same instrument. You can play the guitar.” Said with that stern voice and stern face that moms get when there’s no way you’re going to change their mind about something. Okay, fine, whatever.

At least it was a cool LOOKING guitar – a candy apple red Hondo Flying V copy. Not very comfortable, but it sure was fun to play, and for a piece of crap it didn’t sound half bad. So I spent a year or so as a guitar player... but I couldn’t get over that huge sound the bass made. So what did I do? Exactly what any normal kid my age would have done... I snuck into my brother’s room from time to time and picked up the bass. I didn’t dare turn on the amp for fear of getting caught, but as it turns out I might as well have done it anyway, because get caught I did, and more than a few times. Seeing as how my older brother was built like a Sherman tank, I had the fear put into me long enough for me to learn my lesson for at least a few months. Of course, I’d get brave and curious again, and the cycle would repeat itself.

Fast forward to an October day in 1983. I came home from school to hear my brother practicing in his downstairs bedroom, decided that sounded like a good idea, and headed towards the basement stairs, since my practice area was right next to his room. I don’t remember hearing his bass suddenly quit; I only know that somehow, by the time I got to the basement stairs and looked down, there was a bass flying UP the stairs at me.

I managed to duck out of the way easily enough, and the bass hit the ground behind me – HARD. (The bass wasn’t thrown at me; I was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.) I looked back down to see my brother stomping back off towards his room, and bewildered, I called out after him:

“Eric? Do you want this anymore?”

”NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!” was the reply, followed by a slammed bedroom door.

(Later I came to find out that he was having trouble with a bass part and got frustrated.)

I looked at the door, then at the bass on the floor behind me, and said, “GREAT!”

It took me all of about 5 seconds to grab the still-vibrating bass and run down to my amplifier to plug it in. And I had enjoyed what little time I had played the bass before, and I’d noodled around on basses in music stores, but this was different. It was different because I didn’t have to wonder who might hear me or see me; I didn’t have to fear for my life if I was caught. I mean, he basically gave up the bass, right? So there I was, playing this huge instrument, and I came to a realization: that all my life I had been trying to get notes to sound like THIS, and I had been writing guitar parts that would have sounded better on THIS, and that I had had fun playing the other 10 instruments I had tried out, but they were nothing compared to THIS. The bass practically began choosing the notes for me. And the pure joy I was experiencing was only briefly interrupted in my mind by a voice that I didn’t hear so much as feel:

YOU REMEMBER THIS MOMENT, BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO DO WITH THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

I now recognize this as the voice of God Himself. Not only is there no other plausible explanation, but I feel this in my heart as strongly as anything I’ve ever felt before or since.

After about 25 minutes, there was another interruption: my brother. He came around the corner, face bright red, and hollered “Gimme my damn bass back!” And was I really going to argue? Sure, he just gave it away, but he was still much bigger and stronger than me... and angrier. I willingly gave him his bass back without saying a word to him.

I did, however, have a few words to say to my mom, who was rather frustrated that my brother would have treated an instrument like that when it was her money that paid for it. So, after a lengthy discussion (much of which I wasn’t party to; it took place between my mom and my brother) it was decided that I would get to play Eric’s OTHER bass... a Rickenbacher 4003 with a tobacco finish. Now, THIS was cool! Also considering that Rush was fast becoming my favorite band, it was amazing that I was getting to play the same kind of bass Geddy Lee was playing. I couldn’t have been happier. And the rest is history!

[mrjim123]

My buddy had an acoustic and an electric guitar. One day I asked if I could try to play bass lines on his electric while he played his acoustic. I remember how proud I was when I figured out "Paint It Black" by the Stones. A bassist is born!

[JKambing]

Originally Posted by techall

I'm no longer in Iraq but working in Singapore now (what a change of invironment!)

Someone from talkbass in Singapore, that's nice to hear. Haha.

Well, my story's not too interesting. I bought an acoustic guitar when I was 16 beacause I always wanted to learn guitar. Turns out I made a mistake and I soon found myself disliking playing guitar as I found it.. Complicated? I don't know, I just dislike playing chords and stuff.

