Expansion of "What else do you play?" Thread - Guitar and Bass

[getz out]

I was reading the so what else do you guys play? thread . It got me thinking.

 

I did not want to hijack the thread, so I decided to start a new one.

 

I am surprised by the number of bass players that DO NOT play guitar. When I say play, I mean have the ability to approach the instrument and use it at least as a writing tool. Performance is another matter. (Actually, the same with keyboards).

 

As a bass player, we should be familiar with the scales common to Western music, as well as chord structure based on those scales.

 

Guitar is so similar to bass, it should be second nature for bass players. Keyboard is such a visual instrument, that if one understands basic theory, one should be able to play pretty much any chord that comes to mind. (performing on piano is another matter, obviously).

 

Part of the reason I say this is because most people I run into in a band setting are always surprised when I pick up a guitar and start playing. Whenever I have auditioned for a band, I never mention that I also play guitar (I don't want to give the impression that I'm a guitar player, because I'm not, I just mess around). However, I play well enough, and that surprises most people. I don't think it SHOULD surprise people.

 

I'm not saying that I could take over a guitar role without some intensive practicing. Same is true with a guitar player taking over my role. However, it shouldn't be such a stretch of the imagination and it shouldn't be THAT much work to get there.

 

Am I out of my mind?

[Thomas Wilburn]

I can play power chords and a few open chords, like a G. I can play little riffs if you let me watch my picking hand so I don't get lost in the tiny strings. I keep my dad's old acoustic guitar by my bed in case I need to sound out an idea. One of these days I'll buy a cheap, bottom-of-the-line electric model, just so I can have that sound available to me.

 

I still have a tendency to pick up a guitar and try to play it with two fingers, bass-style. But I'm not lost on the instrument.

 

The guitar is a good tool. It's not one I'm interested in using full time, obviously, but it is very useful for songwriting and the occasional punk rock jam.

 

I don't think you're crazy. Most of my friends just expect me to be able to pick up a guitar. But then again, most of them don't understand the difference between my bass and a six-stringer. To them, it's the same instrument.

[bc_dup1]

Hmmm, one thing I would say that, as an ex- guitarist who took up bass and (foolishly, perhaps) rarely picked up the guitar thereafter I'm astonishingly rusty on guitar when I pick it up now. If I wanted to play guitar in a band to a standard I was happy with I think I'd need to spend at least a year getting back up to speed. The instruments (or at least the skills required to play to a decent standard on them) are maybe more different than is being assumed.

[getz out]

BC,

 

I don't disagree with the performance factor. I usually pick up my guitar and play at least 3 to 5 times a week for about an hour each time, so I'm not that rusty. If I really wanted to gig on the instrument, I think I could get my chops up to speed in 3 months of intensive playing.

 

However, my point is more to the aspect of actually understanding the instrument; as a bass player I should be able to play (or at least SOUND) a Dm7 chord (where's lugsailer when you need him?) on guitar and keys. I know some bass players that that look at a guitar with fear, and many guitarists that look at keys with absolute fear.

[tnb]

I started as a tuba player, so bass was a lateral promotion. Never had the desire to play guitar, but it would be handy.

 

Lately, I have been accompanying students on piano while they play walking basslines. NOW I see why a piano is invaluable for learning jazz (I'm a bit thick). I keep accidently coming up with these great voicings that I never would have come up with in my head or on bass.

[doc taz]

Me? I play lots of metal on guitar, but I do dabble with other styles, including some jazz, and classical. In fact, I had some classical training early in high school, which might account for the way I hold my instruments when I play standing up. I'm not the low riding type. I'm the next John Petrucci!

 

I can recognize the difference between a G#11 and a Dsus2. Early on, I seemed to have acquired perfect pitch, though I did work on that. I'm just beginning to put in some time for reading and writing music again. I think it's more important to have good ears, and a mind for composition, as much as having the chops on any instrument.

[bc_dup1]

Yes, I can still remember chord shapes no problem, but playing anything fast or tricky chordally has got difficult. Capacity to perform techniques like bending a string up a tone and holding it with vibrato (essential in blues or blues-rock playing) or fast hammer-off passages have severely atrophied as well. I also used to have a bit of a purist "minimal effects" attitude that I'd never get away with nowadays - I used echo/reverb, sustain and a bit of chorus but that was about all. If I wanted to go back to being a gigging guitarist I'd have to put in a lot of hours with effects pedals first.

[getz out]

Agreed. But with the right amount of gain, you could hide the fact that you're sloppy nowadays.

[doc taz]

Originally posted by getz76:

Agreed. But with the right amount of gain, you could hide the fact that you're sloppy nowadays.

Heh, true for some folks. Then again, I doubt those sloppy fools could even attempt anything off the first Pain of Salvation record! That album is CRAZY, but well composed.

 

It's not only the solos that would throw them off. There's so much contrapuntal action going on, that one would have to literally chart everything before even trying to cover any of it... not to mention the harmony vocals.

