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Can you also play guitar?

#101
I've been playing guitar nearly as long as I've been playing bass (30+ years). Bass (DB) came first, of course. Then EB, then guitar. When I discovered that the lowest four strings on the guitar are the same notes as the bass, it took me no time to learn it.
 
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#104
I have a rarely-used Epiphone Broadway guitar (strung with TI flats, no less!). I've learned a few chords, and can do lead lines / melodies, preferably with a fair bit of practice directly before playing it. I'm much more comfortable with the bass, though I feel I really ought to spend more time working with the guitar also, as I would have use for better guitar skills.
 
#105
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#106
I own an electric and an acoustic. I love the sound of guitar, but I just hate the feel of it.

The strings are tiny, the necks are small... they just feel wimpy for lack of a better word.

The last time I picked up the electric, I learned how to play the main licks in Sweet Child O'Mine and got half way through learning the solo when my stomach just started feeling nauseous. I had to put it down and pick my bass back up and get funky with some Jamiroquai.

Once I did that, all was right with the world.
 
#108
I started out playing cornet/trumpet in grade school band, then taught myself to play piano and eventually bass guitar in high school. Since then, I've learned to play 10 other instruments as well, which includes guitar. I have yet to meet an instrument I don't like and want to learn. (Well ... except oboe. I loathe that sound more than fingernails on a chalkboard.)

I have fairly normal fingers, certainly neither long nor short. With some minor adjustments, I'm sure you can make it work.
 
#109
Started playing guitar and bass in 1980. Learned to play drums (badly) shortly afterwards. I like how bass is the link between guitar and drums. for as long as I can remember, I listen to the bass and drums in a song, maybe some of the guitar and almost none of the words!

After injuring my hand a couple of years ago, I bought and eventually started playing all of these, too:

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#111
I never had an interest in playing guitar. Over the last few years, though, I've gotten more interested in playing partial chords on the bass. I wish I had learned guitar, as then I'd be better with pick playing.
 
#112
I took up guitar first, bass a few years later. Lately I'm into baritone guitar and jazz comping.

On the "fat fingers" problem, consider the mandolin, where everyone has fat fingers. You can do it if you want to, but I'd consider getting at least a couple of introductory lessons to make sure you're working with the right form. Like with bass, if your wrist hurts, you're doing it wrong.

I've seen many self-teaching guitar beginners trying to play with the fretboard turned up so they can see their fingerings better. This is a guaranteed wrist problem down the road, and using your eyes to play will prevent any real progress.
 
#113
Yep, I love playing nerdy jazz and fusion guitar with lots of fancy fast and esoteric crap, and earth shaking rock, funk, and reggae bass, the simpler and more in your face the better. Each of these scratch a unique musical itch, along with writing and producing and horrendous keyboard playing and noise making. I've always hated the sound of my voice, so I don't bother singing.

The muting issue is a good thing to focus on, it's often overlooked, and along with a strong, confident (dare I say bassist_like) attack, is key to sounding good on the guitbox.

A friend of mine who's a really killer trumpet player and solid drummer once said to me "I love how one instrument informs the other". Always liked that comment, its true, bass playing reminds guitarist-me that rhythm and groove is THE thing, and guitar has helped me be more melodic on bass, even if it's just a 4 note melody.
 
#115
Bass_Poet said:
...are you just bassist or also multi talented?
Click to expand...

I've always been a bass player first and foremost, but I've also gigged or recorded on guitar, lap steel, ukulele, mandolin, keyboard, percussion and a handful of other instruments.
I only consider myself a professional at bass, though. That's where 90% of my experience is.
There's not much difference between all the plucked instruments with strings. It's just getting familiar with different tunings.
 
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#118
timocharis said:
Yup. I don't think I have especially fat fingers, but they are large. I play guitar reasonably well and found (after quite a bit of trying) there are things I simply can't do on guitars with narrower nuts. There's just no room. My first cure was to get a cheap classical (they have much wider string spacing) and set it up to play easily. That got me through the basics. Then I got a Gibson with a much wider nut than, say, a typical Fender and it's been smooth sailing ever since. I suspect you can skip step one and go straight to a cheap Epiphone or something like that -- try one out in a store. Don't be embarrassed if you can't play it; just don't amplify it (much).

Chubby fingers shouldn't be an issue with piano, though. Can't help you there.
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Do you mean that piano would be ok for my little log fingers to play ? Or would I be up a creek?
 
#119
morgansterne said:
Guitarists are short?
Like buckethead and Billy corgan?
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Or Jim Root and Mick Thompson? Not really a Slipknot fan but those two came to mind instantly.

And no, can't play. I know the mechanics, but can't execute them particularly well. Every time I've think I'd really like to learn, I put it down as fast as I pick it up and wonder why I was interested at all.
 

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