Switching between Bass and Guitar-who does it?

[Big Hoss]

I do when I feel stuck, and not progressing on the bass, I will try to learn something new on the guitar, then switch back. I haven't played guitar at all in over a month. Just bass.

 

[Jason Hollar]

I'm pretty decent on guitar as it was my first instrument. However, I purposely avoiding playing too much these days because those skinny strings chew up my fat bass callouses.

 

[MrFred]

I play bass in my progressive death metal band... and acoustic guitar for my solo James Taylor type music. I also play the ukulele when I perform for children's parties.

 

[seventhson]

I primarily play bass, but I swap with the guitar players on 2 songs (Message In A Bottle, Cold Shot...both of which I play lead on). I'm an ex-guitar player.

 

[podiumboy]

In my old band we had a singer, a drummer, and 3 musicians who were all good at guitar and bass. While we all had our respective roles (I was lead guitarist, we had a bassist and a Rhythm Guitarist), the 3 of us would switch around bass duties quite often. I'm not a good keyboard player, so the other 2 guys would occasionally play keys, and sometimes I would cover the bass. Sometimes we'd just switch for the hell of it, because it was fun and challenging. However (not to toot my own horn) I was the best lead player of the 3 of us, so I didn't get to strap on the bass as much as I'd like.

Now I'm trying to really come into my own as a bass player, not just a guitar player who plays bass. I've been taking lessons, because I really want to play bass like a bass player, not like a guitarist. I'm hoping to be able to market myself as a bass player OR guitar player, when the time is right for me to find another band. Right now it's too hard with having 2 young kids , a wife, a busy job and a whole bunch of other adult ******** to deal with. I consider myself equally a guitar and bass player now. I love it!

 

[Versatek6]

I did that in our church band for several years. When we had two drummers, one played bass, I would shift to guitar, and our guitar would shift from electric to acoustic, or drop out and just sing. Changes in leadership and personnel mean we haven't done that for some time.

 

[negative theory]

I have always switched back and forth separately, but only had the need in a band once. I was playing guitar in a 4 piece band when the bass player had something come up last minute and we still wanted to play the gig. I played half the set with an octave pedal on the guitar and half the set with the bass. It was pretty fun.

 

[SlapHappy99]

Play bass in one band, guitar in another, and switch between both in a third one.

 

[The BurgerMeister]

With one story I usually play guitar and sing, but I'll pop over to bass/vocals or percussion (cajón)/vocals as the need arises.

In pit situations I stick to the bass, but sometimes find myself playing a little percussion or guitar here and there.

 

[GregT]

I have always played both bass and guitar. Either on stage. I can also look at a nice set of drums and point at it.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Almost daily. Not an issue at all, it feels perfectly natural to me; I even have a multiscale 12 string guitar (25.5" - 27") and that feels totally natural, too.

This was during my Mapleglo period.

 

[Jay2U]

I can beat some punk rock out of my son's guitars, but the bass is my main instrument by far.

 

[Charlzm]

As the title asks, how many of us do it, and how frequent is the switch?

I play 6 and 7 string guitar on home demos (where I can punch in to my heart's content), but am not good enough to play in front of people. I stick to bass then.

 

[Impetus man]

I took acoustic guitar lessons in college, then 2 more times in my 20's with my MIJ Strat. Some good moments, but mostly frustration. Switched to bass a few years ago.....I love it and should have started back in the day.....but I was convinced I could be the next Mark Knopfler or David Gilmour. Dumb kid !!

 

[spanndrew]

I switch between a 4 string and 6 string bass, an upright and a guitar. It gets complicated ha.

 

[Bassnomer]

I switch between bass and acoustic & electric guitar regularly. Especially since my brother and I run a home recording studio, and we usually do all the music for the projects that we work on with others. I don't have a problem adjusting my touch for the instrument. Kind of just switches automatically when the instrument gets in my hands.

 

[Impetus man]

On a band/live music situation I only play bass, however I play guitar almost everyday at home, along with keys and other instruments. On a side note and frankly speaking - and I repeat this on every similar thread, I cannot understand how can one play bass and not play guitar...

Frequent chord changes and solos are difficult for my left (fret) hand...especially when covering 6 strings. It took months for me just to get an index finger "hammer" on the F chord. For you and many others, it's probably much easier.

 

[jazznrick]

I switch to guitar for my one man bedroom band, which consists of me slowly remembering chords while I max out the reverb and tremolo pedals. It always ends in a wash of filthy sound. Then I play bass in my band. The real world isn't ready for my guitar playing a la Ross from Friends.

 

[eflat7]

I play strictly harmonica in one band, rhythm guitar in another. Bass is and will always be my first love. The others are just side chick's lol

 

[backin82]

I started on acoustic guitar, eventually got into bass, then got back into acoustic and electric guitars for writing music. I've played acoustic, electric, trumpet, and bass in live settings, but primarily play bass these days. Electric guitar is like playing two instruments at once if you're switching effects as much as I did in church. It was stressful! I much prefer bass in a live band setting. Guitar is great for writing and plinking around though.