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Guitarist an Automatic Bassist
- Thread starter MEKer
- Start date
TalkBass Forums > Bass Guitar Forums > Bass Guitar Forums > Technique [BG]
We're all guitarists here.
/thread
We're all guitarists here.
/thread
I'm sorry, but that's a load of bull. Upright bassists make extensive used of the pinky, and thats on strings with 70 lbs of pressure and 43 inch scale length. You're doing it wrong if you're in pain.
All I could say, as a guitar player, is that I over-extended the use of the pinky for all kinds of playing while using the pinky/ring finger configuration was more gentle and didn't cause so much pain by over-extending the use of the pinky -- especially when playing from 8pm to 2am and in similar cases. Not that there's a place to use all five fingers for arpeggiators and scale runs, but not constantly like when playing guitar.
Oh, I see what you're saying, yeah, OK. You're talking he whole OFPF thing vs. Simandl 124, I thought you were advocating against the use of pinky altogether. We're on the same page.
Hi, yes, pinky is fine, all fingers should be used. It's just that I learned the hard way that instead of relying on the ringfinger/pinky combination, I used exclusively the pinky for simple pattern placements, and unlike guitar playing, it really tires down the pinky, resulting in pain. So it's a matter of conservation of fingers. When I started to think this, my pinky pain disappeared and I could again reserve it for interesting scales and arpeggiator use. I even did bends with the pinky only -- typical for a guitar player
. --Kent
Back in highschool when I had a practice after school people would see me carrying around a big gig bag and wonder whats inside it. When I told them its a bass they said the isnt bass easyer then guitar line. And I always replyed with Its easyer to become a famous guitarist then a famous bassist. Some that played guitar asked to play it. I let them and like everyone else said they play guitar riffs on it. Then I played some slap licks that I came up with and they never said bass was easyer then guitar again.
I play fretless, the guitar-bass transfer doesn't work so hot there 
Most guitarists I've seen play bass are just really weak at it. The right and left hand strength just isn't there so when they try to do high speed pentatonic noodling it sounds like clanky fretbuzz crap.
Most guitarists I've seen play bass are just really weak at it. The right and left hand strength just isn't there so when they try to do high speed pentatonic noodling it sounds like clanky fretbuzz crap.
Yeah, definitely. One of my big pet peeves is that I work with a number of pro and semi-pro level guitarists. A lot of them will pick up a bass whenever we should have one around the office... and it's a lot of click-clack everywhere.
I definitely think playing guitar preps you pretty well for bass (just as acheiving a certain level of proficiency on bass will make guitarring much easier), but there's no substitute for learning the feel and function of a bass.
I play fretless, the guitar-bass transfer doesn't work so hot there
Most guitarists I've seen play bass are just really weak at it. The right and left hand strength just isn't there so when they try to do high speed pentatonic noodling it sounds like clanky fretbuzz crap.
+100
It´s so much easier to achieve a clank and frettbuzz-free tone on a guitar than on a bass, that guitar players (at least those I´ve seen live around here) often don´t think about the kind of tone they get from their guitars.
To all you bassists who feel threatened by the idea of some guitarist (or any musician for that matter) making ill informed and generally ignorant statements about the bass...do yourself a favour and get over it...it really isnt that important is it?.
Honestly, it says more about the intolerance of a small section of the bass community than it does about guitarists (by and large...most of whom just want to play music like we bass players do)...when bassists continually take offence at the lack of knowledge displayed by a few other musicians towards the bass; usually a result of ignorance, not malice.
It's reasonable to assume that ignorant, ill informed musicians can be found playing all different types of instruments (including bass) across all genres. Give guitarists a break. This continual 'guitar/guitarist' bashing gets old.
I love guitarists, I love all musicians...without them I would have no way of exercising my craft
Honestly, it says more about the intolerance of a small section of the bass community than it does about guitarists (by and large...most of whom just want to play music like we bass players do)...when bassists continually take offence at the lack of knowledge displayed by a few other musicians towards the bass; usually a result of ignorance, not malice.
It's reasonable to assume that ignorant, ill informed musicians can be found playing all different types of instruments (including bass) across all genres. Give guitarists a break. This continual 'guitar/guitarist' bashing gets old.
I love guitarists, I love all musicians...without them I would have no way of exercising my craft
There are a good many guitarists that have memorized the licks from the tab sites, but just plain suck as musicians. Not all, but many.
At the extreme low end are the ones that play the wrong the chord changes, are rhythmically challenged, don't know the difference between a minor and a major, and strum an open D chord with E in the bottom, always strunm a six string chord, but...they have really good equipment and can play really loud and grunt while they solo, so they fancy themselves great musicians.
And of course, since they are the guitarist, they are naturally gifted as musical leaders and multi-intrumentalist.
I don't mind other musicians copping the bass line. I have seen some jazz guitarists walk the bass while they solo chords. And organist Joey De Francesco has the baddest azz bass lines this side of Ray Brown.
But then again, many guitarists are not really good musicians and are oblivious to that shortcoming. So, of course, they think they can play bass.
At the extreme low end are the ones that play the wrong the chord changes, are rhythmically challenged, don't know the difference between a minor and a major, and strum an open D chord with E in the bottom, always strunm a six string chord, but...they have really good equipment and can play really loud and grunt while they solo, so they fancy themselves great musicians.
And of course, since they are the guitarist, they are naturally gifted as musical leaders and multi-intrumentalist.
I don't mind other musicians copping the bass line. I have seen some jazz guitarists walk the bass while they solo chords. And organist Joey De Francesco has the baddest azz bass lines this side of Ray Brown.
But then again, many guitarists are not really good musicians and are oblivious to that shortcoming. So, of course, they think they can play bass.
What... you think bass players are immune from that mindset?
I think you've made a very broad generalization that could be applied to ANY musician, not just a guitarist.
I'm a "bassist" and I can play a decent rhythm guitar and I can play drums pretty good,I've even sat in on drums for a couple of bands as a "fill in" there are those who limit themselves to one instrument and that's fine,I try to play as much as I can,I'm not the best or the greatest,but I have fun doing what I do and that's all that matters to me.I know a guy in my area that can play just about any instrument at equal playing ability,he's in his mid 20's and he's incredible.
Heres what a guy going by the name of "Bullet" said to answer a noob's question about when pick use is appropriate:
"I'm not a bassist, but anyone who plays guitar can play bass really. I use plecs when playing bass, but I guess that is because I am so much more used to them......."
its at a UK site called Electric GuitarForums and when I saw it I almost joined just to flame the guy out but...nah...I let it go
Oh well.
My twist on this story is that I came to bass from guitar as well but I can't play bass with a pick!
I was never much of a guitarist but I did have a pretty good sense of rhythm and was pretty much content with strumming out chords with a pick. When I started playing bass, I figured I would simply continue using a pick but I quickly discovered that I was actually better with my fingers. Who knew - I guess I was a bassist all along.
I know I should learn to use a pick as some songs simply sound better that way, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.
Heres what a guy going by the name of "Bullet" said to answer a noob's question about when pick use is appropriate:
"I'm not a bassist, but anyone who plays guitar can play bass really. I use plecs when playing bass, but I guess that is because I am so much more used to them......."
its at a UK site called Electric GuitarForums and when I saw it I almost joined just to flame the guy out but...nah...I let it go
Oh well.
Here we go again: The chronic ignorance that simply refuses to die...
There isn't enough light and truth in the entire universe to cure such benightedness. It's a black hole. Run. Save yourself...
MM