[bc_dup1]

Very good Maury, all I need is that talent compensator pedal someone is gonna invent soon and I'm good as new!!

[getz out]

Originally posted by bc:

Very good Maury, all I need is that talent compensator pedal someone is gonna invent soon and I'm good as new!!

 

I think Z.Vex makes one of those, but it's pricey.

 

Others have been known (myself included) to use a TS-9 into a tube amp with dropped-D tuning on the guitar. I have no shame.

[Raven]

Originally posted by getz76:

I know some bass players that that look at a guitar with fear, and many guitarists that look at keys with absolute fear.

I can't play a guitar worth squat. It has nothing to do with fear. They just don't feel right. (That #@~*%&! "B" string. ) I never had a desire to learn how to play one. I'm very comfortable with keys, although I don't feel I play well enough to perform on one, I use it more as a writing tool and having fun. It always seemed like more effort than it was worth to try and figure out chord fingerings on a guitar, when it was so much easier for me to play songs and chords on a keyboard.

I guess I'm just lazy like that...

[Mr. Phil]

Yea, I can't play real chords for my life...on either guitar or bass. I can on piano though!! not fluently yet...

 

I have an Ovation Celebriity (Like a Fender Squire) that my dad found in the garbage. The electronics are almost dead and theres a small crack. He got it because he thought the guitar case would fit my bass for some reason...

 

I also bought a Squire strat from my friend for $20. I repainted it in flat black with a neat metallic red cross type stripe and a metallic purple/black speckle pickguard.

 

My friend and I nick named it the EVH.

[Cthulhu Fhtagn]

Noodled about with my son's guitar(s) a bit. The strings seem so tiny and fragile! And it don't feel "natural" with a pick.

[MattC]

You want small and fragile? Play an URB for a few minutes and then pick up a violin...

 

What else to I play? voice, keys(enough to get by), acoustic guitar(enough to get by), drums, and I'm currently learning flute and soon, hopefully, banjo...

[dohhhhh6]

I love guitar. Whenever I've burned myself on bass, I go to guitar.

 

I had to wait until Christmas to get a bass, so in September/August my parents said they'd pay for lessons. Brother gives me his old Squier and I'm off.

 

I could probably do some form of gigging with guitar if I had to. Wouldn't really mind doing it. Also, for band practices, knowing guitar helps me yell at our guitarist to play a riff RIGHT.

[zachg]

i agree 100% with the original topic. i too am suprised, and actually upset that bassists can be so ignorant(i am a bass player). i am an avid guitar player, keyboard player, as well as bass player performing live with each every once in a while. it should not be difficult to switch between.

 

i actually first learn't ukulele as my first string instrument.

i may be an odd case as musical talents run in my family a little, but if someone plays any of the rhythmic string instruments well, they should in my opinion be able to switch between all of them.

[way2fat]

I can make some chords on guitar or keys, but have no interest in learning either. But the Banjo? Vox Deus Temporae! Zachg, I have told this story beforebut let me bore you too: A few years ago at the regular Wed. night bluegrass jam we had a hot shot jazz and clasic guitar player who spent most of the night (when he wasn't playing "simple" songs wrong) making sure that everyone knew that he was a "trained" musician with a degree in the subject and at one point was extolling the virtues of reading music because it enabled him to play anything he could get the music to. Said it would be a simple matter for him to learn mandolin or dobro or banjo. Someone had a copy of Earl's banjo book out in their car, which has both tab and regular notation for lots of Earl's (always capitalize Earl) banjo tunes. We opened the book to the tune of Groundspeed and asked if he would favor us with the tune. After about a dozen attempts he was redder than a baboons ass. He also spent three hours playing wrong because he never noticed that there weren't any upstrokes on the guitar rythym. Heard from one of his jazz buddies later that he told the jazz crowd that bluegrass just wasn't challenging and there was nothing for him to learn there.

[Nicklab]

I play some guitar, but I'm attrocious. I really should take some lessons. I play minimal keys, but once again....need lessons. I totally rely on the theory training I've gotten with learning bass when I apply it to either instrument.

 

I play some decent percussion. I usually wind up playing a good deal of it on recording projects. I dig the clave, that's for sure! But one thing I won't do? Try to play drums. I have the coordination of an assclown when it comes to making all four limbs work in conjunction like that.

[titrek]

well, I think I can play the classical guitar just as well (or sloppy ) as bass. In fact I began music playing the classical guitar (some kind of fools around thought it was essential for one to begin in classical guitar, I now just thank their stupidity.), and never left my first love. However nowadays I lost some of my technique due to the string spacing, finger board and muscle habits issues. If I were not working full time, I know I will spend some time on it every day. I can play chords, even recongize chords better than any gutiar player I am rehearsing with. My left hand is remarkably better than my guitar player friends in changing chords. However my right hand technique is always sloppy.