Think I've fallen In Love with playing bass

jonnyburgo

I've got a bass for sale, I haven't played since a brief stint in a band 30 years ago but I've been tinkering with Ian Durys My Old Man and I love it. My dilemma is now keep and sell a guitar? Wasn't expecting this to happen... I don't have a Bass amp so have been low voluming through a guitar amp and it feels so right. Oh dear...

PolarityMan

I think the great thing about bass is that it forces you to think in a more functional way than playing guitar. 

DrCornelius

That’s an awesome bassline by a fantastic bass player. Definitely up there with Foxton for me for basslines that beg to be learned 

stickyfiddle

I was going to say "oh no.." but then I remembered I've spent much of this year playing drums at every opportunity...

Go for it, I say

Switch625

Keep both of course.

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

Oooh, I don't really know that one. Will have to give it a spin on Spotify!

thegummy

PolarityMan said:

I think the great thing about bass is that it forces you to think in a more functional way than playing guitar. 

Totally agree.

I've found that learning guitar is mostly about techniques and guitar parts whereas learning bass is so much about learning how songs work.

I can see why some of the people I regard as the best songwriters of all time are bassists in their band.

Musicman20

Bass is incredibly fun. I still class it as my main instrument. Enjoy it....it's totally different. 

brooom

I mainly play guitar, but I always keep a precision around. I really love playing bass, it's a completely different thing.

proggy

I recently sold the last of my collection, a Fender Jazz Special Fretless. Although it hardly got played in the last few years, I'm kind of missing it (or having a bass around).

BeardyAndy

It's also a great way of getting some strength in your little finger on the fretting hand.

Rocker

Sell a guitar and use the funds to buy a good bass amp.

PonchoGreg

Bass is such a fun instrument. Playing over tunes is a great way to work on rythm, but it also helps you think more fundamentally/simply in terms of melody and harmony. All of which transfer very well to guitar, especially if you happen to want to play/record tasteful guitar parts as arrangements.

bassbora

Nobody dances to lead guitar. Bass is where its happening 

maw4neu

The bass line to "Hit me with your Rhythm Stick " is unbelievably hard to play . . . Its makes the track . . I tried and failed miserably . . Playing Bass is awesome :-)

Funkfingers

bassbora said:

Nobody dances to lead guitar.

Cardiacs fans used to! 

PolarityMan said:

I think the great thing about bass is that it forces you to think in a more functional way than playing guitar. 

IMO, it helps to alternate between guitar and bass. Aspects of each instrument/role inform the possibilities for the other.

thegummy

maw4neu said:

The bass line to "Hit me with your Rhythm Stick " is unbelievably hard to play . . . Its makes the track . . I tried and failed miserably . . Playing Bass is awesome :-)

Norman Watt-Roy is a superb bass player - not mentioned enough

I recently went through a phase of being really in to Ian Dury for Ian's singing and lyrics themselves but in doing so I also got in to what a solid backing band he had.

Funkfingers said:

PolarityMan said:

I think the great thing about bass is that it forces you to think in a more functional way than playing guitar. 

IMO, it helps to alternate between guitar and bass. Aspects of each instrument/role inform the possibilities for the other.

Every now and then I wonder if I should concentrate more on one or the other in order to get to a higher level but maybe splitting between the two could be the most beneficial when counting all the complimentary possibilities over to each instrument.

ICBM

jonnyburgo said:

I've got a bass for sale, I haven't played since a brief stint in a band 30 years ago but I've been tinkering with Ian Durys My Old Man and I love it. My dilemma is now keep and sell a guitar? Wasn't expecting this to happen... I don't have a Bass amp so have been low voluming through a guitar amp and it feels so right. Oh dear...

If you have more than one guitar and only one bass then sell a guitar.

You don’t *need* a bass amp for playing at low volume at home, but it’s probably worth getting one - it doesn’t have to be big or expensive.

ToastHat

That's great! I had the same experience in reverse: been playing bass for nearly 20 years and picked up guitar properly about 6 months ago. It's been so interesting approaching songs I've known for years from the other direction. Also it's opened up loads of new songs I know well but had never bothered with because the bassline was boring to play (yeah yeah serves the song etc). Bass still feels "right" and more ... fun when I play it. I'd been in a bit of a rut for few years that I was down to like an hour of bass a week, I still play an hour of bass a week but now I play like 10 hours of guitar as well.

usedtobe

Keep the bass. But it a little amp. Sell a guitar.

Rocker

Keep what guitars you have.  Buy a Fender Rumble Bass Amp.  Why get rid of the things that give you enjoyment and a reason to live?