I started playing the Baritone Horn (baby tuba) in 6th grade and fromt hat learned how to read bass clef. Also, Baritone came with some good parts as it was richer in sound than a trombone. Then I got asked to learn bass for a small worship band. Oh man, I sucked, but survived. Didn't play again for years after and I think it was listening to RHCP playing that got me interested again. Them and Evanescence. Now I love it. Still little more than a beginner since I have only recently begun earnest practice, but there is so much potential for bass it's mind boggling. Also, I like the idea of being the foundation so that the rest of the band may soar.
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Why did you take up bass??
- Thread starter bubinga5
- Start date
piano when very young, then my brother got an electric guitar. i played around with it for a while, making all kinds of noise, pretending i was jimi hendrix. then i heard "sailing the seas of cheese." i was like, "what's that instrument?" my brothers were like, "it's bass, mang!" i got really interested, started bugging my parents, got a bass for my birthday (13th, i think) and a small amp. started listening to rush, early genesis, vic wooten, jaco.... and so on. i got heavily into classical music (especially the crazyweird aleatoric 20th century stuff) and jazz, started on upright in 10th grade, kept on with that through university, now i'm back to electric mostly.
that being said, i've picked up many instruments along the way- drums and percussion, keys, oboe, tuba, sax, guitar, cello... anything that makes noise, y'know?
but bass has always been my true love.
that being said, i've picked up many instruments along the way- drums and percussion, keys, oboe, tuba, sax, guitar, cello... anything that makes noise, y'know?
but bass has always been my true love.
Been a singer and rythm guitarist for ages (actually since '78). My old band had petered out due to children, houses and generally changing priorities.
The drummer joined a new band that were to focus on playing covers of Sweet (brittish glam rock band from the 70-s) songs. They needed a bass player and a singer.
My brother - who was also in my old band - was asked if he would try the bass, and initially said yes.
I got invited as a singer and said "Hell, yeah!". When I was going to the first rehearsal, I was told my brother had chickened out. For some odd reason I had an Aria Pro II bass hanging on the wall, so I brought that along just for fun. I wasn't really expecting to play anything but the occasional root, but found to my complete astonishment that I played a passable bass immediately
, while the singing was decidedly rusty
(not helped, probably, by my constant looking at the fretboard).
This is half a year ago, and it's like the bass was lurking in the shadows, waiting for this opportunity to posess me. A month ago we had our first gig. Singing went really well, and bass playing too. I actually enjoyed tplaying he song the guitar player sang lead vocals on the most, because then I could totally rock out!
There's no looking back now, and I just got Todd Johnson's "Technique Builders" DVD. Just imagine: For thirty years, I never bothered to practice guitar, I just learned the chords and played. Now I'm totally devoted to learning this properly, and acually find my technique to be OK, even if there's a million things to improve.
Rune
The drummer joined a new band that were to focus on playing covers of Sweet (brittish glam rock band from the 70-s) songs. They needed a bass player and a singer.
My brother - who was also in my old band - was asked if he would try the bass, and initially said yes.
I got invited as a singer and said "Hell, yeah!". When I was going to the first rehearsal, I was told my brother had chickened out. For some odd reason I had an Aria Pro II bass hanging on the wall, so I brought that along just for fun. I wasn't really expecting to play anything but the occasional root, but found to my complete astonishment that I played a passable bass immediately
, while the singing was decidedly rusty (not helped, probably, by my constant looking at the fretboard).This is half a year ago, and it's like the bass was lurking in the shadows, waiting for this opportunity to posess me. A month ago we had our first gig. Singing went really well, and bass playing too. I actually enjoyed tplaying he song the guitar player sang lead vocals on the most, because then I could totally rock out!
There's no looking back now, and I just got Todd Johnson's "Technique Builders" DVD. Just imagine: For thirty years, I never bothered to practice guitar, I just learned the chords and played. Now I'm totally devoted to learning this properly, and acually find my technique to be OK, even if there's a million things to improve.
Rune
I've seen many threads like this, and my answer is... I have no idea ... (true stuff). One day I just had this weird idea that I wanted to start playing bass. I didn't even know who Victor Wooten was when I started ...
Did anyone else start bass with no insperation or anything?
Did anyone else start bass with no insperation or anything?
