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Why do you play bass ?
I just love bass 50%  50%  [ 26 ]
There was one laying around 8%  8%  [ 4 ]
I suck on lead guitar 6%  6%  [ 3 ]
There were too many guitar players 25%  25%  [ 13 ]
Girls love bass players 8%  8%  [ 4 ]
I got tired of cornbread 4%  4%  [ 2 ]
Total votes : 52
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Post subject: Re: How did you end up on bass?
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 8:24 am
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I ended up on bass because my best friend at the time told me that I was too stupid to play guitar and I believed him! LOL

I tried out bass by going over to a guy's house and playing his brand new 1968 Fender Jazz Bass through his Ampeg SB-12 amp! I was taught to play Knock on Wood my first day and I have been hooked ever since.

The real reason for the lesson was that his guy wanted to sell me his Ampeg amp, which I bought for 110 bucks. That was a good first amp.
It would be another 3 years before I got my own Jazz Bass. A 1971 SB with maple neck and black block inlays.
A very cool Bass! - Which I still have!

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Post subject: Re: How did you end up on bass?
Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 3:44 am
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At 12, I had a piano teacher who knew I loved guitars and rock. She pointed out the bass in songs, and I was just getting feverishly into McCartney and The Beatles. From that moment, I wanted a bass and dreamed or daydreamed about a bass. At that time, department stores sold guitars, and I would stare for hours at the pics of guitars in their catalogs. There was a violin bass in one that I wanted so much.

2 years later I got my first bass, a short scale plywood thing that was just horrible. 2 years after that, I got a Fender and a Rickenbacker, and I played bass mostly until about 20 years ago, when I switched to guitar. I still play bass though-recording, special gigs, etc.

I love the bass.


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Post subject: Re: How did you end up on bass?
Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2014 12:29 pm
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affprod wrote:
Quote:
By my senior year in highschool with the help of a highschool music teacher I was offered a scholarship to a prestigious music college. Being a stupid kid I passed on offer to pursue a career as a rock star.


Wow, now that is a story, the music college part, but you are probably better off. Bass is a feeling and learning curve, not an education unless you want to teach music. I bet the same can be said for many great bassists. Run down the list, how many attended music college?

One of my daughters, a soprano/alto, went to college to learn more, but found all the theory a bit off-putting. She has a remarkable voice, hitting all the highs in Phantom and yet being able to drop down to sultry blues. Her voice, without training beyond first year of college, can make me misty eyed. I wish I had half her talent, with or without formal training.

I am a big fan of education, but I am also a fan of doing what feels good. Totally untrained, I enjoy music without reservation. My playing is well received, but that really doesn't matter. I do it for the pure enjoyment.


Yes music,IMO, is from the heart and my heart was not in the schooling at the time. My wife thinks I am crazy but I just didn't feel it.

I would probably be a better player for it but what the heck!


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Post subject: Re: How did you end up on bass?
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 5:28 am
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linnin wrote:
:arrow: In 1964 I was 10. I watched The Beatles live on The Ed Sullivan Show. Paul McCartney...left-handed...bass. My four string left-handed future was already in motion, but I wouldn't realize it for 5 more years. Half a lifetime. 8)


Same as above for me, I was 13... and because of that night I got to spend 40 yrs in the music business at some capacity.
All I can say is I way very lucky!!


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Post subject: Re: How did you end up on bass?
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 12:10 pm
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I started playing bass by the simple reason that a friend of mine started playing guitar and one day we decided to start a band, or more or less he wanted to. Since he was on guitar already, and I had no musical inclination what so ever (except for the fact I loved to listen to music and we shared a common love of Led Zeppelin) so it was decided I'd get a bass and try it out. I wasn't even sure I was going to stick with it or not, but as soon as I got my first bass and started to learn, I became obsessed and here I am over 25 years later.

I was always artistic, even as a kid, though. I use to draw cartoons and got into writing stories before I got into playing music. I guess music was the best medium for me to express myself. Another thing I've always done besides playing bass was also write songs. That way I have something that show cases my playing ability and it also gave me something to do when I wasn't in a band situation. I do play some guitar as well, but I consider that as an after thought for when I'm writing and recording stuff. It's something I'd rather not play in a live situation, even though I have.

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Post subject: Re: How did you end up on bass?
Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2014 8:08 pm
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Non of the above.
I had a midlife crisis. I am too big to fit in one of those little red sports cars, my wife said she was the only blond I was going to get if I expected to live, and my high frequency hearing is too bad for lead guitar, so I took up bass.
John


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Post subject: Re: How did you end up on bass?
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 3:06 pm
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Hey welcome aboard, anyway. There's been a few blues cats that didn't even pick up a guitar until their 40's and 50's, but they had a story to tell and needed to get it out. You know, I think I had my "mid life crisis" in my 20's. So far, my 40's (42) have been a breeze, although a bit strange sometimes.

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Post subject: Re: How did you end up on bass?
Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 1:57 pm
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I was the tallest kid in the middle school band, so I could read music and handle the double bass.


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Post subject: Re: How did you end up on bass?
Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 8:05 am
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I saw Peter Hook playing Bass in the Perfect Kiss video, and that is all I ever wanted to do.

He starts playing at the 40 second mark:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88-Cylymn9Q


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Post subject: Re: How did you end up on bass?
Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2014 7:15 am
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Location: Edmonton Alberta Canada
The first band I joined ended up with 3 guitar players so we drew straws - shortest end up on bass - I won - 40 years later still playing a Fender Jazz Bass.

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Post subject: Re: How did you end up on bass?
Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2014 6:54 am
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I was introduced to playing bass by a friend in 1969...I was 15. He showed me how to play "midnight hour" lent me his Hofner copy and I was off. Best move ever....I still LOVE playin' bass!! :D

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Post subject: Re: How did you end up on bass?
Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 9:30 pm
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I'd taken a few years of violin lessons by high school, but wanted to play bass. Trouble is, the school had only one to loan out and my 6'1" friend Pat (as opposed to my 5"4" self) got the bass. Okay, fine ... I was a good violinist and then I started taking guitar lessons. Rock came along, add in "girls" and I was soon playing lead guitar. I did that for the next decade, including on a full time basis for around 5 years.

Thereafter, I'd sometimes play guitar (community musicals, for instance) over the years. And even to this day, all my friends want me to play guitar ... because you can play "whole songs" on it. (As a 100% non-singer, not even in the shower, I had to learn way back how to play the melodies of songs ... ya know, like Jazz, hence my friends saying I play "songs.")

But I always loved bass and even back in the day, I'd sneak off between gigs and sit in with small Jazz combos or sometimes folkies. In band days, I borrowed our bassist's stage bass and used the Bassman I used for lead (Bassman 50, 2 X 12 ... great for mellow Jazz or blues style lead guitar. Not for stadium rocking' bass though.)

And so it remains today: when all the friends go home and the girlfriend is gone for the night, I whip out the bass, go sit on the patio and play. I also do pickup work from time to time and am considering going full time again (on bass) when I retire. Truth is, playing bass is VERY challenging when you consider the roles you have in a lot of modern bands.


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Post subject: Re: How did you end up on bass?
Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2014 5:14 pm
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Sometimes I just like to stay out of 'treble' I guess. :D

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Post subject: Re: How did you end up on bass?
Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2014 6:33 pm
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I don't think like a guitar player does.


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Post subject: Re: How did you end up on bass?
Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2014 8:02 pm
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Played guitar for 50 years, but I picked up a bass whenever there was one lying around. I think most guitarists are attracted to bass. Decided I should get one and get serious about it before I get too old.

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