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Guitar or Bass Guitar? - Page 2

Blogs > neobowman
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Prev 1 2 All
Aukai
Profile Joined April 2003
United States1183 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-11-14 20:25:58
November 14 2010 20:24 GMT
#21
Just because you play Bass doesn't mean you can't play Chords or melody lines...Those are independent of the instrument. I play chords and melody on my bass all the time, in fact its better to learn the chords/melody on bass so you can better write a bass line the compliment that song.

And it doesn't Matter if you have small hands or not, there's a famous bass player who has tiny hands that plays a 6 string bass, and you can't even wrap your hand around the neck.
There was one really amazing gal. She was one of the biggest chick i ever seen.
Pineapple
Profile Blog Joined June 2010
New Zealand126 Posts
November 15 2010 00:47 GMT
#22
It depends on the direction you want to go in. If you want to be a songwriter then stick with guitar. If you intend to always just be the backup person in a band though learn the bass. Truth be told anyone who can play guitar and pick up bass really easily and if it's demand that you're worried about you can always just hire a session bassist for your album recording or gigs.
rauk
Profile Blog Joined February 2009
United States2228 Posts
November 15 2010 01:01 GMT
#23
if you're switching just because of your weak hands bass is going to harder, the strings are ridiculously thick. just practice more, that's the only real answer.
Keldrath
Profile Joined July 2010
United States449 Posts
November 15 2010 01:46 GMT
#24
it all depends on how you want to play. both are great instruments but when it comes to ease of play a bass is about as tough as a kazoo. it might get boring fast.
If you want peace... prepare for war.
tofucake
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
Hyrule19221 Posts
November 15 2010 02:22 GMT
#25
I'd just like to point out that small hands are a bigger deal on bass than guitar. Anyway, I'd say start with guitar, and if you ever want to learn bass pick one up. Maybe I'm just biased because I play guitar, but eh?
Liquipediaasante sana squash banana
Commander-Zerg
Profile Blog Joined September 2007
Canada341 Posts
November 15 2010 02:58 GMT
#26
hellsan631
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
United States695 Posts
November 15 2010 03:07 GMT
#27
Hahaha, such an awesome movie. Some of those bass lines can be crazy awesome like that. (I think i heard a bit of yellowcard in there perhaps?)
a176
Profile Blog Joined August 2009
Canada6688 Posts
November 15 2010 03:08 GMT
#28
Since you can't even manage to play bar chords yet, just focus on learning and playing guitar for now.

You will gain finger strength overtime, your skill at moving your hands will improve. In reality, nearly all guitar players can easily switch to a bass, considering that most songs you will learn to play have "stupidly easy" bass lines to follow.

The only thing you really need to know is that bass strings are much harder to work with, and when going into more advanced bass lines, you will end up picking most of the strings by finger in rapid succession, so finger strength is very important.
starleague forever
Kyuukyuu
Profile Blog Joined January 2009
Canada6263 Posts
November 15 2010 03:23 GMT
#29
On November 15 2010 12:08 a176 wrote:
The only thing you really need to know is that bass strings are much harder to work with, and when going into more advanced bass lines, you will end up picking most of the strings by finger in rapid succession, so finger strength is very important.


Yeah, I play guitar and this is the only thing I find annoying when I mess around on my friend's bass. So I just end up using a pick
Lexpar
Profile Blog Joined March 2009
1813 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-11-15 04:32:55
November 15 2010 04:21 GMT
#30
There's no reason you can't play both. It's dumb to say "if you wanna write songs play guitar, if you wanna be the salt of the earth play bass." No man. If you wanna write songs pick up piano ffs. People in this thread have given a dozen examples of bassists who take songs by the balls and make them their own, not just playing 8th notes on D for a whole song.

Stick with guitar for a couple months or years then picking up bass is much less of a struggle*.

This coming from having played drums in 7 years, guitar for approx 1 year, bass for 1 week. Just my experiences.

Bass is a lot like learning drums. It's an entirely different beast from guitar. On guitar you can struggle for days and days trying to play one fucking chord in your song, and still sounds like a dying animal. On bass you can always play the song (like on drums). You either have to simplify it or slow it down and build up your speed. Drums and Bass are very similar in that way.

Check this guy out, bass can not-suck. Don't listen to people who have never played with a good bassist.



