Do all your bass REALLY belong to us? Discuss below. 👾👾👾 Timestamps for this lesson: 0:00 All Your Bass 0:13 Is bass the same as guitar? 0:46 Is bass easier than guitar? 1:42 Should I learn guitar or bass first? 2:27 Can guitarists play bass? 3:12 Can a guitar be used as a bass? 3:52 Do bassists use chords like guitarists? 4:23 Do bassists use capos like guitarists? 4:42 Why is it harder to hear bass than guitar? 5:43 Should I play bass or guitar?
Honestly, the failed guitarist question hit hard for me lmao I don't really have the best dexterity for chords so I tried bass instead and had way more fun playing!
0:46 I appreciate how he didn't say "no, bass is way harder than guitar" like most bassists who are asked that question, and actually gave pros and cons to each.
Every day I'm grateful that I accidentally chose the (upright) bass in elementary school orchestra. Even though everyone said they couldn't hear me and my part didn't matter, I've been playing for ten years!! And now EVERYONE wants to play the bass (cuz we're cool)
@@MimMdance Sometimes I really wish the piano had an option for a more upright/bass guitar -like bass tone. Softer, rounder, easier to tell bass notes apart. Piano bass is lovely, but it's really harsh and authoritative, sounds like someone kicking out a door and you don't want to be doing that all the time.
literally the reason i started on bass was because I could'nt figure out the guitar when my dad tried to teach me and the two kids i met in gym class played guitar and drums, and I have no singing experience. a year later, whenever i go to guitar center and check that bulletin board, the bassist and drumer are always the positions available
Honestly, I can't imagine playing anything other than the bass. There's just something about the feeling you get when you're in the groove. The way the rhythm feels, makes you move. My opinion is simply this, you feel the song when you play the bass, you only hear the song with any other instrument(drums being the exception). It's not the piano, lead guitar, or saxophone that makes you tap your feet and move your head....it's the bass and the drum.........rock on rhythm section!
It's easy to learn bass at the beginning, but so freaking difficult to master beyond an intermediate level... PS - Josh, please start an intermediate BassBuzz course soon!
Second the intermediate course request. I started Beginner to Badass as an almost-intermediate, and have blasted almost halfway through in ten days. I'm going to run out of Josh soon. The main benefit was the combination of structure and fun that got me practicing *every day*, something I was never able to do on my own. Hopefully it will become enough of a habit that I can keep practicing. I took a day off to give my hands a rest, and it was hard to resist picking up my bass. More of this, please.
I always answer this by saying the learning curves are at opposite ends for bass and guitar. bass starts off easy but gets harder as you learn and guitar can only get easier as you learn
Agreed please make an Intermediate Course Josh!!!!! I absolutely love your passion and teaching style and would love to stay with you and support you further to extend my learning! Could even charge more... since its beyond the basics
@@mloftin6472 You call him a guitarist/bassist Or just a guitarist...because the bass IS A guitar (4string guitar..duh!)except the cocksmack that made this video doesn't think so...
well I mean, have you ever picked up a 6-string bass? It's not exactly the same as a 6-string guitar is it! I reckon there's two ways of looking at it - the instrument itself, and the role it plays. A bassist can fill the roles a guitar usually fills (might happen if there's a keyboard playing the actual bassline), and a guitar can also play basslines (Seven Nation Army, if you like). Or lots of instruments can fill in for other instruments, what's typical in each role really more of a style thing The actual instrument though is a bass, whether you're using it to play basslines or not. It's physically different from a guitar, and that changes how you play it and how it sounds, and what's even possible. And when you call someone a bassist, really you're just saying they play that instrument, and everything that comes with that Royal Blood guy plays bass, and generally (I don't know all their songs or anything) he's playing a bassline, because it's the only melodic instrument in the band so he's gotta do it. Doubling it so there's also a "guitar" playing the same riff doesn't really change that, it's more of a tone thing, right? Distorted riffs on a bass isn't unusual, playing high on the neck can happen a lot - it's just that with only one melodic instrument (apart from the vocals) that bass has to fill a lot of space instead of its usual bottom end niche
I've been playing guitar for over 40 years, and recently started playing bass in a church band, simply because there was no one else available or willing to fill the role. I must say I am really enjoying it. Totally different from playing guitar. As Geddy Lee said in an interview, most people don't choose to be bassists, but get voted into it because of necessity.
Pianists naturally know more about music theory because of the way the instrument works, they know how to read music sheets and play both keys at a time. That's why they replace members in the band lol
@@viegodalencio Marcus Miller knows a lot of music theory. Bands need to know how to have a musical conversation. Doesn't matter how much theory someone has. If a player has some natural talent and their audience likes it - give them the space to express themselves and take turns.
I've struggled with guitar for a very long time. Then I bought a bass. Now it's all I want to play. I really feel like I've been playing the wrong instrument for years.
Bro, the exact same thing happened to me, however I just want to say, if you ever want to try guitar again, you should know that it's a lot easier after you can play bass very well since you'll already have the technique and hard skin on your fingers, though it does takes a bit of time to get used to. Also, playing guitar can help you become a better bassist and vise versa, because playing guitar can help you understand chords better, and playing bass teaches you how to play with groove instead of just simple strumming on the bit. I today can play both, and though I still prefer bass, the guitar can play things the bass can't, and vise versa, so I find it very useful to be able to play both
@@mr.bossman1054 I just guessing, but I think you just need to try more often, practice at least 30 - 45 minutes every two days, and you'll be getting better, nobody is born a great guitar player
I wanted to play guitar, but I was struggling to learn some one told I had the hands of a bass player. I started training my ear to listen to bass and I fell in love with the bass.
