The year was 1980 and it was Geezer Butler that showed me the way. Back in '78 I heard Geezer telling me to play, I was 13 at the time, but it took me 2 years to get it together.
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When did you get into bass playing and why?
- Thread starter powmetalbassist
- Start date
I was 14 when the British Invasion hit. The Stones music spoke to me. Through them I learned of the old blues cats like Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf.) I got a cheap electric guitar and amp for Christmas and learned enough to get a little garage band together. My guitar, a harmonica and an accordion LOL.
When I was 16 I was walking through the neighborhood behind mine and saw a full band set up in a garage so I stopped to listen. A bass rig was set up but the bass player wasn't there. The other guys asked if I played bass. I said I played a little guitar but I wasn't very good. They told me to give the bass a try. They launched into the Byrds version of Eight Miles High. I had heard the song of course but never played it, heck, I'd never even touched a bass guitar.
Well, my fingers just went to the right places. It felt so natural. I loved playing the low notes. During the song their bass player showed up. He complimented me on my playing and couldn't believe I'd never played bass before.
That did it for me. Within a couple of months I had a bass. 47 years later I'm till at it. Just a born bass player.
When I was 16 I was walking through the neighborhood behind mine and saw a full band set up in a garage so I stopped to listen. A bass rig was set up but the bass player wasn't there. The other guys asked if I played bass. I said I played a little guitar but I wasn't very good. They told me to give the bass a try. They launched into the Byrds version of Eight Miles High. I had heard the song of course but never played it, heck, I'd never even touched a bass guitar.
Well, my fingers just went to the right places. It felt so natural. I loved playing the low notes. During the song their bass player showed up. He complimented me on my playing and couldn't believe I'd never played bass before.
That did it for me. Within a couple of months I had a bass. 47 years later I'm till at it. Just a born bass player.
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In 4th grade. It complimented the trombone as far as range of notes goes and my brothers played guitar and drums. Someone had to play bass and keys.
Was at a bar with friends when a mate said their bassist was leaving soon and they had to find somebody else.
I played guitar (poorly) at the time and had no idea how to play bass, but jokingly said I would join.
Then I had a proper listen to the bands exisitng material and though "yep, this is the band I want to be in" and bought a bass the next weekend. Then I figured out I actually really like bass a lot more than I ever did guitar.
I played guitar (poorly) at the time and had no idea how to play bass, but jokingly said I would join.
Then I had a proper listen to the bands exisitng material and though "yep, this is the band I want to be in" and bought a bass the next weekend. Then I figured out I actually really like bass a lot more than I ever did guitar.
I started guitar at 13, then about 6 months later saw The Beatles on Ed Sullivan. I liked the bass on I Saw Her Standing There. I was in a band and we had
4 guitar players and no bass. One of the guys had a old Fender with a 15 inch speaker that also had a microphone input. Anyway I bought a bass a new Gibson EBO made in September 1963 although I bought it in early 1964. I just showed up at a gig at a TeenTown and said "Look what I bought", plugged in a played 4 hours. I still have the bass.
4 guitar players and no bass. One of the guys had a old Fender with a 15 inch speaker that also had a microphone input. Anyway I bought a bass a new Gibson EBO made in September 1963 although I bought it in early 1964. I just showed up at a gig at a TeenTown and said "Look what I bought", plugged in a played 4 hours. I still have the bass.
I picked up the guitar at about 19. After a few years I found that I derive more satisfaction playing interesting grooves than lead-guitaring. Also, I can't hold a pick properly so I've been using floating thumb on guitar since forever. And I really dislike the "weird" interval between the G and B strings that makes me want to tear my hair out (or tune EADGCF)...
So, I have a fever, and the only cure is... MORE COWBELL, er, I mean, bass.
So, I have a fever, and the only cure is... MORE COWBELL, er, I mean, bass.
D
Got into Metal at a pretty "old" age (17y).
My first CD bought was teh Black Album by Metallica. After hearing My Friend of Misery for the first time, I worked my @$$ off to buy my first bass and practiced until my fingers were bleeding just to learn the intro to the song.
Never looked back since.
My first CD bought was teh Black Album by Metallica. After hearing My Friend of Misery for the first time, I worked my @$$ off to buy my first bass and practiced until my fingers were bleeding just to learn the intro to the song.
Never looked back since.
I was 12. I started because I found out that that was a bass Les Claypool was playing on "Sailing the Seas of Cheese."
Bass has always felt natural. I can't change my nature!
