Learn How To Play Guitar & Guitar Accessories

Question: I have just started to learn the guitar, but i eventually want to learn bass....? read below.?

(Posted by: blahblahblah on 2009-03-04 12:31:12)

I have just started to learn the guitar, but i eventually want to learn bass, so would it be normal just to learn the acoustic and get the basics down then phase into bass or do people usually just get straight into playing bass?

Posted by: Kathy P on 2009-03-06, 09:33:05

The good thing about going from guitar to bass is knowing music theory, already having a grasp on the strings and fingering. The bad thing, however, is playing two different ways. I don't just mean with the pick or with fingers. Both are different instruments and have different functions in a band. I used to lead a band with different musicians and whenever the bass player was out (this was when I used to play keys, now I play bass) I would use guitar players to play the bass. Sure they got the notes right, but if was a different style. I've noticed that guitar players playing bass tend to do too much, sacrificing simplicity and staying in the pocket. The bass is the pulse of the band. The bass plays with the kick drum. So if you keep in mind the role of the bass, how to play it, and all that, you should have no problem learning the bass and guitar simultaneously.

Posted by: citizenerazed52 on 2009-03-04, 12:40:05

Most bass players just go straight into bass, but what you learn on the guitar transposes directly onto a bass anyway as the bass is just the bottom 4 strings of the guitar at a lower octave, so all the theory and that carries over However, bass comes with different techniques (like slap for instance) and is a different style of playing, bass players are very strong on the rhythm and don't often do anything too flash, the stretch is bigger on a bass etc... So you can learn on guitar for the theory of guitar music and getting to rips with notes, it's easier to learn that on as less stretch and stuff, but for bass techniques and styles, get a bass :-)