On November 15 2010 10:46 Keldrath wrote:
it all depends on how you want to play. both are great instruments but when it comes to ease of play a bass is about as tough as a kazoo. it might get boring fast.


T.T
geetarzero
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
United States217 Posts
November 15 2010 04:32 GMT
#31
On November 15 2010 13:21 Lexpar wrote:
There's no reason you can't play both. It's dumb to say "if you wanna write songs play guitar, if you wanna be the salt of the earth play bass." No man. If you wanna write songs pick up piano ffs. People in this thread have given a dozen examples of bassists who take songs by the balls and make them their own, not just playing 8th notes on D for a whole song.

Stick with guitar for a couple months or years then picking up bass is much less of a struggle*.

This coming from having played drums in 7 years, guitar for approx 1 year, bass for 1 week. Just my experiences.

Bass is a lot like learning drums. It's an entirely different beast from guitar. On guitar you can struggle for days and days trying to play one fucking chord in your song, and still sounds like a dying animal. On bass you can always play the song (like on drums). You either have to simplify it or slow it down and build up your speed. Drums and Bass are very similar in that way.

Check this guy out, bass can not-suck. Don't listen to people who have never played with a good bassist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1AfNoq8DLk


I'd have to agree with this for the most part. Except that part about starting with guitar than moving to bass. It really isn't the biggest deal in the world, you can start with either one and it'll end up helping you learn the other.
sKyHigh? him? don't worry about it. (–_–)
Lexpar
Profile Blog Joined March 2009
1813 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-11-15 04:56:02
November 15 2010 04:36 GMT
#32
Yeah they certainly compliment each-other. The skills you learn from picking up guitar like finger strength and knowledge of chords and song structure helps a lot in picking up bass. Bass fingering helps a lot with fingering on guitar. My 8 year+ bass player friend can play great improvised guitar solos, but doesn't know what a G chord looks like. Similarly, he has a lot more trouble writing a song. These are generalized examples though. The point is each instrument compliments the other and there's no reason that you have to learn one and not the other.

Maybe I should add that guitar is a great instrument. I love playing guitar. I'm just stuck in this fuzzy lovely bass world right now since it's my first week of practice. I 'm not sure if it's been mentioned but barre chords are about twice as easy on an electric than an a classic. Playing A is tougher tho

You can't really go wrong with either instrument. I think in your case you should probably by an electric guitar.
Pineapple
Profile Blog Joined June 2010
New Zealand126 Posts
November 16 2010 03:47 GMT
#33
On November 15 2010 13:21 Lexpar wrote:
There's no reason you can't play both. It's dumb to say "if you wanna write songs play guitar, if you wanna be the salt of the earth play bass." No man. If you wanna write songs pick up piano ffs. People in this thread have given a dozen examples of bassists who take songs by the balls and make them their own, not just playing 8th notes on D for a whole song.

Stick with guitar for a couple months or years then picking up bass is much less of a struggle*.

This coming from having played drums in 7 years, guitar for approx 1 year, bass for 1 week. Just my experiences.

Bass is a lot like learning drums. It's an entirely different beast from guitar. On guitar you can struggle for days and days trying to play one fucking chord in your song, and still sounds like a dying animal. On bass you can always play the song (like on drums). You either have to simplify it or slow it down and build up your speed. Drums and Bass are very similar in that way.

Check this guy out, bass can not-suck. Don't listen to people who have never played with a good bassist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1AfNoq8DLk

Show nested quote +
On November 15 2010 10:46 Keldrath wrote:
it all depends on how you want to play. both are great instruments but when it comes to ease of play a bass is about as tough as a kazoo. it might get boring fast.


T.T


This guy is an expert. I have played piano for 17 years, guitar for 10 years and bass for four. My point regarding songwriting is completely valid - most bass players write their songs on guitar anyway. Secondly, if you've only played bass for a week why the T.T face over the level of entertainment you can gain from it. Sometimes you just have to call it as it is.
Lexpar
Profile Blog Joined March 2009
1813 Posts
November 16 2010 19:55 GMT
#34
Hey pineapple it's not a pissing contest, I was just stating my level of experience. I made it clear in my next post that I'm gaga over bass now because I just started learning it. I was making the point that it's easier to learn your basic chords on piano and write a song than on guitar.

You're kind of an asshole.

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