Doubling on guitar and bass

[tweezed]

For the bass players who also play guitar, is it possible to keep your technique up on both instruments, or would someone be better off dedicating themselves to just one? I've been spending equal time on both, depending on what I need to play in a group.

 

[ggunn]

For the bass players who also play guitar, is it possible to keep your technique up on both instruments, or would someone be better off dedicating themselves to just one? I've been spending equal time on both, depending on what I need to play in a group.

I have found that playing both makes me better at both. YMMV.

 

[madurolover]

I play both drums and bass but I play bass with a band. Sometimes I do drums for a church worship band but I am not in the right shape to play drums more than I do. I would say pick one as the main but concede that you won't be an expert in the other.

 

[CnB77]

I agree that practicing both is best, though I've found that when I concentrate on one I can still pass on the other. I focus mostly on guitar right now, but when I pick up a bass after a few minutes of adjustment I feel like I'm at home, if unable to do some more pyrotechnic stuff

 

[Stilettoprefer]

Practice both!!! I play both very regularly and have no problems with adjusting. If anything it has made me more versatile! I can pick up pretty much any guitar or bass and feel comfortable enough to perform live with it in 2 minutes.

I have found that my guitar solos sound more like bass lines, though. But that's probably because I was mostly needed and known as a bassist until just recently.

Piano, melodica, trombone, uke and hand percussion all come pretty easily to me too. Learning instruments is like this: once you learn how to play two well, you can make pleasing noises with pretty much all of the others with little effort.

 

[paulears]

I'm not expert at anything, but can play quite a few instruments at a competent level. I'd rather be versatile and employable than an expert at just one instrument