Learning bass (as a guitarist)

exis

Hey all.

I've been playing guitar for a few years now. Acoustic on and off since I was a kid, with a lot more electric over the past 2 or so years. I'm mostly self-taught, and pretty weak on theory. I play mostly bluesy rock, so I know my pentatonic scales, and stuff like 12-bar blues, shuffles, and turn-arounds. I've gotten to a point where I'm comfortable improvising lead in pentatonics.

In a few months, the bassist for a band I was in for a short time (as rhythm guitar) will be going overseas. I've offered to replace him. This won't really be difficult since this guy had never played bass before the band formed, and I taught him/wrote a lot of the riffs he's playing.

The band plays blues/country rock. Neil Young and Wilco are huge influences.

So my question(s):
1) I need to buy a bass. What do I look for?
2) I need a practice amp (shouldn't need one for gigging). What do I look for?
3) What do I need to know to play bass well? What's hugely different from guitar?

GreasyKidsStuff

I think the first two questions have the same answer as if you were looking for a guitar. What feels good, how does it sound to you, is it comfortable to play, etc etc. I bought a bass to play in a jazz band after playing a shitty school one for a year, had played guitar for years and years prior, and I just kinda jumped into it and bought one that I enjoyed playing. I don't know squat about amps though.

As for what you need to know about playing, the notes are the same as the bottom four strings on the guitar. So from low to high, E A D G. So if you know those well enough on guitar you're fine. Also I dunno if you're gonna be playing with a pick or not, I'm no expert on that. I just kinda jumped into playing with my fingers, not QUITE the proper technique but when you're picking slow quarter notes it's not a big deal. YMMV. Also, strings are thicker, obviously.

That's about all I can add.

Dark_Side

Can't really say much about equipment, that's more a matter of what your price range is, venues you will be playing, etc.

As to how hard to learn, the basic principles are the same as guitar, just two less strings and a lower register. Now obviously technique and method one could spend years on, but thankfully for stuff like Wilco and Neil Young, it's usually enough to simply anchor the melody and lock in with the drums. And by that I mean, you'll usually be playing root notes that follow the basic melody, in a similar cadence as the drum beat. Maybe a flourish or two every now and then.

You can use a pick, but for that type of music I'd probably learn to play with your fingers, it's not that hard to pick up on a bass, but it will murder your fingertips at first.

Sheep

1) I need to buy a bass. What do I look for?

How much you wanna spend? Mexican Fender's are amazing price/quality. I prefer the Jazz bass with it's smaller neck, but it doesn't have as deep of a response as the Fender P. But that would kind of depend on what type of sound you prefer.

I have a Yamaha bass that I paid 179$ for and it's also a very quality instrument. Has a pickup configuration of both a Fender J and P.

Hofner makes a short scale "Beatle" bass for something around 350$. Those are excellent instruments as well.

Epiphone has a knock off of the "Beatle" bass but why buy a knock off?

Those are the easy to find stuff for around 300$ but I can make suggestions for others if you like.

2) I need a practice amp (shouldn't need one for gigging). What do I look for?

Do you need a practice amp to practice with the band, or to just practice at home? You can get a good, cheap, headphone amp if it's the latter. If it's the former then a good 100w amp will do.

3) What do I need to know to play bass well? What's hugely different from guitar?

Stay in pocket, play more than just the root, play the octave, don't slap.

Demerdar

Whatever bass you end up buying, make sure you take it to get the action set-up so that it's nice and easy to play. Also, I would recommend learning how to pick with your fingers, it just feels so right when playing bass. Other than that, get ready to be completely uncomfortable for the first few days looking at that huge fret board when compared to your guitar. It's not something you'd think you would notice.. but you do. After a bit you get used to it.

Oh, and prepare to stretch.. 4 frets at the nut is a world of difference on the bass.

garroad_ran

I can't answer 1 and 2 because I don't know enough bass gear, and because the important follow-up questions to those have already been asked in previous posts.

But as for #3:

Transcribe lots, and lots of basslines.

Yes, it has strings, frets, and looks like an electric guitar. Yes the strings are tuned the same and it is in many ways very similar to a guitar.