I messed around with a bass guitar of a friend's, and somehow found it more straightforward and interesting, as there wasn't much complication and stuff. And.. When I was 17 I bought my first bass guitar.

I bought an electric guitar recently though. Turns out, I like the sound of distortion guitar. =P.

[MikeBass]

Short version- played drums for about 1.5 years in the basement with my brothers band- on their drummers kit-he showed up about once a month, I'd get the boot. The next week I'd get the call to come down stairs.

Jan 12, 1987- me 16yrs old- my brother and his band got sick of Bill (drummer) not ever showing up and I knew every tune at that point.
So, bro and I went to leave the house to buy my set (white Rodgers 4 piece with hi-hat, crash, ride- $800 used, remember it well!).

Mom blew a gasket "NO MORE LOUD DRUMS IN THIS HOUSE BLAH BLAH RANT RANT" you get the point.
We tried to explain that Bill was out (with his kit) and I was in.
Didn't work.
Oh, did I mention bro's band didn't have a bass player???

He turns to me, in the middle of mom's ranting and says, "hey man, why don't you play bass! She'll never know. She'll think it's just one of my guitars"
Me: "Umm....OK!"

Bought a Peavey TNT150 and a P-Bass. Never played bass a day before in my life.
First song I was taught/learned that night was the Scorpions "Rock You Like A Hurricain".
He was right, mom didn't notice for a long time.

Drums one second, a quick question and then it was bass!!!
Had mom not almost popped a vein and dropped right there, I would be hanging out on some drummers forum right now!

And it was all down hill from there!!!!

[JmJ]

I had tried Trumpet & Guitar then Keyboards. In retrospect I was always playing the lowest registers on Guitar & Keyboard. I convinced my friend to buy a Bass so we could start a band. He actually asked me to buy the Bass he picked out & bring it to his house. I bought a Korean made 'Global' bass and a crappy little practice at Sam Goody and & schlepped it to his house with my keyboard. When he got home we jammed for a bit, him on the Bass me on Keys. When he put it down I said "let me try that thing". I was immediately able to pound out some eighth note riffs. I never had so much fun in my life. After a while I told him "I'll trade my Keyboard for your Bass". He said "cool", he did not feel the affinity for it that I did. I carried that Bass, without a case, home along with the amp smiling the whole way.

[The Golden Boy]

It was a conscious decision to be a bass player- I wanted to be Paul McCartney.

No idea why a 9-10 year old kid would want to be Paul McCartney in 1979 or so...

[Joel S.]

I dabbled with drums, guitar, violin, piano, and trumpet growing up but never stuck to any.
Some years later I come to find out the gf at the time had an old Yamaha P-Bass her brother gave to her. She played guitar, and considering I had always been more fascinated by songs with cool grooves and rhythms over those with face melting solos or deep lyrics, it was a natural fit.

[ColdSteelRain]

My son decided he wanted a guitar for his 15th birthday. I figure, "Great! Gives him something to do besides the XBox," so a trip to GC later he's off and running. After a couple of evenings of me helping him learn some riffs (keep in mind that at this point I hadn't had more than a couple of guitar and piano lessons 30 years ago) I was thinking I ought to actually learn to play. The guitar wasn't "clicking" with me, so I headed back to GC to try a bass. I was pretty much sold as soon as I sat down with one, but it took a couple more weeks to pull the trigger and get one.

That was a few months ago, and my son and I have been practicing and taking lessons since. I don't know if I would've started at this late date if my son hadn't, but now I'm sorry I didn't do this years ago.

