Older brother bought a bass at a flea market and told me not to touch it: older brother telling younger brother not to do something is just a red flag for younger brother to go do it
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What made you pick up Bass?
- Thread starter ZWARA
- Start date
Been pretty cool reading everyone’s stories.
For me it was listening to the stone roses and realising that it was the bass that drove the songs with a fluidity and passion. I was a teenager then but didn’t really follow up on it until my mates band bassist left and I jumped in.
Distinctly remember thinking ‘this can’t be so hard to learn’… how naive and wrong was I…. 20 years later I’m still learning and discovering new bass lines. Best instrument I’ve ever got into.
For me it was listening to the stone roses and realising that it was the bass that drove the songs with a fluidity and passion. I was a teenager then but didn’t really follow up on it until my mates band bassist left and I jumped in.
Distinctly remember thinking ‘this can’t be so hard to learn’… how naive and wrong was I…. 20 years later I’m still learning and discovering new bass lines. Best instrument I’ve ever got into.
The fact that a bass was given to me in the first band I was in.
After that, being asked to play bass in another band and given the use of a Tokai Jazz sound bass + a big tube amplifier with it.
Also, I always liked bass sounds. Thought Paul McCartney and later Jean Jacques Burnel, Peter Hook and Jah Wobble were pretty cool.
After that, being asked to play bass in another band and given the use of a Tokai Jazz sound bass + a big tube amplifier with it.
Also, I always liked bass sounds. Thought Paul McCartney and later Jean Jacques Burnel, Peter Hook and Jah Wobble were pretty cool.
To quote The Fugs, “it crawled into my hand, honest”. Or more like, into my brain.
My dad was a violinist who played in a community orchestra, so I got taken to plenty of classical concerts. Even though I couldn’t articulate it, I was attracted to the sound coming from the cello and bass section. My mom listened to this radio station that played watered-down swingy/jazzy pop vocalist stuff, crooners and the like, and I just went along with that, but at night they would play the classic big band/swing material, and I actually liked it, with its rhythmic emphasis. Plus some Jimmy Smith records she had, so that was my introduction to real jazz.
I had heard and liked what was left of the folk boom, but there was no rock’n’roll in the house, that was considered trash music. However, when The Beatles came along, they bought me the album, I guess to show that they were “with it”. While I was old enough to know about these guys, I wasn’t old enough to care, they were like fad of the month to me.
A couple of years later I decided to finally listen to Top 40 radio, and then I took guitar as a default activity at summer camp, but didn’t get anywhere with it. The top two strings broke, but I would thump out bass type lines on the bottom ones, still not really knowing what a bass in particular was, so you could say it was a calling, an inclination.
After a brief dabbling with drums, and finally grasping the role of the instrument, I got going on it, and got with some guitar playing kids from school. I figured out “Sunshine Of Your Love” and “In The Midnight Hour” on my own right away.
My dad was a violinist who played in a community orchestra, so I got taken to plenty of classical concerts. Even though I couldn’t articulate it, I was attracted to the sound coming from the cello and bass section. My mom listened to this radio station that played watered-down swingy/jazzy pop vocalist stuff, crooners and the like, and I just went along with that, but at night they would play the classic big band/swing material, and I actually liked it, with its rhythmic emphasis. Plus some Jimmy Smith records she had, so that was my introduction to real jazz.
I had heard and liked what was left of the folk boom, but there was no rock’n’roll in the house, that was considered trash music. However, when The Beatles came along, they bought me the album, I guess to show that they were “with it”. While I was old enough to know about these guys, I wasn’t old enough to care, they were like fad of the month to me.
A couple of years later I decided to finally listen to Top 40 radio, and then I took guitar as a default activity at summer camp, but didn’t get anywhere with it. The top two strings broke, but I would thump out bass type lines on the bottom ones, still not really knowing what a bass in particular was, so you could say it was a calling, an inclination.
After a brief dabbling with drums, and finally grasping the role of the instrument, I got going on it, and got with some guitar playing kids from school. I figured out “Sunshine Of Your Love” and “In The Midnight Hour” on my own right away.
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High school jazz band room 1972. Picked up the bull fiddle when I wasn’t needed on the guit fiddle.
Was 1974 when I got an electric bass, a red Rick.
Hooked instantly.
Was 1974 when I got an electric bass, a red Rick.
Hooked instantly.
I was 1 of 3 guitarists in my teenage garage band days (early 70's). Something was missing so I started playing the bass lines on my guitar. The guys and I thought it sounded cool, so I traded in my guitar and amp for an Aria 1420 Beatle Bass and a Goya Bass amp....that was over 50 years ago and I haven't looked back!!!
Interesting fact....1 of the guitarists in that band (all those years ago) is the lead guitarist in my current band!!!
