What is it about the guitar?

[Steve Dallman]

I got together with my wife over 6 years ago. She has been a lifelong music lover and followed a lot of the great bands here in our home town back in the 60's as many of the members were friends she grew up on.

She was really into blues when we met. She had never really listened to bass, but after a couple years of being with me, she has become intensely in tune with bass on anything we listen to.

She realizes how bass really grounds and makes a song. She can recognize many bass players, such as Jamerson. She picks up on roundwounds vs flats, different types of basses, and comments when listening to music a lot.

She can tell a "good" bass player from a merely competent one. Groove, locking in with the drummer, and many aspects of bass playing are concepts she well understands.

And it has given her a deeper appreciation for all types of music.

I found a good one. I play guitar a lot, but she's less concerned with that. She does love a great guitar player, and has her favorites. She is not as in tune with the types of guitars and pickups used as she is with bass.

She would have been a good bass player.

 

[hsech]

A good guitar is a tush magnet. Bass, meh.

 

[bolophonic]

A good guitar is a tush magnet. Bass, meh.

Speak for yourself.

 

[Hekbass]

Guitar is a more melody based instrument, and as such it's more pleasing for people to listen to. It really doesn't matter how simple/complex it is, because the average (non-musician) person doesn't really notice that.

Case and point: I played guitar in the hallway the other day (just goofing off with my friends), and people told me I was "great." All I was playing was a simple G-C-D progression. When I play comparatively more complicated basslines, no one notices...

That just saddens me.
One of the many reasons I'm doing a metal project with drums, two vocalists, and bass - no guitar. So far, I've gotten good reactions. Baby steps...

Of course, a few - WAIT FOR IT!! - guitarists have told me that I must add guitar to the lineup. *eye roll* Don't you love it when people tell you that you MUST do something to your songs, your very own musical vision, especially since you weren't asking for advice? Me either.

 

[Ender_rpm]

Most people prefer birdsong to elephants rumbling. Just the way teh ear is tuned.

 

[HolmeBass]

As most have alluded to here, the guitar is the most like the human voice in its' expression, pure and simple. Name another instrument as capable.

Yes, I'm an amateur guitar player, but bass is my passion.

Violin, cello...

I've always heard that it's the tenor saxophone.

 

[phillybass101]

Funny I had a woman in the audience tell me she never paid attention to bass until she heard me play. I even had a woman walk up to me while I was in mid song and she told me I was better than the other bass player. Don't hate the player hate the game LOL!!!!! To top it off the band leaders wife told me when I play it goes right through her. She said this to me in front of him. She was Japanese and didn't quite get the notion of what she said. Needless to say I was quite embarrassed and wondered if I would get fired