Considering playing bass

[ecthelion]

I've been reading about bands and stuff lately, and I heard that there are tons of guitarists but not that many bassists oftenly. So it would be easier to get into a band. How hard is it to start playing bass if you're already a guitarist? Also, are there a lot of bassists around?

[~SStork~]

Where I live, the guitarist to bassist ration is too many to too little. So i'd love to see more bassists in my area, but you shouldnt switch just because there arent enough bassists; play an instrument because u really want to. And I've playd some bass before, not that big of a switch from guitar, different feel to it..
:cool:

[BassTallica]

jus cause you dont hear about them dont mean they arent around.. there are MANY bassists... and alot fo them are excellent// people just start to play the bass because they think its easier.. in reality its just as hard to master as guitar... its a completly diff world

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[Malcolm]

I've given it some thought.
1. The bottom strings on your guitar are the same as what's on the bass. So it's not a big deal to call up some bass lessons on the internet and see if you like it.
2. It's not the same as your acoustic. I tried to fill in when the bass did not make it to the gig by playing a root 5 and root 4,5 using the bottom stings of my plugged in acoustic. Did not work, another world.
3. It's the beat. If you have it you'll make a good bass player, if you do not you won't.
4. A good bass player can find a band. When we lost ours we went through four before finding the right one.

Ditto the post about there being plenty of bass players, it's the good ones everybody needs.

[ecthelion]

I was thinking about this. I mean, if the bass kind of "integrates" with the drums, then he must be kind of like making the drums sound like they're playing notes or something? What exactly does a bass do? They sound pretty cool.

[BassTallica]

bass is kinda like... hmm i wanna say the melody of the song... it links together the guitar and drumms

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[popmusic_sux]

it adds a lot of depth to the sound, gives the song a decent beat...

without a bass, it sounds kinda... idk, bland i guess

[ecthelion]

A cool thing I noticed on the Led Zeppelin DVD. On the song Achilles Last Stand, Jimmy has JPJ play an interesting thing with his bass, almost like a gallop type thing. While this is cool, he doesn't "link" the guitars with the drums really. Jimmy does that with his guitar (he probably overdubbed it like 30 times). The funny thing is that I noticed in the live version is that it sounded like Bonzo was just drumming by himself when Jimmy Page playing a solo, but there was no connection between the two (he was too busy playing the solo to play the rhythm, which linked the guitar and the drums). Why? Because JPJ was playing that gallop thing. If JPJ had been playing a bassline, it might have been better-sounding. That's all opinion though. I'm not sure if that's really the case. It might just have been that it sounded bad because Jimmy has a bad habit of overdubbing his guitars a thousand times.

[BassTallica]

Originally posted by ecthelion
...... Jimmy has JPJ play an interesting thing with his bass,.........

how that brings a smile to my face

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[Amerika]

It shouldn't be too difficult if you already play a guitar. I live in L.A., guitarists are a dime a dozen...bass players are little harder to find.

[BassTallica]

Originally posted by Amerika
It shouldn't be too difficult if you already play a guitar. I live in L.A., guitarists are a dime a dozen...bass players are little harder to find.

there are millions of bassist they just hide in the dark areas of space afraid to come out

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[popmusic_sux]

Around here too many people play guitar and not enough are bassists. There's next to none around here. I've tried finding them.

[Abaddon]

Originally posted by popmusic_sux
Around here too many people play guitar and not enough are bassists. There's next to none around here. I've tried finding them.

ya me too. and the one i do find always play something like punk and just dont have the skills to do more than one note. there is a massive punk commmuinity where i live and taht's waht most kids listen to . i dont really bother with those bass players.

[popmusic_sux]

Originally posted by Abaddon
ya me too. and the one i do find always play something like punk and just dont have the skills to do more than one note. there is a massive punk commmuinity where i live and taht's waht most kids listen to . i dont really bother with those bass players.

wow. do you live in NJ? I know your prof says california but you described the musical community here perfectly.

[Abaddon]

lol it's the state capitol! everyone thinks they are the **** here! it's great :|

[popmusic_sux]

I love hearing these "bassists" play one note 8 times, then change to another one 8 times and so on and think they're good. I can think of a couple pretty good bassists around here but I can't really start a band too easily, being away at college and all.

[BassTallica]

yea i fackers like that

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[popmusic_sux]

Originally posted by BassTallica
yea i fackers like that

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what?

[BassTallica]

opps forget the all im portant word in that sentence lol

errr

i HATE fackers like that..

see the makes soo much more sense

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[murph]

if you already play guitar it should be allot easier than if you just start playing bass

[popmusic_sux]

Originally posted by BassTallica
opps forget the all im portant word in that sentence lol

errr

i HATE fackers like that..

see the makes soo much more sense

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it makes it MUCH more easier to understand. Before it was incomprehensible. Now it's simple.

[BassTallica]

Originally posted by popmusic_sux
it makes it MUCH more easier to understand. Before it was incomprehensible. Now it's simple.

the simple things are always the hardest in life

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[popmusic_sux]

and the best things in life really are free.

[BassTallica]

Originally posted by popmusic_sux
and the best things in life really are free.

and most of the time they also turn out to be the cheapest thigns in life

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[popmusic_sux]

but it's better to pay too much than too little. If you pay too much, you only use a little money, that's all. IF you spend too little sometimes the thing you bought doesn't perform the task you bought it to do.

[BassTallica]

Originally posted by popmusic_sux
but it's better to pay too much than too little. If you pay too much, you only use a little money, that's all. IF you spend too little sometimes the thing you bought doesn't perform the task you bought it to do.

i think you were trying to say.. You get what you pay for in life, and that quality comes with a price... i hope thats what you were tring to say =/

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[bassplayer7]

Thank you BassTallica! You've given me some solid backup for many arguements I get into where people cry that the bass is just some sissy ass instrument that can be mastered in like 2 months or it's only for those who did'nt have what it takes to learn guitar:)


Also I'd like to appologize for not responding to a reply from you awhile back, but first the computer went up, then I vacationed in a local hospital for 3 weeks, and lastly, I just got fed up with the problem I was having with the Cort, so I bought a Yamaha BB604 Nathan East. Problem solved!:D

[BassTallica]

Originally posted by bassplayer7
Thank you BassTallica! You've given me some solid backup for many arguements I get into where people cry that the bass is just some sissy ass instrument that can be mastered in like 2 months or it's only for those who did'nt have what it takes to learn guitar:)


Also I'd like to appologize for not responding to a reply from you awhile back, but first the computer went up, then I vacationed in a local hospital for 3 weeks, and lastly, I just got fed up with the problem I was having with the Cort, so I bought a Yamaha BB604 Nathan East. Problem solved!:D

hmm im very confused.. all i got was that i helped you out, and you bought a new bass... im sure those were the main ideas lol

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[bassplayer7]

Originally posted by BassTallica
hmm im very confused.. all i got was that i helped you out, and you bought a new bass... im sure those were the main ideas lol

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let me try to un-confuse you. I was having a problem with open strings sounding off while playing fretted notes. The last question you asked me was what type of bridge I had on the bass, and thats when everything got lost on my end. My main idea at that time was'nt to get a new bass, but, as the seasons change, so do ideas, hence the new bass. I'm sure you would have gotten around to suggesting a new bass anyway, so let's look at this as a time warp thing and just let me say thanks for your help.

[BassTallica]

ahhh ok... NOW that makes sense lol

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