Switching from Guitar to Bass?

[wishtheend]

Good stuff to think about.
Here's a really noobie question. I'm looking to get a 5-string so I can keep the low tunning, but I've found a 4-string that is 35" scale. I did some looking at other basses and most 4-strings are 34" while 5 are 35". So if I got that four string, I'd be able to tune it (B-E-A-D) without any issues, correct? The bass I'm looking at is

http://www.espguitars.com/basses_anniversary.htm

Really nice setup on the bass, just a stupid inlay

 

[ggunn]

Good stuff to think about.
Here's a really noobie question. I'm looking to get a 5-string so I can keep the low tunning, but I've found a 4-string that is 35" scale. I did some looking at other basses and most 4-strings are 34" while 5 are 35". So if I got that four string, I'd be able to tune it (B-E-A-D) without any issues, correct? The bass I'm looking at is

http://www.espguitars.com/basses_anniversary.htm

Really nice setup on the bass, just a stupid inlay

Well, if you want it to be B E A D, you'll probably do it by using the bottom 4 of a 5 string set. You'll need to get the nut carved out for the larger diameter strings, and there may be an issue with the lowest tuning peg as to whether the notch or hole though the post will be large enough to accomodate the B string. You'll want to get the intonation set for the new configuration, too.

 

[wishtheend]

Of course, I do plan on putting heavier guage strings on there, and I would get the whole thing set up for the tunning. But someone told me that it would be way too loose, even with the longer scale and I wanted to know what I was getting myself into.

 

[ggunn]

Of course, I do plan on putting heavier guage strings on there, and I would get the whole thing set up for the tunning. But someone told me that it would be way too loose, even with the longer scale and I wanted to know what I was getting myself into.

The strings would indeed be far too slack if you used E A D G strings and tuned them all down a fourth. If you use B E A D strings, you will be fine, but a low B string is a really fat sucker. You'll need a nut job to put a B on the bottom and move all the other strings over.

This is a pretty cool idea, I think, if you can get past not having a G string. This is just like the diff between a violin and a viola - let's call it the bassola. ;^)

 

[Chris Shaeffer]

Good stuff here- I haven't seen this, yet, but i read pretty quickly:

Learn to think like a bassist instead of a guitarist who is playing bass.

Its pretty intangible at first, but its OBVIOUS to an experienced bassist when a guitarist is playing bass. I tend to think about locking to the drums and driving the groove of the song as a bassist. As a guitarist I'm thinking more about filling the room with the song and adding finesse to the feeling of it. Yeah, yeah- talking about music is like dancing about architecture, but hopefully you get a sense of what I mean.

Listen to a lot of basslines from all kinds of music and get a sense for what its about, if you haven't already.

And I'll add my vote to the "learn to play with fingers" suggestion. Picking is easy- though different on a bass, so practice it, too- but fingers is where the heart and soul of the bass is. You have SO(!) much control over the sound with your fingers- its completely unlike a guitar in that way. Very subtle shifts in finger attack and whatnot can drasticly alter the sound and feel of a bassline. Its worth learning even if your band's music is mostly played with a pick.

Enjoy!
Chris

 

[nkjanssen]

The first thing I came to realize is how much I was getting away with on guitar when it comes to rhythm.

Absolutely. I have actually switched from guitar to bass while in the same band, playing the same songs. Suddenly, I'm aware that the other guitar player is coming in too early or too late at certain points, the drummer is missing some things here and there and a whole host of other issues that I hadn't realized until I started playing the bass parts. I, personally, hear and think about songs very differently when I am playing bass.

Another interesting thing, and this may sound more than a bit stupid, but I almost felt myself getting "addicted" to the feel of the bass. I just liked the way that the big strings felt on my fingers (both left and right hands), and I would find myself really wanting to play just to get that feeling again. Sure, I find myself wanting to play guitar too, but its never driven by the desire for the physical experience of feeling the strings. I only get that with bass. That probably makes me weird, but I can accept that.