I got f***ed!

[marnold]

Bass can be learned quickly. Just not well It is definitely not just a guitar with two fewer strings. Just listen to Sammy Hagar's solo album that EVH played bass on to learn that lesson.

Having said that, you can probably become a reasonable bass player in a shorter period of time than you can become a reasonable lead guitarist.

 

[Eric]

Bass can be learned quickly. Just not well

See, that has always been my impression of it, but I never knew why. That bugged me. I chalked it up to timing and playing clean and other bass-y sensibilities, but the lack of a real answer from an actual bass player has eluded me thus far.

Hast thou enlightenment?

 

[Spudman]

Hast thou enlightenment?

When I've played bass I've noticed it's a big departure from playing lead guitar (chords and note runs). The timing is all different than guitar. Bass is mostly ON the beat and guitar is ALL OVER the beat. It really requires a different mindset to do properly.

This is also the mindset that leads to so many bass player jokes. They are a different breed for sure. I'm talking about the real "bass players." As I think back through my career they all had a little something that was unique about them but that same uniqueness existed through each one of them. They were similar that way.

It looks like I've two of "them" to try out in just a couple of days.

 

[marnold]

See, that has always been my impression of it, but I never knew why. That bugged me. I chalked it up to timing and playing clean and other bass-y sensibilities, but the lack of a real answer from an actual bass player has eluded me thus far.

Hast thou enlightenment?

I don't know how enlightened of an answer I can give you. I started out on acoustic and hated it because my guitar was awful to play and my instructor used one of those hateful Mel Bay books. The whole thing made me want to go all "El Kabong" on someone.

I picked up the bass almost by accident when I was a senior and was completely self taught. In many ways that was good, but in many other ways it was bad. A modicum of theory would have done me a world of good.

The big thing is one of timing. You really need to be locked in with the drummer. If you aren't, the whole song falls apart. Unfortunately, I haven't played with a drummer in so long that I fear things would be pretty ugly. As far as "how" to get locked in, I can't say. I just did it. I never was taught what to listen for. I just listened and figured it out. So I can do it, I just can't explain it too well. That was a problem when I started using a metronome. As dumb as it sounds, I couldn't figure out the rhythm.

 

[Eric]

That was a problem when I started using a metronome. As dumb as it sounds, I couldn't figure out the rhythm.

Sounds dumb, but I've experienced the exact same thing. At the lessons I've been taking recently, we're making up mock tracks. When the guy put on the metronome, I had a really hard time finding the beat; when he fired up the drum machine, I was locked in almost instantly.

It's weird how the more distilled version of keeping time can actually be more difficult to understand.

I get a fair idea of the different approach on bass from you and Spud. I've felt like, with a little focus on the bass, it probably wouldn't take me incredibly long to get reasonably proficient at it. In some senses it's the less-is-more idea, and realizing that screwups are under the spotlight on bass. As I get better at the guitar, I think in some ways I get worse at the bass, because I want to **** around more.

 

[mainestratman]

So Spud.. you may have answered this in a different post, how did the auditions go? Any luck securing a bass player?

I had to chuckle at the shift in conversation... getting a guitarist to sit in on bass for you... I can't tell you how many times I came ->||<- this close to selling my guitar gear for a good bass set up. Or a drum kit.