The power, the pulse...something about that low end that caught my ear before I really knew what it was, I was probably 8 or 9. I was exposed to McCartney, Dee Murray, and Dave Hope, obviously before I knew who they where, and that changed my world.
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Why do you play bass ??
- Thread starter loie1987
- Start date
Almost same as OP - I started in 1987 when I was playing guitar and wanted to join a band. No local bands needed a guitarist, but there were three that needed bass. I played with one, loved it, and kept on keeping on. I still play guitar too, but I love the bass. 
I fell in love with the bass somewhere around 1974-75. I had taught myself guitar, just well enough to read chord diagrams and bang out simple songs. My parents asked me if I wanted to take guitar lessons and I jumped at the opportunity. I took lessons for about a year. My guitar teacher asked me if I wanted to try bass and I said "nah, it's too easy, just play roots and octaves." I was 14 ok? What did I know? I will admit it, I'm one of those that absolutely fell in love with Disco, and it was very bass driven. I continued to play guitar for several years, then I got married and put the guitar away. I was a pretty decent rhythm player and I noodled around every so often and was good enough to occasionally play in a local band doing small gigs. I met some people a few years later and I played once a month at the church we were attending. I enjoyed but I never really ENJOYED it. About 10 years ago, a friend of mine called me up and said that the bass player from his band was coming for a visit and the band was going to do a jam session at the drummers house and he invited me. After the jam session on the way home my buddy asked me, he said "Lou, you play guitar, why don't you buy a bass man? Learn how to play, even basic stuff, and maybe next year you can jam with me and the guys. I had just turned 52 and I ordered my very first bass a week later and I not only enjoy the bass, I LOVE it. It defines me and who I am as a musician. I have a lot to learn, I've come a long way baby! I'm self taught, and I get frustrated that I can't play what I hear in my head. My only regret? I wish I had listened to younger me, because even though I wanted to be the "cool guy" playing guitar, I would always zero in on the bass line. How do I feel about the bass? I'm not quitting until I just can't play any longer.
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The year was 2008. At that time, the Guitar Hero video games were very popular. I was a high school freshman who was going through a very hard time in life. Playing Guitar Hero after school helped me get through and showed me a bunch of music that I previously hadn't been exposed to. I was playing guitar and bass on expert level in the game, but I found the bass tracks to be easier than the guitar tracks. I thought to myself, "On bass, the next level after expert is the real thing." So I asked my parents for a bass for my 15th birthday in the spring of 2009.
My birthday came, and I received my 2008 Squier Jazz Bass along with a starter pack from Guitar Center. I still own and love this bass today. It's currently serving and thriving as my piccolo bass. You can hear it prominently on both my albums.
I stopped playing Guitar Hero (and later Beatles Rock Band) after I turned 16 because of a lack of time. I was too busy studying (I was a junior in high school at this point) and taking my first real bass lessons. Paul McCartney was the first bassist that really got my attention at this point in my young life.
I have now been playing bass for more than half my life and I have no intention to stop.
My birthday came, and I received my 2008 Squier Jazz Bass along with a starter pack from Guitar Center. I still own and love this bass today. It's currently serving and thriving as my piccolo bass. You can hear it prominently on both my albums.
I stopped playing Guitar Hero (and later Beatles Rock Band) after I turned 16 because of a lack of time. I was too busy studying (I was a junior in high school at this point) and taking my first real bass lessons. Paul McCartney was the first bassist that really got my attention at this point in my young life.
I have now been playing bass for more than half my life and I have no intention to stop.
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I got thrown into it in about 70. I was a guitar player in a band with 3 of us on guitar, and a bass player. Well, one night at a large venue the bass player was a no show. My best friend (BL) came up to me and said: Tom is a no show, bass is on you. What, no way! He said: "you can fake this better than Tom can play it". Well, Tom was fired the next morning and, I was it. Haven't put it down since.
Told this here before.
I grew up playing violin in youth orchestra and school. Teacher and dad both stressed practice and reading, etc.
One day in 7th grade an idiot friend said “we’re starting a band and you’re the bass player because it has 4 strings like your violin”. Can’t make that up. He handed me a junker bass and we proceeded to make infernal caterwaul. It’s also the first and last time I broke a bass string playing it. I went from punk to progressively broader styles and eventually made a living-ish as a musician in a touring original band and as a call player for a while. It’s been a great journey. All because some dumb friends made me do it.
