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Why did you choose to play bass?
- Thread starter dinoplasty
- Start date
The bass chose me......
When I was 13 (in 1975), my parents bought me a cheap electric guitar and amp. I was playing french horn in band and doing well, so they knew I had music in me. I thanked them, and immediately started playing, but I kept playing the bass parts. I went to my dad and said, "I really appreciate the guitar, but I think I am a bass player." He took me to the store, and we traded the guitar for a cheap bass, and I've been playing ever since.
I took the cheesy bass we got in the trade (short scale, with flowers on the pickguard!) and started learning songs. I learned "Working Man" by Rush, but couldn't figure out why Geddy's bass went lower than mine. I went to the store and told them that my bass didn't go as low as the guys on the records I was learning, and he told me that my bass was tuned A-D-G-C! I had no idea I was playing in the wrong tuning.....
When I was 13 (in 1975), my parents bought me a cheap electric guitar and amp. I was playing french horn in band and doing well, so they knew I had music in me. I thanked them, and immediately started playing, but I kept playing the bass parts. I went to my dad and said, "I really appreciate the guitar, but I think I am a bass player." He took me to the store, and we traded the guitar for a cheap bass, and I've been playing ever since.
I took the cheesy bass we got in the trade (short scale, with flowers on the pickguard!) and started learning songs. I learned "Working Man" by Rush, but couldn't figure out why Geddy's bass went lower than mine. I went to the store and told them that my bass didn't go as low as the guys on the records I was learning, and he told me that my bass was tuned A-D-G-C! I had no idea I was playing in the wrong tuning.....
Because it's easier than guitar.
That, and I've always had an affinity to the bass part of music. It may have started when I was very young ... maybe five or six ... and my parents would go to the Bostonia Ballroom, and Smokey Rogers' band was playing. I remember that guy standing up there, acting all cool, and playing those low notes.
Ultimately I would end up playing tuba in high school and college bands, and singing bass in various choral groups in college. I played stand-up bass in a folk trio in high school. So bass guitar was a natural progression for me, even though I didn't start until I was 27 (34 years ago).
That, and I've always had an affinity to the bass part of music. It may have started when I was very young ... maybe five or six ... and my parents would go to the Bostonia Ballroom, and Smokey Rogers' band was playing. I remember that guy standing up there, acting all cool, and playing those low notes.
Ultimately I would end up playing tuba in high school and college bands, and singing bass in various choral groups in college. I played stand-up bass in a folk trio in high school. So bass guitar was a natural progression for me, even though I didn't start until I was 27 (34 years ago).
i'm not sure about guitar being easier than bass music-wise, but psychologically i agree. mainly because the audience generally has higher expectations for the guitarist. just about anyone in a bar can name a few guitarists, and as soon you step on stage with a guitar in your hands, you're being compared to all of them. surprisingly, very few (or so it seems) outside of the musician circle know of great bass players that have created new techniques and sounds. if you aren't playing a show at a music festival or something like that, the bassist will probably only get attention by stage presence, standing on a floor monitor and slapping, or worse case scenario, making a mistake in timing.
I started out playing guitar, and in my first band I played lead and held on to the lead vocal spot.
I quit playing for about 6 years, and when I got back into music the sound of Victor Wooten lulled me to the bass. There is just something about hearing Amazing Grace performed by Vic that gets me.
Long story short, I picked up the bass and never looked back. I prefer the bottom end of things. I would rather sit in a dark corner and thump out the grooves than stand in the spotlight and sweat.
I quit playing for about 6 years, and when I got back into music the sound of Victor Wooten lulled me to the bass. There is just something about hearing Amazing Grace performed by Vic that gets me.
Long story short, I picked up the bass and never looked back. I prefer the bottom end of things. I would rather sit in a dark corner and thump out the grooves than stand in the spotlight and sweat.
Speak for yourself "ugly",past history and current wife would disagree.
Im going with Ugly here, not once has a chick said "wow your a bass player, that so hot"
I actually had a mildly "CUTE" chubby girl once actually loooooooose interest in me when she found out i played bass and didnt sing in the band. before that i was swatting her away lol.
^ Here's a little context......
Trust me man,girls may not flock to you if you play bass ,but you'll do better than tuba players..................
