thank you.
i like to listen to jazz, electropop/pop(New order, pet shop boys, prefab sprout), some electronic (kraftwerk) etc.
i'm not into rock music, but i believe some musics/styles i like are suited for the bass, no?
It's just a vague atempt to increase my self-esteem and feeling well with myself, but managing to be able to do something good.
i like to listen to jazz, electropop/pop(New order, pet shop boys, prefab sprout), some electronic (kraftwerk) etc.
i'm not into rock music, but i believe some musics/styles i like are suited for the bass, no?
It's just a vague atempt to increase my self-esteem and feeling well with myself, but managing to be able to do something good.
I don't know much but I have heard that to play the bass poorly isn't that hard. Otherwise:
If you discover that you have this, you will be loved by other band members. Usually it takes some work
My suggestion is to find someone to give you lessons, that not only keeps you from wasting time, but gives you a structure so that you are forced to practice each week in anticipation of the lesson.
Good luck!
If you discover that you have this, you will be loved by other band members. Usually it takes some work
My suggestion is to find someone to give you lessons, that not only keeps you from wasting time, but gives you a structure so that you are forced to practice each week in anticipation of the lesson.
Good luck!
hi Simpleton ...
i m playin bass bout 3 years ...
i never tried to electric guitar , & i can t tell u wich one is easier ...
but i think if u want to be an average bassist , it s maybe easier to play bass than an electric guitar w some hard and high speed solos on it ...
BUT !!! if u want to play bass as a real bassist ,, better to hear some bass playin from some real bassist ( like Billy Sheehan , Stuart Hamn , or Jaco ... ) then u ll soon find out the things they r playin is impossible to belive ! ( & impossible to play !!! ) ... & i think it so harder than any solo on guitar ...
cuz the spaces between the frets are so much more than an electric guitar & u have to stretch ur fingers more & they should be enough strong & u have to play the hard bass strings tooooooo fast w ur right hand s fingers !!!
unfortanately most of the bassist are in average ... i don call them bassist , cuz when u look at their playin , they do nothin just playin some very easy riffs or melodies , i think u can play them all in bout 1 year !!!.. but just take a look at one the bass solos on Billy Sheehan site .. ( www.billysheehan.com ) ...
it s my favorite Billy Sheehan s bass solo : http://www.billysheehan.com/audio/Billy Sheehan - Bass Solo 2.mp3
do u belive he s doin all this w his fingers ?
i m playin bass bout 3 years ...
i never tried to electric guitar , & i can t tell u wich one is easier ...
but i think if u want to be an average bassist , it s maybe easier to play bass than an electric guitar w some hard and high speed solos on it ...
BUT !!! if u want to play bass as a real bassist ,, better to hear some bass playin from some real bassist ( like Billy Sheehan , Stuart Hamn , or Jaco ... ) then u ll soon find out the things they r playin is impossible to belive ! ( & impossible to play !!! ) ... & i think it so harder than any solo on guitar ...
cuz the spaces between the frets are so much more than an electric guitar & u have to stretch ur fingers more & they should be enough strong & u have to play the hard bass strings tooooooo fast w ur right hand s fingers !!!
unfortanately most of the bassist are in average ... i don call them bassist , cuz when u look at their playin , they do nothin just playin some very easy riffs or melodies , i think u can play them all in bout 1 year !!!.. but just take a look at one the bass solos on Billy Sheehan site .. ( www.billysheehan.com ) ...
it s my favorite Billy Sheehan s bass solo : http://www.billysheehan.com/audio/Billy Sheehan - Bass Solo 2.mp3do u belive he s doin all this w his fingers ?
First of all get a teacher. Not someone who identifies themselves as a guitarist or some other instrument-ist, but someone who is a bassist first and foremost and is willing to work with a beginner.
Second, get a decent bass; there are lots of really good budget instruments out there such as the SX/Essex lines and have it set up properly for intonation and action.
Third, practice, practice, practice
Fourth, don't listen to players like Vic Wooten and think "I'll never be able to play that". Do it because it's fun.
It's easy to play simple root note bass lines for lots of stuff, about the same as it is for a lot of 3 chord guitar lines. But the good stuff is hard and very different from that.
To know if the bass is for you, I think it has to be the instrument you listen for first, along with the drums. Also listen to something like 'Miller Time' from Victor Wooten's Live In America. If you can listen to it repeatedly and be amazed by what they're playing, then the bass is likely the instrument for you.
"..ya can't hold no groove, if ya don't got no pocket...."
Second, get a decent bass; there are lots of really good budget instruments out there such as the SX/Essex lines and have it set up properly for intonation and action.
