How many of you...

[mike257]

I'd say you should go for it and get stuck in - it'll help your writing, and anything that gives you a better understanding of how the whole band works together is worth doing.

I started on guitar, but moved quickly to bass - came back to my guitar playing much later on but it's now my main 'writing' instrument. Although some of my writing comes from basslines, I find it far more natural to flesh out a song from the 6 string, then build the rhythm section up behind it.

Learning some rudimentary drumming skills is a worthwhile investment of time too - the more you can put yourself into the heads/shoes of your bandmates, the better you can approach writing and arranging together, and the easier it becomes to create complementary parts.

[xilddx]

[quote name='MacDaddy' post='1310061' date='Jul 20 2011, 10:41 AM']I think it's far easier to be an average bassist than it is to be an average guitarist. But it's far more difficult to be a good bassist than a good guitarist.[/quote]
Why, Mac?

[Skol303]

[quote name='lowdown' post='1309542' date='Jul 19 2011, 07:31 PM']I tend to use Keyboard and a DAW, and add Gtr and Bass later on.[/quote]

^ Yup, that's my approach too.

Although I often find myself starting with a bassline and 'reverse-engineering' everything else around it; especially with genres like hip hop, DnB, etc.

Guitar is never my first port of call, but only because I'm too ham-fisted to make sense of 6 dinky strings

[Dr.Dave]

Different strokes for different folks but my approach has always been the same.

I would never write a song on bass. A song , to me , is melody plus lyrics and for that reason I've developed every song I've ever written by strumming chords on a guitar whilst singing the tune. I suppose a keyboard instrument would do just as well.

Once I've knocked the song into shape like that - I take off the writing hat and put on the bass players hat thinking about how , as a bass player , I can best support and enrich the song - hopefully others I'm playing with will approach their parts the same way.

[xilddx]

[quote name='Dr.Dave' post='1310360' date='Jul 20 2011, 02:48 PM']Different strokes for different folks but my approach has always been the same.

I would never write a song on bass. A song , to me , is melody plus lyrics and for that reason I've developed every song I've ever written by strumming chords on a guitar whilst singing the tune. I suppose a keyboard instrument would do just as well.

Once I've knocked the song into shape like that - I take off the writing hat and put on the bass players hat thinking about how , as a bass player , I can best support and enrich the song - hopefully others I'm playing with will approach their parts the same way.[/quote]
Yep, that's generally my approach too. A song usually starts roughly in my head and gets transferred to the guitar and by singing a melody over the chords. The lyrics come afterward most of the time. Saying that, I don't really write songs anymore, I find I'm too busy to be inclined to do so.

[MacDaddy]

[quote name='silddx' post='1310326' date='Jul 20 2011, 02:20 PM']Why, Mac?[/quote]

It's the mechanics of the thing and how you play. Starting off on bass it's gonna be one note per string and maybe a lot of sliding about on the E string. With guitar you're gonna be learning chords (playing more than one note at a time) and maybe trying to learn a bit of lead. Of the two without great technique the bass is initially easier. Also without great ability, the bassist has a better of being able to play a part in a band.

But to improve as a bassist, because the neck is longer, the strings are thicker, and the distance between strings is greater, the bass can be more difficult to master - certainly on a technical level. As bassists develop as musicians we gain an understanding of the bass role with other instruments, so a good bassist will have an understanding of how the bass can affect and even control harmony and feel (I remember an article in BGM mentioning something similar saying that's why bass players can become great producers). A lot of good guitarists don't have this awareness, which is why it's often possible to spot the bass lines played by guitarists.

This all of course IMO and exceptions will obviously apply

[xilddx]

[quote name='MacDaddy' post='1310445' date='Jul 20 2011, 03:38 PM']It's the mechanics of the thing and how you play. Starting off on bass it's gonna be one note per string and maybe a lot of sliding about on the E string. With guitar you're gonna be learning chords (playing more than one note at a time) and maybe trying to learn a bit of lead. Of the two without great technique the bass is initially easier. Also without great ability, the bassist has a better of being able to play a part in a band.

But to improve as a bassist, because the neck is longer, the strings are thicker, and the distance between strings is greater, the bass can be more difficult to master - certainly on a technical level. As bassists develop as musicians we gain an understanding of the bass role with other instruments, so a good bassist will have an understanding of how the bass can affect and even control harmony and feel (I remember an article in BGM mentioning something similar saying that's why bass players can become great producers). A lot of good guitarists don't have this awareness, which is why it's often possible to spot the bass lines played by guitarists.

This all of course IMO and exceptions will obviously apply [/quote]
You don't really believe all that do you?

[skankdelvar]

[quote name='MacDaddy' post='1310445' date='Jul 20 2011, 03:38 PM']It's the mechanics of the thing and how you play. Starting off on bass it's gonna be one note per string and maybe a lot of sliding about on the E string. With guitar you're gonna be learning chords (playing more than one note at a time) and maybe trying to learn a bit of lead. Of the two without great technique the bass is initially easier. Also without great ability, the bassist has a better of being able to play a part in a band.[/quote]
I think progress and development is initially easier on a bass. Then it gets more difficult as you come to realise the possibilities. Thereafter progress comes more smoothly.

Guitar is initially more difficult because of chords, becomes easier with all the obvious cliches - and then you hit a very steep learning curve if you want to really develop your own voice.

Edited July 20, 2011 by skankdelvar

[xilddx]

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='1310507' date='Jul 20 2011, 04:33 PM']I think progress and development is initially easier on a bass. Then it gets more difficult as you come to realise the possibilities. Thereafter progress comes more smoothly.

Guitar is initially more difficult because of chords, becomes easier with all the obvious cliches - and then you hit a very steep learning curve if you want to really develop your own voice.

[/quote]

Interesting Skank! That's pretty much how I feel.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Dr.Dave' post='1310360' date='Jul 20 2011, 02:48 PM']Different strokes for different folks but my approach has always been the same.

I would never write a song on bass. A song , to me , is melody plus lyrics and for that reason I've developed every song I've ever written by strumming chords on a guitar whilst singing the tune. I suppose a keyboard instrument would do just as well.

Once I've knocked the song into shape like that - I take off the writing hat and put on the bass players hat thinking about how , as a bass player , I can best support and enrich the song - hopefully others I'm playing with will approach their parts the same way.[/quote]
When I get my initial song ideas on the bass, I work from the premiss that if I can produce something that is rhythmically and melodically exciting in the first place, then when I layer on the other instruments and the vocals the song will be even better. The trick is to be able to hear what the other parts should be doing and leave enough space for them to fit in.

[Blademan_98]

I use a guitar to get the chord progression.

Then lay down the bass.

Then re-record the guitar.

But I learned to play the guitar first.

I agree with the graph above!

[MacDaddy]

[quote name='silddx' post='1310459' date='Jul 20 2011, 03:45 PM']You don't really believe all that do you? [/quote]

most of it

[xilddx]

[quote name='MacDaddy' post='1310803' date='Jul 20 2011, 08:36 PM']most of it [/quote]