Interesting fact....1 of the guitarists in that band (all those years ago) is the lead guitarist in my current band!!!
The bass sound and those thick strings nearly 50 years ago. No band or player influence, they came along later. I've never wanted to play anything else.
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I was a thrash and punk loving skate rat in the mid-80s. Bought the Cliff Em All VHS because it was Metallica. I was rapt watching Cliff tear it up during Anesthesia and the intro to For Whom the Bell Tolls and was immediately hooked. Up to those moments I thought those solos were guitar. “I wanna be like THAT guy.” Got my first bass about a month later. Spoiler alert: almost 40 years later, I’m still not like that guy. But I sure do have fun.
It was 1969, I was 13, and I had been playing guitar for several years. Everyone played guitar back then, but no one played bass. All these bands were looking for bass players. So I made the logical choice, and the rest is history.
I have always been drawn to the instrument. It's got its own voice and I liked it. Seeing John Taylor in the 80s really reached me and made me step up and pay attention.
Fast-forward to high school and a friend in homeroom was a guitarist who always brought in magazines and brochures. He suggested I pick up bass because there weren't that many bassists around back then.
And that was it. Case closed.
Fast-forward to high school and a friend in homeroom was a guitarist who always brought in magazines and brochures. He suggested I pick up bass because there weren't that many bassists around back then.
And that was it. Case closed.
Several years ago my wife wanted to start playing piano. I thought I would do something to support her efforts, and since I know I can't play piano (lessons as a kid), I thought about guitar again (more lessons as a kid). At my age, I figured with four fingers to make notes, I would go with four strings rather than six. The bass has frets to locate the notes rather than go with something fretless like a violin. You play one note at a time, one finger at a time, follow the beat. I thought "How hard could it be?" OK, I was wrong. It is much harder. Now I have a fretless bass, an eight string bass, and the notes sometimes come at you fast and furious. But how fun is it to make the whole house rattle and shake. My wife can't do that on her piano. And let's not forget my inspirational bass players Squire, Camp, Sacks, and Brosman.
I played trumpet. Then at 14 friends started playing, I was too late , there were already too many guitar players and they already had a drummer.
I got myself a super red Hondo P and a Randal 100 watt bass combo and never looked back. My parents were great, they never once complained about the volume of my bass or the music I was into.
I’ve always been off again on again so I have never attained an advanced level, but that’s ok by me.
I always liked picking out percussion and bass anyways , I really didn’t realize at that time, until I started to seriously listen to music.
I have evolved to where I really listen, the point where I hear something and rewind over and over a few times. drives my wife nuts ha ha. I realize I am way off topic now , have a great day everybody!
I got myself a super red Hondo P and a Randal 100 watt bass combo and never looked back. My parents were great, they never once complained about the volume of my bass or the music I was into.
I’ve always been off again on again so I have never attained an advanced level, but that’s ok by me.
I always liked picking out percussion and bass anyways , I really didn’t realize at that time, until I started to seriously listen to music.
I have evolved to where I really listen, the point where I hear something and rewind over and over a few times. drives my wife nuts ha ha. I realize I am way off topic now , have a great day everybody!
In my first band during high school days, the bass player decided he wanted to be the front man vocalist. I was an average rhythm guitar player and thought it would be a neat change, so I borrowed his stuff and got a Mel Bay book to get me started. Moving to bass was the best decision I ever made.
This year, one of the gigs I did there were 50 people in the musical ensemble on stage with me. Nice big theater setting, with a great PA (tens of kilowatts, not sure of the exact number). No matter how many other people played, the stage didn't shake. When I did, it did.
There's something about playing music and making the ground beneath your feet simultaneously that is just plain cool.
There's something about playing music and making the ground beneath your feet simultaneously that is just plain cool.
Early 80s I wanted to play in my high school jazz band. The band leader took me aside and said “you know, we already have two guitar players and they’re pretty good, so how about you play this?” Then he handed me an old Gibson EB2 and the rest is history
EdwardofHuncote
I Still Dream of Jeannie
- Aug 21, 2013
- 6,666
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- I privately own and operate a local musical instument repair shop.
I played various horns - trumpet, baritone, Eb horn, valve trombone in school - ‘landed’ on tuba… I purchased RUSH 2112 (1976) at age 14… promptly switched to BG! After a few months with a few ‘starter basses’ - I purchased a new RIC 4001… proceeded to hole up & learn RUSH tunes - even played in a RUSH cover band in the early 80’s. 
These (same) pics show up on TB… only ones I have… as, back then, we didn’t always think to have a camera on hand 
(bonus pics of Zep, The Nuge & Robin Trower
)
These (same) pics show up on TB… only ones I have… as, back then, we didn’t always think to have a camera on hand (bonus pics of Zep, The Nuge & Robin Trower
)
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