For those who double - guitar

[TL23NC]

No harm in playing both, IME, and I'm pushing four decades of doing so. While I was always mainly a bass player, I was never without a couple of guitars either. Guitar helped me explore harmony-related spaces that bass didn't offer, and vice versa.

Obviously, YMMV and then some.

This is exactly my experience. I started on guitar at age 7 and added upright bass in fourth grade (elementary school orchestra). I switched primarily to bass when my guitar teacher (who was a gigging bassist) suggested that guitarists were "a dime a dozen" and I'd have more fun as a bassist. He was right but I still play guitar now and then. It definitely helps my bass playing, especially being able to pick out chords the guitarists are playing.

 

[nostatic]

I started guitar about 45 years ago, bass about 30. It is fairly easy to go from guitar to bass depending on the details, but the devil is in those details. I think one reason I picked up bass quickly was that I played a fair amount of funk guitar, so the idea of being a bridge between harmony and rhythm came somewhat natural. I also picked up bass to switch to playing jazz as I was too lazy to relearn guitar

I'll go a little outside the norm and say you don't necessarily need to switch to guitar. You may want to think about a 6-string bass, or even a 5-string strung E-C. If you learn a few basic chord shapes you can start doing some much more interesting things, especially if you pick up a looper pedal. The beauty of bass is the parallel 4ths - it makes for symmetry as you move up, down, and across the neck. Guitar has that pesky M3 interval (G-B) that makes barre chords possible but creates multiple chord shapes across the neck. In many ways, particularly if you didn't start with guitar, playing chords is easier on bass.

There are a lot of guys who have pushed the boundaries of what role a bass plays - kinda started with Stanley Clarke, then that inspired Victor Wooten and others. While bass is primarily a support instrument in an ensemble situation, it can be a fun solo instrument as well. I've done solo gigs just with bass and a looper, with bass, looper and a drum machine, and perhaps most fun were a few shows with 2 bass players and a drummer.

Lot's of different options...oh, and there's always keyboard

 

[Two-Spirit]

I've never been able to join band with a decent bassist. Its easier to be the bassist. I played in a band with a bassist who only played pedal tones and the other guitarist was a super shredder. Im a jimmy page wannabe myself.

 

[JimmyM]

Anything you can do to expand your horizons is always good and never bad. I know how to play several instruments, most of them poorly. But it's definitely made me a better and more well-rounded musician. Those are skills I take to the bass everyday.

 

[Two-Spirit]

Getting to sing is more important than guitar.

 

[Boristhespyder]

It's too bad you only play at home. If you don't play music with other people you aren't getting the full expieriance of being a bassist. If you can find an outlet to play with others, even just for fun and not a band , that will probably reinvigorate you passion for bass.

I love guitar and play some myself but I would recomend keyboard. It might be a tougher instrument for you as there's less similarities to playing bass but there's already so many people playing guitar. Also keyboard will most likely open more doors for you as far as knowledge and theory go. I sit down at a keyboard and try to keep learning when I can. It's a fight and usually my hands and brain hurt at the end but I do also learn a lot.

I actually find that keyboard (for a linear thinker like me) is incredibly logical and lets me try out some runs before doing on bass. I tinker with guitar and have reached the level of being awful at guitar.

 

[DavC]

i started on piano ... got a classical gtr around age 12 , electric 13 , bass 14 ...

worked diligently on piano and bass ( and trumpet/vocals ) for a very long time ... the last several years i've become more interested with guitar ...

for me , i still kinda see everything thru the eyes of the piano keyboard ... which doesn't help learning the 'patterns' on the guitar fretboard ...

learning chords and strumming always felt pretty straight forward ...

learning scales/arps/pentas ... is a bit strange with that 1 strange tuned sting ..!! ha

whatever i work on , on the gtr ... seems to improve my playing elsewhere ... it's all good .. !

and it changed my gear GAS ... now stuff needs to work for bass & gtr ..!!

 

[Felken]

Meh. I play a bit of guitar. It bores me quickly. I keep coming back to bass.

 

[Ross W. Lovell]

Hey all,

Looking for some opinions from those who play the bass and also play the guitar. As of late I've grown a bit bored of the bass - I've been playing off and on for about twenty years or so and lately the bass just hasn't really been doing it for me (gasp!). The bass is all I play but recently I've been thinking about picking up a guitar/amp and giving it a go. My personal/professional life is pretty busy these days so I don't have many hobbies other than messing around on the bass guitar, which I am perfectly fine with.

I've spent the last several weeks trolling these forums and other sources on the internet reading about the differences between playing the bass and playing the guitar (don't laugh, seriously, I consider it to be research /grin) and the general consensus is that typically it's easier to start with the guitar and then move on to bass. Much like everything else on the internet, I realize that this 'advice' should probably be taken with a grain of salt.

I'd like to hear the opinions of those who play both the bass and the guitar. I'm currently forty-two, do not play in a band, and basically just find enjoyment (see above, except for as of late) playing the bass by myself while learning new material. These days I mostly listen to and play classic rock from the 70s.

I'd be interested in hearing/reading the opinions of others who play guitar and bass. Thanks a lot in advance.

I'm a guitarist that decided I wanted to play bass competently enough to not be called a "bassist you can tell was a guitarist".

My bass player benchmarked me, she says I've done so. That was after 10 years and it's been 25.

I'm still learning, I like it.

