Bought a bass, feeling down...?

Question

i was really excited to get a bass, i got really hyped up for it in about a week, but a bass was always in the back of my mind. i have been playing guitar for 4 years now, i have an acoustic and an electric and i usually just play around with them, I don't really practice much. now i got the bass and i feel like i wasted all my time with the guitars cause its like why am i getting more instruments when i didnt even master this one? so, am i thinking too much about this and just have fun with my guitar and bass?

Answer 1

I agree, you are overthinking it



The main things to remember about bass,



Learn scales, everything you do is built around them.



LISTEN to the drummer,

you are now the rhythm section.

You set the groove, and the song is built around what you do, how you "solve" the problems the song brings up.

Bass is not easier, it is different.



Do yourself a favor, and don't wear it too low.

It may "look" cool, but it makes it hard to play well.



Learn the instrument first.



THEN if ya wanna look cool, you can drop it later.

(bet ya don't, you'll discover there's a lot of stuff you just can't play, with the bass too low)

Answer 2

A bass guitar IS a guitar... the E Major scale on a bass is the same as an E Major scale on a guitar (although the fingering pattern might be slightly different), just at lower frequencies.



If you want to make a little bit of money you are WAY better off having a bass around. Where I live there are at least five times as many ads for bass players as for guitar players. And if you've only been playing the guitar for 4 years don't worry - I've been playing for DECADES and I still know that I have more to learn... and always will.



What you may not have realized is this: you are not JUST a guitarist if you play more than just acoustic and electric guitar - you are a MUSICIAN.



Also, don't be discouraged by people saying you can't make money doing this. You might not become a millionaire, but if you learn your stuff you can teach for a fee. If you are good at writing songs you can record them, copyright them, and market them to the service called "Taxi" for a fee (the Kenny Rogers recording of "Buy Me A Rose" was written by clients of this service and it earned the co-writers a half-a-million dollars... each!). And once you get to the point where you can really do fairly well (it takes time - you have to be patient) you might be able to sell your songs as downloads on "Tunecore.com" - a service that I myself intend to use because it so inexpensive and can open up sales possibilities for me all over the world.



Keep playing that bass buddy and see you on the big stage someday.

Answer 3

What are you going to do with your music? IF you are just playing for grins it is what it is. IF you want to make money with it get your head examined. I wanted to play Bluegrass for a living. Then I say a Flatts & Scruggs album in the 2.00 rack. It was a long time ago but that make me change my mind in a hurry. As great as those two guys are/were they never became overly rich. Not like Rock or Country. That is the reason all good Bluegrassers end up on the Country side. They have to eat.



It takes 2,000 hours to become adequate. I have found that once that I became proficient on the guitar then the stand up bass was a lot easier to learn. It also helped when I picked up a 5-string banjo. You can dabble around with all of them but if you learn one really well it will transfer to the other instruments.

Answer 4

I know a lot of guys (self included) that play both. Bass can actually improve and influence your guitar playing as well. Just remember that you have to approach bass and guitar separately, cause it's 2 different things. Don't be one of those "Oh i can play bass cause it's like guitar , but 2 less strings!" guys. Other than that , Jump in and play on!

Answer 5

Bass can be a let down. I always liked the sound of a good bass in music, but playing one made me feel like I was stuck in a rut with no real way to express myself. I listen to virtuoso bass players like Jaco Pastorius and Stanley Clarke, but I can't seem to get that kind of sound. So I play it to stay in practice and concentrate on guitar. If you feel up to it, get a multitrack recorder and a rhythm machine and try playing the different parts to make a complete song. It might give you some inspiration.

Answer 6

bass gets no respect. i don't play, but music is everything to me. i love guitar and have so much respect for a good guitarist, but i have more respect for a good bassist. the bass is supposed to be in the background to help keep the rhythm but there are some bassists who take over the songs. Entwhistle, John Paul Jones, Roger Glover, and Matt Freeman are great examples. Zepplin's The Lemmon Song kills me. i'm 42 and still listen to it over and over just to hear JPJ's bass lines. years ago i used to go see a local band in Roanoke VA called Catch 22 and their bassist played a 12 string bass, never seen one before or since, but he was amazing. bassists rule!

Answer 7

ya you are thinking too much about it

look at keith richards, he played bass and guitar on jumpin jack flash, sympathy for the devil, and a load others.