Third, practice, practice, practice
Fourth, don't listen to players like Vic Wooten and think "I'll never be able to play that". Do it because it's fun.
It's easy to play simple root note bass lines for lots of stuff, about the same as it is for a lot of 3 chord guitar lines. But the good stuff is hard and very different from that.
To know if the bass is for you, I think it has to be the instrument you listen for first, along with the drums. Also listen to something like 'Miller Time' from Victor Wooten's Live In America. If you can listen to it repeatedly and be amazed by what they're playing, then the bass is likely the instrument for you.
"..ya can't hold no groove, if ya don't got no pocket...."
either instrument will take you about the same effort to make some noise that sounds sort of like music. To get good at either usually requires lessons, although software and on line lessons are some help.
I chose bass initially because I have very large fingers and cannot fret many chords without interfering with an adjacent string. Not to mention I love the feel of a funky bass line. Funny, now that I have been beating up my bass for a few years I can almost play G*$%ar riffs - chords are still a problem. I remember seeing Leslie West (of Mountain fame) when I was a kid. To put it kindly, he is a big man. He taped his fretting hand fingers into smaller tips, so guitar can be played with fat fingers if you are dedicated enough.
Although fans of Jaco and other virtuoso players may argue, bass guitar usually has a supporting role. This is not to say you should never take a solo, but timing and feel for the rythm is the key to good bass playing for most bands. Since te instrument is a supporting one, you'll have more fun with it if you find people to support - get yourself into a band or find friends to jam with. Playing G#$%ar alone is more fun, solo bass tends to pull you towards riffing when you probably should be working on timing.
That's my 2 cents.
I chose bass initially because I have very large fingers and cannot fret many chords without interfering with an adjacent string. Not to mention I love the feel of a funky bass line. Funny, now that I have been beating up my bass for a few years I can almost play G*$%ar riffs - chords are still a problem. I remember seeing Leslie West (of Mountain fame) when I was a kid. To put it kindly, he is a big man. He taped his fretting hand fingers into smaller tips, so guitar can be played with fat fingers if you are dedicated enough.
Although fans of Jaco and other virtuoso players may argue, bass guitar usually has a supporting role. This is not to say you should never take a solo, but timing and feel for the rythm is the key to good bass playing for most bands. Since te instrument is a supporting one, you'll have more fun with it if you find people to support - get yourself into a band or find friends to jam with. Playing G#$%ar alone is more fun, solo bass tends to pull you towards riffing when you probably should be working on timing.
That's my 2 cents.
Leslie West had the advantage of writing the songs so that he never needed more than 2 fingers to play the guitar solos.
Bass isn't that hard to play competently (I learned a bit by playing along with some old Jethro Tull records) but is terrifically difficult to play well. And I'd say the same about guitar, but with a guitar, you don't need a band.
Bass isn't that hard to play competently (I learned a bit by playing along with some old Jethro Tull records) but is terrifically difficult to play well. And I'd say the same about guitar, but with a guitar, you don't need a band.
BobEllis said:
Same here. I started playing guitar when I was in high school. however it was tough with my short fat fingers. Then I picked up a bass about a year ago. That was fun. I could actually play it
I'm not going to say a bass is easier to play/learn. You basically have to learn the same things, however a guitarists will tend to learn to play chords and a bassist will tend to play appegios. Same thing, just one is a stretched out chord
So a bassist still has to learn chords, justone note at a time rather than all at once for the most part. When a bassist does play a chord I haven't seen too many times where it wasn't just a 2 or 3 note chord.However, it is easier for a bassist to quickly jam with others. Just playing the root note of a chord in time with the drummer is enough to start jamming. It's learning to put style on top of that where the difficulty lies.
Sorta. You can solo with a bass, see Greddy Lee or Flea
Just a bass is better suited as being the soul and rythm of a song than the melody. As Benny Reitveld said in an interview, the purpose of a bassists [and drummer] is to set the mood and blend in with the music, not to stand out. Think, how would motown sound without those killer bass lines One is not easier, each is just different. Learn a few guitar chords or pick out a few bass lines, neither one is rocket surgery. But as was said above, it is a lot of work to learn ANY instrument and play well.
Your level of talent is also a factor. I have been playing guitar for 40 years, and I can do a lot of things, but one thing I have discovered over the years is that I have nothing to say with the instrument, I have no real talent. MY talent lies elsewhere. I start playing and the same old bluesy crap comes out. I enjoy playing a lot, but no one else will be interested in the result. Your mileage may vary.
Also hinted at above is the fundamental difference in roles between the two. The bass is generally part of the rhythm section. You are playing with the drummer.
