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Guitar vs Bass advice needed

#21
I started on a drum pad. Then Trombone, strumming my dad's Gibson, was assigned to the tuba, the other tuba guy was a phenomenon on electric bass, he showed me stuff... I play a lotta stuff... it's messed up, I became the utility guy... harmonica even... it kinda sux...

The WHOLE time there was always a piano within arms reach... I never touched it. It's almost pathological...

My advice... take up mandolin
 
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#22
Get a bass and have fun. You can still learn together even if the instrument is not the same; the technique specific to the instrument is a small portion of the learning process, most of it is learning to understand a harmony, learning how to keep a groove going, etc.

Also, playing both guitar and bass is great.
 
#23
Geogio said:
I started on a drum pad. Then Trombone, strumming my dad's Gibson, was assigned to the tuba, the other tuba guy was a phenomenon on electric bass, he showed me stuff... I play a lotta stuff... it's messed up, I became the utility guy... harmonica even... it kinda sux...

The WHOLE time there was always a piano within arms reach... I never touched it. It's almost pathological...

My advice... take up mandolin
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I had a similar journey, cello, trumpet, back to cello, guitar, bass, some synths and samplers... always had a piano (back at my parents home) and never learned how to play it. Some day I'm going to get a Rhodes or a Wurli and learn on it.
 
#26
Shenron said:
It reminds me a bit of a few guys back in high school who believed that you needed to learn acoustic guitar first, before trying to play an electric guitar.
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I remember those guys too. If any of them actually went on to play in bands (or even take up electric guitar) it certainly wasn't during high school. (I was going to say that nobody ever told me I had to learn to play upright bass before learning electric bass, but now that I think about it, there were a couple of people who did tell me that. As if electric bass wasn't a "real" instrument.)

In life, most of the obstacles in front of us are the ones we put there ourselves.
 
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#27
My thoughts.

The real goal here is to spend a few of the last years you have with your son at home, bonding. With two college kids at home and both having eyes on that day when they move out of the nest, I get this in a big way.

Having said that, what is most important is how your son views this project. As long as he is satisfied with the version of "together" that you choose everything is good. To me this is less about learning an instrument than it is about creating an additional bonding point with your kid.

So, Bass or guitar? Having your kid's input would be nice, but remember if he brought this up then he probably has a picture in his mind of how this should play out. You can talk to him about it, but present it in a neutral way so that he feels really free to choose.

If your heart is with the bass but you choose guitar for some of the reasons above, your guitar time will not be wasted. Theory, rhythms, and the listening skill you develop will be more or less a direct translation when you eventually move to the bass in say 3-5 years.

Guitar or bass, each has a clear path to jamming together. Two guitars can play together just fine, trading eights, exploring harmonies, counter point rhythms etc, are all great fun. Bass and guitar are obviously great together. I would say reflect a bit and decide what you really want to achieve here.
 
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#28
There's no rule that says you can't do both! Bass comes first for me, and guitar is something I'm trying to learn on the side (along with keys, and eventually drums...). I really think there's a lot of value in playing different instruments together, especially if you guys throw on a backing track for drums.

That said, there will definitely be some songs that are a lot of fun with two guitars. How about learning some Scorpions?
 
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#29
So whyn't you just learn bass at the same time your son learns guitar? The two go together, you know. Sure, you won't be practicing the exact same things he is (although good instructors probably could coordinate) but you'll be able to play together rather quickly.
 
#31
If you want a bass and can afford it, get bass. Nothing wrong with playing both instruments. Continue with guitar if you like, or stop. The decision should be based on your goals and desires.

However, IMHO the choice should probably be about more than what instrument you prefer to play. IMHO consider the impact your choice may have on the relationship with your son. I.E. look at the big picture holistically rather than focusing solely on musical goals.
 
#33
Back around 2008 I had the idea of picking up guitar so I could jam with one of my brothers. I made some progress with the CAGED system (bar chords). I never really learned songs, but I could strum along and solo over simple progressions. I used to lay down a short loop of chords in my Boss DD7 and jam out for hours. I really enjoyed jamming with my brother on guitar as well.

I was a full-time pro bassist for about 18 years. Playing bass with my brother become boring rather quickly. With guitar you can play the bass line, play chords, mess around with rhythms, or solo. With bass, you pretty much just play the bass line. You can solo and screw around with rhythms, but I found doing these things a lot more enjoyable on guitar.

I don't claim to actually know how to play guitar, and certainly I don't play it well enough to do a legit gig. If I had to start taking gigs again, it would definitely be on bass. Also I enjoy playing bass a lot more when drums and a full group are involved. But when it was just me and my brother, guitar was a blast and IMHO playing bass sucked.

I have moved twice since 2008, so jamming regularly with my brother is no longer a possibility. The last two times I visited, I took my guitar and pedals and we didn't even play. I grew tired of playing along with the DD7. It's been a few years since I even took the guitar out of its case. Most days I still noodle around on bass. It's pretty much a part of me that I can't seem to quit entirely.

There is no guarantee you will be able to play regularly with your son in the future. There's no guarantee that both of you will even continue to play. As the saying goes, seize the day.
 
#34
Wow, I really appreciate all of the ideas and shared experiences. Yes, I did realize that I was probably stacking the deck by asking on this site rather than a guitar-focused site but I figured I'd find some like-minded people here that "go both ways" or at least had faced a similar decision. I do intend to enjoy the journey with my son, for as long as it goes. I think you've convinced me to keep shopping for a good used bass though.

Thanks all, and Happy Holidays
(pick your favorite one)
Odie
 
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