I started on bass, but the guitar is my main instrument now. I still own a PJ with active 3-band EQ. As awesome and versatile the guitar is, it doesn't have that same thick low-end growl.
I grew up playing guitar since I was 9. I got a bass when I was 18. I remember thinking all I had to do was play the root note on the bass and follow the guitar. Then I dove deeper into the bass and realized the possibilities in a bass guitar. Tool is a great example of the guitar and Bass doing their own thing and linking up to make a complete song. Tool fucking rocks. Tool army where you at!!!
I'm about 2/3's of the way through Josh's "Beginner to Badass" bass course. It's been awesome so far. Give it a go if you're thinking about learning bass!
I'm not quite that far yet, but I have to second that, it's great! It makes sense, it's fun, and he's super sneaky about music theory. You never want to learn music theory, but then you realize you just did, and it didn't even hurt, and suddenly, some things make sense.
Im an advanced drummer. Been playing drums for decades. I’ve just recently taken interest in bass. I think learning the bass, and the music theory, will make me a better drummer. Also, bass sounds bad ass! Once I get good enough on bass, i can write my own bass + drum licks. Songs wrote bottom up like that usually sound super groovy.
I'll tell you what: Learn both, if you have the chance. It teaches you to think outside the box, and one always brings new things to the other. I started taking the bass seriously after 15 years as a guitarist, and it dramatically improved my guitar playing.
One thing I wish you would have touched on: What kind of music do you like / want to play? When I was teaching, I had a lot of younger students who hadn't really figured out what kind of music they like or whether they liked music at all but liked the idea of playing an instrument (parents usually pushing them to do some kind of activity). I always found it really hard to motivate these students and usually they'd just kind of show up to lessons without having looked at their guitar since the last time they'd seen me until eventually their parents took them out of it. If you, or someone you know, is going to play an instrument, I think you really need at least one song or type of music that you'd really like to be able to play. Might sound incredibly obvious but it was something I saw a lot... So if you're thinking of enrolling your child or someone you know in lessons, maybe start here before spending the money. Figuring out what kind of music they like will also make this decision a lot easier.
I just want to say thank you. Thank you for being informative as well as entertaining. I love the way that you present your material. I played bass in a band for 5 years, but never learned how to play bass. I’ve been feeling nostalgic and really down on myself for being a self taught lame-o, but after listening to random videos from you I’ve decided to take the plunge and become a bassist. I absolutely respect the self taught hero’s of the bass world like myself, but I’ve been dying to learn the real basics of the instrument. I can’t wait to take the BassBuzz plunge and learn how to really rock a stage.
I played guitar for years then started playing bass. I switch between the two depending on whats needed. Being able to play guitar made it easier for me to play bass but playing bass has also made me a better guitar player.
I just got through a little jam session in my living room blowing through "Everyday People", "Psycho Killer" and "Once In A Lifetime" and I had a blast. Your channel made it a lot easier to pick-up an old, beloved but forgotten instrument and learn it. I used to think it was hopeless but in the last six months of watching your channel, it has become a real treat learning Bass. Thanks! A lot.
I started on bass like 15 years ago. I picked up a bass because it looked simpler. And for the most part it was. Then, some five years ago I wanted to give the gutar another go so I picked up an electric I had laying arround. I must say, playing bass for so long made it easier for me to learn guitar. There were so many things I learned on bass that I could apply on the guitar, and now after switching between the two It made my bass playing better as well. So my advice would be, pick one up, and after a while try the other as well, those two are actually extentions of each other...
thank you! i am about to buy a bass and decided to do some research to feel like i was making the “correct” choice by opting for a bass instead of a guitar. your advice of “picking one up” helped me! ill start with the bass.
I started on acoustic guitar with absolutely no knowledge of music, moved to bass, then to electric. Massive improvement during the bass stages and allowed me to get chording, flamenco strumming, and basic musical theory (I take two band classes, concert anf jazz)
The Cure are goth rock and generally the bass is the lead instrument in that genre because it's about the low dark droning sound. They also use 6 string basses a lot which is like the bastard offspring of a guitar and a bass.
I've noticed that bands that have a strong bass sound also have a founding member or primary writer who is the bass player..... Rush, The Police, Thin Lizzy, The Beatles, RHCP, etc.... Otherwise you barely hear the bass, it's plain R5 R5 R35, and forget about any solos, intros....
I have struggled with learning guitar for so long that I'm tempted to try bass and see if the slapping and popping on the bass is more my thang. No chords, I'm in!
Like everyone else, I started as a guitar player and only got a bass because my friend's band needed a bass player. I played way too many notes (scale runs, full chord arpeggios and mirroring the vocal melody). During covid I started writing and recording stuff on my own (playing all the instruments) and found that so many complicated bass parts I wrote worked so much better if I played them on guitar (as a lead riff) and the song as a whole was better if I kept the bass line simple. When we get to jam again with other people I will play simple roots and 5ths baselines and leave the scale runs and arpeggios to the guitarists and the vocal melody to the singer.
This was great! Thanks Josh. Especially the way you addressed the last question, is bass for you. I have always listened to and gravitated towards the bass and bassists, so for me the answer was yes. As for which should you learn first, I would disagree and recommend any aspiring bassists to learn guitar first. I took guitar lessons first for a year and learned the basics. I know my chords which is a great benefit when playing with other musicians. As a bassist, I can now look at the guitarists' fingers and know what chords they are playing and can follow along much easier on bass.
