What do you NOT like about playing bass?

[Dave R]

For me, there are only two things I don’t like about playing bass.

1. Its boring playing by yourself. Sure, I practice to recordings, work on sight reading; work on technique and tone, etc. But it’s boring most of the time. If I’m playing for my personal enjoyment, mostly I’m playing guitar or piano. Of course, playing with others is a total hoot.

2. The gear is dang heavy. I envy guitar players’ dinky amps. I long for the day when technology allows us to make inflatable bass amps. And my gigging amp is only 67lbs, which is small as bass amps go. But the band still calls it “the beast” because it’s a pain to move around.

What about you? Anything else you don’t like about being the bass player?

The only real negative I can think of is if I play guitar, sometimes I feel like I'm going to accidentally rip the strings off.



Beyond that...

[BassBastard]

I don't like the fact that it's hard to get a good sound live and that most of the times it's horrible (from my experience of playing live and concerts I've been to). I also don't like that many ppl don't enjoy or even recognize bass because of this.

[Kasper007]

There is less choice in buying a bass or bass amp in the <1000 euros/dollars range than there is for guitar, although there's still a lot of choice.

And like you said, I play my guitars a LOT more when I'm playing by myself, although fretless can be very fun to play by yourself.

I also hate it that mostly you have to have a really good amp, and EQ it well in order to really hear yourself, and not just a boomy sound that drawns out everything else. At least with me this is the case, I find it easier to hear myself playing guitar in my band than playing bass (generally, now it's more or less the same)

Oh and most people think bass is easy or at least easier than guitar, but I really think playing bass, and for sure fretless is way more difficult in a band setting, at least when you're not only playing root notes.

That said, I LOVE playing bass

[Dave R]

I don't like the fact that it's hard to get a good sound live and that most of the times it's horrible (from my experience of playing live and concerts I've been to).

I haven't had that trouble. EQ and enough watts fixes most things for me...

But I can see where a bad live sound, or not being able to punch through, would drive you nuts.

[El-Bob]

i don't like it when people ask why i'm playing chords or why my bass has 5-strings

[StanFan]

Basically I don't like some of the non-controllable stuff that comes along with bass playing. For example, some musicians I encounter will play down the role of a bassist (saying they could easily master the instrument, thinking that the bass should never be played too "busy", etc.). And of course there are the constant volume wars with guitarists.

[SpectorBass308]

all them strings..

[Jedi Of Syrinx]

I hate not being able to hear yourself, and the bassist vs. guitard arguments as to which is better. They annoy me sooooo much.

[Rattlehead]

Good thread idea.


Let's see here. Apart from what was already mentioned:

- I hate how the weight of the instrument makes it hard to play for extended periods of time (just seems to drain my energy so that 2 hours is the longest I'll ever practice when alone, except for rare exceptions).

- I hate that not only I can't (or at least don't think I do - hard to tell from the stage) get a good live sounds, but that OTHER bassists I see live often have a bad live sound.

- I hate that so much time is required to learn all the different techniques that I really would like to learn... apart from regular finger there's normal slap, double thump, pick, two-handed tap, fingerstyle with thumb incorporated, etc etc

- Oh, and like someone else said, the technique is NOT transferable to guitar. I can't play guitar for the life of me.

[Ron Plichta]

The only thing I hate si that my fingers are quite short and a lot of things are a bit of a stretch. I've learned to make do, but playing would be easier with some longer digits.

[Dave R]

I hate how the weight of the instrument makes it hard to play for extended periods of time

You're right! I had forgotten how much I don't like the weight. I had a chiropractor tell me I really needed to switch from shoulder to shoulder during long gigs. So I do. I can play just as well with the bass slung over my right shoulder. And I think I've seen a strap that works over both shoulders?? Hafta look into that...

I hate that not only I can't (or at least don't think I do - hard to tell from the stage) get a good live sounds, but that OTHER bassists I see live often have a bad live sound.

Again with the live sound issue? I gotta believe that's a solvable problem. Maybe you guys with bad live sound just need to switch to a Jazz bass. [Ducks for cover] Maybe that's why I've never had a problem (that I know of) with live sounds. A Jazz has the right blend of thump, growl & "pop."

[TrevorOfDoom]

i don't like some of the selection of basses in the <$1000 price range. what i mean is most basses in this price range are rather standard body styles. i've been gassing for a Fernadez Vertigo or Ravelle bass, but they don't do that. i've found some great non-standard body styles that i love from Lecompte, but of course, it's a Lecompte and it's out of my price range.

that said, i do own two jazz's, and will soon own two P's. so i'm not unhappy. i'd just like more variety.

[Pilgrim]

I agree that the bass is boring to play by myself. For me, it's NOT a solo instrument. I have to have some other music to play with. Guitar is a much more entertaining instrument to practice on solo.

The weight of the instrument doesn't bother me, but the weight of the speaker cabinets does. Guitar players have it much easier there, too.

[fullrangebass]

I hate the fact that other "musicians" (mainly treble and keybord players) have an opinion on how a bass has to sound. I am very direct to them and let them know that I am nobody else but myself and just as I tell nobody to pick up their other guitar or keyboard, I prefer to make my own choices and accept the consequences. They always admit at the end that I was right (I pay attention to the sound needed for the gig and choose the proper bass)

[meev992]

for me, it's the relative costs of instruments, strings, and amplification, as compared to guitar, or even drums, for that matter.

I've been able to get by, with a cheap guitar, and cheap amplification, but that never, EVER cuts it, when playing bass.

my wallet hurts

[Chris V.]

It's difficult to get a good live sound.
Bass equipment is very expensive - especially since I live in Denmark.

Those are the only things that bother me. I've found that I don't mind people asking about my 5 strings... I just tell them that it's an extra low string and then they say "Oh, cool." To be honest I don't see what the problem is with that. They don't know what instrument you're playing, so they pluck up the courage to ask you. They're giving you an oppurtunity to educate them and open their minds up to the realms of the 5 string bass --> queue really stupid music.

But seriously, it's just a question. Though I'll give you guys that I haven't been asked that many times. However I still don't see it ever becoming "ever-so-tiresome" as some of you guys/gals say it is.

[mkrtu9]

weight of the bass, but guess I could get a lighter one! It just sounds soooo good.

[Chipsonfire]

Originally Posted by Ron Plichta

The only thing I hate si that my fingers are quite short and a lot of things are a bit of a stretch. I've learned to make do, but playing would be easier with some longer digits.

+1
Also a +1 to people telling me that bass is easy... who have never even touched one before! They are amazed when I tell them what the scale length is

[skb5string]

Being asked to turn down because the guitar player is only blowing peoples hearing in their right ears instead of blowing their hearing in both their ears, ya know the bass takes up too much "sonic" space for some guitar players...JK all you Guitfiddlers