Can you learn Bass on a four-string Guitar?

[PinBallLizard]

Hello,

I've got a Guitar that's missing two strings but has four-strings in a row still intact. I really want to learn Bass Guitar as I've never had much luck learning instruments and want to give this one a try. I learnt Guitar for a few months but can't remember any of that, learnt Clarinet for two years but can now only remember one note and I learnt Piano for about 4 years or so but stopped a couple of years ago and now can't play a single song on it. Not sure if Bass would be any easier, but I think it'd be more my thing and I'd like to give it a go.

So, I was just wondering, is it possible to learn Bass Guitar on a Guitar with four strings? I don't have a Bass Guitar and won't be getting one anytime soon and, to be honest, no matter what y'all say I'll probably end up giving it a try someday but I'm just curious if it's been done before or something?

Thanks!

 

[CoopCooper87]

Depending on the strings that are left on the guitar, you may be able to tune it to standard tuning just like a bass, but outside of learning the notes and stuff you won't be learning bass really. You'll just be playing bass lines on a guitar, if that makes sense. If you are wanting to learn bass, playing it on a guitar won't really help, imo. The feel of a bass and the size difference won't carry over well from one to another.

 

[MrLenny1]

Yes. I did. That was all I could afford.
Took off the B,E strings and used it for a year.

 

[Mosstone]

A guitar missing two strings is not a bass.

Dispite the apparent similarities, they are two completely different instruments with completely different dynamics.

There are tons of options for low-cost basses our there. You could probably pick up something used for $100 or less. It'll be a 'beginner' instrument, but at least it'll be the right one.

Also, If you want to play bass because you think it'll be easier than the previous instruments you've tried, you might be disappointed. The number of strings has no relevance to easy or hard an instrument is to play (a violin only has 4 strings, yet it's one of the hardest instruments to learn and master).

 

[India_Sierra]

You can learn the notes and scales etc etc, but the tone and the feel will not be right. It's a start if you really can't get a bass guitar in your hands, but the actual feel of playing the bass is far removed from the feel of playing a guitar.

 

[Herrick]

Which strings are missing?

I'd try to sell that guitar and use the money to get an inexpensive bass.

 

[FNHScar17s]

Almost a trollish type post hmmmm. Either way I couldn't afford a bass guitar for a little while and when I was a kid the top two strings on my dad's acoustic broke so I just used it like a bass for a few months.... didn't really help learning bass lol but cured my hunger for a bass atleast til I could get one

 

[Dave W]

Since you know some clarinet can you play saxophone now?

 

[lostreality]

A bass is physically a lot bigger than a guitar. 34" scale and .105 low E string, compared to 26.5" and .46 low E for a guitar (usually). A guitar with 4 strings can be used to learn notes and songs, but you'll have to adjust to playing an actual bass

There are of course short scale basses and light gauge strings, but they're still bigger than what you'd find on a guitar

 

[Snaxster]

Since you know some clarinet can you play saxophone now?

Hahaha! Nice, Dave. For me, it's: Since you know some clarinet, can you play baritone saxophone now?

 

[40Hz]

Starting with whatever you've got to work with is better than doing nothing IMO. You can get yourself in a bass player's frame of mind and learn basic fingering and patterns on just about anything with frets and strings that can be tuned in ascending 4ths. So until you can score an inexpensive bass somewhere, I say go for it. The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. Ideal? Hardly. But it's something. And that's enough to make a start.

 

[consectaneus]

IMHO, not really.

 

[40Hz]

Almost a trollish type post hmmmm

Yeah this. But I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt - even if my warning lights are blinking slowly.

 

[Session1969]

I learned bass using my friend's acoustic when we were kids.

 

[Thrust Meatnozl]

Exactly how I learned the notes when I started.

 

[megafiddle]

I started out playing guitar.

At some point, I began setting my electric guitar and amp to a deep bass tone, and playing bass along with records.

It was good enough to help me decide that bass was what I really wanted to play.

-

 

[PortlandBass77]

I think op just won carrot post of the year and best username ever with just 1 post...

 

[Ric5]

Can you learn Bass on a four-string Guitar?

I did ... back in the 60s I had a 6 string guitar strung with fat flatwound strings and I took the 2 skinny strings off and used it as my first bass.

 

[lfmn16]

to be honest, no matter what y'all say I'll probably end up giving it a try

That's what most people who ask for advice do.

The answer is the only think you will learn is how to play a four-string guitar. If that's your goal, have at it.

 

[gln1955]

The above posts give a pretty good summary of why this may not work well. What I'm curious about is, since you learnt all these other instruments, some for quite awhile, and none of it stuck, what are you going to do different with the bass? What is your plan for learning how to play?