When I was a kid (in 5th grade), we had the chance to pick an instrument to learn and join either the orchestra or the band. I came really close to picking the viola, but chose the trombone. I played it thru 11th grade, but never really took it seriously. Though I also started learning the guitar about that same time, I hadn’t considered the upright bass. I think it was because of the size, but man, I wish I had gone that route. The cool thing now, though, is kids are getting learning the electric bass at school! Definitely a great way to learn music and get lessons for free.
I'm gonna take your comment serious to comment that maybe it has to do with the psychology of the person...In my humble opinion if everyone "had" to play an instrument, we'd probably choose one that better fits our personality
Well done sir! Yeah, the old guitar vs bass thing is such an "amateurs" question, yet, I hear many musicians debating the superiority of one instrument over another. It's also one of the reasons for hindered growth as a musician -- seeing everything via YOUR instrument. I explain it to my students like so.... True, noting beats an acoustic guitar for sitting down and singing a song to your date. (Sure as hell beats the saxophone). I play 11 instruments, bass being the main one, but what i love about the electric guitar is that it's so expressive. To be able to bend pitches allows to phrasing and tonal possibilities other instruments don't have. (The fretless bass also shares that wonderful trait ). The guitar also has so many sounds AND, the register is perfect for soloing. I prefer soloing on guitar than on bass for that reason. Then again, the three of the most successful songwriters of the last century were all bass players -- Paul McCartney, Sting and (oddly enough) Roger Waters. As far as someone saying it's hard to hear the bass, they obviously never heard Close To The Edge, or Abby Road. Then again, I was at a jazz gig where they had an upright bass player and my date said "What the big thing you can't hear?" She had a point.
Learning to play bass is what unlocked music for me. And the feeling of playing bass with a good drummer is my favorite thing in music. It feels REALLY great. But, for me, learning to play a chorded instrument -guitar- is what made songwriting possible. So I strongly suggest putting some time into a couple of instruments. Also, playing an instrument you’re NOT amazing at can lead to some great unexpected places.
I did start on bass first because it seemed easier to learn and it didn't take long to realize that it was easier to find people to play with since there were so many guitar players. I started playing in the early 80s so EVERYBODY wanted to be a Rockstar.
I picked up the bass because a group of us wanted to start a band but it never went through. I enjoyed it so much that I went my own route and became very good at jazz and blues type stuff.
Started playing on bass and now have to play guitar because I can’t find anyone to play songs I like. So I will say that the “transfer of skills” goes both ways and it only gets more intuitive to learn new things. As in, you already have rhythm (if you started on bass) so you can just focus on learning guitar chords and strum patterns. Eventually it all comes together with PRACTICE and in the end I find it beneficial to play both so you can understand other musicians and be a more versified player. I’m a better bass player now because I forced myself to learn guitar and vise versa.
Hey, I've subscribed to this channel to see more "pull across" videos. This is the second video in a raw without the "pull across" hint. Disappointed! Now seriously: Awesome video! Keep up the great work, Josh
No, you're not biased! I was drawn to the Bass because you can feel the sound as well as hear it. I always key into the Bass parts of a song when I listen. I've recently picked up the guitar after many, many years away from it, so I'm kinda starting over. They complement each other but Bass is my love 💓.
It's worth learning both. If you're a guitarist, learning to play some bass will DEFINITELY improve your fretboard knowledge, rhythm, and chops. If you're a bassist, you will learn a lot of harmony and melody if you learn guitar (and at least pay attention to the notes). There are way fewer decent bassists, though, so if you want a gig, knowing how to play bass makes a huge difference. When I was a kid I started on bass, but wanted to play acoustic guitar, so I sold mine. Many years later I was playing some jazz and the bassist kept flaking, so I rented one from the practice space to cover for him and decided I preferred playing bass in a band.
Regarding difficulty, I'd say most acoustic guitar strings are harder to press down than bass strings. Especially if we're talking barre chords, which infamously give newbies with weak hands a ton of grief. And any guitar strings are going to dig into non-callused fingers and hurt a lot more for a total beginner. If bass is harder physically, it's because of the added weight, and for standard-scale basses, the added reach required, which can challenge kids or smaller adults.
He’s right, you can have a unique style. I love having a huge sound and filling up sonic space and I love leads, but I play the bass and I love it. It’s a unique sound that a guitar just can’t replicate.
I _had_ a guitar first, because it was a shared instrument between my sisters and me. Never was able to learn well enough. At least not as a leftie on a right-hand guitar. Got a bass as an impulse buy, because I realize all the music I love most I love because of the bass, and the bass line is what helps put me in a good place emotionally, even under stress. Cherry (my bass guitar), and Josh's BassBuzz course have saved me from burnout at work. And while I'm an extremely klutzy and slow progresser on any musical instrument (I've touched the violin, drums, guitar with little success), I'm actually making progress on bass that I've never been able to force anywhere else. If there is such a thing as a destined instrument for you, this is it.
I’ve been playing bass for 3 years and guitar for about 6 months (both self taught). I love playing both, but bass just feels better and more natural in my hands. I always say I didn’t choose the bass, the bass chose me. But I gotta say the bassist trying to play guitar was literally me the first time I touched a guitar lmao
Living Colour is why I chose bass. Even though you could hear every instrument clearly and everyone is playing or singing at the max, it was the basslines that moved me more than anything. I wouldn't mind learning guitar someday just so that I can invent my own styles and signature sounds, but I bet I can just describe the sounds I want to an already professional guitarist and stick with making bright, unmistakable basslines.
I freaking loved Living Colour. I got to see them twice. First time in an old converted gym with a few hundred people in Milwaukee. Second was at 91 Lollapalooza outside Chicago. Both times were amazing experiences. They had such great sound.
