# Is it wrong that lately I've been having more fun playing my bass than my guitar?



## Drew (May 30, 2005)

This is weird... maybe it's because it's new, but I REALLY enjoy this thing. I'm trying to learn how to do all that slapping and popping stuff, and I suck at it, but I've been playing it a lot lately, jamming along to some of the bassless backings I've put together so I won't forget song ideas recently and trying to find cool little syncopations that add to the groove, and it's just cool. 

Besides, I love how those super low notes sound. 

Don't get me wrong, I'll play for a while then grab my Universe, and it just feels awesome to rip on that thing, but I think I'm more excited about learning how to play bass recently (I've been on a tapping binge lately, and my fingers hurt like hell, but I'm starting to het Stu Hamm's version of the "Always..." chord changes down, and it's just too cool for words. ). 

Does this mean I have to stop showering and give up on ever having sex again, or is that only if I pick up the drums? lol

-D


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## Metal Ken (May 30, 2005)

You'll get that way after a while, after you get a bass. Then you'll get more balanced on playing them. i was that way when i first got a bass, too. Now i play the Uni's more again ;p


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## Leon (May 30, 2005)

while i was playing bass in this psuedoband with some buddies, i seriously neglected my guitars. i think because it was something new, and i was learning so fast on it, that i just plum forgot about my guitars


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## Shawn (May 30, 2005)

Playing bass is so fun. I love picking up the bass and jamming out. Though I dont get into slap bass playing, I enjoy just playing with my fingers. 
Once in the while I'll play with a pick.

5-string basses are equally as fun as playing a 7-string guitar.
I write alot of my songs with the bass line first.
First I start with a drumbeat and write the rhythm with bass.
Then I lay the guitars.

I love 80's style bass playing. Very melodic. It creates a wide space for guitars.

I also find that old bass lines from motown songs to The beatles to any classic band from the 60's to the 70's has great bass playing.

Playing bass expands my tastes for other music. You can incorporate many styles on the bass to only make your guitar playing truly unique.

I started playing bass in 1989. I got bored with it and moved up to guitar in 1990. Since then, I've always found myself playing bass anytime I was around a bass.

Bass is awesome and very cool how you're enjoying your new bass, D.


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## eleven59 (May 30, 2005)

I love playing bass, but almost always a different kind of music than what I play guitar to. I leave my guitars at my drummer's house/my bands practice space a lot, so I play bass when I'm at home, and it's a lot of fun, as well as building up stronger fingers.

Some of my favorite bands to play along to are Coheed and Cambria, Green Day, Reel Big Fish, Muse, Tool, Incubus, Finger Eleven's newest album, Billy Talent, etc. 

I find I play (mostly) less heavy stuff on bass than on guitar, probably because the heavier the song (usually) the less interesting the bass line.


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## Mind Riot (May 30, 2005)

eleven59 said:


> Some of my favorite bands to play along to are Coheed and Cambria, Green Day, Reel Big Fish, Muse, Tool, Incubus, Finger Eleven's newest album, Billy Talent, etc.



 Finger Eleven's newest has some great bass work. I love that band, have since I first picked up Tip based on the strength of Quicksand. 

Incubus has some great bass playing too. I used to have a blast playing along to some Dave Matthews stuff, that guy writes some really fun basslines to play. 

I actually played bass in a band for six years, so even though I've been playing guitar longer I probably actually have more hours playing bass.

So Drew, what's your new bass? Any pics?


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## Leon (May 30, 2005)

i think Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer was my favorite song to jam to. Tony Levin rocks my socks!


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## Allen Garrow (May 30, 2005)

I think it's normal. My wife got a Yamaha Attitude ( sea foam green ) and well,, she goes to work before I do,,,so yeah,,, I played it alot  It is fun.

~A


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## Drew (May 30, 2005)

Yeah, I owe you guys pics and a review, don't it? It's an Ibanez Ergodyne EDA-905. I'll take a few pics tonight and post 'em from work tomorrow if I get a chance, and go write a review now. 

I find I'm playing... Idunno. Lots of solo, melodic suspended-y stuff when I pick up a bass - I'd say it was a Gordian Knot influence, but I used to do that whenever I'd pick up a bass prior to buying "Emergent" on a whim (and being floored ), too, so who knows. That and tool-like stuff. 

It's just a nice change, and you're right, my seven's a breeze after I put down the bass (especially now that I brought the bass's action up a bit - I have to be more careful when fretting, but it's mostly buzz-free and much better for slapping now). 

-D


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## Digital Black (May 30, 2005)

I wish I had a better bass. I'd probably get into it more..


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## Shawn (May 30, 2005)

wildealien said:


> i think Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer was my favorite song to jam to. Tony Levin rocks my socks!



Tony Levin's awesome.  
Verdine White is -  !
Also cant forget P-Nut from 311.


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## rgplayer (May 30, 2005)

Hey, Drew i am glad you are happy with your bass,because i am loving the 7620 i got from you. I am having the same problem as you are except it makes me not want to play my 6.


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## Drew (May 30, 2005)

Hahaha, awesome, glad you're in the same boat and the 7620's working out for you. 

My poor strat, though, between not wanting to play my 6 because I'm hooked on my 7, and not wanting to play my 7 as much because of the new bass, the thing's gotta be feeling pretty neglected.  

-D


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## eleven59 (May 31, 2005)

Drew said:


> My poor strat, though, between not wanting to play my 6 because I'm hooked on my 7, and not wanting to play my 7 as much because of the new bass, the thing's gotta be feeling pretty neglected.



