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Why bass over guitar?
- Thread starter Softballcrew31
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- honest opinion
… because of the way it feels in my hands, and the way it sits in my head.... (sorry for getting too ethereal)
I believe it depends on how you experience the music. I heard the bass right away in bands like the Beatles, Creedance Clearwater Revival, etc; and so that was my motivation. I just heard the bass driving the songs. That’s what I wanted to do. It was a great decision. I did learn to play campfire guitar along the way, and that’s cool. But, Bass is my game.
Be honest with what your ears and heart are telling you. Good luck!
One day I said, ok bucko, I'll switch from guitar to bass, so I can see you shine on the podium, with the most solid back beat ever accompaning you
Geddy lee is my inspiration, along with Ryan M. from Mudvayne.
They proved that Bass can do more than hold down the low end, it can add a dynamic that adds so much energy to the music.
I can't stand using picks, and I dislike the cramping of chords along with short necks- I just never could feel comfortable with a guitar.
With bass, you feel more connected to it, thick strings, using your fingers and thumb, making fast, long movements to navigate the fretboard you can feel the bass rumble against your body when you lay down some riffs.
There is more emphasis on single notes, and with complex songs, you essentially become the lead bass.
With that said I leave with two compelling examples why I chose bass. (neither are me playing)
They proved that Bass can do more than hold down the low end, it can add a dynamic that adds so much energy to the music.
I can't stand using picks, and I dislike the cramping of chords along with short necks- I just never could feel comfortable with a guitar.
With bass, you feel more connected to it, thick strings, using your fingers and thumb, making fast, long movements to navigate the fretboard you can feel the bass rumble against your body when you lay down some riffs.
There is more emphasis on single notes, and with complex songs, you essentially become the lead bass.
With that said I leave with two compelling examples why I chose bass. (neither are me playing)
?????
i didnt know I had to make a choice!
My club rig would be the above bass with an A/B pedal splitting the signal to the above 80 watt amp for solos and a Mark Bass for the low end.
The gig would be me and a piano player and sax, maybe drums for a weekend restaurant gig. Low volume.
My club rig would be the above bass with an A/B pedal splitting the signal to the above 80 watt amp for solos and a Mark Bass for the low end.
The gig would be me and a piano player and sax, maybe drums for a weekend restaurant gig. Low volume.
I started playing guitar when I was 13. At 23, I bought a bass. At 36, I actually started playing bass in a band. At 42, I'm on the precipice of actually being a bassist instead of a guitarist playing bass.
I love playing guitar. I definitely have my own voice and I've pulled from a ton of influences. On bass, I've been rediscovering my influences. But I also know what to practice and where my deficiencies lay. Where on guitar, there was a lot of exploration. Don't get me wrong, I love playing bass now. But I don't have the same history with the instrument.
Because I don't have that history, I'm not chasing tone on bass. I know what I want to sound like and I have equipment decent enough to get me there. At some point, I might find I like completely different stuff, but I'm pretty happy where I'm at.
Overall, I agree with the sentiment that you should start on bass and see where it takes you. You'll probably pick up a guitar at some point anyway. Regardless of what you choose, don't get caught up in not learning something because it's cool or "that guy can't read music so I don't need to" or anything that prevents you from learning. Learn everything you can, find your voice on the instrument, and learn how to write for it. And record everything.
I love playing guitar. I definitely have my own voice and I've pulled from a ton of influences. On bass, I've been rediscovering my influences. But I also know what to practice and where my deficiencies lay. Where on guitar, there was a lot of exploration. Don't get me wrong, I love playing bass now. But I don't have the same history with the instrument.
Because I don't have that history, I'm not chasing tone on bass. I know what I want to sound like and I have equipment decent enough to get me there. At some point, I might find I like completely different stuff, but I'm pretty happy where I'm at.
Overall, I agree with the sentiment that you should start on bass and see where it takes you. You'll probably pick up a guitar at some point anyway. Regardless of what you choose, don't get caught up in not learning something because it's cool or "that guy can't read music so I don't need to" or anything that prevents you from learning. Learn everything you can, find your voice on the instrument, and learn how to write for it. And record everything.
Whatever instrument you decide on, a knowledge of chords and harmony will enhance and contribute to your playing immensely. Guitar or piano, preferably piano even if you choose bass, is a good idea.
