Ghost_Bass Posted December 18, 2015 Share Posted December 18, 2015 A group of friends decided to form a band. All played guitar. One of them had a knack for drums. Somebody had to pick up the bass... [size=5][b]BEST DECISION EVER[/b][/size]! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger2611 Posted December 18, 2015 Share Posted December 18, 2015 It's funny it seems most were either pushed into it as there was no one else wanting to play bass or ended up doing it because there was already a guitarist, I was totally the opposite, I started on guitar because I couldn't find a bass I could afford, I spent two years playing the guitar (a £25.00 Satellite Strat copy) before I found a £50.00 un-named Precision, the rest....they say, is history! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chezz55 Posted December 18, 2015 Share Posted December 18, 2015 I was 16 and the band at the time couldn't find a bass player - I was playing rhythm guitar. The lead guitarist also had a Hofner bass guitar, so I asked if I could try it - he said OK and within seconds I knew that I had found my instrument. I'm now 63 and I still play Bass. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted December 18, 2015 Share Posted December 18, 2015 I have always instinctively picked out bass in music , it's that simple for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted December 18, 2015 Share Posted December 18, 2015 Because I wasn't allowed to play drums when I was 12. Had absolutely no interest in guitar (and still don't) and my mates dragged me to see The Hamsters in a local pub. The bass player had this massive trace elliot stack and a really scooped sound that shook the foundations. He grooved so hard and I just I just loved the sheer size of the bass sound. Job done. Next week I had my 1St bass. A week later I was in my first band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingBollock Posted December 18, 2015 Share Posted December 18, 2015 (edited) [quote name='mrtcat' timestamp='1450474442' post='2933272'] Because I wasn't allowed to play drums when I was 12. Had absolutely no interest in guitar (and still don't) and my mates dragged me to see The Hamsters in a local pub. The bass player had this massive trace elliot stack and a really scooped sound that shook the foundations. He grooved so hard and I just I just loved the sheer size of the bass sound. Job done. Next week I had my 1St bass. A week later I was in my first band. [/quote] I had the opposite problem, when I was twelve my dad wanted me to play drums. He had decided he wanted to manage a band and forced my three brothers and me to take up instruments. He had decided I was going to be the drummer, but I was feeling rebellious (a dangerous thing against such a bully) and didn't want him to have it all his own way (if it had been up to me I would have had a radio controlled monster truck). I was really into Iron Maiden and Motorhead, so bass made sense to me. I suggested it and, as he hadn't even considered the bass, he agreed. I still want a radio controlled monster truck. Edited December 18, 2015 by KingBollock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Behlmene Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 [quote name='Naetharu' timestamp='1450369328' post='2932129'] Hi folks, I was just reading another thread which got me to thinking about why I took up playing bass in the first place. It's funny really, since its not an obvious instrument to go for. I guess for me it arose as an interested after seeing lots of live music and being really impressed by a few of the players. Also, I think bass seemed a little more 'exotic' than guitar, which was played by everyone and their mother. So, if you feel like sharing I'd be really interested to hear what reasons you had for taking up bass in the first place? [/quote] Actually I started on both bass and guitar, but like you I realized some time ago that bass was where it was at for me. The big fat sound, the beautiful lines, and yes, that not everyone does a bass. I've never looked back. I still have a couple of my old guitars hanging around. I pick them up every now and then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krysbass Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 When I first began appreciating music and buying records in my teens, my dad had a half decent Ferguson record-player that, unlike many; actually delivered plenty of low-end. When I was around 16, that record-player became mine and by this time I found I was always following the bass-line in any music that I heard. The low notes really inspired me. I'd never even seen a bass guitar up close at this point, let alone actually tried playing one, but my cousin was a keen guitarist and I remember being unimpressed at the tendency for guitar strings to break at the least provocation. So guitar was definitely not for me - far too fragile! I bought my first bass back in 1981 and been playing on and off ever since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulbass Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 I had no intention of playing bass...or any other instrument. When I was at school (some 30 years ago!) my mates had a band but couldn't get a bass player and they went to the effort of buying a bass from an auction and turned up at my house with it and told me to give it a go. I loved it! The school band didn't work out so I auditioned for a band but unknown to me they were one of the top covers bands in my hometown at the time and I got the job. I didn't rate myself from the beginning and I lacked belief as i was still learning it but the band I joined said I had a natural feel and groove and I did find it easy to pick up basslines... the rest was history. That instrument has introduced me to so many people and I've formed so many friendships from it over the years and its taken me to some great places. I love and respect the bass and my journey isnt over yet...long may it continue! Oddly enough the lads that got me that bass guitar have never played since that school band but i've kept going.Whenever we meet up now we always laugh about it...not bad for a boy that wasn't interested in playing Bass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonunders Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 I was 49 and getting fuddy within the grey matter. I wanted to learn a instrument and my son played the guitar so I thought I would try the bass. Never looked back. Wished I started 30 years earlier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevpilk Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 I got divorced , then realised I always wanted to learn bass, no evil minded cow in my life anymore, best thing I ever did ,love it , will never be a flea, but I can play a few songs now ,not bad for 54 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upside downer Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 Mate got a 6-string for Christmas. He got bored of it mainly because he broke two strings immediately and