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When did you become a bass player?

Born into a family of professional musicians (strictly classical, I grew up on opera and string quartett), I've been a hobby classical guitarist all my life. At 40 I tried to pick up an electric guitar to play with some colleagues for the office christmas party. Mostly basic blues and rock covers. I muddled through, but it sounded more like Scarlatti than Hank Marvin. After two years of that the bass player says he's actually playing guitar as well, and would I like to switch instruments for "Sweet Home Chicago". It was like coming home. Once I got used to the scale length that was it. He's a fab rock guitarist and I fell in love with the low end. Currently eyeing a fretless for christmas :woot:. And yes, this year's christmas party sees us doing two hours of rock party :hyper:. Same guitarist and me on bass. :bassist::bassist:
 
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1977, at the age of 12. I was already a "musician", having taken several years of piano lessons and then adopting saxophone as my primary instrument. Still not sure why I chose bass instead of guitar - maybe it is related to the fact that I am an introvert by nature, someone who is not afraid of the spotlight but also does not seek it out - and the role of a bass player fit that part of my personality. I do know that my earliest influences such as Chris Squire, John Paul Jones, and Geddy Lee also played a major part in my decision.
 
During my High School years the Metalhead Guy in my class suggested me to try bass if I liked music and would like to play. And I took that advice right away. Few weeks later he even lent me some money in order for me to get a proper bass sooner. Few days later I gave him money back since I told my parent how happy I was for his suggestion+help.

Besides, here's my first bass!
 
I think it was a couple weeks before school was done for summer in 1998 when I finished my sophmore year, but this cheesy christian 80's hair band called Voyager did a show at my high school, some lame attempt at positive messages for kids etc. But I noticed this dude playing a guitar that had a long neck (probably a Kramer Forum bass) with his fingers, and I was totally intrigued by it. For some reason nobody could tell me what the deal was (mostly because nobody cared), so I went home and explained it to my dad and he told me "he was playing with his fingers? That's a bass guitar he's playin!". Luckily for me, that was right around when the internet started really blowing up, and we had a couple computers in the school library so I went looking for bass guitars. That whole summer I was harassing my folks about it because there was a black Harmony 4 string starter kit in the JC Penney's catalogue. All summer long, nothin. Just getting yelled at to shut up about it. Then comes christmas 1998 and my dad fools me with this giant, excessively wrapped up package, and inside was a Peavey Fury, black w/white pickguard, and I lost my marbles. Gave him a huge hug, and I didn't even bother unwrapping the rest of my presents, I disappeared into my room until dinnertime. My life was changed forever.
 
I like low notes. High frequencies set my teeth on edge.

My Mom said when I was a little kid around 2 or 3 that my favorite song was Sixteen Tons by Tennessee Ernie Ford. She said I used to sing the bass line to that (and other songs) while I was growing up. All my family and relatives thought it was hysterical that this little kid was always trying to sing or hum a song’s bass line rather than its melody.

Guess it’s coded in my DNA somewhere.
 
Blame it on Jaco. When Mr. Gone came out in 1978 I realized what WR meant to me (then 12 years old). Discovered the other records. Was puzzled by Jaco. My elder brother started with the bass. Me drumming. Nobody took lessons. We liked it funky. After forsaking my attempts to learn piano (too many irregular keys) and guitar (awfully sharp narrow strings) started with a bass teacher in 2011/2012. Still learning.
 

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