Drums first, then vocals, then bass, and working on learning guitar. I am a much better drummer than bassist, but I currently play bass (and sing) much more than I drum.
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Who fell into bass?
- Thread starter jnuts1
- Start date
Was playing guitar - for some thirty something years - then some projects needed a bass player, could not find one so I took the job. Still playing the guitar but i'm having more fun on bass.
I started out as a lead singer. The bands I was in kept losing bass players, for whatever reason. Figured I could kill two birds with one stone by singing and playing bass. As soon as I touched the bass, that was it! It took a lot of work to learn how to do both naturally; still not perfect, but enjoy it and haven't looked back.
I didn’t start playing bass until I was in the USMC. Some Marines had a little jam band thing going on, but nobody played bass. I had one that someone had given me, and offered it up. They suggested I learn instead. Someone played me “Cliff ‘Em All” and I was sold.
Been playing 25 years or so now (you’d think I would be a lot better)
Upright bass was a little different. I had stopped playing in metal bands and was bored. One night I went out to this bar in Chicago called Schubas to see Lee Rocker (2002 maybe?). The rockabilly scene was SO different from metal; everyone was smiling and super friendly. When Lee came on I noticed he had the same Ampeg setup as I had, but sounded like a P bass on steroids. After the show, another guy I had just met that night introduced me to Lee as a bass player and he encouraged me to get one. At the time he was playing a silver sparkle King Doublebass, so I took out a loan and bought my Roadking in ‘03. I didn’t start taking it seriously until about 2011 for a multitude of reasons, but now most of my gigs are on upright.
Been playing 25 years or so now (you’d think I would be a lot better)
Upright bass was a little different. I had stopped playing in metal bands and was bored. One night I went out to this bar in Chicago called Schubas to see Lee Rocker (2002 maybe?). The rockabilly scene was SO different from metal; everyone was smiling and super friendly. When Lee came on I noticed he had the same Ampeg setup as I had, but sounded like a P bass on steroids. After the show, another guy I had just met that night introduced me to Lee as a bass player and he encouraged me to get one. At the time he was playing a silver sparkle King Doublebass, so I took out a loan and bought my Roadking in ‘03. I didn’t start taking it seriously until about 2011 for a multitude of reasons, but now most of my gigs are on upright.
I was a keyboard player for the first 15 years of my gigging career. I was in a good band that lost its bassist and couldn’t find a replacement. I played keyboard bass for a gig or two and then decided to buy a bass. 30 years later bass is all I do.
As a kid, I was trained in classical piano all of my school years, was up for a scholarship in piano to North Texas, but I'd had enough by then. The classical music world is very rigidly inflexible (though maybe not as bad now as then), and it had gotten quite old, that attitude. I simply didn't care if I was moved by Rachmaninoff or Roll Over Beethoven, and this could be quite a knock on you, and as I say, I got tired of it over the years. This was in the mid 60's to the mid 70's: There was LOTS of music on the radio that WASN'T made by guys who'd been dead for several hundred years, so off I went.
Plus I always heard bass. I was married to a wonderful woman, raised in Southern Gospel, who could hear all four vocal parts and teach them to you instantly. Me, I just heard bass. Organ pedals, string bass, you name it, and it was the itch I had to scratch (not piano), and that was that.
Plus I always heard bass. I was married to a wonderful woman, raised in Southern Gospel, who could hear all four vocal parts and teach them to you instantly. Me, I just heard bass. Organ pedals, string bass, you name it, and it was the itch I had to scratch (not piano), and that was that.
Started on Trumpet while in elementary school at 12. That took off and I played trumpet in various ensembles throughout my entire school career, through college. Jazz, concert, marching... Anything.
After college, I had literally no musical outlets, and that simply couldn't be. So I saved up a bit and got a little help from mom to buy my first bass and combo amp (Warwick RB Corvette + Fender Rumble 8). I jumped in and started learning by ear to the best of my ability, and the rest is history.
Such a complete change from trumpet... Melody vs rhythm, solo/lead vs groove, brasswind vs strings, forefront vs background, etc etc. That fact only made learning the instrument more fun and interesting to me. After gigging for a while and eventually ending that, I've slowed down pretty drastically. But I doubt I'll ever completely stop
. I truly love this instrument.
After college, I had literally no musical outlets, and that simply couldn't be. So I saved up a bit and got a little help from mom to buy my first bass and combo amp (Warwick RB Corvette + Fender Rumble 8). I jumped in and started learning by ear to the best of my ability, and the rest is history.
