We all ended up playing the bass...

[Bilbo]

I was thinking earlier about why I play the bass and not other instruments. I was thinking back to when I started and concluded that I wanted to play music and, in the absence of any other advice or inout from supportive parents or teachers etc, the bass was the one that I could make sense of and afford. My point is that I wanted to be involved in music not in bass playing. If I lost the ability to play bass, I woudl still be driven to find a way to play music. FOr me, its always been the music that matters. not the instrument.

[chaypup]

I started on trumpet and then French horn, but bass I chose later because I loved the sound, if bass didn't exist I'd go drums or back to brass, guitar has never appealed to me though.

BASS IS ACE!

[fatboyslimfast]

For me, having tried other instruments (keys, guitar), the bass is the only instrument I've "clicked" with - the only one that I can't wait to get back onto, learn and play - the others always seemed like a chore to learn.

[nomis]

immaturely i just wanted to find something i could rock out on and wasnt too hard to play my dad gave me a really old beat up bass it didnt have a name on it so i gave it a go

i used to listen to a lot of punk and my favourite bands were root note warriors so i picked it up really easy and could play the entire ''smash'' album by the offspring in no time!

for a long time of being in punk bands and not really caring about my instrument just rocking out i began to become bored and wanted to get more out it, so i learned some theory and technique (radically changed the way i played) and then i began to just enjoy playing regardless of being in a band or not

i love my bass

[risingson]

I think I would have ended up committing to whatever instrument I took up, but I was asked to join a band at aged 12, a friend of mine was getting a guitar and the other was getting drums, so I got asked if I wanted to buy a bass and play with them. That was that really!

[4000]

I never intended to play the bass. Growing up loving Jazz I first wanted to be a drummer, but my older brother had already tried to get my parents to get him a drum kit with no success, so I figured that was out. Then a friend bought a cheap guitar, I saw Thin Lizzy, and that was it. Unfortunately I had zero dosh; my dad (a jazz musician) said I'd get more work as a bassist (how wrong he was!) so if I went for bass he'd help me get a quality instrument, which he did. It's his fault.

Despite possible appearances to the contrary, I'm not really precious about bass at all. I'm fascinated by the instrument as a physical object - a piece of art if you will - and interested in the tones that it can produce and all the more techy stuff, but in many ways I'd still far sooner play guitar (which I do, just not as well - yet) or keys (bloody awful on those, only used for writing). I'd be just as happy playing much anything else, although I've never much enjoyed playing wind instruments. Really for me it's all about the writing, not the playing. The time was when I used to practice 6 hours a day; it never helped me write a better song so I can't say I bother much now. If I played like Guigsy but had written The Man With the Child In His Eyes (although they'd be questionable lyrics if I'd written them!) I'd be quite happy. In fact if I didn't play at all but had written that I'd still be quite happy.

[bobbass4k]

Started on trumpet and violin in school, but then I got into rock and wanted to play that. There were no bassists at my school just dozens of guitarists and i've always liked been the odd one out, so I took up bass. I actually wanted to take up drums too but as soon as I said the word drums to my mum she just said no. So bass it was and 8 years later I'm still loving, I play guitar and drums now too but bass will always be first.

[thisnameistaken]

I deliberately picked bass because someone pointed out that all my favourite songs had prominent bass parts, but I would've been happy playing drums, and with home studios being how they are I'm sure I could find ways to keep myself jolly if I couldn't play bass any more.

[NJW]

Used to play punk tunes on a guitar with my best mate who is a drummer as school kids.

Then another mate came along and we wanted to form a band. He was a better guitarist than me, so I was nominated to play the bass. 13 years later I'm still going!

[JTUK]

2 of my friends started to play and I fancied it as well. They were much more advanced than me so I took parts they didn't play...but at the same time I was attracted to the low notes.
I joined a function band at 16 and and joined another bigger better unit at 17. As far as I know my friends never ever got out of the bedroom.

I think I would have made a decent fist at drums and keys... the gtr itself never really appealed once I got started

[Ancient Mariner]

I started playing bass - the tuba!

I'd really wanted to play French horn, but got the 2 mixed up when I was asked by the school which instrument I'd like to learn, and by the time I realised it was too late. Played in a Boys Brigade band from 11 until I was about 19. Around 16 I started playing guitar, and had a brief flirtation with bass before sticking with 6 strings. I picked up bass again around 18 months ago when I wasn't playing guitar much for various reasons, and now happily play both badly.

[jamesbass116]

Started playing bass 5 years ago when I was 13.
I had been playing french horn for 5 years previously and decided that I wanted to learn either guitar or bass just for fun. Didn't really want to take it seriously. Asked some guitar friends at school and they all recommended I play bass (...didn't want any competition clearly! ). Bought my first bass, a Squier affinity P-bass and a little practice amp... 5 years, 5 basses and 3 amps later I'm still playing and am Studying bass performance at ICMP next year!

