john_the_bass Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 Just wondering how many of you play guitar (or another instrument, but mainly a guitar), either as a hobby, as a second instrument in a band or something like that and made the transition either from guitar to bass or picked up the guitar as an aside to learning the bass. Personally - I was always a guitar player, asked to play bass in a band so I did and haven't stopped. I still play the guitar in another band. My dad took the bass duty in another band as well after how many dozens of years playing the guitar, did the two band thing for a while and now sticks to playing bass semi professionally but still maintains an interest in the guitar. Just interested really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 [quote name='john_the_bass' post='53152' date='Aug 31 2007, 09:34 AM']Just wondering how many of you play guitar (or another instrument, but mainly a guitar), either as a hobby, as a second instrument in a band or something like that and made the transition either from guitar to bass or picked up the guitar as an aside to learning the bass. Personally - I was always a guitar player, asked to play bass in a band so I did and haven't stopped. I Just interested really[/quote] Followed the same route as yourself. Actually auditioned for a band as rhythm guitarist on the night their bassist quit, they wondered if I'd stand in on bass and the rest is history. I still use the guitar for songwriting and recording but simply as a tool. I take no pleasure in sitting down and noodling about on it. Whereas I can spend many a happy evening going over and over one tricky bass part until it's right. I think some people just suit certain instruments others can play many with equal skill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 Hi ya! Well I did start on acoustic guitar at primary school. I naturally saw the electric guitar as what I wanted to 'do', but, I soon realised that all I ever used to sing/hum were the bass lines. Even now, there are very few songs I could sing from start to finish. I naturally seemed to gravitate towards the bass and rhythm section. Oh.. and I always thought guitar looked a bit small on me ha ha ha!! I did end up playing lead guitar in a fairly successful band for about 5 years.. but the calling of the low end called me back and I am now here to stay!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 Bass is actually my second instrument after guitar - I'd been playing guitar for 14 years before I picked up a bass! I also play the bongos, some extremely sketchy keys and of course, the recorder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 I played guitar since I was 8, and I still love to play. I mainly write music/songs on guitar too. I play the bass 'cos it's what I wanted to do in a band situation. I feel I have much more control over the band's whole sound, and i'm very much into rythm, and percussion, which you can do quite nicely on an acoustic guitar, but gets lots in the mix of a band on electric. With the bass, you're always playing rythms and grooves, and I personally have a very percussive style. So, yeh, basically i'm another guitarist who's mate wanted them to play bass in a band and now i'm hooked! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 I started on guitar, but even then I wanted to play the bass. In my first band, for a long time we had no bass guitar, and when we finally did, bass duties were shared between all three instrumentalists. However as this band 'progressed' we all started focusing on individual instruments, and I ended up as the bassist (probably because by then I actually owned one and therefore had the most time to practice). These days I play bass, guitar and some keyboards (mainly for programming), but I enjoy playing bass in a band context more than the other instruments, and I consider the Bass to be what I'm most proficient on. I do relate to the situation of changing instruments because of the band you join. In the early 80s I auditioned for a band as a bass player, and ended up playing synth for them for the next 6 years, during which time, I hardly played any guitar or bass at all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super_Mario_Bass Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 played for a bit, bass was always nagging in the back of my head though, couldnt keep it away for long . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Funk Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 I play guitar, drums and keys - but I'd never call myself a guitar player, drummer or keyboard player. It's always fun to do this in rehearsal though: "Is it easier if I just show you?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 I started on drums (and I still have a hankering but not enough space for a kit) and decided to teach myself guitar this year as I wanted to be able to lay down my own funky rhythmn parts. Hopefully I might be upgrading from an £120 guitar to a Parker P38/P40 soon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey D Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 I've always been a bassist since my 14th birthday. I have previously taught myself keyboard for a few years. However in February I got my 8 string guitar-so technically it is 5/8s guitar and 3/8s bass, but that's as near to guitar as I get! My hope was to make it one of my main instruments, but being a bass major at uni means I don't have too much time to dedicate to it. So it is just a hobby instrument still. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leonshelley01 Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 Started out on bass for about 4 years, then learnt guitar when I joined another band as a rhythm guitarist. Now (some 10 years later), I play bass in one band and lead/rhythm guitar in another. Interestingly though, when I'm writing new material I always start on the bass.