Did You Learn The Ropes On A Six-String?

admin · Post by **admin** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 2:27 am

Almost every bass player I have met, started playing on a six-string guitar. This is a natural transition. I am wondering if some here skipped this first step and went straight to the bass? I would be most interested in the journey you took in arriving at the bass.

I began with rhythm and then moved to lead guitar. As a recent student of the bass, I initially found myself trying to play it from a guitar perspective, which I learned is all wrong for me. Playing bass is a detailed study in patterns which I learned by listening to McCartney, Squire, Lee and others. There are numerous examples of the bass played as a lead instrument, bassists such as Squire certainly illustrates this.

paul_yan · Post by **paul_yan** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 2:49 am

As far as stringed instruments go, I started out on the Er-Hu (Chinese Laptop Violin) in my school's Chinese orchestra when I was 12. Then I started to take classical guitar lessons when I was 15. I started messing with both the electric guitar and bass when I was 18 and played mostly guitar in my 20's.

Now I'm a bassman because I find taking care of the groove suits my personality better.

phlemmy · Post by **phlemmy** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 3:03 am

I learned the basics on the drums. After playing with bands for 15 years, I picked up the basics by watching and listening.

rickinroma · Post by **rickinroma** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 3:14 am

My brother learned guitar on an acoustic instrument...after a few months he got an electric one... so I started play bass lines using that awful guitar until I got a "real" bass... it was a very cheap and bad quality short scaled EKO bass...but a big improvement from the acoustic guitar

it was in 1981...in 1983 I got an italian fireglo Rickenfaker (not too bad) and in 1984 my 1st Rick 4001...#RB1540 Fireglo
Just after a few years I started playing guitar also...

cheyenne · Post by **cheyenne** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 3:32 am

I started out playing bass, tried guitar a few times, but I've always felt comfortable with the bass.

scottpro1969 · Post by **scottpro1969** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 4:02 am

Back in 1981 a friend of mine and I were huge Rush fans. Moving Pictures had just come out and it was really popular. We had All The World's a Stage and I can remember opening up the tri-fold and seeing all the really cool concert pictures. We both loved the look of Geddy's bass. His parents were wealthy so they bought him a Jetglo 4001. It was used but in perfect condition. I remember they paid $549. He had the Badass bridge mod done just like Geddy. I was so jealous. He had GEDDY's BASS!! So, I bought a Les Paul copy with the thought of forming a band. It was pretty bad. We both took lessons for 2 years with much boredom after a while. I wasn't any good at guitar and he was no good at bass. I actually found a picture of me holding this bass shortly after he got it. Wow, I was 12 yrs old!!! After about 2 years of the bass sitting under his bed collecting dust, I asked him to buy it. $200 and it was mine.

At this time the Smithereens were popular and I liked them, again Rickenbackers. They had a '60's garage rock sound, really raw. And they sang harmony!! That opening bass line to Blood And Roses caught me and I was hooked. I practiced for hours every day getting blisters but it paid off. I fell in love with bass. Wish I still had that bass. I found that I had a good ear for picking out the bass lines so I never did go back to lessons. I would still like to learn theory though.

It's interesting to me that pretty much every band that has influenced me musically played Rickenbackers. Rush, Yes, The Beatles, The Byrds, Smithereens, REM, and Tom Petty among others. So it's a natural fit that I would love RIC's!!!!

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 4:15 am

my first bass was a 4 string guitar ... a 6 string guitar missing 2 strings ...

ricosound · Post by **ricosound** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 4:16 am

Always has been bass for me (well actually Tuba to begin). I bought my first bass, a cheap Jazz copy, in 1979 because my buddy had a '74 4001AG and I was into Rush big time. $129 was all I could afford and this was all the local music store had that fit my budget. Every time I pick up a six string guitar, it feels forign to me. I have always resented guitar players who know chord structure and theory, can pick up a bass and just play a melodic line. I have always been an "ear" guy and still have to work at getting a song right. I always feel more comfortable in the pocket holding it down and realize I would never make it as a guitar player.

iamthebassman · Post by **iamthebassman** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 4:25 am

I started on bass and years later took up the guitar too.
1976, I 'm in high school, still living at home. I'm a big fan of The Who, The Beatles, and Yes. I decide I wanna play bass, as my best friend has just got a guitar. So for several months I sneak out my bedroom window around midnight, push my car down the driveway before starting it, drive several blocks to a church that I know has a right-handed Fender Jazz and Bassman. I crawl thru a back window and play that bass upside-down till about 4AM. Sneak back in the house and get a couple hours sleep before school. After a few months of that I had saved up $60 and bought my first bass, a Kay EB-O copy, which I played thru my stereo till I could afford my first amp, a $150 Univox.
Bought my first guitar around 1990.

lowendbob · Post by **lowendbob** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 4:26 am

The first musical instrument I played was cornet.
I quickly moved to drums. Played drums for many years through high school, but I always had the desire to play bass. Bought my first bass about 20 years ago, and have been playing since.
I still bounce back in forth between the drums and bass. I enjoy playing both.

henny · Post by **henny** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 4:36 am

Bass from the start.

My first ever bass was a Ric, ****** old 80s 4003... but I loved it, and still do!

My dad's a pro player thus I used to sit on his cabs as a kid at gigs, etc. Been "around the industry" so to speak since I was say, hmm.. 2 1/2?

I'm also a very competent TRUMPET player!

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 5:52 am

Started with bass for a few months, then tried my hand at guitar for a while, then got VERY serious with bass, been that way ever since.

incubus2432 · Post by **incubus2432** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 6:23 am

I started on bass when I was 15. I have tinkered with a guitar here and there but find it feels too small with strings/frets too close together for my ham hands/sausage fingers

. I really don't have a need/desire to learn guitar but do put some light effort into the piano on occasion.

freewheelin · Post by **freewheelin** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 6:51 am

Too many strings on a guitar...

I bought a Chapman Stick but 10 strings...!!! I exchanged it for a double bass, that's better (he he)
Guitar is very useful for the composition or to sing but I looooooove my 4001 and I will always be a BASSIST. C'est la vie...
Yeah !

325_fan · Post by **325_fan** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 6:55 am

I had an old Kaykraft acoustic that killed my fingers as I learned every Beatle song that came out. I can't remember how I became involved with the bass. Now I play piano, guitar, bass, mandolin, and banjo. Go figure.