Should I buy a Bass ?

Funkfingers · October 2020

Bass is not an instrument. It is a way of life. (You’ll love it.)

As alluded to above, bass is a foundational role within an ensemble. It requires a different mindset than lead/rhythm guitar. It is also the element in a song to which people dance.

Playing both guitar and bass can bring a cross-fertilisation of ideas. Knowing what a guitarist would prefer to play over (hopefully) encourages one not to overplay on the bass.

merciful-evans · October 2020

Bass has a different musical role. Us guitarists frequently play across the beat. Bassists play on it.
My bassist buddy used to watch the drummers foot to absolutely nail the timing.

I also bought a bass for recording, but though I've used them for a few years now, I am not a bassist. If I keep it simple, I can do a good job, but if I try to get clever I usually start playing across the beat again.

What is great fun is to play a simple bass line along to a song, and just feel a bassist's groove. Its utterly different. It feels great.

pintspiller · October 2020

I bought a bass to add to recordings 25+ years ago. In the end all the gigs I have played have been on bass. The only part of my guitar playing that "suffered" was the lead playing. But I prefer to play chords any way.

DesWalker · October 2020

Thanks to all for contributing to an interesting thread. There’s clearly no right and wrong answer so I will keep thinking....

Litterick · October 2020

DesWalker said:

But I still want to buy something that isn’t another Fender type guitar ....

thegummy · October 2020

merciful-evans said:

Bass has a different musical role. Us guitarists frequently play across the beat. Bassists play on it.

This sounds potentially interesting to me, I wish I knew what you meant. I'm a bassist and guitar player in equal measure, if not slightly more of a bassist, and I've been thinking about this post for the past couple of days but can't figure out what you mean.

Can you be bothered explaining it?

stratman3142 · October 2020

stickyfiddle said:

ICBM said:

In my opinion it will make you a better guitarist and musician even if it does take away practice time from guitar. It makes you think about music in a different way, which is always good.

This would be my take - especially the bold bit. As long as you’re good enough on guitar to play whole songs, and to listen to songs and pick out guitar parts, then playing another instrument will help.

If you’re still in the very early beginner stages then I would suggest maybe not, but it still could make you a better musician, even if it slows down your progress as a guitar player somewhat.

Yes I'd agree with that.

Alexlotl · October 2020

Don’t assume you’ll need a short scale just because you’re used to guitar, but also don’t dismiss a short scale as not being a “proper bass”.

Paul McCartney, Jack Bruce, Bill Wyman, Trevor Bolder, Tina Weymouth and many more played shorties in their heydays, and I’d say they’re proper bassists! I hear the guy from Royal Blood also exclusively plays short scale, but I’m insufficiently down with the kids to know much about that.

Cranky · October 2020

thegummy said:

merciful-evans said:

Bass has a different musical role. Us guitarists frequently play across the beat. Bassists play on it.

This sounds potentially interesting to me, I wish I knew what you meant. I'm a bassist and guitar player in equal measure, if not slightly more of a bassist, and I've been thinking about this post for the past couple of days but can't figure out what you mean.

Can you be bothered explaining it?

I was thinking about it, too. Mainly because, as a fan of funk music, it doesn't sound accurate.

SPECTRUM001 · October 2020

Yes, buy a bass - it is good for your soul.

I wouldn't say that playing bass has helped my musical understanding per se, but it does something physically that guitar lacks.

Don't know what I am saying other than I have been infatuated with guitar for the last couple of years, and only recently pulled my Precision out of the cupboard, and within ten minutes of playing felt that "ahhhhh, I am home" feeling.

And this isn't because I am a virtuoso on the bass - it was a resonant bond.

Schnozz · October 2020

Schnozz said:

34" scale is important unless you're just gigging.

34" is good for note definition and de-tuning, whilst not feeling like a big stretch (35").

boogieman · October 2020

I think you need to ask yourself if you’re buying a bass out of genuine interest in learning to play or as a result of boredom? At the start of lockdown I found myself going through the classifieds here all the time because I “needed” something, but realised eventually that actually I don’t, it was just down to a general dissatisfaction and the result of being stuck inside. Since then I’ve pared my collection of stuff right down (musically and otherwise,I had an awful lot of redundant photo gear too) and just concentrated on using the things I have already that make me happy.