No matter what you decide to play, it will take lots of practice to accomplish anything. Lessons are a good idea, and not really very expensive. What lessons do over learning by yourself is give you some structure. The teacher knows what you have to learn, you do not. You might develop the bad habit of not using all your fingers for example, but the teacher is hip to that and wil make sure you do.
Of course if you like polka music, you can play the bass line in about ten minutes.
Your level of talent is also a factor. I have been playing guitar for 40 years, and I can do a lot of things, but one thing I have discovered over the years is that I have nothing to say with the instrument, I have no real talent. MY talent lies elsewhere. I start playing and the same old bluesy crap comes out. I enjoy playing a lot, but no one else will be interested in the result. Your mileage may vary.
Also hinted at above is the fundamental difference in roles between the two. The bass is generally part of the rhythm section. You are playing with the drummer.
No matter what you decide to play, it will take lots of practice to accomplish anything. Lessons are a good idea, and not really very expensive. What lessons do over learning by yourself is give you some structure. The teacher knows what you have to learn, you do not. You might develop the bad habit of not using all your fingers for example, but the teacher is hip to that and wil make sure you do.
Of course if you like polka music, you can play the bass line in about ten minutes.
A few days ago I took an electric bass into my hands and it felt just great. The feel, the sound, the thick strings... And then I decided I want to play that instrument
Now I do posess some musical knowledge and have an understanding of what a harmony or musical key is. But I have never played any of stringed instruments, only piano and blues/chromatic harp.
I'm not too good at rhythm but I suppose that can be changed (just as I developed my musical ear). And I'm not too fascinated by the band idea. I do have a few friends to jam with but that's it. Most of my effort will be dedicated to play for fun.
What do you guys think, should I start learning to play the bass guitar? Could it be mixed with harp?
Thanks in advance and sorry for my bad english
Now I do posess some musical knowledge and have an understanding of what a harmony or musical key is. But I have never played any of stringed instruments, only piano and blues/chromatic harp.
I'm not too good at rhythm but I suppose that can be changed (just as I developed my musical ear). And I'm not too fascinated by the band idea. I do have a few friends to jam with but that's it. Most of my effort will be dedicated to play for fun.
What do you guys think, should I start learning to play the bass guitar? Could it be mixed with harp?
Thanks in advance and sorry for my bad english
For rythm training, a metronome is your friend. There are some who advocate and some who demonize metronomes, but it worked for me. When I started playing bass, I made Steve Martin's rythm trying to dance with his family in "The Jerk" look good. I certainly don't have perfect time, but good enough for having fun.
I also found that recording my playing along with the metronome track helped me learn to recognize when I am slipping off time.
Jamming with friends is a great way to get improve your playing - and have fun, too.
I also found that recording my playing along with the metronome track helped me learn to recognize when I am slipping off time.
Jamming with friends is a great way to get improve your playing - and have fun, too.
After playing bass and guitar for nearly 40 years, both professionally and for fun, I really enjoy playing bass more than guitar when playing with a group. While the bass usually isn’t thought of as a “glory” instrument like the guitar, the bass and drums together make or break a band, in my humble opinion.
I don’t think one is necessarily “easier” than the other, both require a commitment to practice. Mastering an instrument is just like any other worthwhile endeavor. It takes time and work, but the enjoyment of playing well is worth the effort, and something you will never regret.
I don’t think one is necessarily “easier” than the other, both require a commitment to practice. Mastering an instrument is just like any other worthwhile endeavor. It takes time and work, but the enjoyment of playing well is worth the effort, and something you will never regret.
I think the "easier" part is in that one can pick up a bass and do something basic with somewhat less effort than getting to somewhat basic on a guitar. One can do a 1-4-5 just thumping on the root and accompany a lot of things. One finger. Guitar requires one to learn to finger chords and do other things with more than one finger. Guitar strings are harder on soft inexperienced fingers than bass strings. Well, electric bass strings anyway.
of course that is at the utterly basic level of the novice. To become skilled at any instrument is not "easy." And ther is a lot more to it than just working the guitar. One also has to have something to say with the instrument to get beyond the kid with an axe level.
In my own sad case, over forty years of working the guitar, I have realized that I have no talent and nothing to say with the instrument. takes nothing from my enjoyment of playing, but I will never be "good" at it. My talents lie elsewhere.
of course that is at the utterly basic level of the novice. To become skilled at any instrument is not "easy." And ther is a lot more to it than just working the guitar. One also has to have something to say with the instrument to get beyond the kid with an axe level.
In my own sad case, over forty years of working the guitar, I have realized that I have no talent and nothing to say with the instrument. takes nothing from my enjoyment of playing, but I will never be "good" at it. My talents lie elsewhere.
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