Should every bass player play at least a little bit of guitar

[CHW]

Following on from the Guitarists who would be bass players thread in OT, I started thinking about this.

I started off on bass, and picked up a guitar when I had been playing for a couple of years, learning open chords, barre chords and a few scales for a bit of lead improvisation. When I moved back onto bass I discovered that I had automatically improved as a bass player, not just in that I could see(and recognise) a guitarist play a G, D, C and Em progression and immediately have the fundamentals of a workable bassline in my head. but that I could work together better with a guitarist.

I have ended up playing both in gigging bands (probably prefer the bass overall still) but still think if I'd never played the guitar, I'd be a less accomplished bass player??

I'd be interested to know if there are any long term bass players out there who cannot play any guitar, and couldn't recognise a B7 chord visually, and how do they pick up the more random seeming chord progressions from a guitarist.

[uk_lefty]

You've nailed it for me - but I'm a sh!tty guitar player.

[BassBus]

I think it's always a good idea to have some understanding of other instruments in general, not just guitar. It helps understand the construction of chords and what notes you can use in a bass line. It's the same when it comes to learning the tune you are playing bass with. That also informs the notes you can use.

[Nicko]

I played guitar for 20 years or so before seeing the light. I find it really useful to have a mental picture of a chord or arpeggio in my head, because I know where the chord notes are on the fretboard. I dont have to think in scale tones at all unless I want to get more complex. Although I'm not much of a lead guitarist I used to solo using the same mehod for resolving phrases. Technically this is the wrong approach, but it works for me and I'm sure others would benefit from knowing a bit more guitar theory .

[CamdenRob]

I reckon a rudimentary understanding of drums would help more.

[TimR]

Nope. No idea what the guitarist is doing at all.

I've played piano, violin, tuba.

How do I know what the guitarist is playing? I listen hard. That probably goes for all instruments.

[Paul Clifton]

So with Camden Rob on this

[Graham]

Not necessarily guitar, but I think at least having a bash at a chordal instrument is important, for the reasons the OP outlined.

[madshadows]

As the OP has said I find learning stuff on a six string guitar helps me play bass better, I enjoy both but bass playing is my # 1

John

[Lw.]

It certainly helps with song writing/working through new songs in a band situation - there's only so many times I can explain something to a guitarist before I just say "Give it 'ere".

[chris_b]

I can strum and play a few tunes on piano. I think piano is a good second instrument for a bass player.

[Marc S]

Depends on the music / band situation you're in
But as most of us tend to be in bands with guitars, then yes, it's a good idea

I can strum a few chords, but I'm not great on guitar
But being able to play those chords helps me recognise what a guitarist is doing
Handy for open-mics or jams with musicians and songs you don't know....

I'd say it hasn't really made me a better player per-say - but I can join in and jam more because of it
So that should improve some elements of my playing, if only a little....

Knowledge of other instruments should help listening skills and theory too
So yes, always good to have an understanding of what other instruments are doing

If only those other musicians better understood the function of bass.... lol

[Number6]

I can only just about play bass so i hope not.

[RhysP]

[quote name='CHW' timestamp='1426680645' post='2720620']
Following on from the Guitarists who would be bass players thread in OT, I started thinking about this.

I started off on bass, and picked up a guitar when I had been playing for a couple of years, learning open chords, barre chords and a few scales for a bit of lead improvisation. When I moved back onto bass I discovered that I had automatically improved as a bass player, not just in that I could see(and recognise) a guitarist play a G, D, C and Em progression and immediately have the fundamentals of a workable bassline in my head. but that I could work together better with a guitarist.

I have ended up playing both in gigging bands (probably prefer the bass overall still) but still think if I'd never played the guitar, I'd be a less accomplished bass player??

I'd be interested to know if there are any long term bass players out there who cannot play any guitar, and couldn't recognise a B7 chord visually, and how do they pick up the more random seeming chord progressions from a guitarist.
[/quote]

I've been playing guitar for a while now, have gigged on guitar & definitely play far more guitar than bass these days, but I couldn't recognise a B7 chord visually.

Why is it important to be able to recognise a chord visually? I can hear a 7th chord no problem, which I would have thought is more important.

I don't think playing bass for years helped with playing guitar when I started, and I certainly don't feel like playing guitar has helped my bass playing as my approach to the two instruments is completely different.

Edited March 18, 2015 by RhysP

[Bilbo]

I am intermittently quite a credible guitar player (depends on how much I have practised recently) and have gigged a few times on the instrument. I think the important thing to do is to understand the roles of the instruments and the sounds of chords etc. a knowledge of guitar and/or piano/keyboards has got to be good but a wider knowledge of horns etc i also useful. Composers and arrangers have to learn very early on about all instruments, ranges, tessitura (how notes work in different ranges), Transposing details etc etc. All knowledge is useful.

[Bilbo]

An couple of examples of my guitar playing....

https://m.soundcloud.com/robert-palmer-1/turkey-three-ways

https://m.soundcloud.com/robert-palmer-1/salome

[fretmeister]

I've always played both I can't say that one has helped the other.

In fact as I've recently (2 years or so) started to read music jumping between the Clefs is doing my head in to the point that I'm thinking of concentrating one 1 instrument only.

[Bilbo]

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1426691330' post='2720865']
I've always played both I can't say that one has helped the other.

In fact as I've recently (2 years or so) started to read music jumping between the Clefs is doing my head in to the point that I'm thinking of concentrating one 1 instrument only.
[/quote]

Stick with it, bro. Piano players do it all of the time.

[Dazed]

I've been in bands where I've thought the guitar player should be able to play a little bit of guitar

I can strum a few chords, but I refuse to.

[Grangur]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1426687703' post='2720789']
I can strum and play a few tunes on piano. I think piano is a good second instrument for a bass player.
[/quote]

Chris strumming a tune on a "Joanna"? This I've GOT to see!

I've got a guitar, but so far it's just gathering dust. But.... thanks for the inspiration.

[paul_5]

I can play both, and it certainly helps with developing a better sense of harmony (and chord voicing too), but given a choice I'd ALWAYS plump for the low ender - it's just, well… better innit?

[ezbass]

Any instrument that offers an insight to chords and harmony is useful, guitar works well because the construction of the instrument is very similar, as is the tuning. As has been said, spending some time with percussion is also useful. Given that bass has foot in both camps and combine the two, are we musical polymaths?

[SubsonicSimpleton]

If you want to improve your overall musicianship, then piano is the best choice (serious musical education institutions will make you take it as compulsory second study if it isn't your first).

Nothing wrong with picking up the guitar(anything that broadens your musical knowledge and creative options is always beneficial), but it is seriously restricted both in terms of range and the practical options for voicing chords and playing bass/melody lines simultaneously. The practical advantages of how easy it is to play/write music pretty much anywhere with a simple acoustic guitar is the main selling point for going this route IMHO.

[Bassassin]

I played bass for two years before picking up a guitar. I wanted to learn guitar as a tool for composition, and have managed to achieve a good enough standard to be able to play whatever's in my head. I don't rate myself as a guitarist (certainly wouldn't dare play it live), but all the guitarists I've worked with have been surprisingly complimentary about my playing.

Whether or not it would benefit [i]every[/i] bassist to learn a bit of guitar (or other chordal/melodic instrument), I don't know. If you're content playing covers, arguably it's academic whether you understand why you're playing what you're playing. As has been mentioned, a basic knowledge of drums might be more use, certainly for encouraging cohesive playing.

Jon.

[Les]

Yes.