had no Bert Weedon Play In a Day type book to show him chords etc. I sat downstairs one night while he was entertaining his girlfriend upstairs and plonked away on the E and A strings along to Never Mind the Bollocks. Realising that I was playing something vaguely resembling what was on the record thought I'd better try a proper bass out. Went to the shop a few days later. Sat down with this long-necked heavy monster. That was the bass, not the shop assistant. Don't remember the brand, only remember it being red. Plucked the E string. THRUUUUUUMMMMMMMM............. Oh man, I'm having some of that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AinsleyWalker Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 My friends needed a bass player to jam with. I already played guitar a bit so just hopped on and picked up some basics. Over the years I've practised both fairly equally but I'm definitely a bass player at heart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 Cos i wasn't quite a big enough Prick to be a guitarist!...............still a prick tho! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassnut62 Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 Back in early 80s a bass had two less strings than a guitar...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 [quote name='Bassnut62' timestamp='1450644313' post='2934591'] Back in early 80s a bass had two less strings than a guitar...... [/quote]And now a guitar has two more strings than a guitar! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassnut62 Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 [quote name='Lord Sausage' timestamp='1450645095' post='2934596'] And now a guitar has two more strings than a guitar! [/quote] And now I play guitar more than bass.....weird! One of these days I'll catch up and have as many strings as all the modern players! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Started on guitar, joined up with three others in the hall of residence I was in to form a band, which gave us two guitarists and a third member who could switch between guitar and keyboards (and sing, talented git). So I started playing basslines on the bottom strings of the guitar and then went out and bought a bass. I did have a couple more abortive attempts to be a guitarist with a band, but finished up as a bassist full time, with the only guitaring I do being to accompany Mrs Zero in an acoustic duo, because she lets me. She might just be being kind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kusee pee Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 I realised whilst gigging the other night that the other reason I prefer playing bass is that I get to play pretty much every second of every song, no pauses or gaps, just grooving all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethFlatlands Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Bunch of friends again for me. We all started learning guitar and one of them had a bass as well I used to noodle around on. Got the money together to buy my own (which I still have) before heading off to uni and have spent my time since split between bass and guitar in various bands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrevorR Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 [quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1450428181' post='2932608'] So the majority of us took up bass because it was the only instrument left in our first bands? ... doesn't say much about our instruments appeal does it [/quote] Some yin to balance out the yang. I took up bass coz I really wanted to play bass. As a kid I did a lot of singing in a church and gospel youth choirs. When my voice broke in early teens it was "Hello Mr Bassman", which I really, really enjoyed. So I started to listen to the bass in ther Rock music I had. When I was about 15 I convinced my brother to take me along to the rehearsal of his cover band (he played drums). The bassist played a Black and white Ricky with (irrc) chequerboard binding (although I could be making that last bit up). I was mesmerised by that bass and a just watched and listened to him playing all evening. From that moment on it had to be bass. After a couple more years of constant parent pestering I got a bass for my 18th birthday and have been playing bass since. It wasn't til 10 years later that I bought myself an acoustic guitar and started to learn 6 string. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telebass Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 (edited) Like many of us, I suspect, I always liked the low end. I spent the summer holidays in 1967 mainly at my best friend's house, playing Monopoly and listening to music. We used his dad's hifi, and for the first time, I was able to hear the bass properly. In 1970, I moved to a technical school nearby, and some of the guys had a band. This was the first time I'd ever seen electric instruments in the flesh. The bass player was using a hollow Les Paul shaped Framus Star bass. It was a Will Smith/Independence Day moment - "I just got to get me one of these! Was eventually good friends with that bass player, and even owned that bass for a couple of years. Never stopped since. Edited December 22, 2015 by Telebass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 I am a born again bassist I played guitar from mid-teens until I left university, so through most the 70s, which was followed by a musical void until my mid 40s 'mid life crisis' came along. By that time I had started to listen to and appreciate music in a different way and I thought it would be nice to pick up playing music again, but this time with bass. I bought myself a Peavey starter kit - played every day for a week, then every week for a month, then it sat in the corner gathering dust. Couple of years later I decided to go for it again, practiced like mad, jammed with some other guys in the same position, then joined another lot who were better than me. Had my first paying gig at 50, that was 8 years ago. Feels like a small piece of me that was missing all those years is back in place. I would say that playing bass and being in bands has changed my outlook on music completely. Rarely do I sit down and listen to recorded music these days, certainly not with the intensity that I used to. My enjoyment comes from the process of a bunch of people being on stage and making music together - whether it is me and one of my bands or watching other bands live. I get to hear enough recorded music to point me in the right direction, but to see it recreated live is what it is all about as far as I am concerned. Discounting local pub bands I went to 30 gigs this year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Dare Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 I'm a fiddle player. When I was in my teens, not a cool thing to be..Picked up the bass so I could join my mates' band. Found I took to it (being a reader helped). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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