I’ve had this Georgia violin solo medal on a bass strap since high school.
I grew up playing violin in youth orchestra and school. Teacher and dad both stressed practice and reading, etc.
One day in 7th grade an idiot friend said “we’re starting a band and you’re the bass player because it has 4 strings like your violin”. Can’t make that up. He handed me a junker bass and we proceeded to make infernal caterwaul. It’s also the first and last time I broke a bass string playing it. I went from punk to progressively broader styles and eventually made a living-ish as a musician in a touring original band and as a call player for a while. It’s been a great journey. All because some dumb friends made me do it.
I’ve had this Georgia violin solo medal on a bass strap since high school.
I've loced the bass since I first heard "Jingle Bell Rock" specifically the walkdown in the intro. I heard it when I was 6 years old in 1958 when my uncle gave myself and my brothers a record player and that record for Christmas.
However my parents started me on accordion lessons at the age of 9 in 1961. I enjoyed the bass buttons on the accordion, all 120 of them. I soon started teaching myself piano on the old upright my parents bought for my younger brother to play. He actually became very good classical player and eventually auditioned for a spot at Julliard at the urging of a somewhat famous composer/musician who would come to our school to hold Choral classes and work on the school play. I later added guitar and finally got around to bass. I actually started on bass because I realized I could play more often with more people on bass rather than guitar or accordion.
However my parents started me on accordion lessons at the age of 9 in 1961. I enjoyed the bass buttons on the accordion, all 120 of them. I soon started teaching myself piano on the old upright my parents bought for my younger brother to play. He actually became very good classical player and eventually auditioned for a spot at Julliard at the urging of a somewhat famous composer/musician who would come to our school to hold Choral classes and work on the school play. I later added guitar and finally got around to bass. I actually started on bass because I realized I could play more often with more people on bass rather than guitar or accordion.
I started in 1969 .
My older brother played guitar and he had guitars around in his bed room . He didn't mind me trying to play them so I would play one note melodies on them . One was a solid body Ric and the other a 12 string Greco . The 12 string was very cool , I learned the basic riff of Alices Restaurant on that .
So a friend at high school said they had a band and would I come over and give a listen . I'd been wanting to be in a band since seeing the Beatles on Ed Sullivan , so most of my teen years . I went and listened and thought they were okay . Roger was the bass player and a friend and asked me if I wanted to try his bass . I played a couple songs with them and Roger said I should get a bass and play with them instead of him .
My older brother had a friend that had a Conrad Beatle type bass I could get for $75 . I was working part time at a Dairy Queen after school but managed to get the money and get the bass . I learned a lot of music on that bass , it was decent to start on . I used my brothers Fender Bandmaster with the small 212 guitar cab as my 1st. bass rig . About all I can say about the sound was I could tell what notes I was playing with the band so it worked till I got a real bass amp , we were all in High school and very green .
Glad I started , it's been been the main thing in life I truly love to do .
My older brother played guitar and he had guitars around in his bed room . He didn't mind me trying to play them so I would play one note melodies on them . One was a solid body Ric and the other a 12 string Greco . The 12 string was very cool , I learned the basic riff of Alices Restaurant on that .
So a friend at high school said they had a band and would I come over and give a listen . I'd been wanting to be in a band since seeing the Beatles on Ed Sullivan , so most of my teen years . I went and listened and thought they were okay . Roger was the bass player and a friend and asked me if I wanted to try his bass . I played a couple songs with them and Roger said I should get a bass and play with them instead of him .
My older brother had a friend that had a Conrad Beatle type bass I could get for $75 . I was working part time at a Dairy Queen after school but managed to get the money and get the bass . I learned a lot of music on that bass , it was decent to start on . I used my brothers Fender Bandmaster with the small 212 guitar cab as my 1st. bass rig . About all I can say about the sound was I could tell what notes I was playing with the band so it worked till I got a real bass amp , we were all in High school and very green .
Glad I started , it's been been the main thing in life I truly love to do .
Not naturally talented but wanted to try because my friends bands needed bassists. My parents got me lessons in ‘93 and I’ve been at it ever since. Once I found my groove and started to discover all the fantastic bassists throughout history I was hooked. Once I got a hold of my first funk CD it was a wrap. Thank you Sly and the Family Stone!
