rocking other instruments

[stingray5dude]

dude you rock the bass, but what else do you rock? and how important do you think it is to be a multi-instrumentalist these days?. I think is is such a good skill to be able to play at least two instruments at a high level. Really opens up the ears.
I saw some beck tv session gig where at the end of the song you jumped on a drum kit and smashed it out, i'm not familar with his songs so i can't tell you the name.

 

[jmjbassplayer]

Guitar, drums, keys, mandolin, clarinet(!), stuff like that. I think it's great just for ONESELF, putting aside the help it gives one career-wise. I agree with you - it's really good for the ears and the perspective to play other stuff. THe Beck song on which I played drums is called Motorcade.

Best,
JMJ

 

[rahul_2092]

Hey Justin, Rahul from India here, I just wanted to know how long it took you to get fairly good with the other instruments?Was the bass the first instrument you picked up?

 

[jmjbassplayer]

Hello Rahul!

Got your photos, will get them signed for you before too long...

I'm not actually good at other instruments, except maybe guitar. Keyboards-wise, I'm a hack with good ideas. Guitar was the first thing I picked up, my dad had one when I was a kid.

JMJ

 

[capnsandwich]

I play the bass 99.9% of the time but I was first a guitarist. I've been playing guitar for more than 20 years and still get studio gigs every once in a while playing acoustic guitar. People tell me they miss me playing acoustic and they still compare me with Leo Kottke and Phil Keaggy, not that I'm as good as them but they definitely have influenced my style. I'm still a bassist first though since that's what I love the most.

 

[jmjbassplayer]

That's rad, dude. You are in very nice company being compared to geniuses like that.

 

[capnsandwich]

That's rad, dude. You are in very nice company being compared to geniuses like that.

Thanks, even though I'm no where near those guys IMO. I know for a fact that Phil Keaggy blows my brains out every time I see him live and that's been 6 times in my life.

 

[rahul_2092]

Hello Rahul!

Got your photos, will get them signed for you before too long...

I'm not actually good at other instruments, except maybe guitar. Keyboards-wise, I'm a hack with good ideas. Guitar was the first thing I picked up, my dad had one when I was a kid.

JMJ

Glad you got the photos Justin, Can you play solos on the guitar? How long did it take you to become a great bass player that you are now?When did you learn to play the double bass?