It's a good thing we're all guitarists here, to us this makes perfect sense, other people might think you're a little nuts...

...which I'm sure we all are


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## Shawn (May 31, 2005)

Wow, Drew you sold your 7620?


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## Drew (May 31, 2005)

Yeah. I wasn't playing it, and with the Tremol;-no, it made no sense to keep a spare on hand for alternate tunings, as I could retune the UV on the fly. It was too nice a guitar to just let gather dust, and like I said, I needed a new bass to record with. I miss that thing, but I feel like it was the right decison. 

Besides, we got Jeff hooked on 7's too 

-D


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## BCrowell (May 31, 2005)

I certainly go through those same stages. Sometimes to be fresh on regular guitar you have to set it down and pick something else up for a while. 

After picking up bass, you pay attention to the bass lines in music allot more. You'll find some unexpected pleasures in allot of music that way. We're so into guitar, that we'll concentrate on that, and miss the total picture. I'll be sitting there, hear an awesome bassline, and just be floored, and have to learn it! 

I remember learning Stu Hamms version of Star Trek!!

When it comes to adding a baseline to my music, it's very enjoyable to me. Writting something different, that adds to the music, but still supports the rythym. When you do that, the guitars, the vocals, the keys, and of course play the drums too...then it's very satisfying in the end. 

So in all, play away...nothing wrong with it, it'll only make you a better guitarist & musician overall.


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## Shawn (May 31, 2005)

Drew said:


> Yeah. I wasn't playing it, and with the Tremol;-no, it made no sense to keep a spare on hand for alternate tunings, as I could retune the UV on the fly. It was too nice a guitar to just let gather dust, and like I said, I needed a new bass to record with. I miss that thing, but I feel like it was the right decison.
> 
> Besides, we got Jeff hooked on 7's too
> 
> -D


Yeah, Thats always a good thing too. Glad you made out with the bass. 

The 7620s will always be out there...............


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## bigsethmeister (Mar 2, 2006)

LOL yeah I do the same thing from time to time...

Wait til you break down and buy yourself a fretless and a few Jaco Pastorius albums! Love making the thing grrrrrowl.


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## jacksonplayer (Mar 2, 2006)

I love playing bass! And I tell you what, you get a great finger workout doing that. You play a bass for a few days, and then playing guitar feels very easy and effortless.

However, to really play bass well, you have to *think* like a bassist, and that's some frightening f*cking territory, right there...


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## Leon (Mar 2, 2006)

holy mother of old threads!

so how's the bass technique coming along then, Drew?


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## Sentient (Mar 2, 2006)

Leon said:


> holy mother of old threads!


It's rare that I think to look at the date & time of a post, as I usually just click & start reading... And then it kinda catches me off guard when I find myself on page 3 and realize the thread is almost a year old... 



jacksonplayer said:


> However, to really play bass well, you have to *think* like a bassist, and that's some frightening f*cking territory, right there...


I just happened to be taking a drink as I read that and damn near spewed Mountain Dew all over my work pc .


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## Drew (Mar 2, 2006)

I switched back to guitar soon after - buying the CST and then falling in love with the UV all over again did it for me. 

I'm beginning to play less guitar-y lines, though...


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## 7StringofAblicK (Mar 2, 2006)

Now if we can just get all these damn polls to go away


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## Drew (Mar 2, 2006)

No poll here, lol.


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## 7StringofAblicK (Mar 2, 2006)

Drew said:


> No poll here, lol.




I was referring to this thread being one of those that is uber old and being brought up, lol...The next thing is to end the poll brigade!


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## distressed_romeo (Mar 2, 2006)

I think it's good for guitarists to play at least a little bass, just because it gets you thinking inside the ensemble more. Am I wierd in that my five-string has a high C rather than low B?


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## Drew (Mar 2, 2006)

Actually, I've always thought it'd be fun to tune a bass that way, and then play peices written for just bass and drums... 

But yeah, as a seven string guitarist, that's weird.


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## distressed_romeo (Mar 2, 2006)

Last time I left it though it was tuned BADGC... Slightly more metal. I just love that tenor bass sound Stanley Clarke had, and it's great to have that high string for chords and tapping.
Actually, I a while ago I arranged the 'Giant Steps' changes for bass using classical-style fingerpicking. Would anyone like me to post that?


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## Tubbs Mcgee (Mar 2, 2006)

I have a 6 string bass, and I switch between that, my acoustic, my 12-string acoustic, and my electric often.

I say it's best to learn several instruments. 

I'm also going to get either a 7 or 8 string bass, when I get enough money.

(Big basses are the most fun.)


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## Scott (Mar 2, 2006)

I was a bass player first actually. First guitar was my washburn bass, then my yamaha pacifica guitar, and then my RG1570L. Then I was asked to play bass for a show so I started playing bass more often then guitar. I soon after bought my 6 string Brice bass and hardly ever played electric because there wasn't a need for it since I wasn't playing it in the band (Which I was asked to join after the show) I still played, but I played bass more. I consider myself a much better bass player than electric guitarist (And im not too shabby on electric) I learned all that slap and pop and bass tapping shit, never actually applied it to an original with the band though, cause, well, the bands music sucked 

I haven't picked up my bass since I was kicked out of the band in November, and so it's been electric and some acoustic tight out. I only play the bass if im recording a bass line for an idea for a song I might have. Other than that, it just sits there looking pretty.


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## Leon (Mar 2, 2006)

old threads are actually pretty cool. you can really see how people's ideas and rigs change through time. and i always look at the dates. i'm facinated by time i think


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