Thanks, Josh. I’m primary guitar player, but I like bass too. Sometimes guitarists play bass sections, like first album of Nightwish. On the other hand, John Paul Jones written LZ material without guitarist and without guitar :) But bassists are definitely very important part of band
Im going to get a bass guitar soon and your videos have always genuinely helped me out with everything I need to know before I start playing:) Thank you!
I have been playing bass instruments for the majority of my life. Playing the bass is just an extension of that. Besides a guitar solo is cool and all but an awesome bass funk solo gives me goose bumps.
I've played both bass (started about 1989) and guitar (started 1986) for a while, and in both roles in bands. I've found that on average, but definitely not always, bass players tend to have a bit more ability to play guitar and fit into a band setting, whereas so many guitar players are completely out of their element on a bass. To me, when a band is playing, or a band recording is playing, with a guitar player on the bass, it is obvious, it generally will have certain (painful) characteristics. Whenever I've discussed what they did, what I would have done, and why these things fit or don't fit, or help punctuate, accentuate, improve the dynamics, or help bring out the vocals, drums, or add melodic, harmonic, rhythmic, or emotional, elements of the song, every time the guitarist, and whatever band members are present, are grateful, or appreciative, are in agreement with what I said regarding the differences, are often excited to have an, "actual fucking bass player," often have a certain, "ah ha," or, "so THAT'S why," reaction, and usually that's followed by someone immediately asking, "OK, what about this riff/part/song."
Yup. I think also a lot more bass players also play guitar than the other way around. It's a bit of a struggle in my band made up of friends - I try to come up with a cool fucking groove with the drummer, works pretty well, vocalist does something cool as well... and then the guitarist just noodles something without any resemblance of direction. Some other friend I jam with - he's also a guitar player, but man, he has ideas, he goes for shit and sticks with it, he'll switch from lead to rhythm so I can put in some bass lead, and so on.
I started on violin at 4, switched to guitar at 10, picked up a bass seriously at 26, put it down 2 years later, picked it back up even more seriously at 36, put it down 1 year later, now I'm 47 and about to pick it up again. Oh, and everyone will tell you later (no matter what instrument you play) to learn the drums. I know great guitarists that are really bassists and great guitarists that are also drummers but I've known very few bassists or guitarists that are also great drummers. A lot of it has to do with your living environment, bass frequencies travel a lot farther than guitar, they shake sh t, that's probably not good if you live in an apartment or small house with other people. That said, there are ways to even learn drums nearly silently these days. Food for thought. Also, learn the piano keyboard and how scales and chords lay on it (no matter what else you do).
I spoke to a musician who was first playing guitar. Then he moved to bass. He told me it was easier to move from rhythm guitar to bass as you're moving to the root notes. So, from his perspective, it's a good idea to learn rhythm guitar and bass. Broadens your knowledge and playing range.
I first started playing Ukulele, then Acoustic guitar, Then Electric Guitar and Finally at last I moved on to bass. I guess every bass player was a guitar player at some point 🤣🤣
I was originally a guitar player for many years, but I've transitioned to bass a lot more. Why? If I have to fill space with 'ear candy' like sounds, I often get overwhelmed and well, do something, but I don't really enjoy it; I can hear that with other guitarists playing as well, though, if I hear it through 'i played this' ears. The bass on the other hand... Get a nice groove, a nice rhythm going, keep going and going, put in some tasty fills, listen to the other parts, try to pick up the essentials from them and put them in your bassline, and don't be afraid to solo every once in a while when you feel the other guys leaving that space for you. It's awesome
I kinda feel like ~generally~ starting out on bass will give you more of a feel for the fundamentals, compared to starting on guitar (like what I did). When you're playing single notes you're more aware of what you're actually playing, and you're encouraged to find out why, so you can add your own little bits to basslines With guitar it's a lot busier, and you tend to do stuff like learn chord shapes without knowing what's actually going on in them. What notes are these! Which one's the 3rd? Who cares just play that shape that's a G#! Sure you ~can~ actually put in the effort to find out what's going on in there, but I know I was more interested in collecting interesting shapes that sounded cool Also the way the G/B string relationship is suddenly a major third instead of a fourth does NOT help
For me I don't have much time on weekdays due to my work being far away and 4-5 days of not playing guitar really does a number on your skills but with bass you don't really lose your dexterity as much with long breaks. Plus songs are generally quicker to learn.
I play both bass and guitar and learned bass first. I personally think it's easier to go from bass to guitar because you can learn the basics of the strings frets and tunings and apply it to guitar especially if you play fingerstyle on guitar
Do all your bass REALLY belong to us? Discuss below. 👾👾👾
Timestamps for this lesson:
0:00 All Your Bass
0:13 Is bass the same as guitar?
0:46 Is bass easier than guitar?
1:42 Should I learn guitar or bass first?
2:27 Can guitarists play bass?
3:12 Can a guitar be used as a bass?
3:52 Do bassists use chords like guitarists?
4:23 Do bassists use capos like guitarists?
4:42 Why is it harder to hear bass than guitar?
5:43 Should I play bass or guitar?
(Co and justice for all ugh) facts!
Bass is a whole different universe. I am a bass player who plays guitar and drums. Bass is the shit.
Jack white is the only musician I have seen that uses a guitar like a bass.
Josh can you do some reaction video on bass player ?
Is it more expensive? Maybe not the instruments, but bass amps and cabs seem dearer then the guitar equivalents.
Josh: "bass has 4 strings"
Some italian somwhere in the world: *uses 36 strings bass*
ruclips.net/video/NoChroQIA10/видео.html
not spam, just showing the video, it's not even mine
DAVIDE BIALE
Yes a particular Mr. 504
Honestly, the failed guitarist question hit hard for me lmao I don't really have the best dexterity for chords so I tried bass instead and had way more fun playing!