But it's painfully easy to pick out when someone is playing the bass as if it were a guitar.

The best thing you can do is transcribe tons of basslines, and that should start getting you into the right headspace.

Bigbluefoot

I can't provide first-hand experience, but my dad has played guitar since he was 12, and is now 55. He taught himself how to play, and cannot read music. One of his old buddies asked him last year if he would come into a band with him and a new guy, that plays guitar. Only thing was, my dad had to learn bass. So, he got a few Rip Library kind of things, and taught himself how to play bass. He's done pretty well, but it ended up that his buddy went behind his back and got another guy to play bass, so my dad bought a bass and other things, and the guy pretty much left him in the cold.

I can definitely tell you it is possible to learn, and it doesn't take long, just a bit of work.

exis

Thanks for the replies. Some additional stuff, and I'll try run through any questions.

I basically feel like having a solid feel for scales, in the sense that I can comfortably solo and ensure that I'm leading into a key in line with a chord progression, gives me enough to write bass riffs. I'm sure there's a bit more to it, am I missing anything?

I will definitely put in some practice. My impression so far is that it should be possible to start with the basics (and still be capable of of playing what's needed), and build and improve from there.

Do I need to play using 2 fingers? Makes me feel incredibly inept (trying on guitar). I take it that it will serve me well to get past using my thumb?

I don't want to blow the bank since I see this as a side project, and well, I'm a poor student. Realistically I'm probably looking for anything that's cheap but giggable. If I get into this I'll upgrade eventually.

As for amps, I need something for band practice. Any suggestions for brands (for both bass and amp)?

FyreWulff

You can play with whatever fingers work for you, although constant open E might be easier with two alternating fingers than trying to do it with the thumb alone.

Also I (and other bassists) have a habit of resting our thumbs on the E string while strumming the other ones with our fingers.

Visti

Playing with a pick is also perfectly legimate if you like that sound. P-bass, pick and string mutes are the main components of my sound right now. But fingerstyle is definetly a really good tool to have in your arsenal, as you'll likely be playing a ton more octave intervals than you are used to.

I have a Fender Mustang shortscale that sounds like a boomier P, but guitarists love the size. I think they make a squier version too, the Bronco (IIRC), but you should most definetly play it to hear the sound of it first.

Demerdar

Just takes practice with the two finger picking. I usually would rest me thumb on the pickup, gave me a better anchor.. but to each his own. After a few months you'll be able to finger pick pretty damn fast if you need to. As far as practice wattage goes, I'd say 80 Watts minimum. You can also potentially use a low wattage amp at gigs, so long as you get DI'd through the venue's PA (depends on the venue).

Sir Carcass

If you're used to playing with a pick, just play with a pick. Just know you'll need heavier picks than you can use with guitar, as they'll break. I use 2mm picks.

Homeless

Fingerpicking is my preferred method (speaking as a guitarist who learned bass). A pick is easier, but fingers just feel right, and give you lots of control over dynamics. Expect lots of blisters, though. When I played bass for a band my fingertips were always leaking fluids.

Sheep

There are cheap Yamaha basses and cheap Squier basses that will fill your need. Check out the Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar Bass. $300

Get ya a small solid state GK all in one for practice.

Sam

my impression of playing bass is that when you play a note, you always think of the next couple notes in a very specific sense, while in guitar the emphasis is more on single notes.

i think rickenbacker makes the sexiest sounding bass

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QvW0_IZ4Os

Visti

Sheep wrote: »

There are cheap Yamaha basses and cheap Squier basses that will fill your need. Check out the Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar Bass. $300

Get ya a small solid state GK all in one for practice.

Liiiiiiiimed.

Not necessarily the jaguar, but the Squier Vintage Modified series is gold. But quality control is an issue, so make sure you don't get a lemon.

Sheep

Always true with the imports. Usually... USUALLY they're pretty solid for the price but the occasional clunker gets by.

Visti

The VM series very much so. When they're good, they're amazing for the price.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvW-fn8m2WA


And the thing is, you can upgrade the electronics later to have a hell of an instrument.


Same thing with the Squier Classic Vibe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6Cd98DH__U

This video is great, showing how little actual difference there is between instruments that are a ton more expensive.