Pal of my dad's had a bass. he used to play guitar but his band needed a bass player so he bought one. He sold it to my dad who gave it to me. Joe told me that i would get a lot more work as a bass player and that it was easier than guitar.
He was right.
He was right.
Originally a percussionist....... wanted to write songs. Friend said I wrote too rhythmically and needed to learn a melodic instrument. Said friend is awesome bass player so immediate lesson bargaining started.......
Now when asked what I play.....first thing I say is bass
. Course, I still like to beat on things
Now when asked what I play.....first thing I say is bass
. Course, I still like to beat on things Pal of my dad's had a bass. he used to play guitar but his band needed a bass player so he bought one. He sold it to my dad who gave it to me. Joe told me that i would get a lot more work as a bass player and that it was easier than guitar.
He was right.
haha, i'm almost starting to feel bad for guitarists.
hey well i play both (although i have let my gp skills slip). Right out of the gate it was easier to get work, get invited to a jam etc if you played bass (and had a bass and an amp).
Back in the early 70's, I used to look at the Sears catalogue and dream of getting an electric guitar. The $89 ones looked good, but the $129 ones looked better. I could only dream.
My brother played drums. One day in 72, my grandmother saw a local ad in a paper for a set of Ludwigs selling for $200. She checked them out and bought them.
The couple selling the gear asked if she would be interested in buying an electric bass. She asked how much. They said $300 and showed it to her. She said it was too much and that she wouldn't give them more than $150 for it. They took it.
My brother and I got the news that she scored drums and a guitar and we were both excited. She lived far away and we waited for 3 months to see the goods. When she showed up, this guitar only had four strings. I thanked and hugged her and put it under my bed for a year.
One day, my brothers friend showed up to jam and brought his Hagstrom bass and an amp. I told him that I too had a bass. He asked to see it. I opened the case and his eyes went wide as he said, "You have a Fender Precision", and you don't play it?"
1969 sunburst Fender Precision for $150.
The rest is history.
My brother played drums. One day in 72, my grandmother saw a local ad in a paper for a set of Ludwigs selling for $200. She checked them out and bought them.
The couple selling the gear asked if she would be interested in buying an electric bass. She asked how much. They said $300 and showed it to her. She said it was too much and that she wouldn't give them more than $150 for it. They took it.
My brother and I got the news that she scored drums and a guitar and we were both excited. She lived far away and we waited for 3 months to see the goods. When she showed up, this guitar only had four strings. I thanked and hugged her and put it under my bed for a year.
One day, my brothers friend showed up to jam and brought his Hagstrom bass and an amp. I told him that I too had a bass. He asked to see it. I opened the case and his eyes went wide as he said, "You have a Fender Precision", and you don't play it?"
1969 sunburst Fender Precision for $150.
The rest is history.
That's the line I used to use!!.
I played Baritone/Euphonium in the school band and as I got older I was "pushed" into playing Tuba. I wasn't too happy at the time but I went from being one of quite a few Euphonium players to just about the only "kid" Tuba player around. I was playing with all kinds of amateur bands and orchestras (some of which I even got paid for).
When I was around 14/15 and my friends started playing guitars and drums - I noticed there weren't so many many Bass Guitarists out there and, as I had an affinity for Bass, I took up the Bass Guitar.
Turns out I met far more chicks playing Tuba that I did playing Bass Guitar - Youth Orchestras and Wind Bands are 70% + girls!! but it did wonders for my credibility at school (well I thought so anyway!!).
statistically this survey is a little too small to be meaningful, but i'm seeing a definite trend here.......
guys who thought bass was cool first........not so much
guys who played it because everybody else was already playing the guitar or drums, because it seemed simple, or just plain by accident.........almost everyone else
guys who thought bass was cool first........not so much
guys who played it because everybody else was already playing the guitar or drums, because it seemed simple, or just plain by accident.........almost everyone else
One of my high school's band played a concert one day and all the bassist looked really cool , so much that all the girls were digging that one "who played the guitar that was larger than that of the other guys".
That was it, I had to become a bass player.
And Pino's sound in No Parlez.
That was it, I had to become a bass player.
And Pino's sound in No Parlez.
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