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tait Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 I started learning guitar in primary school then converted to bass when my dad thought i was good enough at guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOD2 Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 Started off on guitar. Played that for 25 years before being asked to help out on bass, which I did and then became much more interested in bass. Although strangely enough I had "taught" two band members in previous bands how to play bass (showed them the basics and wrote tab bass lines for them to get them started) and I've had a bass in the house for years and years - I guess the writing was on the wall although I never realised it. I'm not in a band at the moment and am now torn between the two ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauljdcooper Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 I started on guitar as a kid, classicak for a year, then 8 years of ''normal'' acoustic guitar, mid teens i bought some loud and smashed up electrics. Gave it up around 20 for a while. picked it up again 2 years ago. Always loved double bass. A real fascination for me. Then decided to take the plunge and learn bass. Now on electric bass with a self promise that when i feel ''good enough'' on the electric i will treat myself to a double bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 was a classical guitarist first, and got the first electric 3-4 years later. Moved on to bass another 3-4 years later. Classical guitar technique lends itself better to bass than electric guitar - especially if you are a finger playing, which is what I am Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZPQ Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 Played both more or less since I started (many years ago), seem to collect more guitars and guitar gear than bass for some reason. I'm gigging pretty regularly in 2 bands playing guitar and 1 playing bass. I suit guitar more when the songs are more rocky and bass when it's more poppy - if I'm playing bass in a rock band I often gets frustrated/critical of the guitarist, whereas when it's something less rock - R n B / Soul etc I prefer playing bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roo Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 I bought a guitar about a year into playing bass, I use it mainly as a songwriting tool, and it's useful to know what's going on the other side of the stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul, the Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 My dad came home one day and said that he had seen some small basses. I didn't have a clue what a bass was. I returned home with one. Never been too fond of electric guitar. I love a good folk acoustic player though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARGH Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 NEVER PLAYED GUITAR NEVER WANTED A GUITAR NEVER FELT LOVE FOR GUITAR Bassist from getgo.......with the 9 THEIR RANGE IS MINE TO CONQUER!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarnbass Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 Yeah, I started as a guitar player, but I always had this craving to play on those big chunky strings, I just had to get a bass. I much prefer the bass to be honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martthebass Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 (edited) Bassist from the get go me. Had a recent hankering to learn guitar if only to be able to know what to play in a Jam when I can't hear meself properly. Hate it when I ask the key to a guitarist for him/her to turn around and show me the chord - what! They look perplexed when I tell em that playing that chord on the bass would probably sound crap. Edited August 31, 2007 by martthebass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guzzibass Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 Been playing guitar since I was 9 - studied classical and flamenco etc, learned mandolin - always had electric and acoustic guitars. Then auditioned for bass with a band - even though I'd not touched a bass guitar. Now in said band and love playing bass!! In fact I reckon it has improved my guitar playing no end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzz Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 Started dabbling with bass a couple of years ago, still not very good, I've been perhaps only practicing for half hour a day on alternate days recently just havn't been been feeling it at all. Bought a guitar a few months ago, then bought another one, first is currently undergoing a strip and will be refinished, and I'm just learning basic chords and stuff on the other one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bnt Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 (edited) Got a new stepbrother who played a bit of guitar, so I got thinking "what can I play?" I found guitar too fiddly, so that led me to bass, and there was a cheap one for sale locally. Voice is my second "instrument", but I also do some elementary synth stuff, mostly because I'm the kind of computer geek who actually gets MIDI. Fear the skills! :ph34r: Edited August 31, 2007 by bnt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veils Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 I used to play the Oboe in an orchestra then went to playing drums, moved onto guitar (I always wanted to do that originally because I thought Graham Coxon was cool), then went onto bass when I started filling in for another band and found it a lot more fun. I still have some wicked guitar gear at my house thanks to my previous bands guitarist. I have in my possession a PRS CU22 Artist jobby, a Blackmachine B2, my lil bro plays guitar and has his kicking about, there is a Takamine acoustic and a beasty Framus Dragon half stack. I do enjoy having a bit of a thrash on a guitar and I am quite a gear freak as well. Also I filled in with 24 hours notice for my friends band last weekend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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