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Old 07-18-2007, 09:23 AM   #1
Spitfire999
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Default Guitar v. Bass Guitar

Good morning OT

I come seeking advice from the musicians out there. I have always had a desire to learn to play an instrument, in specific, the guitar or bass. I have recently had some spare cash laying around and feel that now would be a good time to begin learning. I realize however that I have no clue which instrument I should pick up (between guitar and bass that is). I have been told by many that once I learn the guitar then I can easily pick up the bass guitar, however im not THAT concerned about learning both. It seems that the guitar obviously has more variety and prestige associated with it that the bass guitar, however there has always been something that has interested me about the bass (simplicity of the 4 string look maybe).

So OT, what do you recommend I do?

Also, If you have any starting points (good books, websites, dvds) on where to begin learning since I plan on teaching myself that would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

-Spitfire999-
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Old 07-18-2007, 09:24 AM   #2
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a trained monkey can play bass.
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Old 07-18-2007, 09:24 AM   #3
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Who are your musical "heroes?"

For me, it's people like Les Claypool, Phil Lynott, Flea, Roger Waters, and John Entwistle.... so I would be leaning toward bass.
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Old 07-18-2007, 09:26 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Satan View Post
a trained monkey can play bass.


But.... there's one playing guitar!!
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Old 07-18-2007, 09:26 AM   #5
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there's nothing simple about a bass

honestly take classes from an actual teacher - learning through books is like learning programming through books - it can be done but unless you have serious determination to do so lessons will always be better

it took me a while to find someone who could teach me the theory properly and still have the ability to tab out a song that I was itching to mess around with
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Old 07-18-2007, 09:26 AM   #6
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Guitar 1st
Bass 2nd

To start, from what I did was with a simple acoustic guitar. Once you manage that, moving to an electric guitar or bass is a much easier transition.
This being that the neck on an acoustic guitar is wider than the electrical, making you learn how to move the fingers in a wider space.

I know there are way better guitarist in here that might have a different approach, but this is how i was taught.
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Old 07-18-2007, 09:27 AM   #7
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My first love is Bass, but mainly because it meshes best with my control-freaky nature. Playing guitar is fun because you can relax and just wail on it and people will still think you're a genius. Bass requires a bit more precision to be really good at it.
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Old 07-18-2007, 09:30 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chkltcow View Post
But.... there's one playing guitar!!
zing!

I can't play either, so who the hell am I to talk??
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Old 07-18-2007, 09:32 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chkltcow View Post
Who are your musical "heroes?"
I'm not all to familiar with the members, but the style of music I am into is very much "psychedelic rock" I suppose (ex. pink floyd, my bloody valentine, deep purple) and of course some more new age emo-esq (for lack of a better classification music, but not slit my wrists kinda emo).


If that helps.
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Old 07-18-2007, 09:32 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Satan View Post
a trained monkey can play bass.
But not trained to play well..




To be honest.. what do you want to do with the talent?

Play in a band.. you'll be happy with either.. but if you want to swoon ladies.. playing bass won't get you anywhere without someone playing guitar.. unless you're swooning some chick who digs bass slapping solos lol


Playing either well will take a while; however, at least with bass.. not playing well means you're still functional..

You could play with friends doing dumb one note craptastic stuff thats on beat.. but eventually with experimentation and practice you could be doing walking bass lines and slap bass and fun stuff.. that makes people who play guitar appreciate your skill to back up what they are playing.


Guitar.. at first you're going to be craptastic and you'll be practicing and memorizing chords and such.. then You'll be able to play some easy stuff..

Eventually you'll get better and better.. but it is more difficult to play cleanly and requires more effort IMHO..

Then think.. are you able to pat your head and rub your stomach at the same time? When it comes to playing guitar and singing (if you want to do that) you're often changing chords and such while singing so you must be able to just play.. without thinking.. so you can sing.


Practice makes perfect, but if you are not generally good at picking up new skills.. or are not very musically inclined.. and still want to learn.. go with bass.


The end choice is yours.. but on day one with bass you could play music using tabs and such.. and by the end of week 2 with bass you will have learned a lot of technique if you practice, you may have even developed the callices(sp?) so that your fingers don't hurt any more when using the thick gauge strings.
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Old 07-18-2007, 09:34 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WRX300 View Post
honestly take classes from an actual teacher
I have some friends that are pretty good at both guitar and bass, so they would be more than willing to teach me a bit, unfortunately money and time are a bit to tight for actual lessons
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Old 07-18-2007, 09:35 AM   #12
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Depends if you want to lead or follow. The bass sets the tempo, the feel and groove, and all the key changes. If you want to play along and look cool, try guitar. Bass will require perfect timing as you'll be holding down the whole band. Even the drummer, well any decent drummer, will have to follow you. If you play guitar you're along for the ride but you can do face melting solos.
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Old 07-18-2007, 09:35 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Idjiit View Post
My first love is Bass, but mainly because it meshes best with my control-freaky nature. Playing guitar is fun because you can relax and just wail on it and people will still think you're a genius. Bass requires a bit more precision to be really good at it.
I think it's the warmth of sound from a bass, and the sheer range of different types of sound you can make playing without a pick, which is hard to do on guitar (although Mark Knopfler is a master of fingerstyle guitar, and creates such a soft mellow sound doing it).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfDE-ZvfOwU
That video is truly amazing because the bass line is so complicated and amazing, yet blends in SO much with the song that you rarely ever hear it

And then there's Victor Wooten
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...48242232514802
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Old 07-18-2007, 09:35 AM   #14
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I haven't played bass in like 3 years.. I may pick it back up.. but again.. i have nobody to play with.. and jamming alone on an acoustic bass is about as cool as aids...

