guitarist turning to Bass - PITFALLS I SHOULD AVOID!!!!

Jay Pentatonic

Hey,

I've been playing guitar for about 5 years now and am really wanting to get into bass, my brother plays drums so it'll be cool having a drum and bass duo!!!:cool:

Anyway, I just want to get some info before I actually buy the bass, like typical mistakes guitarist make during the transition of taking up bass, some general tips about the bass itself...anything really!!!

Any info will be much appreciated!!!

Many thanks!:)

Jay Pentatonic

Sorry, this should probably be in the "Playing, techniques & theory" forum.

Would be great if the mod could move it.

Thanks:cool:

Nhead

Jay1989 wrote: »

Hey,

I've been playing guitar for about 5 years now and am really wanting to get into bass, my brother plays drums so it'll be cool having a drum and bass duo!!!:cool:

Anyway, I just want to get some info before I actually buy the bass, like typical mistakes guitarist make during the transition of taking up bass, some general tips about the bass itself...anything really!!!

Any info will be much appreciated!!!

Many thanks!:)

A tip: Don't go soloing all over the place, sometimes, and I stress sometimes, guitar players pick up the bass and go nuts and forget to lock in with the drums. Also, avoid the idea that the bass is just an easier guitar, the bass is an instrument in its own right. Some people imagine it is easy to play, it can be, but it is hard to master:)

Rigsby

While it may be stating the obvious, it is still worth stating that the bass is a different animal altogether from the guitar, with a different role in the band. A lot of guitarists who change over to bass, try to play it like a lead guitar, with lots of notes. You are now part of the rhythm section, and along with the drummer you are responsible for holding down the groove. Your sense of timing will need to be spot on. If it is not, then some work with a metronome will help.

From a physical aspect, you will need to revisit your technique. Again, it is quite different from that of the guitar. If you get this right, not alone will you be able to play better, but you will avoid possible physical problems like carpel tunnel syndrome, tendinitis etc at a later time. Give your hands time to adopt to this new task. Build up the playing time gradually. A lot of fellow bassists frown on those who play bass with a pick. This is a silly and narrow minded attitude IMO. Play with what ever feels comfortable to you. If you decide to pluck with the fingers, it will take some time to build up speed and accuracy with alternating the index and ring fingers. Check out You Tube for left and right hand bass technique.

As for the bass itself, that is a personal choice. The best advice is to try out as many as you can. The one that sounds and feels right in your hands is the one for you. I'm sure if you give an idea of your budget, people will give recommendations. Depending on the type of sound you want you can opt for round wound or flat wound strings. The former are bright sounding while the latter are closer to that of a double bass.

Hope this is of some help, and good luck with it.

Nhead

Rigsby wrote: »

While it may be stating the obvious, it is still worth stating that the bass is a different animal altogether from the guitar, with a different role in the band. A lot of guitarists who change over to bass, try to play it like a lead guitar, with lots of notes. You are now part of the rhythm section, and along with the drummer you are responsible for holding down the groove. Your sense of timing will need to be spot on. If it is not, then some work with a metronome will help.

From a physical aspect, you will need to revisit your technique. Again, it is quite different from that of the guitar. If you get this right, not alone will you be able to play better, but you will avoid possible physical problems like carpel tunnel syndrome, tendinitis etc at a later time. Give your hands time to adopt to this new task. Build up the playing time gradually. A lot of fellow bassists frown on those who play bass with a pick. This is a silly and narrow minded attitude IMO. Play with what ever feels comfortable to you. If you decide to pluck with the fingers, it will take some time to build up speed and accuracy with alternating the index and ring fingers. Check out You Tube for left and right hand bass technique.

As for the bass itself, that is a personal choice. The best advice is to try out as many as you can. The one that sounds and feels right in your hands is the one for you. I'm sure if you give an idea of your budget, people will give recommendations. Depending on the type of sound you want you can opt for round wound or flat wound strings. The former are bright sounding while the latter are closer to that of a double bass.

Hope this is of some help, and good luck with it.

Excellent post Rigsby esp. with regards using the metronome and even though I use my fingers more than a pick a bass player imo should be proficient in both

Rigsby

Nhead wrote: »

Excellent post Rigsby esp. with regards using the metronome and even though I use my fingers more than a pick a bass player imo should be proficient in both

Thanks Nhead ! The ideal thing is indeed to master both. Depends on the tone you want I suppose.

The point you make about the idea of the bass being "easy" to play is a good one. Often this is the reason a person decides to opt for it. There's only (generally) four strings after all !!! :rolleyes:

More often than not, it is the music being played that is easy and uncomplicated. Playing this music on bass consists of usually roots and fives. People often get bored and give up, citing that the bass is "too easy" and boring, where it is often the music itself that they should be blaming.

500x

I think Rigsby's post is fantastic.

I'm not a bass player (some would say I'm not even a guitar player!).

To be a good bass player, I think it is important to know your scales. I know, I know, boring old theory... but a bass player who clunks along on the root note all the time is even more boring.

As said already 'groove' is the word. Bass can be so interesting - a few sweetly placed thirds etc - it can really make a song live.

A nice guitar riff, and a nice bass riff working together sounds far more exciting/interesting than a nice guitar riff with the bass plodding along on the root notes.

And, zone in on the drummer's bass drum. Even if you aren't fancy, and prefer to sit on the root notes, if you're pin-point on the drummer's kicks, you're going to be 'solid'.

Good luck!

Tony

Rigsby

500x wrote: »

And, zone in on the drummer's bass drum. Even if you aren't fancy, and prefer to sit on the root notes, if you're pin-point on the drummer's kicks, you're going to be 'solid'.

Good luck!

Tony

Thanks for your kind words 500x !!


