Bass Guitar: Why?

[Mosquito]

This is a question more directed towards those of you who actually play bass, and I know you're there!

Over the past few years, I have debated between various instruments of interest. I still haven't made up my mind but I would like to know why you bassists actually chose the bass guitar.

Here's my current mode of thinking as far as the main instruments of metal go:

Guitar: The quintessential metal instrument. I love this thing but I don't think I would ever gain the intricacy needed to play solos, and while rhythm rules all, I feel that solo's are why I'd really want to play.

Drums: Drums rule, but I don't know if I would have the stamina or rhythm to take care of these. They seem to be one of the easier instruments in comparison though (but I am not belittling you drummers!)

Keyboards: I love keyboards, I feel they are one of the more dynamic instruments in the music world. However, I don't think I would enjoy the lack of mobility with them. I think I would prefer learning them a little bit, but nothing major.

Bass Guitar: I think this would be easier to play than guitar, most especially because the strings are bigger and I don't think I would fuck up as much. It also seems that you can learn it a little quicker than the normal 6-string. Once again, not belittling the skill of the players, just saying my feeling on the instrument. However, I have to ask myself, if there was no bass guitar in most bands, would I notice? I'm not sure if I would or not. Now, if it were Iron Maiden, I would most definately notice because you can hear the crazy bass lines .

Vocals: ha....lets not go there...

So that is my dilemma. I really don't know what I should choose because there are pro's and con's to all of them. I would like to hear what others think.

Justin

 

[urinalcakemix]

Hmm, it really depends what your looking for. Each instrument has many different stront points, and different techniques that its hard to pick them.

Guitar - you need to be VERY precise with your hands

Drums- you need 4 way independence and to be a human metronome

Bass - Lock in with the drummer at all costs

Keys - Wear spandex and play the Final Countdown


Honestly, I'd choose drums, its fairly simple to learn the basics, and is the best STRESS RELIEF instrument out of the three - which trust me, WILL COME IN HANDY a time or ten.

With drums, you don't have to worry as much about individual notes, tab and whatnot, you basically FEEL it, more than anything, keep solid time.

Final point - Theres always gonna be 200xmore guitar players than drummers, so finding a good drummer isn't the easiest thing to come across. Being that guy will definitely open more oppertunities for advancement in the future.

Good luck with whatever you choose!

 

[Palabra de Dios]

Bass can be just as intricate as guitar.

Justin, if you wanna try it out, come to my apt. again and I'll let you plug in my bass.

 

[Mosquito]

Justin, if you wanna try it out, come to my apt. again and I'll let you plug in my bass.

Dude, I told you I'm not into THAT sort of thing.

 

[Nightmare1z]

On albums, you would notice if the bass was not there - for metal at least. Just wouldn't be as heavy.

 

[Mosquito]

Guitar - you need to be VERY precise with your hands

I'm extremely precise when I type, but I don't know if that will count for much. : )

Drums- you need 4 way independence and to be a human metronome

I CAN rub my stomach and pat my head at the same time, but I'm not sure I could double bass at the same time.

Bass - Lock in with the drummer at all costs

Not sure I understand this one.

Keys - Wear spandex and play the Final Countdown

Europe rules!

Honestly, I'd choose drums, its fairly simple to learn the basics, and is the best STRESS RELIEF instrument out of the three - which trust me, WILL COME IN HANDY a time or ten.

With drums, you don't have to worry as much about individual notes, tab and whatnot, you basically FEEL it, more than anything, keep solid time.

Final point - Theres always gonna be 200xmore guitar players than drummers, so finding a good drummer isn't the easiest thing to come across. Being that guy will definitely open more oppertunities for advancement in the future

True, but I don't want to pick something just because nobody else picks it really, you know?

 

[DoomsdayZach]

The problem is drums are fucking expensive. the great thing about bass is there are no expectations, so you can really do as much or as little as you want. With guitar, there are the expectations of leads and all kinds of crazy shit, but with bass you can just chug along on open e with fills here and there. i tend to like bass a lot more than guitar, but i also find guitar a lot more rewarding to play on your own as songs usually sound more "full" on guitar than they do on bass alone. THen again, bassists never get the chicks

 

[General Zod]

I played bass in an all-original Metal band, in the lates 80s/early 90s. However, the reason I played bass, is probably different than most.