Haha, a lot of great bassists actually ended up on bass because nobody else wanted to play guitar. Paul McCartney included, I believe...
@@BassBuzz and yet George persevered ... Hmmh
And Greg Lake from Emerson, Lake and Palmer.
@@BassBuzz That's correct. McCartney said that the bass player was the fat guy who stood in the back and wanted to be that guy.
@@judih.8754 Lake had never played bass before Robert Fripp asked him to.
Hey, you, yes you, who just started playing bass or consider playing, keep it up, you can do this!!!
Παμε μωρη μπασαρα
I started on Saturday wish me luck 😂
@@hendleyyy7306 results?
@@hendleyyy7306 How are you getting on?
@@under.5142 its gone great tbh bro
0:46 I appreciate how he didn't say "no, bass is way harder than guitar" like most bassists who are asked that question, and actually gave pros and cons to each.
Because it is what it js, also guitar players will deny that guitar is harder than bass. The reality is that both are harder in their own ambits.
Every day I'm grateful that I accidentally chose the (upright) bass in elementary school orchestra. Even though everyone said they couldn't hear me and my part didn't matter, I've been playing for ten years!! And now EVERYONE wants to play the bass (cuz we're cool)
The upright is easily my favourite sound in jazz music.
@@MimMdance Sometimes I really wish the piano had an option for a more upright/bass guitar -like bass tone. Softer, rounder, easier to tell bass notes apart. Piano bass is lovely, but it's really harsh and authoritative, sounds like someone kicking out a door and you don't want to be doing that all the time.
Badass !⭐
Supply and demand leans towards being a bassist. Everyone wants to be a guitarist.
One of the reasons i learned bass. Everyone wants to follow the trend and be a guitarist.
@@pit19931 that and bass is way cooler
Well true. But not everybody will be a good guitarist.
literally the reason i started on bass was because I could'nt figure out the guitar when my dad tried to teach me and the two kids i met in gym class played guitar and drums, and I have no singing experience. a year later, whenever i go to guitar center and check that bulletin board, the bassist and drumer are always the positions available
I heard Geddy Lee play when I was 8, it was on from there.
Honestly, I can't imagine playing anything other than the bass. There's just something about the feeling you get when you're in the groove. The way the rhythm feels, makes you move. My opinion is simply this, you feel the song when you play the bass, you only hear the song with any other instrument(drums being the exception). It's not the piano, lead guitar, or saxophone that makes you tap your feet and move your head....it's the bass and the drum.........rock on rhythm section!
It's easy to learn bass at the beginning, but so freaking difficult to master beyond an intermediate level...
PS - Josh, please start an intermediate BassBuzz course soon!
Second the intermediate course request. I started Beginner to Badass as an almost-intermediate, and have blasted almost halfway through in ten days. I'm going to run out of Josh soon.
The main benefit was the combination of structure and fun that got me practicing *every day*, something I was never able to do on my own. Hopefully it will become enough of a habit that I can keep practicing. I took a day off to give my hands a rest, and it was hard to resist picking up my bass. More of this, please.
Even John Entwistle said bass was easier than guitar initially.
I always answer this by saying the learning curves are at opposite ends for bass and guitar. bass starts off easy but gets harder as you learn and guitar can only get easier as you learn
Agreed please make an Intermediate Course Josh!!!!! I absolutely love your passion and teaching style and would love to stay with you and support you further to extend my learning! Could even charge more... since its beyond the basics
@@emobassist as a guitarist that switched to bass, this is true. Specially when I'm learning how to improv on jazz
I play both, I love both. End of discussion (for me at least, there are fair points for both sides)
Same, although I tend to lean more towards guitar. However, I love them both because they both have their own place.
AMEN!!
Same here...I play both.
@@mloftin6472
You call him a guitarist/bassist
Or just a guitarist...because the bass IS A guitar (4string guitar..duh!)except the cocksmack that made this video doesn't think so...
well I mean, have you ever picked up a 6-string bass? It's not exactly the same as a 6-string guitar is it!
I reckon there's two ways of looking at it - the instrument itself, and the role it plays. A bassist can fill the roles a guitar usually fills (might happen if there's a keyboard playing the actual bassline), and a guitar can also play basslines (Seven Nation Army, if you like). Or lots of instruments can fill in for other instruments, what's typical in each role really more of a style thing
The actual instrument though is a bass, whether you're using it to play basslines or not. It's physically different from a guitar, and that changes how you play it and how it sounds, and what's even possible. And when you call someone a bassist, really you're just saying they play that instrument, and everything that comes with that
Royal Blood guy plays bass, and generally (I don't know all their songs or anything) he's playing a bassline, because it's the only melodic instrument in the band so he's gotta do it. Doubling it so there's also a "guitar" playing the same riff doesn't really change that, it's more of a tone thing, right? Distorted riffs on a bass isn't unusual, playing high on the neck can happen a lot - it's just that with only one melodic instrument (apart from the vocals) that bass has to fill a lot of space instead of its usual bottom end niche
@@mloftin6472 Well... without splitting hairs, he's playing a bass guitar. *shrug*
I've been playing guitar for over 40 years, and recently started playing bass in a church band, simply because there was no one else available or willing to fill the role. I must say I am really enjoying it. Totally different from playing guitar. As Geddy Lee said in an interview, most people don't choose to be bassists, but get voted into it because of necessity.
Ha! I'm one of the wackos who actually picked bass without being coaxed. :P
@@BassBuzz Yeah me too. When I heard those amazing Motown bass lines back in the 60's it was all over for me.
@@patrickfitzgerald2861 I'm in that club too. Chose to pick up the Bass out of inspiration from a cover video.
