Should I learn how to play guitar before I learn how to play bass?
I want to play bass, but many people say that I should learn guitar first. Is it really important to learn guitar first? I’m saving up to buy my instrument and don’t want to spend more than I need to. But at the same time I don’t want to have a poor foundation for what I will learn.
Thanks 😀
October 1st, 2010 at 10:14 am
i started playing bass when i was 11 and then switched to guitar. it depends on what you have an interest in…. guitar is better if you want to sing as well as play and its a better instrument to play alone. i found myself getting bored playing bass when i wasnt with a band. both instruments require alot of technique so it definatly not a cop out to wanna learn either.
October 1st, 2010 at 10:38 am
I, a bass player of 8 some years, started off on piano first. The piano really helped with music theory and basic understanding of the formation of music. Along the way, I picked up guitar. My bass playing has improved after learning the guitar, but it could be myself gaining experience. So to answer your question, no I would not learn guitar first. For now, bass would be sufficient, but you should take music lessons. Hope this helps!
October 1st, 2010 at 11:32 am
Here’s my opinion.
First off, a guitar has six strings: E A D G B E
And a bass has only four strings:E A D G
Notice a similarity? These are the notes that the strings play. So your friends have a sound argument. A person who learns to play guitar should pick up the bass very easily. However if you don’t want to play guitar, picking up the bass will be fine to… you’ll learn from the beginning like you would if you picked up a guitar anyways. It’s not about a poor foundation; that’s not the difference here. The difference here is that you would learn two instruments in learning the guitar first. But that doesn’t mean it’s what you should do. Nothing is stopping you in learning the guitar after learning bass.
October 1st, 2010 at 11:46 am
well the way i see it. I honestly think that guitar is a more difficult instrument to play then bass, so naturally i would think if you learned guitar first bass would be just little easier and you would be more familiar with music. but if you don’t want to waste money and your absolutely sure that you want to play bass you should just by a bass and not worry about guitar.
October 1st, 2010 at 12:23 pm
Oh sweet jesus to the person who said guitar=eadgbe bass=eadg notice the similarity?
Bass & guitar have two completely different functions in a band, to negate yer mans argument would you say a standup/double bass is just as easy to play if you knew guitar? (the electric bass was created to be easier to carry around than the stand-up bass & to electrify it)
A guitarist can play bass & vice versa, but generally they try to play it as a lead instrument rather than a rhythm. A rhythm guitarist may have an easier time, but its quite easy to tell who learnt how to play bass & who is just a guitarist playing a bass.
at the VERY least of differences is the length & thickness of the bass which requires more physical energy to play.
Look at bass players like Mark King/Flea, do you think a guitarist can play their pieces?
Both ways i recommend getting lessons if you want to be taken seriously or develop a good foundation as you said.
October 1st, 2010 at 12:57 pm
It will be mach easier for you, if you will learn guitar first