If you genuinely want a bass, go for it, but don’t expect it to scratch that itch if you’ve bought it because you’re just bored.

merciful-evans · October 2020

thegummy said:

merciful-evans said:

Bass has a different musical role. Us guitarists frequently play across the beat. Bassists play on it.

This sounds potentially interesting to me, I wish I knew what you meant. I'm a bassist and guitar player in equal measure, if not slightly more of a bassist, and I've been thinking about this post for the past couple of days but can't figure out what you mean.

Can you be bothered explaining it?

Ok, listen to some Chicago style blues. The phrasing of the lead guitar (& vocal usually) is usually 'late'. It's a feel thing. If you count the measures in the bar, the guitar phrasing rarely coincides with those beats. It feeds into most rock guitar also.

Mudcrutch · October 2020

I would say yes buy a Bass because you will be surprised at how much fun you will have.
I’ve bought a few during lockdown for myself and son to have fun with.
The most recent I just been playing for a hour is a Harley Benton Paul McCartney lookalike fretless Bass.
£155 money well spent.
Its short scale but so much fun.
A friend months ago told me to buy a fretless bass and I should of done it sooner because I’m now a fretless convert and will be buying a long scale version after I bought my sons new Xbox next month when it’s released.

thegummy · October 2020

merciful-evans said:

thegummy said:

merciful-evans said:

Bass has a different musical role. Us guitarists frequently play across the beat. Bassists play on it.

This sounds potentially interesting to me, I wish I knew what you meant. I'm a bassist and guitar player in equal measure, if not slightly more of a bassist, and I've been thinking about this post for the past couple of days but can't figure out what you mean.

Can you be bothered explaining it?

Ok, listen to some Chicago style blues. The phrasing of the lead guitar (& vocal usually) is usually 'late'. It's a feel thing. If you count the measures in the bar, the guitar phrasing rarely coincides with those beats. It feeds into most rock guitar also.

But that's just as common with bass ??

Mudcrutch · October 2020

Most guitarists who pick up a bass for the first time play it like a guitar.
Its a very easy habit to stop.
This classic shows simply how drums bass and guitar work together along with Johns great vocals.
https://youtu.be/rIAZ8unRm2c

thegummy · October 2020

Mudcrutch said:

Most guitarists who pick up a bass for the first time play it like a guitar.
Its a very simple thing to stop.
This classic shows simply how drums bass and guitar work together along with Johns great vocals.

Wow how did you find that rare example of those three instruments working together? :-P

skullfunkerry · October 2020

Yes, do it! I bought a cheapo fan-fret bass just for recording bass parts in demos for the new band I’m doing, and it’s great fun - and makes your guitar feel absolutely *tiny* when you get back to it after an hour or so of bass

Funkfingers · October 2020

merciful-evans said:

guitarists frequently play across the beat. Bassists play on it.

Not necessarily.

Case in point, Messrs Michael Fleetwood and John McVie. Neither of them plays one hundred percent strict tempo. One pushes the beat whilst the other one pulls. This creates tension and interest from some pretty minimal playing. Neither of them plays much but, together, they play enough.

Ditto Larry Mullen Jnr and Adam Clayton.

The “on” theory crumbles completely when it comes to Les Claypool and Billy Sheehan. Some times, they play what amounts to two simultaneous parts in the band arrangement.

thegummy · October 2020

Funkfingers said:

merciful-evans said:

guitarists frequently play across the beat. Bassists play on it.

Not necessarily.

Case in point, Messrs Michael Fleetwood and John McVie. Neither of them plays one hundred percent strict tempo. One pushes the beat whilst the other one pulls. This creates tension and interest from some pretty minimal playing. Neither of them plays much but, together, they play enough.

Ditto Larry Mullen Jnr and Adam Clayton.

The “on” theory crumbles completely when it comes to Les Claypool and Billy Sheehan. Some times, they play what amounts to two simultaneous parts in the band arrangement.

To me syncopation is just as much the norm in bass playing as it is in guitar playing. I've never thought I should play differently and in the music I listen to the bass has loads of syncopation.

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Should I buy a Bass ?

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