Considering whether to start playing bass

Please note:

"Seems bored" = COOL

 

A boring instrument bass is not.

Perhaps that look that you perceive as bored is really the face of contentedness?

How to keep it interesting?

Listen to players in a genre you usually don't listen to.

I think every electric player should regularly listen to upright jazz players to expand their "vocabulary."

Mike

 

I imagine you were watching Tyler_the_hate play bass.

Seriously, bass is the coolest. I play lead guitar too, but bass kicks its ass in terms of keeping me interested

 

I think that bass is probably one of the coolest instruments out there. The bass guitar itself isn't very complex and interesting compared to an electric guitar but it's more fun to play. It rocks!

 

Bass players aren't always the most upfront players, reserved might be the word for it. I definately think bass is one of the most interesting instruments out there, and I have lots of fun playing it, even if isn't noticable.

 

Always keep in mind, that bass is only going to be as boring as you make it.

 

. Often when I'm watching a band I notice that the bass player seems bored.

Man you are watching the wrong bass player. I play guitar and vocal. But my main job is bass player for a southern rock & blues band. It may be that the ones you are looking at are concentrating, some songs bass takes a lot of concentration. I play wireless and get out on the floor. Other than playing breaks when you get a groove down you can have a lot of fun. Breakes are fun but my wife says I have the look you are talking about. Also down here in Fla there are a lot more guitar players than bass players. I do gigs with both vocal guitar and bass. And 80 percent of the jobs I get is playing bass if you are looking to make money at it. But bass is my first choice of fun things to play. Drums are next.

 

I've learned, that a lot of bassist that look bored are actually guitarist in disguise. Meaning, they really play guitar, would rather BE playing guitar, but the band needed a bassist. That's actually pretty sad, I don't agree with people playing bass cause they feel they have to. There's always something missing in those groups...

 

HI

Stick with guitar

Rob

 

I started bass when I was 13, and I'm now 15. I've played guitars while I was learning, and I was dissapointed in them. Guitars don't fit me at all, so I play bass.

Bass has always been my favourite instrument, which is why I play Tuba and Baritone inmy high school band. Bass is just an incredible instrument that seems extremely simple, but is actually quite complicated.

Being a bass player has a whole bunch of pro's. It's fun, interesting, satisfying, enjoyable, and because we're a minority instrument, many bands need us so getting into one isn't hard and we can get a bunch of gigs easier than a guitarist can.

oh, and when people say that guitar is harder, they don't know SHI*T about anything bass.

Why do we look bored? Cause the freaking guitarist is soloing the whole song and we're sick of it.
or
we're stuck just strumming the roots of the chords
or
we're just boring
or
we're wearing sunglasses and you don't have a facial expression

Bass fits me, and I love it, I'll never leave this instrument, and I'm glad I don't want to.

Bass players just plain kick ass too.

Greg

 

I get bored too when I'm playing Brick House for the 500,000 time.

Another gig with better music changes my mood considerably.

Of course, some people are just chronically bored, pissed, cheerful, sad, etc. But thats a whole 'nuther subject altogether.

 

I play guitar and steel guitar also. If you want to see intense concentration, watch a steeler. We are so intense we sometimes have trouble enjoying the music. I think the "bored" look may be a mis-interpretation of contentment. When I'm playing bass I'm "groovin'" and I'm almost one with the music. How about that for "new age mystical"? I can close my eyes for several bars and concentrate on slight nuances of the rythmn and tone that I don't have time for with guitar or steel guitar.

 

Bass is a very easy instrument to play, but a very, very hard instrument to play well. The bassists you see looking bored are simply not trying to play well. They are playing roots under I-IV-V and thinking that's all there is to bass.

The truth is that there is a tremendous amount of stuff the bass COULD be doing in almost any song, and a bassist who really tries to challenge themself and explore the entire range of the instrument is never going to be bored.

 

+1

 

One thing to remember , The Ox invented the bored with it all look , and he played his ass off !! I don't think he was bored but he did look it .

How you present yourself is up to you . You can choose to be involved with the people you are playing for .

It is completely up to you .


Pete

 

Its all what you make of it. Bassist Rock !

 

If you are creative, bass is 10000x more fun than any other isntrument. Its the bored basissts that are small minded and uncreative, they make it boring for themselves. It is no less intersting than punk band guitarists playing 4 chord poweer chord transitions till they are blue in the face.

If you are creative, it will be the most fun you;ve had playing music.

 

Hee, hee... you really think you'll get an objective response here!?

No reason you have to give up guitar to play bass - do both!!!

You'll be a better all around musician.