[bass bart]

A very good friend of mine was playing in this high school band that didn't had a bassplayer. And I was thinking about playing an instrument anyway, so a week after he said he needed a bassist, I went to the local music store, bought an ibanez gsr 200, and the same day had a rehearse with the band. The first time I played a note on a bass was in a band. But after the rehearse I knew I chose the right instrument.
An instrument that doesn't drag all the attention to itself, but supporting the whole band, and knowing that they won't sound half as good if you weren't there (even with my simple root plucking that I could only do at the time)

[rarisgod]

Originally Posted by fretlessman71

One day my brother came home with an electric guitar and an electric bass, saying that he and his friend were going to start a band. When I heard that bass, it had that same initial instinctual draw that the left side of the piano keyboard had when I was young, because I could feel those notes (I used to sit on the left side of the piano bench and POUND those notes as hard as my two year old fists could pound them)... but this wasn’t just cool; it was sexy. At least I think so now... I can’t believe I would have thought of or even used that word when I was 10. But Oh Man did I want to play that thing. And my mom said NO. Well... to be accurate, what she said was:

“Your brother has already chosen the bass to play, and I’m not going to have you two fighting over the same instrument. You can play the guitar.” Said with that stern voice and stern face that moms get when there’s no way you’re going to change their mind about something. Okay, fine, whatever.

At least it was a cool LOOKING guitar – a candy apple red Hondo Flying V copy. Not very comfortable, but it sure was fun to play, and for a piece of crap it didn’t sound half bad. So I spent a year or so as a guitar player... but I couldn’t get over that huge sound the bass made. So what did I do? Exactly what any normal kid my age would have done... I snuck into my brother’s room from time to time and picked up the bass. I didn’t dare turn on the amp for fear of getting caught, but as it turns out I might as well have done it anyway, because get caught I did, and more than a few times. Seeing as how my older brother was built like a Sherman tank, I had the fear put into me long enough for me to learn my lesson for at least a few months. Of course, I’d get brave and curious again, and the cycle would repeat itself.

Fast forward to an October day in 1983. I came home from school to hear my brother practicing in his downstairs bedroom, decided that sounded like a good idea, and headed towards the basement stairs, since my practice area was right next to his room. I don’t remember hearing his bass suddenly quit; I only know that somehow, by the time I got to the basement stairs and looked down, there was a bass flying UP the stairs at me.

I managed to duck out of the way easily enough, and the bass hit the ground behind me – HARD. (The bass wasn’t thrown at me; I was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.) I looked back down to see my brother stomping back off towards his room, and bewildered, I called out after him:

“Eric? Do you want this anymore?”

”NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!” was the reply, followed by a slammed bedroom door.

(Later I came to find out that he was having trouble with a bass part and got frustrated.)

I looked at the door, then at the bass on the floor behind me, and said, “GREAT!”

It took me all of about 5 seconds to grab the still-vibrating bass and run down to my amplifier to plug it in. And I had enjoyed what little time I had played the bass before, and I’d noodled around on basses in music stores, but this was different. It was different because I didn’t have to wonder who might hear me or see me; I didn’t have to fear for my life if I was caught. I mean, he basically gave up the bass, right? So there I was, playing this huge instrument, and I came to a realization: that all my life I had been trying to get notes to sound like THIS, and I had been writing guitar parts that would have sounded better on THIS, and that I had had fun playing the other 10 instruments I had tried out, but they were nothing compared to THIS. The bass practically began choosing the notes for me. And the pure joy I was experiencing was only briefly interrupted in my mind by a voice that I didn’t hear so much as feel:

YOU REMEMBER THIS MOMENT, BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO DO WITH THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

I now recognize this as the voice of God Himself. Not only is there no other plausible explanation, but I feel this in my heart as strongly as anything I’ve ever felt before or since.

After about 25 minutes, there was another interruption: my brother. He came around the corner, face bright red, and hollered “Gimme my damn bass back!” And was I really going to argue? Sure, he just gave it away, but he was still much bigger and stronger than me... and angrier. I willingly gave him his bass back without saying a word to him.

I did, however, have a few words to say to my mom, who was rather frustrated that my brother would have treated an instrument like that when it was her money that paid for it. So, after a lengthy discussion (much of which I wasn’t party to; it took place between my mom and my brother) it was decided that I would get to play Eric’s OTHER bass... a Rickenbacher 4003 with a tobacco finish. Now, THIS was cool! Also considering that Rush was fast becoming my favorite band, it was amazing that I was getting to play the same kind of bass Geddy Lee was playing. I couldn’t have been happier. And the rest is history!

