We all ended up playing the bass...

[paul_5]

I started on recorder at primary school, then a bit of classical guitar in top juniors (don't know what 'year' that equates to in today's money), then got really into keyboards, which I still play from time to time, but I had a revelation when I heard Rush - "that fella with the nose plays keys AND bass? ". Also my brother and I were dabbling in songwriting at the time and he's a much, much better guitarist than me, so we just needed a bass player. Long story short I bought a bass and ditched the keys (as my main instrument).

secretly I wanted to be able to move around the stage a bit like a guitarist, so the days of playing keys were numbered...

[bubinga5]

it has always and will always be about the bass for me.. something beautiful about a bass in groove




been dabbling on the piano and harmonica though

Edited June 1, 2011 by bubinga5

[okusman]

Never played anything else...

[wez]

tried learning my brothers acoustic back in '84 but hated it, to many chords to remember and to fiddley. so my brother suggested bass which seem to click with me as i was picking out the bass groove in songs without realising it. first thing i learned to play was 'zz top gimme all your loving' because it was nice and easy. still playing now and still luv it

[Bassman Sam]

I took up DB at the age of 14 after playing piano for 4 years as I preferred the sound, bass guitar followed a year later. Still hanging in there. If I couldn't play bass anymore then it's back to keys for me.

[xgsjx]

I started off a keys player when I was a kid. My folks bought me a bontempi organ when I was 5 & every Christmas after that I got a better keyboard until I started getting into synths (old Korgs & such gubbins).
When I was 12 me, my dad & my wee bro went to a music shop for me to buy a synth. He also came out with a cheap acoustic guitar which he played about with for about a week & then gave me it. I played basslines on it & then decided to talk my best friend into taking up guitar & I bought a bass about 1 1/2 years later & have never looked back.
I could have easily played the basslines on a synth, but for me there's something more satisfying about playing bass.

I learned how to play guitar properly too

[scottkincaid]

I started on drums.

Then tried piano, thought it was beautiful but too laid back.

Tried guitar (which i still play today)

Then finally tried bass, and loved it.

[clauster]

As a small child (6ish) I was started out on piano by my mum. As a family we used to go and see live music fairly frequently. I loved the instrument that made my chest chest - turned out it was bass guitar. Then my cousin got heavily into Kiss - being exposed to Gene Simmons at the age of 10 made me want to play bass even more, I thought he was so cool. A year or two of pestering at christmas and birthdays (and after being made to have guitar lessons for three months) I got my first bass. I still strum the 6 stringer (currently a 12-string), but bass is my instrument.

[mike257]

I spent my second year of high school playing the drums (terribly) and then guitar (horrendously) before a mates dad spotted the gap in our line up and - probably as I was the least capable guitarist - lent me his bass.

It was the first instrument I really got my head round, and the only one I've played long-term in a band. I've since come back to guitar, as I write a lot of the stuff for my current band and have just started a stint playing lead guitar in a covers band (most nervous I've been on stage in a long time - totally out of my comfort zone!) and also got a much better grasp of the drums, but bass just feels like home.

I can tell I'm a bass player because I've always felt totally happy getting another guitarist to play my songs/parts, but having somebody else play bass for me woud just feel [i]wrong[/i]!!

[Bottle]

I was never that motivated at school (or encouraged) to pursue any sort of musical ability. I guess it wasn't until I was at uni and crewing for my hall's events team that I got into live bands and music. Certainly hearing and feeling the bass through a big PA rig was awesome - I just got on board with the stool-loosening qualities of the bass guitar

Didn't pick up a bass until I was in my early twenties, when a mate lent me a bass to try out (a big, heavy DIY bastard of a bass). Wasn't my ideal cup of tea, and took a lot of effort to learn, plus not really having the motivation still to learn properly, I put it away after six months. I guess it wasn't until I joined my current church and saw the professionalism of the musicians that I decided to pick it all up again. That was a little over three years ago. Glad I did, opened me up to a whole 'nother world - you BC'ers have a lot to answer for, turning me into a right proper little gear-head!

HTH,
Ian

[leschirons]

Started playing violin at 8 years old but got to 14 and realised that my older brother by 5 years was buying some seriously good music. Changed to drums for first band at 16. Moved onto guitar when drum kit was sold to scrape deposit for first house was a priority (1974) Stayed with that until a friend decided to form a band and the bass was the only slot available. Probably quite a common situation as everyone wanted to be a rock guitarist.

Borrowed a bass, bought a Peavey combo, fell in love with it. I practiced, they didn't (individually) eventually left band due to frustration of no-one else wanting to improve their ability due to "people clapped so it must be good" syndrome.

