Bass Guitaring

[Apathy]

I've been playing guitar for roughly just over a year now, and I'm loving it. However I an't help but feel that when I'm listening to a song, I'm not listening to the guitaring nearly as much as I am the bass. I simply love bass guitars and I often question whether or not I made the right choice starting on guitar. Some people say that it's easy to simply play bass once you can play guitar but surely they mean the simpler picked riffs. 'Proper' bass playing at speed surely isn't something a guitarist can do just because he's proficient on a guitar?

So really all I'm wondering is if there are any bass players here, & whether I'm right in thinking that maybe it's time to hang up the guitar & get myself a bass. I generally don't listen to the people who say that bass is 'easier' than guitar, as I'm sure that a good player can pull off some crazy stuff. Granted, often the bass lines to songs aren't as complicated as lead / rythmn guitar as it is a semi percussion instrument, but what are everyone else's opinions on bass guitars?

Is it easy to make the switch?

[RaideR]

well i think it can be a little easier for a guitarist to start playing bass, but playing bass is a different experience then playing guitar, there are a lot of cool an unusual ways to play a bass (look at flea, for example) , i suggest you keep playing guitar and get really good at that before buying a bass.

just go to a guitarstore and try to play a little, if you really want to play bass that bad

[will: wanton sex god]

I'm not going to tell you which one to get, but i think learning to play guitar helped with like some of the mechanics of playing bass i guess.  That didnt make it "easy" or anything, though.

[Rune]

I've played both in shows, and I've found that sometims I prefer the bass, sometimes I prefer the guitar. I asked myself that same question a while ago, and it turned out to be a moot point when I was told that I was playing bass in my band and that the drummer had a bass I could use. I played bass for a couple months with them and then swapped back to guitar so my friend could return to bass.

Honestly? I think I like the bass a little more. Playing guitar has helped a whole lot, but there's really quite a difference in the two. I play bass with a pick (ok, just lynch me now) due to my guitar habits, but that's not too much a problem. The big difference is thinking about it as an extension, or even as the main rhythm section of a song.

To get up to speed, you'll need a bit of time playing on the bass rather than the guitar. You have to get used to the fact that the strings are a ton thicker and you have to get used to the fact that the frets are spaced more than you're probably used to. I have a feeling you'll find it worthwhile, though. Besides, why know one instrument when you can know two? ;p

Overall? I wouldn't say that it's too hard to make the switch, and I also wouldn't say it's worth getting rid your guitar, either. Give yourself a month with a bass and by then you'll really know.

[Malphas]

I've played both before, and I still prefer bass.  To me, it just seems a lot more fun to play for some reason.

[captainawesome]

I picked up bass first, about 2 and a half years ago, and then guitar a few months later.  I didn't find it terribly hard.  As long as you have some level of dedication you should be fine.  The two were about the same level of difficulty for me.

As far as which is more fun, I have no idea.  I've only played bass at shows, and there's nothing more fun than a cool bass line.  However, sometimes i find guitar to be more interesting, there's so much more you can do with a guitar.

I don't see why you feel the need to choose between them.  Play both.  

Although, bassists rock out much harder than anyone else.

[misswired]

I've been learning bass guitar since July and also hear bass guitar above everything else in songs. I'm just about to start slap bass technique! Woohoo!

If you've ever listened to Paul McCartney, he tends to play the bass guitar just like a lead - with melody.

That's how I hope to play mine when I'm proficient.

[meganjo23]

I always wanted to learn how to play bass... I always listen to the bass in songs, so some reason it just always seemed important to me. I never saw the point in learning it though, I'm not planning on being in a band or anything, so...

If I ever had the chance to, though, I would.

[misswired]

I haven't really got any plans either. In fact, I just made a decision on the spur of the moment to play bass guitar. I booked my lessons before actually having a guitar and amp.

[Johnny C]

Although, bassists rock out much harder than anyone else.

Except John Entwhistle.

[Rune]

I try to play the bass kind of as a lead as well. It's a great way to spice up an otherwise boring song, and it's fun. It can also make the difference between a good song and a crappy song, I think.

I tend to rock out less than most when I play bass live...but then, that's because I get terrible stage fright (I freak out and start to shake. It's bad.)

[torg]

i think, i am too old to learn either bass or guitar.... *g*

[RaideR]

i didn't know there was a age-limit, but anyway when i get my driver's license i plan to get myself a new bass, maybe a OLP or even better a ibanez K5 fieldy signature bass

[Sam]

My dream bass is a Musicman Bongo.
I've been playing since December 14,2003.

[misswired]

Jeez, that's very specific.

[Sam]

Well actually, I'm not sure, but I'm positive it was mid-December.

[torg]

... when i get my driver's license i plan to get myself a new bass....

uhm... you need a drivers license to get a bass?

[muffy]

I love bass - I used to play it in a band once, but we only formed a week before the gig to piss off the Blink 182 tribute act who ponced around the college like they were the greatest thing on earth...

Our sound was in a bizarre space shared with Wham, Mogwai, Kenickie and Easyworld (read as: bloody awful) and my music skills were on a par with Nicky Wire when he started the manics (again - read as: shockingly bad) but I did ok - bass is more comfortable, more satisfying, and much easier to hide incompetence.  
My next target is an acoustic guitar, as I can't be arsed with bands - everyone in brighton is in one, I'd rather be different...

[RaideR]

... when i get my driver's license i plan to get myself a new bass....

uhm... you need a drivers license to get a bass?

i am using a new bass as a motivation to pass my driver's test.

[Beano]

Once you've got used to how thick the strings are you should be fine, just remember that bass either drives the song along or plays a different melody to the guitar line.

That and spazz out and nearly concuss yourself every time a loud bit happens.

[SuperSUGA]

I played guitar for about a year before I started playing bass to fill a slot in a band I knew. Having that basic guitar knowledge helped me out in that I could see what chords the guitarist was playing, and then just play that root note. Don't be afraid to keep things simple when you start out, experimentation's all good but it helps to have the basics behind you. Now I've been playing for another 3 or 4 years I do enjoy still enjoy playing bass with my band, but enjoy playing guitar more by myself, for obvious reasons.

Oh, and I got myself an OLP Stingray, to whoever it was who mentioned about getting one, and I can reccomend it, it's a fantastic bass for the price

Oooh, and it's silvery and glittery.

[Spencer]

I've played both, and not only am I loads better at Bass, but It's also more enjoyable to me. What can I say, I'm a sucker for the low end. Unfortunatly my amp died years ago, and I've never gotten it fixed Im a slacker.

[RaideR]

Oh, and I got myself an OLP Stingray, to whoever it was who mentioned about getting one, and I can reccomend it, it's a fantastic bass for the price  

yeah i know that thing is great played it at the local music store , i also played on a musicman stingray and that thing is really the best bass that i ever played , just a little too expensive