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Why did you start playing bass?

#301
I would say the Bass chose me.

In my youth I played the Piano, Organ, Accordion and Flute.

After college I started playing the Harmonica and some finger style acoustic guitar.

Then a couple years ago, I'd been having some hand problems while playing the acoustic guitar; and on a whim, I tried an electric bass . . . I loved the sound, and it just felt right in my hands, and I've been hooked ever since.

I'm still a hack, and have a ways to go before I would ever describe myself a bass player: but I'm enjoying the playing, the practice, the lessons and the learning; can't ask for more than that right now, and if there is more to come, that will come when it is time as well.
 
#302
When I was a little kid I would always talk about the bass (double and electric) instead of the guitar. It always fascinated me, and when I wanted to learn an instrument, that immediately popped into my mind, and stayed their once I though of the positives, like the huge amount of open bass spots in bands these days.
 
#303
I wish I had some fantastic story about how I found a magic bass in an old cellar with a wise man recanting a tale, but the reason I started playing was simply because everyone was getting into the music thing, playing guitar, and I had a wad of extra cash on my hands.

I didn't want to play guitar, and I was pretty heavy into Queen (though I still am), so I chose the electric bass guitar.

It was actually after I started that I discovered all these wonderful bassists.
 
#304
Friend needed a bassist. I already knew how to read bass clef after playing trombone for a few years (and almost being good at it, almost) so I picked up bass.

It also occured to me very early that knowing how to read bass clef while in a rock band was probably the most useless thing ever ;) Glad I knew how to when I was subbing 4-5 times a month for laidback jazzy gigs though.
 
#306
My first instrumental love was percussion, and I still play in a local orchestra. I went to the university as a music education major with my performance areas being percussion and voice. As part of the curriculum, we were required to take teaching methods classes for all the the instrumental families. When I played strings, for my high string I chose viola, and then I chose bass my low string. I really enjoyed playing the bass, and my hands seem to fit naturally on the instrument.

About 10 years later (and 3 years ago), I was sitting at church when the preacher brought out a guitar and a bass and asked for volunteer musicians from the congregation. I had guitar experience, too, but I never got very good at it. Remembering my enjoyment of the bass, though, I volunteered to play that. It's been love ever since. Playing bass gives me such joy in ways I could never have predicted. I love being part of this brotherhood (and sisterhood). :)
 
#307
My friend was getting a guitar in 9th grade and I said I'd pick up a bass and we'd make a band. So I guess I chose to be a bassist. At the time I didn't even know exactly what my part was to do... (which led to a few extremely "interesting" bass lines until I started taking lessons. lol)

7 or so years later I'm still playing and still happy over the choice ::bassist::
 
#309
As an 8 year old kid I heard Kiss for the first time, and Gene Simmons was a bloody, firebreathing DEMON! Got my first bass a year later, and still play bass as my main instrument now at age 40. Thankfully my fascination with Gene dropped pretty fast as I actually learned to play, but he was the reason I started playing. God of Thunder, I salute thee ;-)
 
#310
After discovering Metallica, a friend of mine had some guitars at home so I asked him to teach me some of it and I started learning to play rythm. 2 weeks in I was over his house and "For Whom The Bell Tolls" by Metallica was playing, so I asked him to teach me. He shows me 2 power chords to play.

I have a go at him telling him not to patronise me, and show me "that high bit" as well, I want to learn it. He asks "what high bit"?. I restart the song and show him.

He laughs, says OK then takes the guitar off me!! He hands me a bass and says "You'll want one of these then". Then he took the pick off me, gave me a quick lesson on bass and the first time I slid down that E string to a ringing open E, I was hooked! :bassist::bassist::bassist:
 
#311
I had played guitar for a couple of years, and when selecting courses in high school I decided I wanted to play guitar in band. First day of band, I'm told there is no guitar part to be had :eek: But they did need a bass player ;) As soon as we started to play I know bass was for me and haven't played guitar very much since then.
 
#312
I chose bass? Bass chose me? Man, who knows. I did know at a very early age that I had to have music in my life, but when I heard Mel Schacher jammin' on GFR's Live Album (1970)... Ooooh man!!! I knew I wanted to do that!
 
#313
I'm actually a percussionist and all that......three years ago I had written out some songs and was showing them to my bonsai friend, who also happens to be a great bass player. He laughed and told me I wrote like a drummer...I got annoyed and said fine, how do I fix it? He said......learn another instrument. I said fine.....teach me bass :). Bit of arranging with working off lessons (lots and lots of weeding....), and I go home with his cheap bass.... no amp... no strap. Spend first few weeks just learning how to hold the thing, after a month realize I was going to stick with it. I get a phone call-hey we have this new bass you might like at the local music store. Still took about a year before I owned anything other than a practice amp though :).

BTW, if you're ever ampless and want to practice, you can (gently) rest your headstock against a closed door and it'll amplify the sound so you can hear yourself practice :). Was fun going around the house and leaning my headstock on cabinets and doors to see which was the best :).

Anyhow...... I play bass better than I play drumset, and since there aren't a lot of paying gigs for other types of percussion (marimba and such), bass is it :).
 
#314
I started out as a guitar player and was "OK." I played for about a decade but never really became awesome. Then I played drums to fill a slot in a band. Felt much more comfortable laying down a rhythm but missed guitars. Recently a bass slot opened in a band I really like. I auditioned, they took me on, and I've never felt so comfortable musically. It's a combination of the front line of guitar AND the rhythm of drums - the best of both worlds, really. I'm now a total bass addict.
 
#318
I've got my 7th Grade Music class to thank. When I was a bit younger, andliving in Florida, I wanted to be a combination of Jimmy Page and Allen Collins and therefore tried to learn to play guitar. I gave up after about 3/4 months and about 2 and a half chords...

When I moved to Switzerland, part of my curriculum was Music, and when time came to hand out instruments, I looked for a guitar in order to carry on what I'd done. However, the closest they had was a Stagg Jazz...

Two years after that I started to play properly, and have been for the last 2 years and 2 months.
 
#319
I picked Bass to play after not touching an instrument really in over 20 years (since high school) I played guitar then and felt bass was my true instrument to come back to. I always loved the look and sound of the bass so why not. Almost 10years latter I am happy and gigging.

The sad reality is today I know If I would of started back then with bass I would of been way more successful than guitar.For one I understand things on bass better and two I pressed guitar to hard..thought I had to be great to be in a band etc. With bass its natural for me and back then like today everyone needed a bass player.
 

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