 

[Jeff Scott]

...I've been thinking about picking up a guitar/amp...

Good decision, but, given you are a solo/loner player these days, get an acoustic guitar, instead. This way you can concentrate on really learning to play vs. goofing with the tone of the amp, being lead down the inevitable dark path of PAD (pedal acquisition disease) . You'll only end up losing something in the end (read as $$$$$ spent over time).

...oh, and there's always keyboard

To paraphrase: there's always the drum set..................................

 

[Nephilymbass]

Hey all,

Looking for some opinions from those who play the bass and also play the guitar. As of late I've grown a bit bored of the bass - I've been playing off and on for about twenty years or so and lately the bass just hasn't really been doing it for me (gasp!). The bass is all I play but recently I've been thinking about picking up a guitar/amp and giving it a go. My personal/professional life is pretty busy these days so I don't have many hobbies other than messing around on the bass guitar, which I am perfectly fine with.

I've spent the last several weeks trolling these forums and other sources on the internet reading about the differences between playing the bass and playing the guitar (don't laugh, seriously, I consider it to be research /grin) and the general consensus is that typically it's easier to start with the guitar and then move on to bass. Much like everything else on the internet, I realize that this 'advice' should probably be taken with a grain of salt.

I'd like to hear the opinions of those who play both the bass and the guitar. I'm currently forty-two, do not play in a band, and basically just find enjoyment (see above, except for as of late) playing the bass by myself while learning new material. These days I mostly listen to and play classic rock from the 70s.

I'd be interested in hearing/reading the opinions of others who play guitar and bass. Thanks a lot in advance.

I play both. Bass much better than guitar but I've owned several guitars over the years and get to write a surprising amount of guitar parts in my band.

I think the biggest difference is feel. Obviously string spacing is different and the scale is different. Both of which create their own challenges especially for people like me with big fat fingers. Also I play bass fingerstyle but use a pick when playing guitar so that's another difference I had to get used to.

For me most rhythm guitar style parts arent tough at all. Playing lead stuff is a lot more difficult for me because I've never got into using a pick for bass so my right hand isn't very accurate with a pick.

Another difference. With bass sometimes I like to hit the strings hard because I like the tone. Guitar is less less dynamic IMO. Obviously guitar players get more into clean and dirty sounds and effects to have more dynamics. But where bass often sounds great played hard if you play too hard on a guitar every note will jump sharp. So I'd say bass is more dynamic and guitar is more delicate.

 

[Shaunpski]

Telecaster. Pick one up on Craigslist and flip it if it doesn't work for you. I currently play with my kids and have played both instruments in bands. It's all music. Don't overthink it and have fun!

 

[*ToNeS*]

Playing guitar unlocked my bass playing's potential, and I'm only sorry I didn't explore it sooner. Getting into drums and learning to sing completed the picture. Now I was looking at my music from four perspectives, all converging on the center.

My good people, I dare say: Do not just stop at one other thing. Become absolute.

 

[groooooove]

most good bass players will almost inevitably know some guitar.

get yourself an inexpensive strat and a blues jr amp. enjoy.

 

[Picton]

I started on guitar. Bass feels very natural to me, and a little bit easier. I can't imagine learning bass from scratch without already having played guitar for 20 years.

 

[mexicanyella]

Anything that inspires you to create music is a legit stimulus. If you are getting an urge to learn some guitar, don't get bogged down in worrying about whether going bass>>guitar is counterproductive. What's productive is getting the instrument into your hands and learning how to make some racket that pleases you. Ideally, it will eventually please others too and you'll have the option of making music solo or in groups...but for now, find an axe you like and some instruction you can relate to that will get you started and go for it. Inspiration is key, however you come by it.

I am the opposite of you; I played guitar from junior high on and started getting serious and playing in bands in my early 20s. By my early 30s I entered the married/new baby years and the band thing came to a halt, and home recording sustained my guitar interest for awhile. But it got to where I only diddled around maybe a few evenings per week before bed and was just without inspiration, recycling the same tired licks. I picked up a bass because I'd always wanted one, and gradually my interest in learning how to play bass began to build. Now I am playing bass with a group of guys on a regular basis and having a blast. I feel like I'm learning and improving and motivated to keep that up. I have a few feelings of concern that maybe I'm not "legit" on the instrument, then remind myself that I'm doing it for fun and improving...I'l create my own damn legitimacy.

So will you. Or you'll decide it's not for you, and find something else. That's legit too. Find the satisfaction, in whatever form it takes.

 

[BboogieXVII]

Carol Kaye can certainly play both guitar and bass guitar. My take on it is that if you are a competent and musical guitarist you can usually transfer some of that immediately over to bass guitar and vice versa. Learning to play guitar however take a bit more work IMO.

 

[Davbassdude]

I always tell people I'm primarily a bass player, but I "mess around on guitar". Of course I've been doing that for the past 35 years or so. Funny thing is: I can usually sing while playing guitar much easier than sing while playing bass. I mostly play guitar to amuse myself. However, I play bass to amuse myself and who I play with.

 

[Fender_Bender]

I've found it virtually impossible to go from playing bass strictly fingerstyle to playing guitar with a pick. The string spacing is just not to my liking.

 

[superdick2112]

To paraphrase: there's always the drum set.......................

Taking up guitar & keys helped to improve my understanding of melody, harmony & songwriting, and taking up the drums really went a long way to help make me a better bass player.