why play bass

[Drifter8230]

Right after hearing the intro to "Until It Sleeps" by Metallica I asked what instrument makes the low notes. That was it, and here I am

I have a sweet Gibson SG that I bought for fun, but I've never had any desire to be a guitar player in a band.

 

[iiipopes]

I found out really, really early, that guitar players are a dime a dozen, and if I wanted a gig, then play bass and do it well. In almost 45 years of playing bass since junior high school regional university band camp, I have never been without a gig when I wanted one.

 

[Obese Chess]

I wanted to start a garage band in middle school. My best friends were a drummer and a guitarist.

 

[Ric5]

In 1967 my brother and his friend started a band ... guitar and drums, they needed a bass player, so they asked me if I wanted to play bass. I said yes ... and what is a bass?

my first bass was a guitar with fat flatwound strings and the high b and e missing.

well many years later I have 15 basses and many years of playing under my belt ...

also I always liked the low noted on a piano ... that also led to my love for the 5 string bass.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I think most of us, as kids, when we first become aware of music, dreamed of being a rock star. But, not just a rock star, the guitar playing front man and BL.

This site is full of talented professional musicians, intermediate players and beginners. But we all share a love of playing Bass.
I am curious as to when and why each of you determined, or discovered that Bass was the instrument for you. What was the draw that lead you to play bass?

For me, I was hyperactive, and drawn to playing drums, which I did for many years. so when I decided to expand to a new instrument Bass was the natural choice, after so long sharing the rhythm between the drums and the bass.

I play drums and bass. I never really liked guitar, and can't sing. I never had those dreams

 

[coy garcia]

Played trumpet for many yrs in school... heard my first Rush tune in high school and wanted to know what the low end was all about...never looked back.

 

[Rib 13]

My older brother bought a bass and told me not to touch it, which is just putting up a red flag for younger brother to go get it...........

 

[74hc]

I've told myself many reasons over the years, but it is mostly about self-therapy on why I play the bass.

 

[bumperbass]

We are the butter of the finest sauces made by the finest chefs around the world.

 

[Chrisk-K]

This is the 500th thread on this particular topic.

 

[chuck1073]

Because Flounder and Cod are harder to tune.

 

[SnoopDrogieDrog]

I went to a Rush concert at saw Geddy Lee. Got arrested on the way home after the concert. It was worth it.

 

[bherman]

Not sure I remember why I switched to bass at around age 11 or 12. Before that I played piano, then saxophone, then guitar.

 

[glocke1]

I think most of us, as kids, when we first become aware of music, dreamed of being a rock star. But, not just a rock star, the guitar playing front man and BL.

This site is full of talented professional musicians, intermediate players and beginners. But we all share a love of playing Bass.
I am curious as to when and why each of you determined, or discovered that Bass was the instrument for you. What was the draw that lead you to play bass?

For me, I was hyperactive, and drawn to playing drums, which I did for many years. so when I decided to expand to a new instrument Bass was the natural choice, after so long sharing the rhythm between the drums and the bass.

As a 12-13 year old around 1979-1980 and finding Led Zep 1 in my brothers album stash and hearing JPJ playing Dazed and Confused and How many more times. I thought the bass was the coolest sounding instrument on the album, a few years later I discovered John Mayall and that solidified that thought.

For whatever reason I am just simply drawn to the bass on most recordings, I think its an amazing sounding instrument.

 

[dkelley]

Fame, Fortune and girls.

Been playing bass for 38 years.

I'll let you know how long it takes to get all 3 of those benefits when it happens to me properly.

I've experienced a tiny bit of each, but they so far have always been a one at a time thing, and only fleeting....

 

[Erich Bruning]

I played piano and keyboards at a young age. Then I hit my teens, and wanted to play music with friends. At that time (mid 80's), we were getting into acts like Iron Maiden, Metallica, Ozzy, Black Sabbath, Slayer, etc...

Nobody wanted keys in their band. I was never the lead guitar type, and had always liked the bass. My Uncle was a professional bassist, which may have influenced my decision. He set me up with my first bass and amp. My musical tastes have changed a bit, but I've stuck with bass ever since. I just enjoy it most.

Though, I do wish I had kept up with piano.

 

[Warpeg]

For me, when I listen to music, I like the Groove. That's the part of the song that I feel deep down inside. It's the overall tone and emotion of the song. The melody and solos are the decoration on top that adds color and excitement. But the Groove is the core.

I like making the groove with the bass, and then enjoying what my fellow musicians can do with everything else. I don't have the dedication to learn to be a good soloist. And I don't really want to be one. I like making the bottom structure that everyone else builds on.

This is perfect.

 

[Ross W. Lovell]

I think most of us, as kids, when we first become aware of music, dreamed of being a rock star. But, not just a rock star, the guitar playing front man and BL.

This site is full of talented professional musicians, intermediate players and beginners. But we all share a love of playing Bass.
I am curious as to when and why each of you determined, or discovered that Bass was the instrument for you. What was the draw that lead you to play bass?

For me, I was hyperactive, and drawn to playing drums, which I did for many years. so when I decided to expand to a new instrument Bass was the natural choice, after so long sharing the rhythm between the drums and the bass.

Guitar is my first love.

When I was recording ideas that eventually might turn into tunes.......I needed bass and I wasn't willing to bother a bass player laying down something that I might end up changing.

Bass part, when done right, in my mind, is a part that weaves in and out of the melody along with being interesting to listen to on its own.

The bass player I've been playing with for 35 years............has told me I can hold my own. She's biased, I took lessons from her. Still it's high praise.

I still get nervous playing bass though.

 

[sabre79]

I had a friend that played guitar. I had a friend that played drums. The rest is history.

 

[thabassmon]

I like the sound of bass, influence on the feel and driving the groove. I like that it's a young instrument with a short history that has a lot of room for exploration and development.

As for the guitar playing, frontman bandleader, I do play guitar, I am often the bandleader and sometimes the frontman. But for me that role is so so very played out, there's absolutely no appeal to me at all to fulfill, when I do it, I do it just to get a project moving ahead.