It's all fun and games until the piano player start stealing everybody's job
Bruh, I feel that. Why do pianists play Bass lines, when I do that
@@jansestak954 they are being selfish - plus rarely do they give enough space. Whip out a fretless give the audience something fun to listen too
Ray Manzarek
Pianists naturally know more about music theory because of the way the instrument works, they know how to read music sheets and play both keys at a time. That's why they replace members in the band lol
@@viegodalencio Marcus Miller knows a lot of music theory. Bands need to know how to have a musical conversation. Doesn't matter how much theory someone has. If a player has some natural talent and their audience likes it - give them the space to express themselves and take turns.
Me: "Should I play bass or guitar?"
Cliff Burton: "Yes."
The HEAVY in heavy rock and heavy metal comes from the bass.
Yeah! The secret of a great fat distorted guitar sound is the sound of the BASS!🤘
Gene Simmons: 'If don't have bass, you ain't got heavy.'
Oh absolutely. Solid drums and thicc bass are the KEY to sounding heavy and brutal.
As a bass head, this is why i love rock and metal 🤘🏾
I've struggled with guitar for a very long time. Then I bought a bass. Now it's all I want to play. I really feel like I've been playing the wrong instrument for years.
Bro, the exact same thing happened to me, however I just want to say, if you ever want to try guitar again, you should know that it's a lot easier after you can play bass very well since you'll already have the technique and hard skin on your fingers, though it does takes a bit of time to get used to.
Also, playing guitar can help you become a better bassist and vise versa, because playing guitar can help you understand chords better, and playing bass teaches you how to play with groove instead of just simple strumming on the bit.
I today can play both, and though I still prefer bass, the guitar can play things the bass can't, and vise versa, so I find it very useful to be able to play both
I had the same experience, but with percussion instead of guitar. Somehow bass makes more sense in my brain.
same thing here, everytime i play guitar i realize that i suck at it
@@mr.bossman1054 I just guessing, but I think you just need to try more often, practice at least 30 - 45 minutes every two days, and you'll be getting better, nobody is born a great guitar player
@@guybayo2002 thanks for the tip, i could really use it😁
I wanted to play guitar, but I was struggling to learn some one told I had the hands of a bass player. I started training my ear to listen to bass and I fell in love with the bass.
Can we all agree that bass and guitar need each other?
*Glenn Friker has left the chat*
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no
Actually guitar and bass are really good together yet they can both be good alone
I started on bass, but the guitar is my main instrument now. I still own a PJ with active 3-band EQ. As awesome and versatile the guitar is, it doesn't have that same thick low-end growl.
I grew up playing guitar since I was 9. I got a bass when I was 18. I remember thinking all I had to do was play the root note on the bass and follow the guitar. Then I dove deeper into the bass and realized the possibilities in a bass guitar. Tool is a great example of the guitar and Bass doing their own thing and linking up to make a complete song. Tool fucking rocks. Tool army where you at!!!
I'm about 2/3's of the way through Josh's "Beginner to Badass" bass course. It's been awesome so far. Give it a go if you're thinking about learning bass!
Same! I love it
I'm about half way through and it's really great. Highly recommend!
I did it and it was probably the most progress I have ever made on a new instrument in such a short amount of time.
I'm not quite that far yet, but I have to second that, it's great! It makes sense, it's fun, and he's super sneaky about music theory. You never want to learn music theory, but then you realize you just did, and it didn't even hurt, and suddenly, some things make sense.
Im an advanced drummer. Been playing drums for decades. I’ve just recently taken interest in bass. I think learning the bass, and the music theory, will make me a better drummer.
Also, bass sounds bad ass! Once I get good enough on bass, i can write my own bass + drum licks. Songs wrote bottom up like that usually sound super groovy.
I'll tell you what: Learn both, if you have the chance. It teaches you to think outside the box, and one always brings new things to the other. I started taking the bass seriously after 15 years as a guitarist, and it dramatically improved my guitar playing.
One thing I wish you would have touched on:
What kind of music do you like / want to play?
When I was teaching, I had a lot of younger students who hadn't really figured out what kind of music they like or whether they liked music at all but liked the idea of playing an instrument (parents usually pushing them to do some kind of activity). I always found it really hard to motivate these students and usually they'd just kind of show up to lessons without having looked at their guitar since the last time they'd seen me until eventually their parents took them out of it.
If you, or someone you know, is going to play an instrument, I think you really need at least one song or type of music that you'd really like to be able to play. Might sound incredibly obvious but it was something I saw a lot... So if you're thinking of enrolling your child or someone you know in lessons, maybe start here before spending the money. Figuring out what kind of music they like will also make this decision a lot easier.
What a great student, not sure if they like music at all. I'd pass on that gig.
I just want to say thank you. Thank you for being informative as well as entertaining. I love the way that you present your material. I played bass in a band for 5 years, but never learned how to play bass. I’ve been feeling nostalgic and really down on myself for being a self taught lame-o, but after listening to random videos from you I’ve decided to take the plunge and become a bassist. I absolutely respect the self taught hero’s of the bass world like myself, but I’ve been dying to learn the real basics of the instrument. I can’t wait to take the BassBuzz plunge and learn how to really rock a stage.
You're welcome Steven!
Loved the And Justice for all joke and loving it so far Josh. As always you're the coolest!
I played guitar for years then started playing bass. I switch between the two depending on whats needed. Being able to play guitar made it easier for me to play bass but playing bass has also made me a better guitar player.
I just got through a little jam session in my living room blowing through "Everyday People", "Psycho Killer" and "Once In A Lifetime" and I had a blast. Your channel made it a lot easier to pick-up an old, beloved but forgotten instrument and learn it. I used to think it was hopeless but in the last six months of watching your channel, it has become a real treat learning Bass. Thanks! A lot.
