Bass tips for guitarists

[Mr Clean]

I'm primarily a guitarist in that it was my first instrument and the one I put a whole lot of learning into. From that I learnt piano, Bass left hand, Chord right hand kinda playing. It suits me. Not wanting to play fancy solo's or anything on a joanna!

For the last 8 months I've been playing bass in a band and from the minute I first jammed with this band, on an instrument I barely touched before, it all came naturally. Our songwriter is top quality in my opinion. Great melodies, chord structures ect. Putting basslines over his music is the easiest thing I've ever done in 15 yrs of playing musical instruments!

I think some people have a feel for an instrument and it's sound, where it fits in with certain types of music ect. Others, DON'T! They learn the hard way.

 

[lpdeluxe]

That's an interesting point. In the small town I live in, a friend teaches upright bass (along with vocals, guitar and whatnot -- she's a very accomplished musician). She doesn't get very many students on the upright (never more than one at a time) but she seems to find naturals who pick up that cumbersome instrument very quickly. A month or so ago I went to our local folkie venue where she and her latest student were joined by a drummer and lead guitarist. It was the single most rockin' set I've ever seen there (and I include my own).

 

[Whale Bone]

Play whatever you want to play - you probably don't boil down your guitar playing to a few rules. Every instrument has it rhythmic and melodic components. Because many bass lines are melodically simpler, their rhythmic component stands out, so you may find that you have reaaly key into the song's feel more - straight, swing, shuffle, etc.. This won't of course hurt your playing on any instrument.

All that said, I've most often heard bass parts by beginners or non-bass players played without connecting notes (more staccato). I think you'll find outside of funk, that bass lines are often played more legato (longer, connected notes).

If you're comfortable with a pick, then don;t worry about it, just use it. You might try using heavier picks or varying where you pluck the strings (useful for fingers too) - use anywhere from the bridge all the way up to/over the fingerboard. Your time will change as the strings feel looser towards the middle. You may find different positions that help you get the feels and/or sounds you want.

Listen to stuff you like and experiment. Good luck.

 

[ez_willis]

i've been on bass for 23 years (guitar for 20), and my tip for guitarists is to think of bass as the link between rhythm and melody.

perfect !

 

[thebigcheese]

As good as what? I agree that a guitarist who hasn't learned more than where the notes are on a bass won't play bass as well as someone who has paid his bass dues, but I do not agree with what some say that somehow that being a guitarist will poison you forever for playing bass.

Many guitarists, in fact, start out on acoustic guitar, which is very much a rhythm instrument.

That's not what I meant at all. I think some of my favorite bassists started as guitarists, and I think it's a good way to start because you don't approach it as just a rhythm instrument--that is to say, it is sometimes the main force in songs (Muse is a good example of that). What I meant is that a lot of guitarists don't spend the time with a metronome or they write on their own without drums or something and they never really get rhythm down as well as the rhythm section of the band (drums, bass). Obviously that's not true of all guitarists, but I think it's one of the things that separates an average guitarist from a great guitarist, and certainly something to be aware of if you've only played guitar and are trying to move on to something more rhythm-focused like bass.

 

[ggunn]

That's not what I meant at all. I think some of my favorite bassists started as guitarists, and I think it's a good way to start because you don't approach it as just a rhythm instrument--that is to say, it is sometimes the main force in songs (Muse is a good example of that). What I meant is that a lot of guitarists don't spend the time with a metronome or they write on their own without drums or something and they never really get rhythm down as well as the rhythm section of the band (drums, bass). Obviously that's not true of all guitarists, but I think it's one of the things that separates an average guitarist from a great guitarist, and certainly something to be aware of if you've only played guitar and are trying to move on to something more rhythm-focused like bass.

Well, as an average guitarist, I resemble that remark!

Peace,

 

[grimtraveller]

Low man on the beanbag.

depends on the style of music, period. paul mccartney would absoutely suck in ac/dc and cliff williams would never work in the beatles.

Oooh, I don't know ez, I could see Macca grooving to "Ain't no fun waiting 'round to be a millionaire" and "Night prowler" and I could see both Mark Evans and Cliff Williams ploffing to "Back in the USSR" {bass played by Lennon & Harrison in parts} and "Hey Bulldog".


I do agree with your overall point though. In fact, it's a more important point than it initially appears because the way I see it, bass playing really came into it's own from the mid 60s on. Previous to that, the bass guitar was viewed as an utterly inferior version of the stand up bass or as one famed bassman said, was "played by the fat boy at the back".

The OP's point about approach by one for whom bass is not the first instrument is also a good one. Many of the rockers that went on to make their name as bass players through the 60s and 70s were not bassists by choice, but often by default and were actually purveyors of other instruments. John Entwistle, John Paul Jones, Paul McCartney, Greg Lake, Lemmy, Geezer Butler, Noel Redding, Chris Hillman, Sting, Mike Rutherford, Brian Wilson, Phil Lynott, among tons of others. Also, guitarists like Jimmy Page and Ronnie Wood served time in well known bands as bass players. Many of the bassists in the early jazz fusion bands were acoustic bass players {eg, Jeff Clyne, Stanley Clark, Miroslav Vitous} that had to learn a new approach when they took up bass guitar. Anthony Jackson used to emphasize that it's a bass guitar, not just a bass instrument or an electric version of the stand up bass. A different instrument altogether.
The point of all this chatter is to demonstrate that bass playing has evolved and actually all kinds of instrumentalists have influenced it's direction. There are many different ways of playing the bass and a listen to different genres across different eras bears this out. I favour the 'bass can fulfil many different functions in a song' approach, rather than be tied to just a rock'n'roll one. I'm not a fan of lead bass {once in a while, it has it's place} or constant slapping {though tastefully done, it's beautiful}. But whether it's creating counter melodies, shadowing the chords with root notes, colouring the riffs or improvising at will, it's crucial that the bassist continues the art of listening to the overall sound and providing whatever bottom the song needs to sit on.

 

[lpdeluxe]

Good points, but I'd add to the statement "it's a bass GUITAR" the additional "and a BASS guitar."

The electric bass has evolved into something on its own, but the role of the bass remains the same: spell out the changes, emphasize the groove, harmonize the bass drum, make the song work and make the dancers boogie.

As remarkable as many of the modern era bassists are, they all manage those functions in addition to their melodic or dramatic or other talent.

 

[grimtraveller]

Good points, but I'd add to the statement "it's a bass GUITAR" the additional "and a BASS guitar."

The electric bass has evolved into something on its own, but the role of the bass remains the same: spell out the changes, emphasize the groove, harmonize the bass drum, make the song work and make the dancers boogie.

As remarkable as many of the modern era bassists are, they all manage those functions in addition to their melodic or dramatic or other talent.

I think Motown and 60s pop/rock really defined the electric bass. But bass in jazz and classical and even early rock'n'roll was often quite different. I find it's evolution fascinating.