IMO the above point you make is very valid from a bass playing point of view. A bassist should never apologise for playing root notes. His/her job is primarily to outline the chord. However, it is in the way he goes about playing these notes that makes the difference, i.e. just as you say...locking in with the drummer. Much better to have a bassist on roots, locked in with the drummer, than one throwing out notes like confetti at a wedding, but with no groove.

eoin5

Jay1989 wrote: »

Hey,

I've been playing guitar for about 5 years now and am really wanting to get into bass, my brother plays drums so it'll be cool having a drum and bass duo!!!:cool:

Anyway, I just want to get some info before I actually buy the bass, like typical mistakes guitarist make during the transition of taking up bass, some general tips about the bass itself...anything really!!!

Any info will be much appreciated!!!

Many thanks!:)

That's a great attitude to start with. The only thing I'd add is guitar players taking up bass might lean towards the more prominent sounding players like Flea or Billy Sheehan but its worth listening to the likes of Sting and Paul McCartney who really make the songs happen but aren't always out front.

Rigsby

eoin5 wrote: »

its worth listening to the likes of Sting and Paul McCartney who really make the songs happen but aren't always out front.

This is another good point worth elaborating on, especially the "out front" part. An important thing for a guitarist changing to bass, to keep in mind is that as a bassist you are not (generally: I know there are exceptions ) going to be in the spotlight. This is both from a physical ( like on stage ) point of view, and your part in the music. Granted, if the bass were to drop out for five seconds the whole song would fall apart, but the bass plays a much more subtle, in-the-background role. For someone like a guitarist, who may be used to being the centre of attention, this can often be a big leap.


OP : Still happy to change to bass ?? Yes..? Great !!!

goblin59

don't do what i did and waste 3 months playing the bass like a guitar,
i bought my self a cheapish 2nd hand 6 string bass and tuned it exactly like a guitar. pretty sure if it wasn't for the double truss rod the neck would have given way,lol.

dfkorg

A good few years ago (too many to be exact) I was asked to play bass for a relatively well known musician, though I never played it before. A drummer I worked with in the shop I was in at the time gave me a metronome and the advice "don't be a hero". worked out pretty well. A few weeks of using a metronome and you'll be amazed at how much more precise your playing is

Malice

goblin59 wrote: »

i bought my self a cheapish 2nd hand 6 string bass and tuned it exactly like a guitar. pretty sure if it wasn't for the double truss rod the neck would have given way,lol.

:eek: A 6 string bass is normally tuned (high to low) CGDAEB. Are you saying you had it tuned EBGDAE, 2.5 steps above where it should have been? Is that string tension even playable?

As for Jay1989's question, I think everyone else has covered what I was going to write. Don't get hung up on pick v fingers. Use whatever you feel comfortable with. I use either depending on the song. When it comes to playing, a sense of timing is vital. As a beginner you will need to be able to lock in nicely with the drums so that after a while you'll be able to groove off by yourself but still keep the rhythm of the song together. Definitely work with a metronome and start slowly. If you don't have a physical one, use this.

Malice

Jay1989 wrote: »

Sorry, this should probably be in the "Playing, techniques & theory" forum.

Would be great if the mod could move it.

Thanks:cool:

Done .

Dord

I'll just reiterate what others have said, you should ensure that your timing is spot on. Bass is like the glue that holds it all together. If that glue is too runny then everything gets messy. :P

Sometimes bass can be up front and providing a lead element in addition to a foundation. Other times it can be almost invisible but if it's removed then you notice it's absence. Listen to your favourite songs and focus on the bass.

I guess the turning point in my playing was realising the important part that muting had to play. Utilising good fretting hand muting allowed me to clean up my playing and lock in tighter with the drums. This would be the one point of wisdom that I would pass to a new player.

In terms of what to avoid, try not overplay. Many times the space you leave is more important than the notes that you actually hit.

fuse

All the good advice you need is here.
I would think some advice depends on the type of music you would like to play.
But once you get going on the bass, it's important to be aware of and even be able to play as many styles as possible, which really helps open up your playing and improvising skills.
Everything from ska/reggae, jazz, funk, metal, rock, folk/bluegrass, latin/bossa nova. It's a great way of picking up new patterns and rhythms that you can incorporate into anything.

You've a great advantage of having a drummer to practice with, and family too. It's so important to be able to lock in tight with the drummer. As said before, listen to his kick and plant the root note with it for a while then start adding bits inbetween this. Fifths, octaves to start with and build on it.
Start simple and build on it, and stay away from guitar like noodling until you're taking a solo.

Experiment with sounds and tone. Where you place your fingering/picking hand, where to rest your thumb. How it sounds when you pick over the pickups and away from them. Try using all your fingers for fingering and fretting and get the muscles developing in all of them if you can.

Oh also, for tutorials. There's a guy called marlowedk who is an excellent bassist and more importantly, bass teacher!
Covers everything from the basics to slapping & popping.
http://playbassnow.com/


Best of luck and enjoy.

Jamie Starr

I'm in a similar position to you OP, I bought a bass in January after playing guitar for about four years. One tip I would give you from personal experience is it's important to pick out bassists you admire. Not necessarily who you hear off the internet is the "greatest bassist of all time" but just listen to your music collection again and focus on the bass, and you'll probably pick out plenty of songs right away you'd like to play. I was amazed, being a guitar-focused guy, just how many great bass players and lines I had missed.

This is a song I've been jamming to in recent times that emphasises very nicely what the others have been taking about: a guitarist-turned-bassist, locking in the groove with a simple beat, but making it sound cool, and throwing in some nice tricks too. (Whilst also throwing in a great vocal and some tips on blood circulation.) I'm really enjoying my bass now, best of luck with yours!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMUl_nPD2Gw