How many of you are self-taught bassists?

[ballstix]

Seems like a lot of users here are one-man-band mutli-instrumentalists; I'm guessing a good deal of you guys are primarily guitarists? I personally just kind of picked up bass for recording purposes. Anyone else?

 

[Jaymz]

Yep im a guitarist that just picked up bass for recording purposes too!

 

[Felix Neumann]

I learned guitar, but also bass simultaneously..and drums.

 

[SocialNumb]

Guitar, Bass and Keys. Master of none.

 

[StefTD]

I learned playing guitar at first, but nowadays I play guitar mostly for recording and bass as my maininstrument.
I am a way better bass player than a guitar player, I even can't sweep on a guitar, but I can sweep on a bass...
Had a few lessons from my uncle (started playing upright bass with 15, played 10 years in an orchestra and in many different jazz bands, e-bass, too) that helped me alot.
Especially the right hand techniques, left hand is not a real difference to guitar playing (talking about e-bass, not upright).
The most good guitar players I know are acceptable bass players, but only a few of them play bass and not just a "4 stringed, downtuned guitar".
In my opinion it really helps to play groovy stuff at the beginning before trying to copy ultra technical guitar riffs.
This will let you think more "bassplayerish".

Just my 2 cents, and I don't want to sound selfish, there are way better bassplayers than me everywhere but the bass is the only instrument I am able to play that even guys that play it thereself think that I am acceptable and not just total noobs

 

[-Gavin-]

No-one learns bass... They just forget guitar.

 

[26]

when recording bass is on my list, i take a week long break from guitar (or even music) to transform myself into a bass player. referring to groove, or where to "meet the drummer", it's a complete different game than playing guitar.

 

[Erik Monsonis]

Guitar, Bass and Keys. Master of none.

Yep, +1

Add drums to that list for me.

Just self taught on everything, but never got too deep into anything. Maybe guitars more, but still I'm not as good as I pretend.

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

No-one learns bass... They just forget guitar.

Or they're not good enough to play guitar in a group

 

[ballstix]

Do any of you guys use fingers instead of a pick? I've been trying to develop my finger skills, but I'm fairly certain my technique is sloppy.

Using a pick is obviously natural after playing guitar forever. And Dandelium, you are so full of crap. Your songs are so awesome

 

[Harry Hughes]

Yep, self taught bass player, because it's easier than constantly asking a bassist to help with my solo stuff. I played plenty of Rage Against The Machine on bass, helps with groove massively and helps you to think like a bassist.

 

[Eddy]

I used to play guitar but changed to bass permanently since it was easier to find another guitarist than bassist. Plus Lemmy is God.

The song that sums it up very nicely: http://www.sacktrick.com/chrispaulodale/mp3/IPlayBass-SackTrick.mp3 Pretty much the story of my life.

 

[TravisW]

Ditto on guitarist who picked up a bass for recording. I'm self-taught on pretty much anything I do remotely well.

 

[roy22341]

Originally a bassist that picked up guitar for recording purposes. Well more like, moved and rather than spending the time to look for new guitarists I started (recently) teaching myself guitar. Took jazz/funk bass lessons for years. I was pretty decent at one point but unfortunately that all goes away when the practicing stops. I primarily finger my bass (hehe) but can pick, I'm just not a huge fan of that sound when I'm just playing around. Fingers = way faster for me.

 

[NicholasDWolfwood]

Self-taught all the way, picked up bits and pieces of theory here and there. I'm not a virtuoso or anything but I can certainly hold my own. At one point I could play anything from Jaco to Sadus, now I focus on metal pretty much. I prefer playing with my fingers but I can play with a pick if needed. I got into fretless because of Jaco and Steve DiGiorgio.

 

[Seizure.]

Otherway around, got teached bass, and now play guitar aswell which is selftaught.

 

[lilhermiejobo]

I'm another self-taught musician. Started with piano between the ages of 2 and 3 according to my family (I cant remember) and picked up bass around age 13. played bass in bands for 7 years and then stopped all together for a couple years. started back up again and switched to rhythm/lead guitar depending on who I'm jamming with and what the song needs.
I did all the school band stuff as well but got bored and quit after I learned trombone, baritone (bass clef) and tuba.

 

[The-Zeronaut]

i played bass for like 5 or 6 months on a progresive melodeath band
but i think like a guitarrist (i play with pick and i use the bass as a "very low tuned guitar" XD)

if you play guitar playing bass like that its really easy...

 

[_Brutalism_]

Quote:
Originally Posted by -Gavin- View Post
No-one learns bass... They just forget guitar.
Or they're not good enough to play guitar in a group

Tell that to any REAL bassist and it will be quite insulting. Legends like Miller, Wooten, Pastorius (that's all I can remember ), are true masters of funk and groove and I doubt you can consider them to be failed guitarists.

 

[ahjteam]

I picked up bass before guitar