Bass has always felt natural. I can't change my nature!
okcrum
in your chest
When I was 13 I was waiting at the local music store for a guitar lesson. I picked up a bass to pass the time, and that was it.
My friend was a bassist.
The local music store had a sale, first come, first serve, a $700 bass for only $10. I decided I had to buy it, just to mess with him. Didn't even know what a bass sounded like at the time.
Stood in line for 3 hours, it was obviously gone by then, so I bought another bass. $1600 down to $350. Figured I had to learn to play it, and now I love it.
The local music store had a sale, first come, first serve, a $700 bass for only $10. I decided I had to buy it, just to mess with him. Didn't even know what a bass sounded like at the time.
Stood in line for 3 hours, it was obviously gone by then, so I bought another bass. $1600 down to $350. Figured I had to learn to play it, and now I love it.
- Oct 18, 2012
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- Endorsing Artist: Fender, Spector, Ampeg, Curt Mangan, Nordstrand Pickups, Korg , Conquest Sound
I started playing guitar when I was 16. I started a band with a friend of mine. We had 2 guitars, drums and no bass player. I would sometimes try to fill empty spaces in the songs by playing riffs on the guitar. One night, the other guitar player made the comment that when I did the fills, it sounded like bass lines and suggested that I switch to bass. After thinking about it for a few days, I decided to buy a bass. I found that playing it came very naturally. I still play guitar and keys. I am completely self taught and have toured and do a lot of studio work. I am currently working on music for a popular television show on The History Channel.
My influences are:
Paul McCartney
James Jamerson
Carol Kaye
Jack Bruce
John Entwistle
Boz Burrell
John Deacon
Mel Shacher
Tom Hamilton
Craig MacGregor
Most people say that my style is cross between James Jamerson and John Deacon.
My influences are:
Paul McCartney
James Jamerson
Carol Kaye
Jack Bruce
John Entwistle
Boz Burrell
John Deacon
Mel Shacher
Tom Hamilton
Craig MacGregor
Most people say that my style is cross between James Jamerson and John Deacon.
I started learning at 17. No idea why if I'm honest. Played for two years, started working in a pub, had no time to pick it up anymore.
Quit working at pub, picked it up again half a year ago. Loving it. Gunna get lessons again, as even though I can play different styles of music, I can't improvise very well.
Quit working at pub, picked it up again half a year ago. Loving it. Gunna get lessons again, as even though I can play different styles of music, I can't improvise very well.
I was 15. I played guitar and a friend asked me to play bass in his church band. The pastor gave me a 1970 Precision and a small Peavey amp....I was hooked. I only played in the band for 1 year and gave the gear back (thought it would be best). Then I bought a 1974 Aria Beatle Bass, Guya Bass combo, formed a rock band and have been playing for the past 42 years.
Influences (chronologically):
Mel Schacher
Dennis Dunaway
Geezer Butler
Paul McCartney
Tiran Porter
Mike Porcaro
Chuck Panozzo
Billy Sheehan
Anthony Wellington
Influences (chronologically):
Mel Schacher
Dennis Dunaway
Geezer Butler
Paul McCartney
Tiran Porter
Mike Porcaro
Chuck Panozzo
Billy Sheehan
Anthony Wellington
I've been a drummer since I was about 12.
Then about a year and a half ago, I suddenly, out of the blue had a desire to play bass - don't know where it came from, it just happened.
I now have 3 basses and need/want about 3 more then MAYBE I'll be happy.....hehe....are we ever?
First bass Ibanez Gio GSR205, Second bass Ibanez SR605, third bass Cort B5.
There is, understandably a big difference between the SR the B5 and the Gio. The SR and B5 are very similar but not the Gio. But the Gio s not bad for the price.
The stock Bart Mk1 s in both the Ibby and the Cort are really not good - neither are the preamps, changed the Ibbys the Cort s next. The Gio actually sounded better than both of them, but now the SR rules.
Now, I LOVE playing bass, can't get enough I can play all weekend - no prob. It's very rewarding, the more u practice the better u get, like most things.
I've come across some real eye openers on utube - there's a girl playing teen town by Weather Report - I just sat there with my mouth open and realized I wasn't so good after all, haha , then there s a bloke doing a cover of Symphony X s The Accolade - more jaw dropping!!
Us humans have an inbuilt desire to just get better and better - the Symphony X cover is one of those moments, that's one song that I've set my sights on mastering no matter how much practice it takes - the funny thing is, once I started teaching myself the The Accolade and started breaking it down it didn't seem that difficult anymore, but the fast parts will take a novice like me, who is mainly a 4 day a week player, ages to get to that level.
