Evil Undead Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 (edited) Poll! Please explain below. Thanks Edited August 11, 2012 by Evil Undead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 I started off on guitar, because I didn't even know basses existed until I was about 14 My uncle has been playing the bass since before I was born, and I always looked up to him... Incidentally he's also the guy who gave me my first guitar.. a black Squier strat that he'd rescued, fixed, and resprayed! So the fact that I started on bass at the age of 16 was inevitable. Awesomely enough, my uncle was so excited at the prospect of me starting bass, that he lent me his limited edition Ibanez Musician bass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 I have an acoustic for 5 years, still can't play it. I found an electric in the bin. nice to play. still can't play it. It's odd when you are so used to not even having to think about it and just express yourself and make music with a bass.... and then going back to the straight jacket of a different instrument- which works utterly differently. So with one instrument I can say something, and on the other I can make noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M@23 Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 I played guitar for 14 years before I played bass - started playing bass as I got asked to try out for a mate's band I was really into and haven't looked back. I get more enjoyment playing bass in a band situation than I ever did guitar. I hardly touch my guitars now. I think many of the same basic principles apply which helped me adapt to bass very quickly as I already had very good dexterity and fretboard knowledge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Vincent Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 I have no interest whatsoever in 6 string shenanigans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cytania Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 After a year of playing bass exclusively I took my acoustic guitar off the wall, dusted it down and it felt like a ukelele, and such an uncomfortable box of a body. Playing another instrument does help but I realise I still need to learn more about how chords work and break out of the 14 open chords. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krysh Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 (edited) started with bass in '82. after 1/2 a year changed to guitar until 2005, then picked also the bass up again. with it I got the first pro jobs. since then both my guitar- and bassplaying improved a lot. the more I know the less I can but enjoy every tone even better. Edited August 12, 2012 by krysh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlin Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 I can play the giutar to a point,just so I can work out songs. .I have never claimed to be a guitarist, but bass yes.. I used to play bass lines on my friends guitar when I first started,he thought I was playing his lead parts .but that was a long time ago in a place far far away.......................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Needs a 'none of the above' button. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameronj279 Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 I thought about learning guitar, mainly for recording purposes. However I feel I should learn to play bass properly first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 I'm a much better bassist than I am guitarist but it was on guitar that I first learned the rudiments of music. Knowing something of a second (or third or more) instrument can only be beneficial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 (edited) Though I love guitars and own 1.5 of them, I can't be bothered to use time on them right now that I could use on the bass instead. But later, when I grow up, I'll learn to play. Yes. No doubt. Is gonna happen. Sure of it. Yup! best, bert Edited August 11, 2012 by BassTractor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlapbassSteve Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 I basically play an awful lot of lead guitar style fills on the bass, my previous experience as a guitarist helps a lot. Need to learn to play bass more like it's a bass... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lettsguitars Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 (edited) Music is music. I'll have a go at any instrument. I play bass, drums and guitar because they are all great fun and very easy to get a tune/beat from. Edited August 11, 2012 by lettsguitars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelk27 Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Have no opinion as to whether my guitar playing makes my bass playing better/worse, or whether my bass playing makes my guitar playing better/worse. That said, think that being able to play guitar, bass, drums and keys makes me a better songwriter, and song writing is the only reason that I do anything music related. So, didn't vote, as none of the options fit for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Vader Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 I voted for playing guitar making me a better bassist, but to be fair it's the other way round. I have played guitar for 25 years, and dabbled here and there in bass mostly up until about 5 years ago, when I started to get more gigs on the bass, and learned to play it properly and not like a guitarist. Made me figure out that less is more, and not to twiddle about like a tit all over everything (though I still do, cos those high twiddly guitar notes and squealy feedback are never wrong ) Wasn't so much being a guitarist that helped my bass playing, more the fact that I know basic music stuff like what notes go in what chord, scales etc. etc. once you know that it's all just about mechanics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 [quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1344734102' post='1768660'] [b]I voted for playing guitar making me a better bassist, but to be fair it's the other way round.[/b] I have played guitar for 25 years, and dabbled here and there in bass mostly up until about 5 years ago, when I started to get more gigs on the bass, and learned to play it properly and not like a guitarist. Made me figure out that less is more, and not to twiddle about like a tit all over everything (though I still do, cos those high twiddly guitar notes and squealy feedback are never wrong ) Wasn't so much being a guitarist that helped my bass playing, more the fact that I know basic music stuff like what notes go in what chord, scales etc. etc. once you know that it's all just about mechanics. [/quote] I was just going to say that very same thing. In fact all your post is how I feel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essexbasscat Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 [quote name='lettsguitars' timestamp='1344724696' post='1768561'] Music is music. I'll have a go at any instrument. I play bass, drums and guitar because they are all great fun and very easy to get a tune/beat from. [/quote] More this one than anything. Always thought the music is inside you and the instrument you play in the moment gives expression to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_S Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 I play guitar, but wouldn't go as far as to call myself a guitarist; I treat it like a small bass which results in a lot of power chord riffs and some twiddly lead, but because my genre of choice is classic rock, that works out just fine in the 'jamming for fun' stakes and back at school even put me in the "quite good" category for a while To answer the question, I think that playing guitar makes me a better bassist because I instinctively know from first-hand experience what I'd want me to be doing with the bass line if it were me playing the guitar! My theory is all instinctive and I don't read music, so practical experience is rarely unhelpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 I have more guitars than basses but am a better bass player. I use guitars for composing and recording and never gig on them (well, twice in 30 yeard). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 I play guitar and synth as well as bass. I don't know if playing the guitar makes me a better bass player but being able to play other instruments makes me a better overall musician and song writer. I've played in several bands where guitar or synth rather than bass was my main instrument, but apart from my first band where everyone played everything, I had always auditioned for the bands originally as the bass player and switched to other instruments later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rOB Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 [quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1344760437' post='1768737'] I use guitars for composing and recording and never gig on them [/quote] Same here. I'm a terrible guitarist but fiddle around on electric and acoustic as part of writing and recording. I think an (admittedly rough) understanding of another instrument has helped me play with guitarists in bands and made me a better musician Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 I think Evil Undead should run a similar poll for drums. I'm not much good but I LOVE to have a play on a drum set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musophilr Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 [quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1344734102' post='1768660'] I vote for playing bass making me a better bassist, but to be fair it's playing music that makes me a better musician. I have played guitar for 40 years, and dabbled here and there on bass and keys mostly up until about 5 years ago, when I started to get more serious about recording my own music. I have always tried to play bass properly and not like a guitarist. Made me figure out that less is more, and not to twiddle about like a tit all over everything (though a good bass fill to go with those high twiddly guitar notes and squealy feedback is never wrong ) Wasn't so much being a guitarist that helped my bass playing, more the fact that I know basic music stuff like what notes go in what chord, scales etc. etc. once you know that it's all just about mechanics. [/quote] ^ wot he said, with edits as per my own experience Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nottswarwick Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 I think I need another poll option - " I play both in various bands to an equal standard" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.