I enjoyed this story! I can't imagine someone throwing a bass, though...the horror!

My story isn't nearly as interesting, one day I decided to start taking lessons. At first I didn't enjoy it, but then I learned some Sabbath stuff (notably the N.I.B. solo, Basically) and from there I started enjoying it, soon progressing into more advanced, technical mus. Now, bass is all I do in my spare time.

[djwackfriz]

I wanted to play guitar, but my dad didn't know the difference between guitar and bass.

One day he surprised me with a gift - a guitar! except, the salesman was so intent on making a sale, he never explained the difference to my dad.

I spent a few days ith my new Peavey Foundation Fretless (yeah, I had to learn on fretless... sigh) and decided to just keep going!

it's been 16 years!

[Howlin' Hanson]

The OP's story is hard to beat, but here's mine anyway:

I took piano lessons for a bunch of years, but never got solid at it, and finally quit the lessons. (If they had played pop or rock things might have been different, but...etudes. Meh.)

I enjoyed music though, so joined the school choir and finally started singing with a few garage bands. That's where my TB name came from.

One day, a guitarist offered me a job singing, but only if I would learn to play bass as well. Well, how hard could it be? Um, harder than one would think.

But I've loved every minute. Well, all but the mistakes. last band I joined, I told them I didn't want to sing all the time; I wanted to PLAY. So I'm only singing 70% of the time.

[zbasstringer]

In the 5th grade, I played the violin in orchestra. It was okay, but over the summer I switched to viola (hey, I was 11). At the start of 6th grade, I was playing the viola, and my older brother was talking to the band teacher, and he mentioned that the jazz band had no bass player. My brother figured, "hey, my little brother plays a string instrument". The band teacher twisted this, and the next day he talked to the orchestra teacher and I switched to upright bass. I was struggling on viola, but from the first day on bass came naturally to me. I had zero problems, and even learned to read the music in a day.
Then, I kept bugging my dad for a bass guitar (this was september). In november, he came home one day with a black 80s Arbor P-bass copy and a medium size amp. He got it for free from a friend. The action was high, the strings were rusty, but I loved it. After we got it set up, it played wonderfully.
Now, I own 3 working basses, a 200 watt amp, and 2 guitars. Who would have guessed the brother I fought with all the time is the dude who turned me onto the biggest part of my life.

[Dave R]

I'll bet my story is pretty common.

I wanted to learn to play something. I wanted to be in a band. Bass had to be easier--it only has 4 strings, right?

So I asked some adult who I no longer remember, but who I respected as a musician, what he thought about the idea.

His reply, nearly verbatim, was: "I think its a great idea. A good bass player will always have work. The world is full of bad guitarist and violinists."

I was sold. The fact that my fist bass was a '60s Burns was pretty motivating, too.

So I learned bass. Then I learned guitar, because you can't play bass by yourself. Then, when my guitar broke, I learned piano. Much later, one of the keyboardists I played with watched me intently playing the keys one day. Then he brightened up and said "y'know, you are playing guitar on the piano." He was right. Sorry for the digression.

[Tejano Joveno]

Mine's no big deal but why not? I started out playing tromboneback when I was 12. A year of that with no progress so I was switched to tuba. A whole other story, my first time on the bottom end didn't feel like the first time it felt like something I'd always done, natural, I loved it. Moving on from there I thought to myself one day " hmmm.... mabye I could improve my playing if I picked up another instrument." Since we have an old yamaha classical lying around I picked that up and learned to play fingerstlye on it. Even then I knew this wasn't for me and I eventually bought a bass and amp ( Ibanez Sr.)
Been at it around a year now and I've progressed miles from the day I got it, (hours of practice help, but hey when you love what you do.) There's the story of how I picked up bass and learned to cover the entire low range spectrum at the same time.