[TheGreek]

When I was younger I wanted to be a DJ or to play drums - obviously drums weren't particularly practical when I was living at home but when I got my first flat, in about 1984, I wanted to play some instrument or be involved with music in some way. I could never get my head around playing guitar - seemed like most of the guitarist I knew where self centred t***ers who were right up themselves or it was the "I own a guitar which sits in the corner of my bedroom" brigade...Seems like after nearly 30 years the steroetypes are pretty much still true...

I was listening to a lot of Reggae around this time and the pumping basslines which dominated the music led me into playing bass. Inspired by BCer Bassface2k10, I bought my first bass - Westone Thunder 1A - from a shop in St Albans. I really only wanted to play "The Chain" and Aswad covers - learnt "The Chain" in about 3 days...

What this taught me was that there is no mystique about playing music - just hard work - practice enough and you'll be able to play just about anything..

I stopped playing in the 90s - bought a dog who was my best mate - learned to play saxophone which was too physically demanding (facial muscles were constantly in pain) - but about 2 years ago I was drawn back to playing Bass - though I've spent about £5,000 in this time I've not looked back..

Long live the Bass!!

[tm486]

I started on piano when I was pretty young, but I wanted to try something new. It was between the saxophone and the double bass as I loved the sounds they made. Against my mums request I went for the larger of the two and instantly got on with it so much better than I ever did with piano. I found that piano became a chore to practice, but bass never did.

About 3 years later I decided to get a bass guitar and I loved that even more, and I still have the very first bass I bought. I think I definitely got on with it better because I had an instrument that felt wonderful to play, and still does.

But it was the sound of the double bass that persuaded me to pick one up, and that sound still ensures that I don't just stick to the bass guitar.


Tom

Edited June 2, 2011 by tm486

[tauzero]

I started on guitar. When I got to university, I hooked up with another guitarist, a multi-instrumentalist/singer, and a drummer. As the other guitarist was better (or at least had a higher opinion of himself), I finished up putting a Hayman 40/40 together out of bits from the Fender Soundhouse. After dropping out of university, my ambition to be a posing long-haired lacy-shirted leather-trousered guitarist who would put Jimi to shame returned for a little while, only to gradually fade because nobody wanted me. When I moved to Tamworth, I put up an advert in the local music shop saying I was a lead/rhythm/bass guitarist and finished up being recruited to play bass, and that's where I stayed for the next 30 years. I still play guitar as well, but I have no illusions about my ability as a lead guitarist - it's acoustic stuff now.

[Fitz666]

I played guitar for 10 yearts before my best m8 said his bass player had left his band and would step in for a few gigs.

8 years later still the bass player in the band, never picked up a guitar in about 5 years, I just love the bass

[Monckyman]

I nagged my parents for a piano when I was ten, and my dad duly found an old shagged upright, which went in the back room.
This was where I disappeared when in trouble or moody!
After a couple of years my grandad started teaching me properly.He was a retired ex professional pianist with a baby grand in his front room with a signed pic of Count Bassie on it.
Anyway, he was very old school, bit of a martinet,had me learning the piano on a bit of paper with the keys printed on for about two months
I rejected the lessons, mixed as they were with reading dots, I just wanted to improvise and make sh*t up, he would leave the room, I would start noodling and hear a scream of "play the bloody scales!" from the back room accompanied by the strong whiff of pipe smoke.
The Mozart lesson piece is imprinted on my mind for ever.
After that I had a (small) rep among the local lads that I was musical and when someone needed a bassist I was asked, though I had no instrument or experience.
I borrowed an old heavy headed bow necked framus violin bass and went from there. They never sacked me, we morphed into a rockabilly band, eventually aqquiring a flatback Chzeckoslovakian Double bass and we did the bingo halls, cabaret clubs, working mens etc for a good few years.After buying my Vox standard bass in 82 I stuck with that and didn`t lust for any other gear, though I never seemed to have a decent amp. H+H being the usual kit.I ended up staying with the singer/guitarist for the next 14 years, playing bass with a bit of keyboard now and then.
Eventually, after a few disapointing years I went to college to study music production and after a few years of that started working as a touring monitor engineer.
Now 12 years since my last live show as a bassist I`m back in a band rehearsing and looking forward to my first gig in mid July.
I missed it and never realised how much!
I`ll not pack it in again ever.
This forum has, I`m happy to say, re-educated me about a lot of things Bass, and hopefully will guide me through the worst of gear buying dillemas.
Bit of a waffle, soz

Edited June 2, 2011 by Monckyman

[Delberthot]

Entered a talent competition at primary school when I was in year 7 miming to Bruce Springstein of all people. A friend of mine at the time gave me a loan of an acoustic to use as a prop and ended up buying it off him for a fiver.

Ended up playing along to the basslines on Queen records. When it came to choosing which present I wanted from the Littlewoods catalogue, everyone wanted me to get a guitar but I went with the bass.

24 years later and 70 basses later I'm still doing it and loving it.