A friend of mine, who was a singer, found some lyrics I had written. He was very impressed with them. He asked me if I had melodies to go with them; I did. He decided to show then to a mutual friend, who played guitar. He was also impressed with the lyrics and melodies. A band was formed.

I fiddled with the guitar as a 12 year old. I figured, the bass only has 4 strings, how tough could it be? Wrong. Anyway, to start, my guitar player wrote all my bass lines, and I continued to write all the lyrics and melodies. Eventually, I developed a reasonable proficeincy with the instrument.

So, essentially, I played bass so that I could give a voice to my lyrics, be in a band and meet chicks. It worked on all counts.

Zod

 

[AMBR]

THen again, bassists never get the chicks

HA! Tell that to Lauri Porra and Marko Paasikoski, two bass playing hotties. Bet they don't lack for company and I'm sure with a few secs I could think of so more.

 

[Hal9000]

You don't choose your instrument, your instrument chooses you. All the practice in the world will never change that. Knowing how to play bass and playing bass are two completely different things, and no instrument is easier or harder to learn than another instrument. If it's in you, it's in you and that's all there is to it.

 

[Dustin]

Hey Justin, here's my thoughts...
Once the Low-end of the bass rumbles your sack, you'll always come back! LOL!

I think when it comes to metal (genre specific aside), the bass can either be an asset as another fronting instrument (like the guitar, drums or even the vocals), or just an octave guitar in the back ground. Sometimes, or more often that not, the bass seems to be this low frequency in the background of the band, and isn't all that articulate, and that works for some people. Not for me...

However, when ego comes into play, and if you also want to be known as a more melodic and "noticed" bassist in rock/metal, you have to take notes from the book of the greats such as Chris Squire (Yes), Geddy Lee (Rush) and Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) and many, many others. These guys are right in there getting there hands dirty, and have the chops to prove it.

Personally, I hate Octave guitars, i.e. - the bass that follows the guitar lines note-for-note and is just a round, low filling sound in the bottom EQ range. To me, that's laziness. LOL! Why have a bassist? Just thicken up the guitar tone, and add a live/session keyboardist to hang on the clef notes! Meshuggah doesn't count... That is a creature that was created and grown in a laboratory by Swedish mad scientists who are out to conquer the bass-clef world with their weapons of bass-clef guitar wizardry! LMAO!

Okay, seriously, If you go with a bass, let me give you this advice to carry with you on your path to perfection and glory, that will mystify your friends and other musicians alike - follow the drums. That's right, get in the cab and follow that damned drummer! It's that easy! ...well not really THAT easy. The trick is to follow the drums, after all a true bassist is a rhythm player, and the drums will be your back bone. You will be the glue that holds the drums an other instruments together. However, while you are hitting with the drums, you will also want to be in KEY with the guitars, while NOT following them note for note for an entire song. (all cymbal chokes aside)

Take a few of your favorite bands, put in their albums and specifically listen to what the bassist is doing... IF he is a true rhythm bassist and is melodic, you will hear it and it will open your mind to a whole spectrum of sounds and ideas. The bass will no longer be this "easy 4-string instrument that will be easier to learn than guitar because it has less strings"... No sir, it will be a new challenge. But a rewarding one at that!

\m/
Dustin

 

[Bryant]

Advantages and disadvantages of each instrument:

Guitar:

Advantages - More "sound" for your money. To elaborate, a "song" played on a guitar alone still sounds like a song. More fun to practice alone. Gear is economical. Small practice amps sound fair enough. Quite portable. Lots of players, tabs etc. all around the net to keep you busy doing different things. Very rewarding instrument due to the technical aspect of playing once you reach different levels of competence. Acoustic guitar is a great solo instrument as well. Needs no accompaniment.
Disadvantages: Many, many other guitarists out there. Good guitarists are usually easy to find. Fragile instrument. Guitars are hardly "easy" to break, but they are subject to go out of tune easily and are more fragile than most other "metal" instruments.

Bass:

Advantages: Much fewer players than guitarists. Though not easier to become an "elite" player, easier to become a "competent" player than on guitar. Rugged instrument that stays in tune well and is easier to tune than guitar. Usually more sensitive to pianissomo and fortissimo (playing softly versus loudly) due to typically not clipping (distortion) the signal. Challenging to tie in guitar/keys/drums while also writing interesting fills without cluttering up the music.
Disadvantages: can be rather boring playing by yourself. Playing a "song" doesn't sound much like the song. Few practice amps really give the body needed for a good sound making the bass less portbale. Often overlooked and overheard in a band situation.

