Swapping from guitar to bass

[Sadie]

I'm making the swap from guitar to bass. I've fiddled around on both, but due to availability of teachers I've focused on guitar.

Now I'm looking to put the focus back on bass and transfer some of the things I've learnt from guitar over. For now I'm focusing on permutations, scales, music reading, and just playing songs to get into it.

Is there anything I should consider practicing while moving into bass?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[two fingers]

Welcome to TalkBass!

I think you're on the right track. Work on the fundamentals while also jamming on some of your favorite songs. The songs will keep you excited about playing. The fundamentals will teach your fingers to do what your brain says to do.

 

[George Dennis]

Sounds like you're on the right track.
If I was starting out again I'd be focussing on having all the chord tones under my fingers (knowing the various triad shapes) for the commonly used modes.
As far as practice goes, Victor Wooten has some excellent ideas for practice with a metronome, whereas Bootsy Collins would probably want you to concentrate on hittin' that one in the pocket every time!
And remember:

Enjoy the journey

 

[Malcolm35]

I'm making the swap from guitar to bass. I've fiddled around on both, but due to availability of teachers I've focused on guitar. Now I'm looking to put the focus back on bass and transfer some of the things I've learnt from guitar over. Is there anything I should consider practicing while moving into bass? Thanks for any advice!

Dirt simple guitar to bass -- keep doing what you did on guitar, i.e. use the same sheet music you have been using, but this time do not strum the chord, play notes of the chord one note at a time to the beat the song is using. Beat and lyric syllable normally fit pretty close. So -- sing the lyrics under your breath to help with the groove and beat. Probably what you have been doing to get your strum pattern will work on the bass.

When you see a chord think of the chord's spelling being in 1, 2, 3's, i.e. Cm7b5 = R-b3-5-b7, C = R-3-5, etc. Google can help with the chord spelling on the chords your song will be using. Chord spelling and where those patterns are on the fretboard is homework for the next couple of weeks.

Playing with a band will force you to learn what you need for bass. I was playing rhythm guitar and a friend that played bass told me. "I'm going to play rhythm guitar and sing at the next gig. Take my bass and back me up. Just follow the chords and pound out roots and R-5's." He explained where the 5 is located in relations to the root. I did and it worked.

Have fun it is not rocket science.

P.S. This box will come in handy with your chord spelling:

Major scale box showing scale degree numbers and the root note on the 4th string.
G~~|---2---|-------|---3---|---4---| 1st string
D~~|---6---|-------|---7---|---8---|
A~~|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
E~~|-------|---R---|-------|---2---|4th string
Find the root (R) the other spelling (notes) are waiting within the box.

For now, dirt simple bass, find the root and fake the rest.

 

[HelpImaRock]

IMO, the best way to transition is relearn the songs you already know on bass. You'll be able to pick out the bass parts better and you'll probably learn a thing or two about the guitar parts in the process.

 

[BarfanyShart]

Play along with drum tracks, and try to find a good drummer to jam with regularly. There is lots of "feel and style" things that bass players gotta know that guitarists don't always have to worry about - and we tend to learn a lot of that through playing with drummers. For example, note length and where in the measure to end a ringing bass note changes the feel of a song dramatically, and guitarists don't necessarily spend a lot of time thinking about that kind of thing. There's a million little things like that, and you will pick it up quickest through osmosis playing with a good drummer.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I'm making the swap from guitar to bass. I've fiddled around on both, but due to availability of teachers I've focused on guitar.

Now I'm looking to put the focus back on bass and transfer some of the things I've learnt from guitar over. For now I'm focusing on permutations, scales, music reading, and just playing songs to get into it.

Is there anything I should consider practicing while moving into bass?

Thanks for any advice!

One very basic thing to consider, in western music the bass typically provides the musical logic to make chords flow from one to another. You can be as onate as you want, or as minimalist as you want, but that's what we are here for. LOL!!

Best wishes!

 

[Egg250]

The shift is also mental. I've had people explain bass is like lead guitar, only lower. Non-musicians of course but some guitar players have trouble making the shift from a "lead" to rhythm (structure and support) mentality.

 

[GregT]

I play both. They are truly different instruments. The bass can be playing the opposite of what everyone else is playing sometimes. If you want to hear a great demonstration of a bass player holding down the song while everyone else is playing in circles, listen to Loverboy's The Kid is Hot Tonight. Even if it's not your style of music, you can see how the bass stays solid and just drives it, allowing the other musicians freedom to do their part. Especially the chorus. He is sure not playing bass like a lead guitar!
Loverboy - The Kid Is Hot Tonite (Official Audio) - YouTube

 

[bigdaddybass12]

My experiences with a few who swap, remember you have to stay with the bass part, not the lead. This explains it the best.

 

[squidtastic]

Is there anything I should consider practicing while moving into bass?

Good technique! You probably already know that bass is more physically demanding than guitar. When I started playing in the '80s, I had no clue what I was doing and managed to develop tendinitis pretty quickly (I had been playing guitar for a couple of years before moving to bass). With the help of finally getting a bass lesson (from Myron Dove!), I eventually figured out what I was doing wrong and fixed the problems, but my left wrist in particular was a disaster for a while. Aside from fixing my technique, I also reduced my action and figured out how to get the sounds I wanted with the minimal necessary physical effort. Figure out what works for you in that regard as early as possible.

Luckily for players now, there's a wealth of demonstrable knowledge on YouTube.

 

[rpt50]

I've started playing bass after 45+ years of playing guitar. A few comments that might be of use to you:
1. Don't give up your pick. I followed the advice of most bassists and forced myself to to use my fingers, but now that I'm a couple of years in, I find myself using a pick quite a bit, and the guys in the band like it.
2. Short-scale basses make the transition easier. I regularly play 30" and 34" scales now, and have no problems switching, but for the first few months the short scale was easier and certainly more rewarding to play.
3. I have found it easier to develop certain techniques by using particular songs. For example, I found the rather relentless bass part of "I saw her standing there" easy to play with a pick, but learning to do it with my fingers really helped my finger playing. I've used "I wish" (stevie wonder) to work on the "floating thumb" and also transitioning to the 34" scale.
4. I've found Songsterr really useful for quickly learning songs. It's about $10 a month.
Enjoy your new instrument!

 

[Topkat13]

Cool! Enjoy yourself!

 

[dcbluesbass]

 

[C Niz]

Whatever you practice, set the metronome to half time and pretend is the snare beat. Teaches you to anticipate the 1 and respect the space

 

[GeorgesEric]

Practice at tempo 46 with a metronome.

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

learn how to fingerpick

 

[conttador]

I'm making the swap from guitar to bass. I've fiddled around on both, but due to availability of teachers I've focused on guitar.

Now I'm looking to put the focus back on bass and transfer some of the things I've learnt from guitar over. For now I'm focusing on permutations, scales, music reading, and just playing songs to get into it.

Is there anything I should consider practicing while moving into bass?

Thanks for any advice!

Listen to as many bass players as you can. Then beg, borrow & steal whatever you need to forge your identity!

 

[Killing Floor]

Focus on the root and the groove. You can riff, just keep tight to the rhythm.

Enjoy the adventure. I think it’s a good idea to play another instrument. I play guitar too and even though it sounds like if you pushed a toolbox down metal stairs it still gives me another perspective on bass. I think it helps my bassin’.

Also, keep wearing guitar player clothes. Just saying. And you don’t have to stand next to the drums.

 

[Sadie]

Thank you for all the advice! I was not expecting this amount of feedback it is greatly appreciated