Does learning guitar make you a better bassist?

Discussion in 'Miscellaneous [BG]' started by Squidfinger, Nov 23, 2005.

  1. It helped alot

    27 vote(s)
    67.5%
  2. It helped a little

    9 vote(s)
    22.5%
  3. It didn't help at all

    4 vote(s)
    10.0%
  1. Squidfinger

    Squidfinger I wish I could sing like Rick Danko.

    Jan 7, 2004
    Shreveport LA
    I've got my first acoustic coming to me in the mail right now as we speak. I'm not looking to become a guitarist I just don't want to be so ignorant of the instrument I'm backing up 95% of the time.

    I'm curious.

    Have any of you guys found that after learning how to play guitar it helped you as a bass player?
     
  2. P. Aaron

    P. Aaron Supporting Member

    The other way around for me. I think learning bass made me a much better guitar player.
     
  3. BassGod

    BassGod Guest

    Jan 21, 2004
    I'd absolutley say that learning guitar helped me become a better bass player. I think any instrument you learn has it's own musical voice, and when you transfer that voice over to the bass, it gives you a new perspective, and new musical ideas that you would have never thought of before.

    Graeme
     
  4. Figjam

    Figjam

    Aug 5, 2003
    Boston, MA
    Helps me a little bit.
     
  5. Aaron Saunders

    Aaron Saunders

    Apr 27, 2002
    Ontario
    Both kind of support each other, for me. Everytime I switch to a different instrument, I find it helps my understanding of everything I'm playing. For instance, experimentation with guitar voicings helped reinforce intervals and modes, bass helped my feel on guitar, and sight-singing has helped my reading in both treble and bass clef tremendously.
     
  6. sargebaker

    sargebaker Builder - Island Instruments Supporting Member Commercial User

    May 2, 2004
    Montreal QC CA
    owner/builder, ISLAND Instrument Mfg.
    helped me tons.
     
  7. Minger

    Minger Guest

    Mar 15, 2004
    Rochester, NY
    I just ordered an Agile. I'm expecting it to help my bass playing, as did playing Piano and Viola...and then learning Electric bass has helped me start Double bass.

    It all adds up...wind instruments on the ohter hand I don't think I could ever approach.
     
  8. syciprider

    syciprider Inactive

    May 27, 2005
    Inland Empire
    :bag: [confession] I'm a frustrated geetard [/confession] :bag:
     
  9. Squidfinger

    Squidfinger I wish I could sing like Rick Danko.

    Jan 7, 2004
    Shreveport LA
    Thanks for the advice Smash.
     
  10. it helped me a lot, of course, i wouldn't limit it to just guitar, i think that any instrument can help you become a better bassist, because i think that all instruments have a different function in a band, so you see a new way of playing bass...i think being an oboe player can have an impact on how you play bass, etc...
     
  11. pklima

    pklima Commercial User

    May 2, 2003
    Kraków, Polska
    Karoryfer Samples
    Helpful but only a little. Piano is far more useful - makes theory a lot easier to understand. Learning mandolin proved quite helpful in navigating a bass tuned in fifths. Learning DB has definitely made me a much better bass guitarist.
     
  12. Ray-man

    Ray-man Guest

    Sep 10, 2005
    More than anything, it helped me understand guitarists better.
     
  13. chips

    chips Guest

    dude, how big is ur mail box? :eek:
     
  14. Aj*

    Aj* Guest

    Jun 14, 2005
    West Yorkshire, UK
    I play piano to a pretty high level (full Sonatas) and so really I felt that did far more for my abilities than guitar could ever do. In reality I noodled around on guitar for a while but there's no groove happening there and I didn't feel it was of any worth to me musically.
     
  15. Marcus

    Marcus Guest

    Dec 26, 2004
    NYC & Vancouver, BC
    By far I would suggest taking up piano if you would really, really would like to benefit your bass playing.

    The ear training alone is worth the time and effort.
     
  16. Dream Works

    Dream Works Guest

    Dec 5, 2003
    Toronto
    Well, my teacher is a studio bassist, but is better at guitar and I do believe that's his main instrument. So essentially, he's teaching me guitar techniques, so I do believe that playing guitar does help quite alot.
    Guitar technique is not very different from bass, anyway.
     
  17. tplyons

    tplyons

    Apr 6, 2003
    Madison, NJ
    For me, I believe that the most beneficial part is learning how a guitar fills sonic space, and learning the role of the guitar, so as a bassist, you can think like a guitarist and play AROUND that.