At the age of 11 I applied for a violin course at my school to eventually join the chamber orchestra the school ran at that time. Music teacher looked at me, said: “Show me your hands, you’re gonna play bass” Well that’s been it I guess. Learned Cello later on, but have been thinking bass since then. Self-thought guitar basics but no ambition to go further on egg slicers. Apart from that, hands are too big, obviously.
I took piano as a child and played bass in the high school jazz band. But then I picked up a guitar to take to college. It didn’t really go anywhere, though, and by the time I was out of school and working I hadn’t played anything seriously for several years.
One day at work, our IT guy came to me and said he heard I was musician. He had been having a drummer and another guitar player (who also worked at the same place) at his house for a couple months. They had been working on some songs, they needed someone to play bass, and would I be interested?
Two months after that we played 10 songs at a dance marathon at Penn State University in front of 3,000 exhausted kids. A few months after that we started a year-long residency at an local bar’s open mic. That band stayed together for 8 years.
I guess the point is that I never planned to be a bass player. It was basically an accident, a twist of fate. And I have played rhythm guitar and shared lead vocals in another band since. I still play both but sometimes wonder if I would have developed faster if I had committed more fully to one or the other.
Playing bass is the fastest path to a band, for sure. It’s an always-on role, and it can be incredibly satisfying when you’re bringing the heavy or presiding over a bouncing dance floor. Playing guitar is more self-contained, less dependent on other musicians, since you can always strum and sing to yourself. Learning one complements and broadens the other, but try to commit at some point. Don’t be like me, eternally split between the two.
I started on drums, played them to a high degree of skill, also play piano, and trumpet..but my band in HS needed a bass player so I picked that up..I fooled around with guitar since I was a kid on my sisters sears sivertone guitar..but my hands are not big and fingers not really long so playing chords was always hard for me especially the barre chords and ones where you need a pretty big stretch. However I found that I could get around the bass very well..started out learning stuff like deep purple, Led Zep, Judas p..and then rush moving pictures came out and that really cemented my love for bass..I think that somehow there is some sort of connection between drums and bass..similar in a lot of ways. I still play guitar and a lot better than when I was younger probably because over the years playing bass my hands have become stronger..sadly though I cannot solo or shred or any other guitar acrobatics which is fine by me..I am content to hold down the bottom end and let others get the glory..
as a young kid I used to go to my grandparents house a lot and my grandfather was big into hifi stereo equipment..back in the early 70s. He had a stereo that had a booming bass. I guess that thinking back, I always loved motown music and most likely because it is so bass driven..I always have loved the sound of big bass..So in the end it was probably always inside of me...just took a weird route to get there...
as a young kid I used to go to my grandparents house a lot and my grandfather was big into hifi stereo equipment..back in the early 70s. He had a stereo that had a booming bass. I guess that thinking back, I always loved motown music and most likely because it is so bass driven..I always have loved the sound of big bass..So in the end it was probably always inside of me...just took a weird route to get there...
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I play both and currently mostly play bass. I really dig the low end and rhythm. Pick the one that moves you and go for it! You can always learn the other one later.
I played piano as a kid and always favored music with lots of left hand action. When the school band years came up I was told trombone would be my friend. It was and I love the sounds down low.
At some of my first concerts seeing popular bands I felt bass that made my balls tingle and I was sold. It’s a feeling for me. There’s heart and soul down low. It makes you move even if you’re just sitting still. There’s a richness and complexity that I miss when music doesn’t include much down low, a texture if you will.
I never got around to learning or buying a bass until my father-in-law passed away and left me one. He had been a bassist for decades in various local bands. That was a few years ago, in my mid forties. I’ve done little because of “life” being insanely hectic and the fact some of my time is taken by trying to learn a new language. But it is where my heart is and focus has always been.
At some of my first concerts seeing popular bands I felt bass that made my balls tingle and I was sold. It’s a feeling for me. There’s heart and soul down low. It makes you move even if you’re just sitting still. There’s a richness and complexity that I miss when music doesn’t include much down low, a texture if you will.
I never got around to learning or buying a bass until my father-in-law passed away and left me one. He had been a bassist for decades in various local bands. That was a few years ago, in my mid forties. I’ve done little because of “life” being insanely hectic and the fact some of my time is taken by trying to learn a new language. But it is where my heart is and focus has always been.
