JTH213 Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Hey all, New to the forum and to the bass (fish?) in general. I've been playing drums for what seems like my whole life...started at 9 and I'm 40 now. I started playing around with guitars about a decade ago, but never really "got it", just too many notes to deal with! Recently I developed an interest in bass guitar, as it seems to draw on my rhythmic abilities and my interest in guitar. Anybody else pick up bass after playing drums for years? How old were you when you got started? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmittyG Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Welcome to the forums. I started on drums when I was 11 in school band and played up until I was 18. That's when I switched over to bass. While I was never a great drummer; in fact, I wasn't very good at all; the time I spent on drums did give me a sense of rhythm and, I feel, a better understanding of the bass/drums connection in a rhythm section. The groove is in the spaces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul K Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Ha! It seems that all my favorite bass players started off as drummers. BP magazine used to have a little time-line of what the featured artist was doing year by year. A majority of them started on drums, or had some drumming in their pedigree. Me? not so much on drums.... Welcome Paul K Things are just the way they are, and they're only going to get worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boonok Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 I wanted to play drums as a kid but I shared a room with my brother in our apartment so there was no room for drums. So I ended up playing bass. But now I have a small drum kit and I am hooked. Bass is definitely my voice but I plan on hopefully gigging as a drummer at some point in my life as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil W Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 I'm teacgng a great drummer bass. The rhythmic side is particularly not a problem for him. We are focusring on note length a lot + the way that creates groove in interaction with the kit. That's me thing non-bassists sometimes aren't so aware of in their understanding of bass - the shape of a note. http://philwbass.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZZ Thorn Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 I wanted to play drums as a kid but I shared a room with my brother in our apartment so there was no room for drums. So I ended up playing bass. But now I have a small drum kit and I am hooked. Bass is definitely my voice but I plan on hopefully gigging as a drummer at some point in my life as well. I feel the exact same way. I starting playing drums several years ago and I am totally hooked too - drums are just so much FUN! I am starting to feel really comfortable on drums, finally. So glad I got an electronic drum kit and a first-floor apartment - I think I'll happily be in ground floor apartments for a long time! http://www.myspace.com/themoustachioed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTH213 Posted July 7, 2009 Author Share Posted July 7, 2009 Whoops! This should have been a reply with a quote. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTH213 Posted July 7, 2009 Author Share Posted July 7, 2009 I'm teacgng a great drummer bass. The rhythmic side is particularly not a problem for him. We are focusring on note length a lot + the way that creates groove in interaction with the kit. That's me thing non-bassists sometimes aren't so aware of in their understanding of bass - the shape of a note. That makes a lot of sense. Us drummers are used to one note "shape"...WHACK! When I was taking guitar lessons, my teacher told me something HIS teacher said once, something to the effect of "notes are either popcorn or clouds. I want you to play clouds!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric VB Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Out in Akron, OH, are The Velvematics. Russell plays bass (and BGVs) for them but he started out on drums. Great guy, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thabottomend Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Someone once told me that a bass player is just a drummer who wanted to play guitar........ Do not be deceived by, nor take lightly, this particular bit of musicianship one simply describes as "bass". - Lowell George "The music moves me, it just moves me ugly." William H. Macy in "Wild Hogs" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTH213 Posted July 7, 2009 Author Share Posted July 7, 2009 Someone once told me that a bass player is just a drummer who wanted to play guitar........ Hey, I resemble that remark! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flemtone Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 I played drums for a few years before I took up the bass. I couldn't sing while drumming, but found it easy to do while playing either bass or guitar, so that's the direction I took. Besides, we found a real drummer, so my percussion services were no longer required. The entire neighborhood celebrated... Play. Just play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo-London Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 I'm the opposite turning to drums after 30 years on bass. Jaco started on drums and so you are in good company, as well as our very own Dave Sisk, who has disappeared recently. Like a lot of instruments, you have to get to a certain plateau of competence before it becomes great fun. I love that. I am currently obsessing about playing drums and bass and so I record loops on the bass and then play along on drums. Interesting when it goes wrong because - no excuses!!! Davo "We will make you bob your head whether you want to or not". - David Sisk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewbubba Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 I played drums from 11 to 18 in school also. I was pretty good, but I wanted to do something a little more melodic and started learning what a bass was. That was 22 years ago, and I still love it. A stiffy somewhere in the city sewer system... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jode Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Jaco started on drums and so you are in good company... Yeah! Just go to a high school football practice, lie on the ground, and have some brute stomp your wrist and break it so that you can't snap a backbeat the same way anymore, and you too can be like Jaco! Although there are easier ways... "I had to have something, and it wasn't there. I couldn't go down the street and buy it, so I built it." Les Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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