I started on bass like 15 years ago. I picked up a bass because it looked simpler. And for the most part it was. Then, some five years ago I wanted to give the gutar another go so I picked up an electric I had laying arround. I must say, playing bass for so long made it easier for me to learn guitar. There were so many things I learned on bass that I could apply on the guitar, and now after switching between the two It made my bass playing better as well. So my advice would be, pick one up, and after a while try the other as well, those two are actually extentions of each other...
thank you! i am about to buy a bass and decided to do some research to feel like i was making the “correct” choice by opting for a bass instead of a guitar. your advice of “picking one up” helped me! ill start with the bass.
If you start with guitar, will it make bass easier?
I started on acoustic guitar with absolutely no knowledge of music, moved to bass, then to electric. Massive improvement during the bass stages and allowed me to get chording, flamenco strumming, and basic musical theory (I take two band classes, concert anf jazz)
Simon Gallup and Paul McCartney are great bassists and most of the songs they play the bass line is mixed pretty decent and you can hear them well
The Cure are goth rock and generally the bass is the lead instrument in that genre because it's about the low dark droning sound. They also use 6 string basses a lot which is like the bastard offspring of a guitar and a bass.
I've noticed that bands that have a strong bass sound also have a founding member or primary writer who is the bass player..... Rush, The Police, Thin Lizzy, The Beatles, RHCP, etc.... Otherwise you barely hear the bass, it's plain R5 R5 R35, and forget about any solos, intros....
I have struggled with learning guitar for so long that I'm tempted to try bass and see if the slapping and popping on the bass is more my thang. No chords, I'm in!
Beginner bassist here. This is the best channel. Already applying stuff at church with good outcome. Thanks, man.
I have to appreciate that you channeled your Jimmy Stewart voice for the "Harry Bailey" line. Deep cut right there. Damn, I'm old.
Thanks Doug, always ready to whip out my Jimmy Stewart voice. :P
Like everyone else, I started as a guitar player and only got a bass because my friend's band needed a bass player. I played way too many notes (scale runs, full chord arpeggios and mirroring the vocal melody). During covid I started writing and recording stuff on my own (playing all the instruments) and found that so many complicated bass parts I wrote worked so much better if I played them on guitar (as a lead riff) and the song as a whole was better if I kept the bass line simple. When we get to jam again with other people I will play simple roots and 5ths baselines and leave the scale runs and arpeggios to the guitarists and the vocal melody to the singer.
This was great! Thanks Josh. Especially the way you addressed the last question, is bass for you. I have always listened to and gravitated towards the bass and bassists, so for me the answer was yes. As for which should you learn first, I would disagree and recommend any aspiring bassists to learn guitar first. I took guitar lessons first for a year and learned the basics. I know my chords which is a great benefit when playing with other musicians. As a bassist, I can now look at the guitarists' fingers and know what chords they are playing and can follow along much easier on bass.
As soon as you started saying the sentence, I knew there was a dig at Lars coming! Killed me
When I was a kid (in 5th grade), we had the chance to pick an instrument to learn and join either the orchestra or the band. I came really close to picking the viola, but chose the trombone. I played it thru 11th grade, but never really took it seriously.
Though I also started learning the guitar about that same time, I hadn’t considered the upright bass. I think it was because of the size, but man, I wish I had gone that route. The cool thing now, though, is kids are getting learning the electric bass at school! Definitely a great way to learn music and get lessons for free.
Just discovered your channel and love it! But then you mentioned Del and now it’s possibly my favorite! Keep ‘em coming!
I’ve been playing bass for 14 years and guitar for about 11. I don’t click on videos like this usually but I’m glad I did. Well done!
"should I play bass or guitar?" That's actually a pretty simple question to answer, bass.
Fun fact that I totally made up: bass players tend to play support roles in videogames too (healers, etc). Like if this is true for you.
I'm gonna take your comment serious to comment that maybe it has to do with the psychology of the person...In my humble opinion if everyone "had" to play an instrument, we'd probably choose one that better fits our personality
Lol yes I play a white mage in ffxiv
Press E again and I'll never heal you. (Medic Main)
Another made up fun fact: bass player tend to be more on the reserved/introverted side of the personality spectrum.
@@kenpachi421 WHM is really green dps
I learnt bass on my acoustic guitar! I really want a bass next!
The correct way is:
Start on bass
Stay on bass
Well done sir! Yeah, the old guitar vs bass thing is such an "amateurs" question, yet, I hear many musicians debating the superiority of one instrument over another. It's also one of the reasons for hindered growth as a musician -- seeing everything via YOUR instrument. I explain it to my students like so.... True, noting beats an acoustic guitar for sitting down and singing a song to your date. (Sure as hell beats the saxophone). I play 11 instruments, bass being the main one, but what i love about the electric guitar is that it's so expressive. To be able to bend pitches allows to phrasing and tonal possibilities other instruments don't have. (The fretless bass also shares that wonderful trait ). The guitar also has so many sounds AND, the register is perfect for soloing. I prefer soloing on guitar than on bass for that reason. Then again, the three of the most successful songwriters of the last century were all bass players -- Paul McCartney, Sting and (oddly enough) Roger Waters. As far as someone saying it's hard to hear the bass, they obviously never heard Close To The Edge, or Abby Road. Then again, I was at a jazz gig where they had an upright bass player and my date said "What the big thing you can't hear?" She had a point.
i wish there was a guitar channel like this
I liked how at 3:12 Josh uses gold standard octave pedals (Boss OC and POG) so no one can argue that a better octaver could give the real bass tone.
