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How did you end up playing bass??

WildeStarr

WildeStarr

Jun 7, 2004
86
3
65
Houston Texas
www.wildestarr.com
#1
OK, I was never "inspired" by any bass players out there. I guess it was by default. I was a guitar player (still am) and we could never find anyone to play bass in any of the bands I was in. Somebody broke into my home and stole all of my guitars. I had enough money to buy one good instrument. I was sitting on the fence about the bass/guitar switch and I just said s***w it. I bought a G&L L2000E, a GK 400RB and 2 GK bass cabs and I never looked back. I spent that summer of 1982 trying to figure how to be a bass player. Learned a bunch of KISS, Priest, Scorpians, Maiden, AC/DC, B.O.C. bass lines, and whatever else I could figure out. That was how I started.
Not a bad career change. Playing bass has taken me all over the world, MTV, major endorsements, working on my 10th CD now with my wife.
Anyone else out there have a similar story??? :hyper:

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#4
i always liked music but i never knew what i wanted to play. when i was little i wanted to play paino. and in 2ed grade when i went through my hippie thing i wanted to play guitar. i never really went for the wind insterments. then i wanted to be a drummer because i didn't want to really have to try. then about two years ago i started to get into punk, and the first time a heard the dead kennedys song california urber allies i was hooked to the sound of the bass. my friends were begging me to join the school band because they needed a bass player and i wanted to learn bass. so i joined but it's boring as hell and i'm leaving.my friends and i are trying to put together a punk/ska band, and that's what i'm focused on right now.
 
#6
I didn't even know what a bass was or how it was played until I started listening to "Guitar Vader"(I was about 13), the first band I really got in to. Just loved the low end. Then I saw a guy playing this big four string instrument on TV. I asked my dad if I could get a bass and learn, he said no (he's a guitar player). I asked about guitar, and we went to Daddy's Junky music that same day. I got a guitar, took lessons, and sucked. I volunteered to play bass for the school play "Les Miserables" which was a big production. I could read music, but had no prior bass experience. After that, I havent' stopped playing and have come a long way.
 
#7
I was always into music and I wanted to play drums but my parents wouldn't let me. Nobody else I knew at the time played bass so I figured I would have tons of opportunities to play with other people if I learned. Turned out to be a good thing.
 
#8
Wildestar you are an inspiration and you let all of us know nothing is impossible. I started as a drummer many moons ago in my youth, became a bassist by default really. Too many superstar singers, drummers, and guitarists I guess, no one wants to do the dirty work in a band. With my drumming background it made me somewhat of a natural. I have been playing now for a year and a half. I just found a very good instructor and I can't wait untill I start taking lessons from him to really take this to the next level.
 
#9
I had a couple of buddies who played (horrendously bad) guitar, and they'd hooked up with a drummer friend and wanted to start a band. The one guitarist's neighbour had a bass that he'd gotten for his 16th birthday and immediately put on a shelf, fully tuned, to be forgotten for a decade until I plunked down $150 for it and started learning to play. This thing's neck was bent so badly that you could've used it for archery, but that got me started on bass and I haven't looked back.

I think I'm better suited to the "making other people sound good" role anyways, I'd have been a lousy wankmeister guitarist. No regrets.
 
#10
I'd never really been attracted to the guitar. I know it sounds corny, but I loved bass. I played a ton of video games as a kid with cool soundtracks, and the bass was always the tune I ended up humming. So when I had the oppertunity to buy an instrument (once I started really listening to music) I went straight for the bass. I also knew that I had a reserved place in my friend's band, so I wanted to get it as soon as possible.
 
#11
I know this sounds cheesy but I remember a band coming to my school around grade 4 and they played some cool stuff and all I can remember was how fast one of the "guitarists" fingers went. I'll admit before I really took a close look at a bass I didn't know there was a big difference between it and guitar.

well in grade 10 music class, I'm playing trumpet and another guy is playing bass, after listening to this guy play smoke on the water over and over and over (the only thing he could play) I decided to try it out. Fell in love with the sound and picked myself up a cheap bass as a christmas present.
 
#12
I saw this comedy act that my parents taped on tv by two guys called Williams and Reed. They stood up there on stage making fun of each other and playing music; one played a 12-string acoustic guitar, the other a fiver bass. I thought the bass guy was funnier.
 
#13
I compose stuffs for the piano and I always needed a good bass line. Then some little band called Green Day comes along and I fell in love with Mike and his playing style. So for abot a year, I wanted to play bass untill i got my lazy arse up to doing it. Plus, everyone plays guitar and drums. I wanted to do something different.
 
#16
hi all!

well i tryed 6 string for a year but just couldn't crack it but then i switched to bass(i was already a steve harris worshiper) but now i am even more.then as 2 of my played guitar and drums so then we put a band together.also it feels strange sometimes cos i don't know anyother girls that play :crying: but i'll get over it :eyebrow:
 
#17
emkey said:
hi all!

well i tryed 6 string for a year but just couldn't crack it but then i switched to bass(i was already a steve haris worshiper) but now i am even more.then as 2 of my played guitar and drums so then we put a band together.also it feels strange sometimes cos i don't know anyother girls that play :crying: but i'll get over it :eyebrow:
Click to expand...

Hey another Harris worshipper!

Up the Irons!

Give me Ed till I'm dead.
 
#18
i was at friend of mine, he had a guitar, and he wanted to start jamming with some guys. I said, yeah, i can start to play on bass and then we can jam together, it didn't last long though, but i still wanted to play some bass...
 
#20
ah yes , i remember it well ... " i bought a guitar , to punish my Ma "...

even back in the day when i thought musicians must be magical , i realized i was attracted to the low end of the sound spectrum .
i decided to get a bass { Fender Jazz , back in ' 73 } and have never regreted my choice of instrument . :D

i can't help it , i really love the bass... :cool:
 

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