I really cut my teeth playing in a Big Band when I was 17 which brought the average age of the band down from 70 by quite a bit I taught myself to read music for that gig. Played in an offshoot of that band which was a dixiland jazz band with only chords written so that gave me lot of freedom to improvise. Moved onto a couple of other things before getting into the wedding/function band scene. I have learned so much in the time I've been doing that kind of stuff that i can confidently play a song I have never heard before as long as I can hear what the keys are playing.

I've tried having a go at guitar but the strings feel far too light and insignificant for me to get anything satisfying from them. Tried my hand at drums a couple of years ago but I've lost interest in learning any other instrument now but am always trying to push myself with the bass.

Edited June 2, 2011 by Delberthot

[originalfunkbrother]

I started off as a drummer and then the bass player who we played with got a job out of town so I moved to bass. I hated playing with him anyway and I hated playing the drums!

[seashell]

I am notoriously lacking in self descipline. Have always loved music and over the years attempted to learn piano, viola, keyboards and drums. But always faltered in the early stages due to not practising enough. For years I did jazz and tap dancing - went to class but never practised in between and never progressed further than enthusiastic amateur. So just didn't think I had it in me to apply myself properly to anything.

When I told my friends that my New Year resolution was to learn to play the bass that the Ex had donated to me, no one believed I would stick with it. But 5 months down the line and I have practised every day. I think I was just waiting to find the right instrument! And also the right teacher. The fact that I am going to lessons really helps, because I would be embarassed to turn up and be just as sh*te as the week before. It was different when I was going to dancing lessons because you can stand at the back and get lost in the crowd, but with a one to one music lesson there is nowhere to hide!

Although I obviously wish I had started sooner, I have found it a joyful experience to be able to learn something new in middle age!
I've become a bit obsessed with me bass now and can't stop boring all my friends about it. I guess the things I particularly love are:
- I love deep sounds!
- the fact that it is so rhythmical
- It's a beautiful looking instrument. I love the long neck... looks so elegant. It just sits there in the living room inviting me to pick it up and play it!

seashell

[fatboyslimfast]

+1 to all of that Seashell.

Well, apart from the dancing. Me trying to dance would not be a pretty sight.

Edited June 2, 2011 by fatboyslimfast

[Ross]

Well it was my first instrument, took it up purely because I wanted to get into a band.
Oh how the times have changed...

[seashell]

[quote name='fatboyslimfast' post='1253761' date='Jun 2 2011, 11:48 AM']+1 to all of that Seashell.

Well, apart from the dancing. Me trying to dance would not be a pretty sight.[/quote]

I bet you'd be great. Everyone can dance if they've got a sense of rhythm!

[BigRedX]

Ever since I discovered pop music at the age of 10 I wanted to play in a band.

My parents really hated really hated pop and rock (it wasn't proper music) and while they didn't actively discourage me they didn't do anything to help either. After several years of pestering I finally got a playable Japcrap acoustic guitar for my 14th birthday and immediately set about forming a band with like-minded friends from school. In the early days there were no boundaries or pre-defined roles in the band. Whoever played the part best got to play it.

I was always more interested in the song-writing and production than in being a technically brilliant player. I found that it was easier to get my ideas across if I could play them to other people. Also a lot of the bands I was interested in at the time had at least one multi-instrumentalist in the line-up. For me no one instrument was inherently superior. What was most important was how they all fitted together in the arrangement of the song. Being able to play more than just the guitar gave me a better insight into how to arrange the required instruments to make the song sound as good as possible. Everyone in my first band was of the same opinion which meant that musically we were very flexible within the limitations of the instruments that were available to us.

As the band developed we did tend to fall into more conventional roles. I found myself mainly playing bass guitar or synth bass partly because one of the other members was a much better guitarist than me and partly because by then I had bought a bass and a Wasp synth and therefore I had the most experience playing them.

Since then I've been a guitarist, bassist and synth player at various times in various bands. I'm probably a better bass player than I am a lead guitarist or keyboard player, but it's still the songs and the overall sound and arrangement that interest me most. Three times I've joined bands as the bass player only to end up playing another instrument. Bass is great but no more or less important than any of the other instruments.

[whynot]

For a birthday present I asked my parents for the £22.50 Jedson guitar sitting in a strange little shop in Camberwell High Street. They came back with the identical short scale bass version that was next to it.
Record contracts and Europen tours that followed 4 years later and all the varied work I've done since I doubt would have occurred if that Jedson guitar were sitting in the corner.

[fatboyslimfast]

[quote name='seashell' post='1253883' date='Jun 2 2011, 01:05 PM']I bet you'd be great. Everyone can dance if they've got a sense of rhythm! [/quote]

Maybe with a specific dance, but I think any improv would be strictly classed as "dad dancing"...

Edited June 2, 2011 by fatboyslimfast