Greetings from the North,
I liked the low notes because you could feel them and that bounce made you wanna dance. So when I splained that to my Mom she let me quit French Horn and low and beehold there was a Harmony 25 bass and a Realistic 15 inch combo amp under the Xmas tree. Years later I found out she had played Double Bass in high school while standing on a milk crate. Yup Mom understood
Rezdog
I liked the low notes because you could feel them and that bounce made you wanna dance. So when I splained that to my Mom she let me quit French Horn and low and beehold there was a Harmony 25 bass and a Realistic 15 inch combo amp under the Xmas tree. Years later I found out she had played Double Bass in high school while standing on a milk crate. Yup Mom understood
Rezdog
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I played rhythm guitar for almost 50 years starting in 1965 when I was 15 and was often told I should play bass because I have good feel and tempo, but I didn't want to be encumbered by a large electric bass guitar, forget a double/standup bass. Then in mid 2013 I took up ukulele, joined a uke group and never touched my guitars again.
A year later, the leader asked if anyone would like to take up the bass to fill in our sound. I discovered bass ukes/mini bass guitars and went for it. Bass uke became my primary instrument, with tenor uke and blues harmonica right behind. In the last ten years I've gone through 54, now down to 12 most comfortable for me to play with nerve damage to my neck spinal cord, with two more in the wings.
A year later, the leader asked if anyone would like to take up the bass to fill in our sound. I discovered bass ukes/mini bass guitars and went for it. Bass uke became my primary instrument, with tenor uke and blues harmonica right behind. In the last ten years I've gone through 54, now down to 12 most comfortable for me to play with nerve damage to my neck spinal cord, with two more in the wings.
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I have big hands + guitar strings are too thin & too many. Chords!?... What the £#@&? Hell No.
I like adding harmony.
The instrument picks you.
I like adding harmony.
The instrument picks you.
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I started as a drummer, first years of gigs were as a singing drummer.
I got tired of schlepping all the gear and at one point had to sell an expensive kit that I financed in a ridiculously irresponsible way. I had a bass that I merely tinkered with so I picked that up with a little more serious intent and found my place.
I believe my years of drumming gave me a great foundation in tempo/groove that I could apply to bass too.
And my general lack of charisma works well being the invisible instrument on stage.
I got tired of schlepping all the gear and at one point had to sell an expensive kit that I financed in a ridiculously irresponsible way. I had a bass that I merely tinkered with so I picked that up with a little more serious intent and found my place.
I believe my years of drumming gave me a great foundation in tempo/groove that I could apply to bass too.
And my general lack of charisma works well being the invisible instrument on stage.
It's the best instrument there is. I've played a bunch of others and there's no comparison.
I grew up in the Chicago suburbs listening to WLS top 40 music radio, which was a huge influence. My mom had a degree in music and taught. I tried piano lessons but soon quit.
Later lived on a farm in SW Iowa. My younger brother played guitar and his classmates would come over and jam. One of them, a leftie, bought a right handed Peavey T-40 and TNT-100 amp but never learned to play it. I started messing with it and ended up buying them. A few of us later played covers in bars for a couple years around 1984. I've played bass off and on every since.
I had my daughter take piano lessons for 7 years and she ended up playing upright in school. She still has her old Kay C-1 orchestra model upright.
Later lived on a farm in SW Iowa. My younger brother played guitar and his classmates would come over and jam. One of them, a leftie, bought a right handed Peavey T-40 and TNT-100 amp but never learned to play it. I started messing with it and ended up buying them. A few of us later played covers in bars for a couple years around 1984. I've played bass off and on every since.
I had my daughter take piano lessons for 7 years and she ended up playing upright in school. She still has her old Kay C-1 orchestra model upright.
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- Started on a friend's drum set; my parents refused to buy me a drum set.
- Switched to guitar because there was one in the house and everyone in the neighborhood played guitar so I could learn from them.
- Turns out I was a crappy guitarist so they all told me to switch to bass because they needed a bass player and nobody wanted to play bass. I am what people would refer to as a drummer's bassist. Best compliment I received from a guitarist friend whom I've known for decades: "When I played with you, I always knew where to come in after a solo and I always knew where the 1 was."
