Is Bass Guitar hard to play

  • Thread starter Thread starter CJ
  • Start date Start date
hmmmmm...my experience

I am a guitar player who started playing bass by accident when I started helping a friend out...he says I worked out great....

I had to use a pick most of the time, and I had a bad habit of locking into the snare instead of the bass drum...(not that big a deal) - but what I've realized is that most of the time, the melodic aspect of this thing is more important then the technique...

For example, I'm playing with a pick, and many times doubling the guitar chords with the bass line, but when the guitarist goes off into solo land, it's me holding the melody down.

finally, for everyone who says guitar players can't play bass well...two words... Paul McCartney...he was the guitar player who replaced Stu Stucliff on bass after the fact...he used picks, he played melodically, and he didn't really sound like modern bass players (in my opinion) but it sounded good, so who cares.....

Especially with my Indie heroes (Hayden, Pedro the Lion) - you hear some unusual bass lines that give it a distincive feel...and I'm sure it feels like crap to professional bass players, but the average guy who just likes music won't give a darn...

IN short, screw theory and do whatever you want...people who tell you their way to play bass would probably chew out Lindsey Buckiningham for playing leads with his fingers instead of a pick...no one cares except the anal retentive...if it sounds good to you, do it..
 
Kelly's got a lot of tips to offer a drummer... and the rest of us. One thing I disagree with: you don't have to play a 30-lb wonder. I get by pretty good with a lightweight mahogany Carvin.
And active electronics were invented by the battery industry to keep you from playing your bass without giving them money!
J
 
well i didn't expect any guitar player that turned bass to go and admit it. our band has a guitar player who turned bass, he's good, you might kick-ass but you would have kickeed MORE ass if you played the bass like it should be played... you can play guitar really well without having ddeveloped proper technique but a technically skilled player will beat your ass...
 
I'm sorry, Mr Guhlen, but I don't agree. You are generalizing (and stereotyping) -- I play harmonica, and Dobro, and acoustic slide, and electric slide, and pedal steel, and lap steel, and, and, and,... I think you must have very limited playing partners. I'm a musician, not a guitarist--or a bassist-- or any of the other easy descriptions. I'm sorry you haven't had the opportunity to play with accomplished musicians but maybe someday....I also sing. Or are guitar players not supposed to be able to sing???
 
maybe your the exception that confirms the rule?

but seriously, i didn't mean to offend you and i'm sorry now i did. but the fact remains that the bass is a totally different instrument then the guitar, yet plenty of guitarists see it as a "guitar with 4 strings". i think. IMHO

if you don't agree then that's fine, and maybe i just live in an area with very poor musicians... but i don't think so...

greetz guhlenn:)
 
Mr Guhlenn, my apologies. I allowed myself to get carried away. The fact is that "talking about music" is often dangerous: let's just play it and not verbally analyze so much.
And certainly let us (and me) not turn this forum into a place for attacking each other. I repent of my strong language, but behind it, after all, lies strong opinions... which is what makes the music each of us plays individual.
John
 
yeah man! don't weaken those opnions! i stand behind mine and i'm sure any decent musician does so to his.

The best to you and me;)

greetz guhlenn
 
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