...Oh and I still play horn! 10 years and counting...

Also, great idea thinking up this thread! I find it really interesting knowing why fellow basschatters wanted to take up bass!

James

[Spike Vincent]

More than a few Brass players..I started playing trumpet,then Bb cornet,then the Sex Pistols happened and brass bands lost their appeal. I never had any interest in instruments other than Bass,although I have been known to dabble with synths from time to time.

[Pete Academy]

I started to play my older brother's acoustic guitar in my early teens. He had a copy of Bert Weedon's 'Play In A Day'. I remember being excited when I could change between C and G chords. Eventually he bought an electric guitar and turned up one day with a used Vox bass he'd bought for ten quid. I played along with him and picked it up quite well. I was hooked from then.

[Musicman20]

Started playing once I watched and listened to Nirvana/other grunge bands, and this moved to modern punk.

The bass looked better than the guitar, and I preferred the feel of it.

I also loved dominant bass lines.

17 years or so later, still doing it at 30 and loving it even more.

[Highfox]

Personal stuff but..
It was a definite intention for me after going to see the Clash for the first time and watching Simonon throwing his bass around and looking that cool, how could you not want in!..
......I was a big Public Image Ltd /Jah Wobble fan as well, bass was where it was (and still is) at for me. Thats all it took for a young impressionable 15 year old to get hooked on trying to playing bass.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjQobv6ztF4"]The Clash[/url]
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnBq98uUJE4&feature=related"]PIL[/url]

[Mykesbass]

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='1253051' date='Jun 1 2011, 07:28 PM']I started to play my older brother's acoustic guitar in my early teens. He had a copy of Bert Weedon's 'Play In A Day'. I remember being excited when I could change between C and G chords. Eventually he bought an electric guitar and turned up one day with a used Vox bass he'd bought for ten quid. I played along with him and picked it up quite well. I was hooked from then.[/quote]

Altogether now - "There Is A Tavern In The Town" look out for that F7!!

I started on guitar, started double bass at the age of 13, school bass teacher died and wasn't replaced (thanks Thatch) so gravitated back to guitar. Played rhythm guitar for years in a big band (probably had more in common with bass playing than being a lead guitarist in a rock band) then gave up for a while, opened a guitar shop and suddenly found myself far more drawn to bass than guitar so have been palying and giiging again for the last 7 years.

[Musicman20]

Lets face it, the bass is cool.

[thepurpleblob]

I started off playing percussion. Mostly in Brass Bands of all things. Lots of competitions in big Victorian halls. Brass band music turns out (at the top end) to be a lot better than you'd think However, I always had this weird ambition to play in pub and club bands, which is weird because I don't drink and never liked pubs and clubs.

Anyway, having made up my mind to do something about it - drums are out as I was sick of drums, guitarists are ten-a-penny, keyboard is supposedly difficult and that leaves the bass (and hopefully percussion experience will help). So bass it was - and I never looked back; good decision.

[Pete Academy]

[quote name='Mykesbass' post='1253062' date='Jun 1 2011, 07:38 PM']Altogether now - "There Is A Tavern In The Town" look out for that F7!!

I started on guitar, started double bass at the age of 13, school bass teacher died and wasn't replaced (thanks Thatch) so gravitated back to guitar. Played rhythm guitar for years in a big band (probably had more in common with bass playing than being a lead guitarist in a rock band) then gave up for a while, opened a guitar shop and suddenly found myself far more drawn to bass than guitar so have been palying and giiging again for the last 7 years.[/quote]

Cockles and Mussels was my favourite.

[Marvin]

Until my mates wanted to start a band I[b] never ever [/b]considered playing the bass. I always wanted to play guitar.

[Doctor J]

When the idea struck to play an instrument, back in 1988, it was bass and only bass I wanted to play. Over the years I took up guitar and drums too and I've played all three in bands throughout the years. In fact, I've just finished a six year stint playing guitar in a band but, all the while, bass is still the one that I enjoy the most, the one where I feel most comfortable. I can get by with not playing bass but I just don't enjoy it as much. If I go back into the live band thing it'll be on bass this time.

Edited June 1, 2011 by Doctor J

[Telebass]

I did start on the guitar, but I'd no sooner set eyes on a bass than I was struck by that Will Smith moment - "I just gotta get me one o' these!"

[Clarky]

[size=1]Says quietly [/size]

[size=1]I wanted to play lead guitar but was too crap and thought the bass looked a lot easier with two less strings and bigger gaps between the frets[/size]

Fortunately, several of my fave bands at the time featured prominent (and simple) bass lines - Echo & The Bunnymen, Joy Division, A Certain Ratio, 23 Skidoo, Siouxsie & The Banshees etc

Edited June 1, 2011 by Clarky

[MacDaddy]

started on classical guitar then moved on to bass because I wanted to.

I think it's easier to be a bad bassist than it is to be a bad guitarist, but it's much harder to become a good bassist than a good guitarist.