janmaat Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Inspired by another thread (http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=122994&hl=) Some people have loads of basses and don't play in a band. For me, I played in a band first and only later got (my own) bass. Was wondering what is more common here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el borracho Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I was the singer but as we didn't have a bass player I played it until we could get one. 27 years later and I'm still waiting for that bass player to come along. And I haven't sung in over 20 years - probably just as well - my band career would have been a lot shorter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purpleblob Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 A little bit of both. I don't play in a band any longer (as I'm one of those in the thread you mention) but when myself and some mates at school started the band we just talked about it, bought the instruments and bob's yer uncle, we had a band. So technically the idea to form a band was first and instrument second but in reality the band never really existed until we all had instruments Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Very similar to 'purpleblob' - mates at school wanted to start a band, talked about it as two already had guitars so I bought a bass. Hence the band was born. It died pretty damned quick mind I stopped playing for 15 years so the bass came first this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Interesting - I'm not actually sure! I played bass for 3 years before I got in a proper band, playing its own songs & gigging, so I put bass first. But the reason I got a bass in the first place was because me & a bunch of underage schoolmates had a life-changing night, where we experienced live music & pints for the first time at the same time. As we staggered back home, we decided to start a band and decided who would play what. We never did actually try & play together, but two of us went on to play in gigging bands. Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 For me I got my first bass when I was 15, and didn`t do anything bandwise - apart from a couple of daft one-offs - until joining a band on bass at 21. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbayne Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I actually lied that I played the bass to get in to a band! I had no musical ability whatsoever! In fact, the only bassline that I knew was the intro to Pretty Green by The Jam, and even then had no clue as to what key it was in!! Still, it turned out the other guys were clueless 16 year olds too!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low End Bee Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I bought a bass to learn the rudimentary stuff on and then join a band. When I was happy that I could find A,D &E and tune the thing I sought others for world musical domination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I started on a few other instruments before getting a bass. When I was about 12 or 13 me & my best friend talked about starting a band & I was already playing keys & not long gotten a guitar that I only played basslines on so I decided to take up bass & he took up guitar. We've never played in a band together yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnyboy Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 2 guitar playing pals got together to strum some chords , another pal's dad had an ancient "drum kit" - snare & bass drum with hi-hat. " If you buy a bass Donny, we can form a band & get rockin'!! " £5 saved from my paper round & one short scale no-name bannana necked untunable bass later, we were ready to rock!!! Well, we already had long hair & flaired jeans. I seem to remember that in the absence of any amps we went through an old radoigram speaker . Once we managed to get some old beat up & cheap amplification( probably now much sought after), loud was important. Our attempts at some classic rock numbers were ,looking back probably laughable, but we were right into it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Started playing at school and the plan was always to gig as soon as possible. Even now when we put new things together, after a few rehersals/weeks you know if it is worth pursuing and a gig is booked as something to aim for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matski Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 It was the same old 'let's start a band!' chat with some mates at school that got me started. One bloke wanted to play guitar, another wanted to play the drums, so I picked the bass. I convinced my dad it was a brilliant idea for him to buy me a cheapo bass to learn on (Hondo Rickenfaker) - funnily enough the other 2 blokes are still yet to get their instruments sorted and get together for a jam (after 30 years.....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 [quote name='matski' post='1127252' date='Feb 14 2011, 04:30 PM']It was the same old 'let's start a band!' chat with some mates at school that got me started. One bloke wanted to play guitar, another wanted to play the drums, so I picked the bass. I convinced my dad it was a brilliant idea for him to buy me a cheapo bass to learn on (Hondo Rickenfaker) - funnily enough the other 2 blokes are still yet to get their instruments sorted and get together for a jam (after 30 years.....)[/quote] Love it... my mates never got out of the bedroom as far as I know. I recall a LOT of talk about doing this and that though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamPodmore Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I started on a bass at about age 11/12 (Can't remember exactly when, but close to my 12th birthday), joined a band about 4 months later, then quit that band after a year to join the band i am in now. Best move i made, nearly 3 years later and i know i made the right choice. Liam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mog Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Bass first for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heathy Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Started a band at school without any musical knowledge. Eventually got a bass to prevent myself from being kicked out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blademan_98 Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I started playing bass last year as certain songs in our acoustic set needed more oomph! Nights in White Satin springs to mind....... I brought the fretless for that song I have now sold most of my guitars and I am taking bass lessons. Isn't life strange........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 A little bit of both for me too but the bass came first...in order to get into a band Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Vincent Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 1978,16 years old,mate of mine I went to school with said "Spike,I'm forming a band,buy a bass". So I did.Band came to nothing,I'm still playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amnesia Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 A friend bought a guitar, so I bought a bass. I walked into the shop, pointed at a shiny black one and said "I'll take that one". It was an Aria Pro Magna II. I got a few lessons and then joined a band about 5 rehearsals before their first gig. It's all been downhill from there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owen_87 Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Close one for me, I think I had my bass for a month when I joined my first band Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisba Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 I used to watch a few friends play at an acoustic jam session in a local pub. I fancied joining in, but didn't play anything. Thought bass looked easier to play than guitar, so bought one and taught myself. Now play with them in their 'proper' band too, as their bass player left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 I was initially a guitard, then when a bunch of us formed a band at university we had two and a half guitarists (multitalented singer who could also play guitar and keyboard) so I took on the bass role, and after a brief period of doing it by playing on the bottom strings of the guitar, bought the bits of a Hayman 40/40 and put it together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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