Bassguitar

[Geir]

well ... I finally got a new bass !!! It was a christmas-present from my wife (I picked out myself tho) and it arrived yesterday!!


I think it sounds great, but mind you, I'm no bass-player. I just need one for when the great guys here are too busy So I ended up with an Ibanes GSR200TR after getting some advise from friends here and in the analog world.

I know I'm not the only guitatist that noodles with the bass from time to time, so I thought it would be great if the more qualified people here could give us noodlers some advice. I don't wanna sound like a guitarist playing bass, so what's the secrets?? What are the pifalls? How do we handle these big-stringed monsters?

[Bluesberry]

Beautiful bass Geir.  Have fun with it.  Having just gotten a bass myself a month ago I am in the same position, a guitarist who wants to learn to play bass, and not just sound like a guitarist noodling on the bass.  Roots and fifths of the current chord, thats relatively easy to figure out, but sounds boring and not always what the song needs.  How do you "real" bassists approach writing bass lines for songs?

[launched]

Another Jazz style! Cool! Looks a lot like my Tradition. I'm no expert, but I would definitely start by playing with the index and middle fingers instead of a pick - If you insist on using a pick, go with a big thick one like a purple tortex or the black 1mm dunlop. Otherwise it will sound like you are flapping a playing card over the strings. Really should use fingers.

And... To not sound like a guitarist (Aside from using fingers), emphasize or pluck with the bass drum and not the snare.

Dave(Bluesberry) had a thread going somewhere here - Looking for that now...

And we also talked about the same thing here. 64Guitars posted some links.

I'm sure the pros will soon chime in!!


Mark

[Blooby]

I really dig big, stiff felt picks for those of us who don't have the finger thing down yet. 

Blooby

[launched]

Roots and fifths of the current chord, thats relatively easy to figure out, but sounds boring and not always what the song needs.  

Ha, bass is boring - That's why nobody plays it!   You've heard this joke, right:

A guy starts taking bass lessons. On the first day he learned his E string. On the second day he learned his A string. On the third day it was a no-show because he was already gigging...

Anyway, in my opinion, it's not so much how many notes are played, but where they are and how the the track(s) are placed in the mix. Panning the bass track off to the left is the dumbest rumor I ever heard. It should be effected, stereoized/doubletracked and panned like everything else. And the bass eq should be reduced on guitar and vocals to give more headroom for a bass.

[launched]

I really dig big, stiff felt picks for those of us who don't have the finger thing down yet. 

That sounds like a good idea. Might have to try it.


Dusty Hill went one step further though:

[lg]

Too Cool!
Can't wait to hear you play it...

LG

[Wiley]

Nice looking guitar!!! And I agree use your fingers. Nothin worse than a guitar player using a pick on bass!! 

[Geir]

Nice looking guitar!!! And I agree use your fingers. Nothin worse than a guitar player using a pick on bass!! 

ok ... I get it !!!

But I'll blame you guys, when I cry out "I've got blisters on my fingers" in a few days




(yeah I know it's a drummers quote)

[Flash Harry]

use three fingers on your right had to pluck the strings Geir. Better speed.