Then after working on that song, going back to other songs that you thought were challenging, suddenly seem like easy peasy!
Then about a year and a half ago, I suddenly, out of the blue had a desire to play bass - don't know where it came from, it just happened.
I now have 3 basses and need/want about 3 more then MAYBE I'll be happy.....hehe....are we ever?
First bass Ibanez Gio GSR205, Second bass Ibanez SR605, third bass Cort B5.
There is, understandably a big difference between the SR the B5 and the Gio. The SR and B5 are very similar but not the Gio. But the Gio s not bad for the price.
The stock Bart Mk1 s in both the Ibby and the Cort are really not good - neither are the preamps, changed the Ibbys the Cort s next. The Gio actually sounded better than both of them, but now the SR rules.
Now, I LOVE playing bass, can't get enough I can play all weekend - no prob. It's very rewarding, the more u practice the better u get, like most things.
I've come across some real eye openers on utube - there's a girl playing teen town by Weather Report - I just sat there with my mouth open and realized I wasn't so good after all, haha , then there s a bloke doing a cover of Symphony X s The Accolade - more jaw dropping!!
Us humans have an inbuilt desire to just get better and better - the Symphony X cover is one of those moments, that's one song that I've set my sights on mastering no matter how much practice it takes - the funny thing is, once I started teaching myself the The Accolade and started breaking it down it didn't seem that difficult anymore, but the fast parts will take a novice like me, who is mainly a 4 day a week player, ages to get to that level.
Then after working on that song, going back to other songs that you thought were challenging, suddenly seem like easy peasy!
Autumn 1983, I was 19 then.
A friend, who had asked me earlier on, to do something (hitting cowbell & bottles + voices) on a recording for an art project, wanted to start a band.
He lived in a place with a huge medieval basement under it. And he was allowed to use it as a practicing space.
My only musical background then, was singing classical pieces in a church choir, and trying out my sisters piano now and then.
I also had a harmonica that I played on lost moments.
So I asked the guy what he was up to and what his ideas were about forming a band.
He played electrical guitar and his brother had donated a Boss DR55 rhythm box, anything else would be welcome.
Someone in the student's home where I was living at that time, had a Korg Mini 700 that tried a couple of times.
That's how I felt that playing the synth was a good idea.
The synth friend gave me some help with getting a 2nd hand Korg MS20 and the rehearsals started.
Around 3 weeks later the guitarist asked me to assist him with collecting some old band gear that an old housemate of him was going to donate.
The old hippie-ish flatmate had a couple old drums and a beaten up Cougar hollow body bass to give away.
He said he'd been listening in the street above the basement to our practicing a couple of times.
The bass was handed over to me, because he liked the basslines I played on my synthesizer.
That's how I got into playing bass.
A friend, who had asked me earlier on, to do something (hitting cowbell & bottles + voices) on a recording for an art project, wanted to start a band.
He lived in a place with a huge medieval basement under it. And he was allowed to use it as a practicing space.
My only musical background then, was singing classical pieces in a church choir, and trying out my sisters piano now and then.
I also had a harmonica that I played on lost moments.
So I asked the guy what he was up to and what his ideas were about forming a band.
He played electrical guitar and his brother had donated a Boss DR55 rhythm box, anything else would be welcome.
Someone in the student's home where I was living at that time, had a Korg Mini 700 that tried a couple of times.
That's how I felt that playing the synth was a good idea.
The synth friend gave me some help with getting a 2nd hand Korg MS20 and the rehearsals started.
Around 3 weeks later the guitarist asked me to assist him with collecting some old band gear that an old housemate of him was going to donate.
The old hippie-ish flatmate had a couple old drums and a beaten up Cougar hollow body bass to give away.
He said he'd been listening in the street above the basement to our practicing a couple of times.
The bass was handed over to me, because he liked the basslines I played on my synthesizer.
That's how I got into playing bass.
Cool stories. I went to music school since I was 9, and play keyboards my whole life. Until my late 30s, when I joined a band of other middle-aged men who needed other instruments than drums and their 3 guitars. Started off with my keys, but soon realized that the band needed a bass more than a keyboard, and thought to myself: it's not too late to learn something new. And from the moment I picked up my first used bass, it was love at first sight.
Heard White Room by Cream on the AM radio in 1968 when I was 12. The song blew me away but it took me 2 years to figure out that it was the bass that made an otherwise excellent tune great. So I picked up a MIJ short scale bass by Victoria at 14. Wish I still had that bass, just for nostalgia sake.