Drums:

Advantages: Backbone of a band. Finding a quality drummer is an act of congress. Most sensitive to volume. Good exercise. Easy to get the attention of other bandmembers when practicing. Someone with good natural timing can practically sit down behind the kit and keep a beat.

Disadvantages: Expensive. Loud (acoustic) and needs to be away from neighbors. No fu to play metal "softly." Very difficult to carry around, set up and disassemble. Expensive and time consuming to maintain. Fans mostly only see your head and hands. Not as glamorous as other musicians on stage. To become an elite player requires extreme independence of rythm with all your limbs.

Keys: Advantages: Much like drummers, good keyboardists are very difficult to find. An unlimited array of sounds at your fingertips (with sampling workstations.) Ability to be a one man band with the polyphony capabilities of a modern workstation. Portable and fairly rugged.

Disadvantages: Keytars look goofy. Keyboardists are typically stuck in one spot on stage. Often times, they are picked at because they are a keyboardist. Expensive !! a high quality workstation is quite expensive. Overwhelming..... so much capability because it is basically a computer that mastering one is extremely difficult.


Bryant

 

[Cheiron]

I played bass in an all-original Metal band, in the lates 80s/early 90s. However, the reason I played bass, is probably different than most.

A friend of mine, who was a singer, found some lyrics I had written. He was very impressed with them. He asked me if I had melodies to go with them; I did. He decided to show then to a mutual friend, who played guitar. He was also impressed with the lyrics and melodies. A band was formed.

I fiddled with the guitar as a 12 year old. I figured, the bass only has 4 strings, how tough could it be? Wrong. Anyway, to start, my guitar player wrote all my bass lines, and I continued to write all the lyrics and melodies. Eventually, I developed a reasonable proficeincy with the instrument.

So, essentially, I played bass so that I could give a voice to my lyrics, be in a band and meet chicks. It worked on all counts.

Zod

Give us some MP3s. =)

As for Bass... I didn't choose it because it simply doesn't interest me. Nor drums. I think that is mostly because I just love listening to virtuoso performances on guitar. And while I doubt I'll ever be able to do so, it is a fun and challenging instrument to learn.

But the Bass is not easy. There are so many different techniques to use, and heck.. you can get a 5 or 6 string bass, if you are worried about the number of strings. It all depends on what sound you want. If you don't enjoy listening to the bass licks on albums, I'm not sure if you would enjoy playing it.

 

[Judas_C]

There is just something really fucking cool about playing the bass. Once you get down some fundementals, you really can play a wider range of styles than with the guitar, so it keeps your options open. There is a hell of a lot less pressure on the bass player, we usually don't right the songs, and in a lot of cases are asked merely to double the guitar parts with some slight variations. At times it gets boring but if you really love the insturment, it won't make a difference. I fell in love with the bass for the second time after hearing Rush and all Geddy Lee does. But you really don't choose your insturment one day you'll find out which insturment has picked you.

 

[Cheiron]

If I were to play Bass guitar, it would be because of players like Billy Sheehan, and yeah Geddy Lee.

 

[rockyracoon]

Just as tough to be GOOD at bass as any other instrument. It may be easier for a band to have a sub-par bassist and still sound ok. But for the most part, choosing bass because you think/have heard its easier is the wrong route to take.

 

[Bryan316]

1. Regor picked up guitar, and I didn't want to play the same instrument as him.

2. CLIFF FUCKIN BURTON

3. Bass makes my balls tingle.

4. Easier to play, which allows me more brain cells to dedicate to HEADBANGING.

5. I'm the roadie anyways, so nobody gives a shit really.

 

[booB]

I think I'd want to play bass, because then I wouldn't have to do anything.

*ducks*

 

[General Zod]

Give us some MP3s. =)

If I had anything of quality, that included vocals, I would.

Zod

 

[Sumeet]

if you also want to be known as a more melodic and "noticed" bassist in rock/metal, you have to take notes from the book of the greats such as Chris Squire (Yes), Geddy Lee (Rush) and Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) and many, many others. These guys are right in there getting there hands dirty, and have the chops to prove it.

Personally, I hate Octave guitars, i.e. - the bass that follows the guitar lines note-for-note and is just a round, low filling sound in the bottom EQ range. To me, that's laziness. LOL!

Well... you know what they say: Listening to Steve Harris makes you want to play bass. Listening to Ian Hill makes you want to play guitar.