So I think I may pickup an acoustic and figure it out.
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Old 07-18-2007, 09:36 AM   #15
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Guitar players get oodles of *****.

During the bass solo is the time you go get a drink at a concert.

You choose.
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Old 07-18-2007, 09:38 AM   #16
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i just picked up both... i have an acoustic Ovation Guitar, and an electric Ibanez Bass. Im having a hard time playing bc im too cheap for lessons...
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Old 07-18-2007, 09:51 AM   #17
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i'd start with guitar for sure. much more fun to play on your own. if you've got a few buddies that are also learning instruments, then maybe go for bass.

generally though, i would say start with guitar, then try bass later.

at very worst, if you go back to guitar after playing bass for a while you'll be AMAZED at how much stronger & flexible your fingers have become, and you'll feel like you are a better guitar player, even if you still suck (like i do).

BTW if you want a bass I've got an epiphone thunderbird reverse in a case under my bed that never gets played... belongs to my bro-in-law, he's taking offers on it.

edit: the tbird reverse looks just like this one:
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Old 07-18-2007, 09:58 AM   #18
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Bass is my favorite. That said, I don't really enjoy playing bass without other people. It can be guitar, drums, keys, or whatever. If I'm playing with someone, I can go until my fingers fall off. Just playing bass on my own, I'll get bored in 15 minutes.

With guitar, there is more versatility. You have the acoustic option, which makes things much more portable. There's no amp to lug around. If you wind up destitute, you can always sit on the corner, and play guitar for cash to buy malt liquor. That's harder to do with a bass.
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Old 07-18-2007, 10:01 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheRipler View Post
Bass is my favorite. That said, I don't really enjoy playing bass without other people. It can be guitar, drums, keys, or whatever. If I'm playing with someone, I can go until my fingers fall off. Just playing bass on my own, I'll get bored in 15 minutes.

With guitar, there is more versatility. You have the acoustic option, which makes things much more portable. There's no amp to lug around. If you wind up destitute, you can always sit on the corner, and play guitar for cash to buy malt liquor. That's harder to do with a bass.
+12345 /thread

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Old 07-18-2007, 10:09 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chkltcow View Post
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfDE-ZvfOwU
That video is truly amazing because the bass line is so complicated and amazing, yet blends in SO much with the song that you rarely ever hear it
not a Who fan, but John Entwistle is probably one of my favorite bass players. he attacked the strings with his right hand!

another favorite is Tony Franklin, who played fretless bass with The Firm (Jimmy Page/Paul Rogers band.).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlUGV...elated&search=

i play guitar, so i'm biased, but if you're a rhythm guy, try the bass. if you like rhythm along with screaming solos, try guitar. i think the guitar is more "expressive", but a really good bass player is always fun to listen to.
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Old 07-18-2007, 10:14 AM   #21
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If you really want to learn to play bass it will turn halfway into a percussion instrument. Look at Flea in the early days (Out in L.A. album, Get up and Jump, Out in L.A., Green Heaven, etc) and you can see how technical it can get, the last one not being too technical (Green heaven I can play no problem, the 2 other ones though ) but a prime example of funk inflection on bass.

If you want to go way back look at Bootsy Collins, that is funk on another level. Victor Wooten is another technical mastermind that I can grab off the top of my head.

Basically, I wouldn't reccomend bass unless you have rhythm because no matter how good you are, if you don't have rhythm then you will always be missing something. Don't take it in a racist way when I say when playing bass you should try to sound black. Yeah, white kids can do it too, but you know what I am saying. Then again, it all depends on what you want to play.

I am really fond of popping and slapping with some crazy funk lines and I am not a fan of the standard rock bass lines at all. I could never do the whole standard major progressions that they use in so many rock songs. Some people like it though - I just think it's too easy

*edit*

Go on youtube and search 'Flea Interview' - I would link it but I can't get to youtube at work.
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Old 07-18-2007, 10:18 AM   #22
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So making my decision on what you guys have said, I will probably go for a guitar at first (especially since I don't have much desire to play in a band) and then maybe ill move to bass as well in a year or so (or whenever I feel comfortable enough with the guitar)...Now i just have to find one


^^^ O Face...

Epiphone Limited Edition SST

Do you guys have any recommendations guitar wise. Something like the one above maybe.
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Old 07-18-2007, 10:21 AM   #23
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Look around for a good guitar, browse local dealers, etc - chances are you can find a deal.

I know someone who found a Gibson SG Goth for 300 dollars, all he had to do was re-solder a pickup and it worked perfectly (they sold it as-is). Sounded gorgeous when I played it last.
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Old 07-18-2007, 10:24 AM   #24
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i've always liked the sound of the Fender Telecaster, you can get a Squire version of it to learn on (they sound excellent IMO) and they're inexpensive.
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Old 07-18-2007, 10:25 AM   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Spitfire999 View Post
So making my decision on what you guys have said, I will probably go for a guitar at first (especially since I don't have much desire to play in a band) and then maybe ill move to bass as well in a year or so (or whenever I feel comfortable enough with the guitar)...Now i just have to find one


^^^ O Face...

Epiphone Limited Edition SST

Do you guys have any recommendations guitar wise. Something like the one above maybe.
Give a price range. Don't feel you have to overspend, but definitely get as good a guitar as you can afford. Quality makes a difference in playability. If you buy a crappy guitar with crappy sound, feel and action, you just aren't going to want to sit down with it so much. Another thing to DEFINITELY get is a stand. Have the guitar out where you can see it and just pick it up, not put away in the case. It makes a big difference to me when it's out, plugged in and ready to go, vs. pulling it out of the case.

Craigslist seems to be a decent source of nice used gear locally.
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