• 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.

Worries about my bass playing

sg101

sg101

Oct 7, 2014
84
19
Washington
#1
I've started learning guitar on the side, to get a feel for it and to help me understand the absolute importance of bass guitar in bands. However, with the contours and overall size of a guitar, it is much smaller compared to a bass, and requires significantly less stretching to reach certain notes. My worry is, since I'm dedicated more of my time to learn guitar rather than sticking to bass like I normally do, I'm worried my skill on the bass will slowly "diminish", because I'd be more accustomed to a guitar due to spending more time with it. Is this something I should worry about? Should I squeeze in more bass time?
 
#3
sg101 said:
I've started learning guitar on the side, to get a feel for it and to help me understand the absolute importance of bass guitar in bands.
Click to expand...

IMO there is no better way to master the bass and to understand it's importance in bands.....than to play the bass. ;)

From your post, it is hard to discern which instrument you really wish to play. If indeed it is the bass, then I'd concentrate on that.
The more time spent with the instrument of your choice, the more progress you will make in becoming adept on it. Nothing wrong with playing some guitar also. It is a matter of sorting out where your priorities lie. :)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Jools4001 and static0verdrive
#4
sg101 said:
I've started learning guitar on the side, to get a feel for it and to help me understand the absolute importance of bass guitar in bands. However, with the contours and overall size of a guitar, it is much smaller compared to a bass, and requires significantly less stretching to reach certain notes. My worry is, since I'm dedicated more of my time to learn guitar rather than sticking to bass like I normally do, I'm worried my skill on the bass will slowly "diminish", because I'd be more accustomed to a guitar due to spending more time with it. Is this something I should worry about? Should I squeeze in more bass time?
Click to expand...
Don't worry about it. I go back and forth between guitar, electric bass guitar (with different scales lengths), acoustic bass guitar (still more scales) and upright bass. Often in the same gig. The only thing that might hurt you is if you ignore the bass for too long, neglecting to practice at all.
 
#5
I enjoy playing both bass and rhythm 6 string guitar. I play rhythm guitar in a Country band, and have been with that band for over 15 years. I then play bass at church on Wednesday and two services on Sunday.

Why? I like the people in both bands and enjoy playing with them. If you enjoy both instruments play both. Course you do have to carve out practice time for both.
 
#7
I find that when I dabble in guitar for a bit and get used to the tight spacing that switching back to bass is amazing. At first you have to adapt to a wider spread in your fingers, but fretting is like target shooting vs hitting the broad side of a barn. Just keep bouncing back and forth so you don't get too comfortable on either one.
 
#8
Hi there... I am both guitar/bass player, and I play both at the same time :) with my Warr Guitar!
Crazy stuff apart, I have several tricks I learned in the guitar that apply in my bass playing, such as sweeping strings, jumping notes when soloing, tapping, hammer-ons, arpegiating chords with my plucking hand. None of these appear "natural" when you just learn bass, but when you develop your technique in an "easier to do this on" instrument. I believe that this will definitively increase your musical vocabulary and open your mind about the possible uses of both instruments (slapping, playing harmonics are things you can bring to your guitar playing)
If I could I would learn some piano and definitively how to play the trumpet... doesn't get any cooler than this after the bass.
 
#9
Just spend time with both instruments every day. You won't lose anything on bass. I think it's important for bassists to learn a little bit of a chordal instrument like guitar or piano. When I was young bassist learning guitar helped my musicianship a lot. From a technical stand point you won't lose anything as long as you keep up practice.
 
  • Like
Reactions: static0verdrive
#10
My instructor made it very clear: You should NOT be stretching on bass - move the hand to keep the whole thing somewhat relaxed. The tension (stress) repeated leads to Repetitive Stress Injury. They are very different beasts and learning both can only help, because your technique should be different enough from one to the other that it should not worsen one to improve on the other.

Anyone can show you some guitar chords. Scales (and chords) you can find online. Get a bass teacher, preferably one who teaches both upright and electric. You'll learn technique that simply does not apply to guitar at all.
 
#11
sg101 said:
I've started learning guitar on the side, to get a feel for it and to help me understand the absolute importance of bass guitar in bands. However, with the contours and overall size of a guitar, it is much smaller compared to a bass, and requires significantly less stretching to reach certain notes. My worry is, since I'm dedicated more of my time to learn guitar rather than sticking to bass like I normally do, I'm worried my skill on the bass will slowly "diminish", because I'd be more accustomed to a guitar due to spending more time with it. Is this something I should worry about? Should I squeeze in more bass time?
Click to expand...
I can't say how your hands will react--but I've never had any issues going back & forth between bass & guitar--or guitars or basses with different scales.
And I've spent time more on one than the other--and when I go back to the one I've been neglecting, it's not a big deal.

I can't say your hands will be the same or not.
But there is no harm in keeping up with each one.
 
#14
Play both. It can't hurt, and will only help your bass playing.
Play lots of both and don't ignore your bass for days on end.

Remember though, it takes a lot of time to become proficient on a guitar. Most "strummers" can get through a basic three chord song, but fall short when asked to go beyond that. Many never progress beyond that phase to become good "rhythm" guitarists.

I won't even discuss the "lead" :rolleyes: types.
 
#15
I feel that playing guitar can only help your bass playing. I spent quite a few years focusing exclusively on bass, fearing that if I divided my attention between guitar and bass I would become the proverbial, "jack of all trades, master of none". Wrong! Playing guitar helped me learn a great deal more about chord construction & voicing, and more importantly, what all the various chords sound like. My ear improved substantially and my bass playing improved in ways that it might not have had I not learned guitar. These days I play gigs on both electric and upright bass as well as guitar. I don't see any way that it has hurt me. Another side benefit is that I get more calls for gigs -- four offers for Valentine's Day this year. The trick is you do have to make sure you put time in on both instruments. I've found that most of what I learn on any instrument transfers in some way to the others.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Robus, static0verdrive and zontar
#16
I wouldn't worry about it in the slightest. Learning additional instruments will only improve your musicianship and your versatility. I play both guitar and bass pretty much every day of the week. I'm sure I'm not alone on this board. Thinking of taking up drums next.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back