When did you become a bass player?

[BarfanyShart]

I remember watching Paul Simon on SNL doing Diamonds On The Soles of Her Shoes. Watching it with My dad, who’s favorite musician was Brian Wilson, And he said “ This bass the player is insane.” Even though I did not touch A bass guitar for at least five more years after this, I remember this moment, and I think it is when I became a bass player.

 

[skaine]

It was Steve Harris influenced me being a bass player. Then there were many including Geddy Lee, Marcus Miller, James Jamerson, Paul Mccartney, John Deacon and etc. I was thinking if i can make it. Then i watched this video and saw i have no excuse (even still i whine about my small fingers sometimes)

 

[mapleglo]

1969. No one in my school played bass.

 

[Pfun]

I feel i was born a bass player...i can feel the the rhythm of Motown s Jameson in my soul...picking up the bass to me is as natural as breathing...i never had formal lessons..i still don't practice...if there's a song I'm not familiar with..i may have to study a little..but I love playing

 

[DoctorZee]

I think I was 11. There was a little music store in the mall; they mostly sold keyboards and sheet music, but there was a bass guitar in the window. Probably some cheap Rogue or something, I can’t say. I played that bass, unplugged, every time I was at the mall. Even taught myself Come As You Are on it. Hey, it was the mid-90s.

I told my dad, who played a little guitar and drums, that I wanted a bass for Christmas. He said, “Why? I’ll get you a guitar. You’ll be glad you learned guitar first.”

Didn’t actually play bass in a band until I was off at college, but I definitely “became” a bassist back there in the mall music store.

 

[Pfun]

I feel very lucky to experience something in life that I truly love to do...i would do it for free but people pay me which is special

 

[two fingers]

I was on track to be a bass player growing up and never knew it.

I played low brass elementary/middle school.

My older brother took up guitar in middle school. I thought he was the coolest person ever.

About the time a neighbor moved in who played bass, my band director asked me to play TUBA in the jazz band. After flatly turning that down, I was called into his office a couple weeks later. He pointed in the corner. "Jazz band status in a few weeks. You better get ready." There sat a new P bass and a Peavey TNT amp. I suppose that's the moment it officially happened in the Fall of '86. That neighbor helped get me started and I was off to the races.

 

[Vinny_G]

It was Steve Harris influenced me being a bass player. Then there were many including Geddy Lee, Marcus Miller, James Jamerson, Paul Mccartney, John Deacon and etc. I was thinking if i can make it. Then i watched this video and saw i have no excuse (even still i whine about my small fingers sometimes)

This is a big lesson. Thank you for posting this.

 

[catcauphonic]

My earliest memories of the bass standing out on records were Geezer Butler during the Ozzy era Black Sabbath.

It wasn't until I turned 21 and saw an outstanding local bass player named Terry Cummings a few times, singing and fronting a cover band in the NE Pa area called Strawberry Jam and having the time of his life doing it, that made me say "I wanna do THAT!"

Fast forward to my early forties and I finally had the discipline to pick it up, practice daily, and stick with it. I'm 50 now, and while I of course wish I started a few decades prior... I'm so glad I did as its almost never too late

 

[5StringBlues]

My parents always said I used to beat on the backseat of the car to the descending line in "These Boots Are Made For Walking" when it was on popular radio. I was 2 or 3.



I think I was always drawn to music with good bass.



Later , when I was 8 or 9, I noticed the sound of the bass on the funky tunes was similar to what I was hearing on my brother's YES records, treblely and kinda dirty.



Hooked.

 

[Spupilup]

Age 11. My sister’s boyfriend who was 9 years older than me, was an amazing drummer in a band and told me I should learn how to play the guitar. I responded that the bass made sense for me. Four fingers, four strings, match made in heaven. He was really talented and gave he pointers on the bass and piano. In fact, he taught me my first song on the bass, Lady Madonna.

 

[Pdaddy1978]

It was 1972, I wanted to be in a band. A few guys had guitars, a few guys had drumkits.
The Beatles showed the way, guitar-bass-drums. No other kids played bass. I knew the bass was my ticket. I started needling my folks. That Christmas, under the tree was a 62 Epiphone Newport and an Airline combo amp from Monkey Wards.
A week later, before my first lesson, I formed my first band.

 

[organworthyplayer337]

2013. I'm still a bass baby

 

[Stranger Danger]

I dunno. What day is it?

 

[dan1952]

My brother took up bass on his Harmony Rocket, and played "bass" in our first garage bands, but quickly got great on guitar. Meanwhile, my buddy Bob showed a lot more facility on lead than I did, and I was suddenly the bass player. I found myself naturally listening to the bass on Top 40 radio. As it turns out, I was hearing Joe Osborn, Carol Kaye, Wilton Felder, and Max Bennett and all, plus I became enamoured of Cream, thus found Jack Bruce. Bought a solidbody Hagstrom bass for $60.00, and kept at it. Started playing bass with the high school swing choir, playing those Top 40 songs on thle school Kay electric bass. I loved locking in with that drummer, and here I am, still loving the groove and playing those low notes!

 

[Matthew_84]

I always loved the bass part of every song, but I actually didn’t know a bass guitar was a thing, even into my early twenties.

I was learning acoustic guitar and passing it among friends while we jammed, and a friend started playing the bass line to Pink Floyd’s “Money” and I got real excited. He told me he played bass (and at that point, explained it’s a four string guitar with a longer neck), and then he taught me how to play the bassline.

My days of acoustic were done. For the rest of the night, all I wanted to play was that bassline (but just heard the twangyness of the acoustic and I hated it).

Went home that night, then went to work the next morning, and then immediately after work, headed to music shop and picked out a bass and brought her home.

 

[bolophonic]

I was born like this.

 

[vvvmmm]

First, I needed to play bass to record my songs.

Then, I needed to play bass to get bands going.

Now, I need to play bass.

 

[4dog]

its the bass's fault.

 

[mattj1stc]

In 1978, I had some friends who played guitar and wanted to form a band. They needed a bass player, I was the biggest guy they knew and they asked me if I wanted to do the job. I said yes. No regrets.