Bass Guitar

[Benji]

I was just wondering, since I'm planning on learning, does anyone here play the bass guitar, how different is it to a regular? Easier? Harder? Similair?

Any tips too while we're at it?

[Guest elJoJo]

I play bass, but I can't play a normal guitar. But I'd say it's easier.

[Robsturgh]

Its not so much easier, its a differant instrument. Bass Guitar is as hard as you want it to be. Some songs have very basic Bass Lines. And some songs have Bass riffs and Solos of every variety within them. Bass is cool though, Im grabbing a new one in a few weeks time.

[Cactus Drags]

One of my uni tutors advised me that if I can't get my head round lead/rhythm guitar (which is true), then bass is the way to go. I might try it after Christmas when I've got some spare cash.

[Greg The Smooth]

I play bass, just not very well. Most of what I can play is simple jazz or blues.

[VerbalPuke]

This may not be true for everybody, but I've noticed that most people that can play guitar, can typically pick up a bass for the first time and play it coherently. On the other hand, a bass player might have some trouble with guitar, when playing guitar for the first time.

[Evil Chase K]

Bass for the most part is for people with bigger hands and bigger fingers. People who may not be able to grip a normal guitar properly would do well on the bass, assuming they have a sense of rhythm.

The bass' role in the music is to help establish and keep the rhythm of the song with the drums. Bass and drums have a VERY close relationship in that they need to fit together. Musicians call it the "pocket" if you plan on joining a band, the best thing to do as a bassist would be to work on fitting in perfectly with your drummer.

But if you wanna just play for fun...then that doesn't really matter and you can do what you want.

[fineintent]

I play guitar, and find it easy to play really simple bass. However trying to play slapping and popping funk rock (see Infectious Grooves or early RHCP for example) or jazz stuff it becomes a lot more complicated.

It takes a lot of talent to play properly - more respect to bassists.

[Fieldy]

I`ve been playing bass for about a year. i started by reading tabs by bands like Rage Against the Machine. Most of their famous songs are easy to pick up and play i.e Guerrilla Radio, People of the Sun.

Got this little baby for my birthday a few weeks ago. ...except in silver

RBX775

[Greg The Smooth]

I`ve been playing bass for about a year. i started by reading tabs by bands like Rage Against the Machine. Most of their famous songs are easy to pick up and play i.e Guerrilla Radio, People of the Sun.

Got this little baby for my birthday a few weeks ago. ...except in silver

RBX775

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[Evil Chase K]

I have a Jackson Kelly bass.

I'd show you a picture, but I've never seen a picture of a Kelly bass, just Kelly guitars.

[Guest Locutus of Borg]

Robster is right. It all depends on what you want to learn and what styles you want to play. A lot of punk is very simple to play, it's all about speed. Improv is a lot tougher to learn because it involves much more theory.

I've been playing for about 3 years myself, and am starting to get pretty good at improv. I can play a lot of different songs, though, in pretty much all styles.

And most guitar players are very able to pick up a bass and play it well because it is just a lower version of the E, A, D, and G strings on a guitar.

One bit of advice for you: Pick your nose, not your bass. Much more respect for bass players who use their fingers instead of picks. Sometimes, I do admit, you need a pick for a certain sound, but you can play guitar if you want to use a pick.

[Evil Chase K]

I play with my fingers since I was trained in classical string bass, the sound is much thicker than with a pick.

[Guest LegionCageFan]

I play guitar, Bass, and keyboard. Lets just forget the keyboard cause it doesnt come into play in this conversation. I play the guitar best as its what I learned on but I can easily do Bass, But when it comes to slapping I have problems. I dont have problems with popping though. I use my fingers to play bass and guitar 90% of the time but when I need a certain sound or I am going for speed I use a pick.

[Guest George]

Two days ago, I was writing a rant on this thread about how people understimate bass... but my PC lagged and I lost the rant. Please forgive my grammar and spelling errors.

Now I can't do it as quite... but I'll try

People who say that Bass is easier than Guitar are morons.

People who say that Bass is a step back from guitar are ass-clowns.

People who say that Guitar > Bass should be shot.

It is true that Guitar players are going to be able to pick up a bass much more faster than a Bassist can pick up a guitar. But that's because of technique. It's the same for picking up a violin, a cello or a mandolin. They are all string instruments, and when you have some sort of experience with any of them, you are going to be able to pick up another one with not so much difficulty.

1) Guitar only has three techniques. Picking it, tapping, and finger stroking.

Bass has picking it (You lose respect by picking though), finger stroking, popping, slapping (I love this technique), tapping.

2) When you start playing guitar, you feel like some needles just went trough your finger. Your fingers get red, and the mark of the strings is going to stay for some minutes. Next morning, your fingers will be sore.

When you start playing bass, you feel like your fingers just went through sand paper and some much thicker needles when through your fingers. You will feel like you are bleeding internally. You will feel like you made some working out (You fat-asses wouldn't know what that is, even if Richard Simmons was raping you from ba-hind ) with your fingers.

The situation may be different for anybody, but if you experience some sort of pains, the only way to get rid of it is by continue playing. Do not rest, or the pain will be kept for several days.

3) Do not play bass if you don't like Jazz/Funk. The most amazing bassist now-a-days have a huge influence on Jazz Scales and Funk Rhytms, whether they play rock/punk. If you are just influenced by things like 311, Red Hot Chili Peppers or RATM/Audioslave, you won't get the whole experience of the bass and what you are able to do with it.

4) Guitar isn't good for petite hands, ok for small hands, good for regular hands, great for regular-big hands, but after the 12 fret, not so great for people who have big hands. People with big hands are the ones that can play the 2nd fret with their index, and the 6th fret with their little finger at the same time.

Bass is pretty much impossible for Petite hands (Unless you play basic bass, like Pixies/Weezer), not good for small hands, ok for regular hands, good for regular-big hands, and great for big hands. People with big hands are the ones that can play the 1st fret with their index, and the 4th fret with their little finger with no problems.

5) If you play bass just because you think it's easier than guitar, you can go fuck yourself.

I feel like I'm missing something, but that's pretty much it. Get some Jaco Pastorius, Victor Wooten, Charles Mingus, Sean Malone, Bootsy Collins, Guns N' Roses, Rage Against the machine, 311, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Who, Metallica, Mudvayne and Dream Theater for some good bassists.

Try to play The Strokes' "Reptilia", which has a very basic bass which sounds good, is noticeable (sp?) song and it's easy.

And when you are able to play Blur's "Girls and Boys", I will love you forever.

Hope I helped.