Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Why do you play bass ??
- Thread starter loie1987
- Start date
*More call for bad bass players than bad guitarists.
*Younger women dig me...yeah, right.
*I enjoy the science & mechanics.
Riis
*Younger women dig me...yeah, right.
*I enjoy the science & mechanics.
Riis
I wanted to play the bass from the 1st time I heard music where I could actually hear and feel the bass. All the music I had heard came from sources that had little to no bass response. When I finally heard what the bass did for the sound of music, I was hooked. I've never thought of the bass as much of a solo instrument but as an essential support element of the overall sound. In this respect I'm definitely old school.
I also started out as a drummer in school. Bass seemed to be the most wonderful bridge between the world of percussion and the world of melody.
I can go bum bum badoinkadoink and make people nod and wiggle.
My dad told me when I was 16 that: " no kid of mine is going to play guitar". So of course I did the opposite of what he said! I started to play guitar at a friends house after football, baseball and basketball practice.
I got into a 6 piece band where I was a guitar player, one of 3. One night our bass player came up MIA. My best friend and guitar player handed me a bass and said, "your it for tonight". You can fake it better than ? can play it. The next morning our regular bass player was given the boot. That was it, played bass since 70, still am.
I got into a 6 piece band where I was a guitar player, one of 3. One night our bass player came up MIA. My best friend and guitar player handed me a bass and said, "your it for tonight". You can fake it better than ? can play it. The next morning our regular bass player was given the boot. That was it, played bass since 70, still am.
Smooth_bass88
vaxx!
- Oct 31, 2006
- 12,122
- 16,793
- Disclosures
- have been on nationally released albums, charting on the Billboard 200
I started on guitar but I had two friends who played. We decided to start a band, and I was the least experienced, so I took over the bass. I still play with those two guys almost fifty years later. How many people can say that?
The LOW end groove, yes, it is a glorious thing playing in a band situation, yep.
I've been playing bass as long as I've played guitar, early 70's. My buddy was learning bass, we were just about 13 yrs old.
I showed him bass lines to some songs, and it was such a cool feeling when I played his bass, 72' Rick,
...I was hooked, still play in a band, 1 band bass, 1 band guitar, it works just fine for me, love it.
I've been playing bass as long as I've played guitar, early 70's. My buddy was learning bass, we were just about 13 yrs old.
I showed him bass lines to some songs, and it was such a cool feeling when I played his bass, 72' Rick,
...I was hooked, still play in a band, 1 band bass, 1 band guitar, it works just fine for me, love it.
I've always been moved by bass lines in songs, but started playing guitar at a young age because it was more versatile. I could accompany myself or others singing, and had not real interest in playing in a band at that time. Many years later, I found myself in a situation where our church needed a bass player and I jumped on the opportunity. I won't say it's easier than guitar, but I'm a whole lot better bass player than I ever was guitar player.
When you tell people you play guitar, often a horrific guitar (with action like a bow and arrow) gets snagged out of the closet and the "play me something" whining starts. Never happens with bass.
Because it is easier than guitar.
Because there are only 4 strings.
Because I can get away with playing only the tonic notes and/or major or minor triads or better yet, the 1-5.
Because nobody else wants to play the bass.
Because I don't have to sing.
Because I get to stand in the back or way off to the right or left side.
Because of humility.
Because there are only 4 strings.
Because I can get away with playing only the tonic notes and/or major or minor triads or better yet, the 1-5.
Because nobody else wants to play the bass.
Because I don't have to sing.
Because I get to stand in the back or way off to the right or left side.
Because of humility.
I grew up in a difficult household. To cope, I played the piano along with jazz records starting at four. The piano was my refuge for all of my childhood. In Jr. high school I started playing baritone, and moved to tuba in HS. I played bass trombone in jazz band through college. I messed around with the guitar for awhile, but it never felt right. In 2016, on a whim, I ordered a fretless bass. I still remember hitting that first note. Ekta hjem (true home). I am on disability, and literally have played several hours a day for the last 7 years. Bass and music are my place I can go to no matter what and I always feel welcomed and better. I play out whenever I can, and perform solo shows for my wife frequently. I guess you could say playing bass didn't feel like a new adventure, it felt like a reunion. I'm all joy every single time I play.
Because playing bass poorly is less abrasive to the ears than poor guitar playing. I was never gonna be good at any instrument, so I figured I might as well pick the one that I was least terrible at. 
It's the instrument that can make or break a song.
My brother brought home the Grand Funk Railroad "Red Album" he started playing guitar (Mark Farner). But all I heard was Mel playing bass. The sound of his bass and his style. Then add in Dennis Dunaway (Alice Cooper) and Pat Daugherty (Black Oak Arkansas. I was hooked for life.
The musical role of the bass appealed to me from a young age and I’d never wanted to be a front man in a band. For some reason, in the sixties and seventies it was hard to find players who wanted to play bass. Because of that, and the fact that I preferred being a sideman, I got a lot of calls.
In middle school I tried drum lessons, but that didn't really go anywhere for a variety of reasons. In college, I started messing around on guitar, but soon after graduating things like grad school, getting married, and starting a family took up my time.
Years later I found my new boss played guitar and drums and started playing with him once in a while. I programmed drums and added gutiar tracks to what we we recorded, but we didn't have bass. So I bought a cheap one and found I liked it. That ended pretty quickly too because he took a new job and moved, so again I didn't do more than just mess around for a long time. It wasn't until my son got out of high school and I finally had some free time that I started taking bass lessons and found that I really liked it when I was in my late 40s. I finally hit the point where I was ready to and wanted to join a gigging band when I was almost 55 (I'm 58 now). Better late than never.
Maybe it's a case of the bass finally finding me?
Years later I found my new boss played guitar and drums and started playing with him once in a while. I programmed drums and added gutiar tracks to what we we recorded, but we didn't have bass. So I bought a cheap one and found I liked it. That ended pretty quickly too because he took a new job and moved, so again I didn't do more than just mess around for a long time. It wasn't until my son got out of high school and I finally had some free time that I started taking bass lessons and found that I really liked it when I was in my late 40s. I finally hit the point where I was ready to and wanted to join a gigging band when I was almost 55 (I'm 58 now). Better late than never.
Maybe it's a case of the bass finally finding me?
Last edited:
Of all the instruments I’ve ever tried, I had the best knack for bass, and everybody seems to have difficulty finding a competent bass player.