Such a complete change from trumpet... Melody vs rhythm, solo/lead vs groove, brasswind vs strings, forefront vs background, etc etc. That fact only made learning the instrument more fun and interesting to me. After gigging for a while and eventually ending that, I've slowed down pretty drastically. But I doubt I'll ever completely stop
. I truly love this instrument.Kind of a combination of the choices. In high school some friends wanted to start a band and so I bought a guitar, I didn't even know what bass was. Our band just had two guitars and a drummer. Then the other guitarist decided we needed a bass so he and I both put our money together to buy one. I immediately loved it. We would switch back and forth playing guitar or bass depending who wrote the song. But as he was the singer and I liked playing the bass I eventually went out and bought my own bass and amp and took it over full time. I would never consider playing guitar in a band now, in fact just a couple weeks back I sold my guitar.
When I looked at the voting choices, it was a little of a toss up...but I went with started on guitar and fell in love with the bass. Actually, when I was 15 I played guitar, with a bunch of friends, in a garage band...4 guitars and a drummer. I wasn't hearing the bass lines being played....so, I turned up my amp and played the bass lines on my guitar. One of the guitarists said "hey, if you're gonna play the bass part, you should get a bass". So, I traded in my Aria guitar for an Aria beatle bass, at a Mom and Pop shop, the next day. I haven't looked back since.
I wanted to play guitar like most 14 year olds. I played trumpet prior to that. Honestly I was interested in drums. Parents shot that down.
There was no bass player in my group of future touring rock stars and I was encouraged to play bass.
Which I did.
My parents never once complained about the “noise”. I really appreciate that and never forget it. Brings a smile to my face when I remember that they were , and still are , nothing but encouraging. I’m now 53.
There was no bass player in my group of future touring rock stars and I was encouraged to play bass.
Which I did.
My parents never once complained about the “noise”. I really appreciate that and never forget it. Brings a smile to my face when I remember that they were , and still are , nothing but encouraging. I’m now 53.
I fell into the pocket of big bass on a sunny June day in 1997 when there was a band with a Peavey t40 bass and no bass player.
My son played bass clarinet. Was actually quite good. Got a music scholarship, but turned it down to pursue a specific IT degree / career.
He did get the girl though while playing bass clarinet , still together.
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I started on drums. Because my brother was playing guitar, our parents were making us take music lessons, and I wanted to do a different instrument. I picked up the guitar anyway, because it was in the house.
Some years later I had gotten decent on both instruments. I was in a couple bands as a drummer, and occasionally jammed with folks as a guitarist. Then one day, a band I’d been jamming with had a gig and the bassist couldn’t make the gig. They were desperate, and I said Ok I’ll try. And it went pretty well! No major clunkers, good time-lock with the drummer.
As a child I wanted to be a drummer like 2 of my cousins, but I ended up as a guitar player like my dad.
Since my main musical influences growing up was progressive rock, guys like Chris Squire, Geddy Lee, Mike Rutherford, Patrick Djivas, John Wetton, Jeffrey Hammond and many others attracted my attention.
I realized I always was into bands with a solid rhythm section...
I pretty much always had at least one bass to play around, but never really seriously as a dedicated bass player.
I recently added a nice 4 stringer to my harem so I can once in a while relieve my bassy itching
Since my main musical influences growing up was progressive rock, guys like Chris Squire, Geddy Lee, Mike Rutherford, Patrick Djivas, John Wetton, Jeffrey Hammond and many others attracted my attention.
I realized I always was into bands with a solid rhythm section...
I pretty much always had at least one bass to play around, but never really seriously as a dedicated bass player.
I recently added a nice 4 stringer to my harem so I can once in a while relieve my bassy itching
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Started on drums but they're noisy and sometimes hard to get to practice on the real drums, which can be a bit disheartening.... therefore, I switched to bass, which I can practice on with headphones too.... I think it is important to be able to practice on the instrument itself (not only practice pads etc) because of the minute yet important differences it can make..... however, a few weeks ago i bought a guitar as i am trying to learn pick style and i thought might as well learn 'picking' on the guitar and learn a few chords in the meantime..... however, bass comes first..... 
Swing a dead cat and you can hit a dozen guitarists. Stand next to a bass and you can get a gig.
Am 67, started on drums at 11 or 12, when the Beatles hit. Learned to strum guitar from a very patient neighbor who played old big-band standards. Didn’t do much with either instrument, sold the drums after I got married to raise some cash, had all kinds of cheap guitars come and go over the years. Got accepted for a guitar spot on a church team. Pastor asked me if I would be willing to take up the bass, as there was only one bass player. Got a Peavey Fury and a practice amp. Changed churches a couple of times but didn’t play. Took up the bass again when the current player moved to Florida. That church closed. New church needed a drummer and possible bass player. Have done both there, but now just bass.