Which song's bass lines was that at 3:15?
Learning to play bass is what unlocked music for me. And the feeling of playing bass with a good drummer is my favorite thing in music. It feels REALLY great. But, for me, learning to play a chorded instrument -guitar- is what made songwriting possible. So I strongly suggest putting some time into a couple of instruments. Also, playing an instrument you’re NOT amazing at can lead to some great unexpected places.
This guy is funny and light. I enjoy watching and listening to him.
I did start on bass first because it seemed easier to learn and it didn't take long to realize that it was easier to find people to play with since there were so many guitar players. I started playing in the early 80s so EVERYBODY wanted to be a Rockstar.
5:35 all you need for hearing bass is just your heart ;)
Thanks to your videos, put the guitar aside and I fell in love with the bass, greetings from Argentina!
I totally agree with Sharon, I too look forward for an intermediate Bassbuzz stuff!
Love the editing and the passion u put into your videos
2:13 yeah bassists are rare as hell. bassists and drummers are the hardest to find when starting a band 99% of the time
Exactly man! Drums are way too expensive and bass... you get the idea
2 bonuses! Some octave pedal fun and a Spotify list. Thank you.
I picked up the bass because a group of us wanted to start a band but it never went through. I enjoyed it so much that I went my own route and became very good at jazz and blues type stuff.
Great sense of humor and superb video editing skills.
Started playing on bass and now have to play guitar because I can’t find anyone to play songs I like. So I will say that the “transfer of skills” goes both ways and it only gets more intuitive to learn new things. As in, you already have rhythm (if you started on bass) so you can just focus on learning guitar chords and strum patterns. Eventually it all comes together with PRACTICE and in the end I find it beneficial to play both so you can understand other musicians and be a more versified player. I’m a better bass player now because I forced myself to learn guitar and vise versa.
Hey, I've subscribed to this channel to see more "pull across" videos.
This is the second video in a raw without the "pull across" hint. Disappointed!
Now seriously:
Awesome video! Keep up the great work, Josh
Haha, don't worry, more are coming. :P
No, you're not biased!
I was drawn to the Bass because you can feel the sound as well as hear it. I always key into the Bass parts of a song when I listen. I've recently picked up the guitar after many, many years away from it, so I'm kinda starting over. They complement each other but Bass is my love 💓.
I sing and play bass in a trio. I had to switch from guitar to bass to enter the band... and I love it.
BTW, bass with distortion sounds great.
One thing I want to add: Bassists can solo too!!!!
I used a capo exactly once for an actual performance on bass, when we (the singer) changed the key of the song immediately before the show.
I had bassness thrust upon me because my elder brother played guitar and a neighbor played drums. After awhile, I fell in love with the instrument.
It's worth learning both. If you're a guitarist, learning to play some bass will DEFINITELY improve your fretboard knowledge, rhythm, and chops. If you're a bassist, you will learn a lot of harmony and melody if you learn guitar (and at least pay attention to the notes). There are way fewer decent bassists, though, so if you want a gig, knowing how to play bass makes a huge difference.
When I was a kid I started on bass, but wanted to play acoustic guitar, so I sold mine. Many years later I was playing some jazz and the bassist kept flaking, so I rented one from the practice space to cover for him and decided I preferred playing bass in a band.
As a guitarist and a bassist, I love them both. I think that I like bass a little bit more though.
Regarding difficulty, I'd say most acoustic guitar strings are harder to press down than bass strings. Especially if we're talking barre chords, which infamously give newbies with weak hands a ton of grief. And any guitar strings are going to dig into non-callused fingers and hurt a lot more for a total beginner. If bass is harder physically, it's because of the added weight, and for standard-scale basses, the added reach required, which can challenge kids or smaller adults.
He’s right, you can have a unique style. I love having a huge sound and filling up sonic space and I love leads, but I play the bass and I love it. It’s a unique sound that a guitar just can’t replicate.
I _had_ a guitar first, because it was a shared instrument between my sisters and me. Never was able to learn well enough. At least not as a leftie on a right-hand guitar. Got a bass as an impulse buy, because I realize all the music I love most I love because of the bass, and the bass line is what helps put me in a good place emotionally, even under stress. Cherry (my bass guitar), and Josh's BassBuzz course have saved me from burnout at work. And while I'm an extremely klutzy and slow progresser on any musical instrument (I've touched the violin, drums, guitar with little success), I'm actually making progress on bass that I've never been able to force anywhere else. If there is such a thing as a destined instrument for you, this is it.
I’ve been playing bass for 3 years and guitar for about 6 months (both self taught). I love playing both, but bass just feels better and more natural in my hands. I always say I didn’t choose the bass, the bass chose me.
But I gotta say the bassist trying to play guitar was literally me the first time I touched a guitar lmao
You really make great videos Josh!
Living Colour is why I chose bass. Even though you could hear every instrument clearly and everyone is playing or singing at the max, it was the basslines that moved me more than anything. I wouldn't mind learning guitar someday just so that I can invent my own styles and signature sounds, but I bet I can just describe the sounds I want to an already professional guitarist and stick with making bright, unmistakable basslines.
I freaking loved Living Colour. I got to see them twice. First time in an old converted gym with a few hundred people in Milwaukee. Second was at 91 Lollapalooza outside Chicago. Both times were amazing experiences. They had such great sound.
@@sagittated that's dope!
@@jakefoxx7978 now that I'm learning bass, I'll go revisit them and find those bass lines to try to learn. Thanks for the reminder.
@@sagittated you're welcome 😊
Thanks, Josh. I’m primary guitar player, but I like bass too. Sometimes guitarists play bass sections, like first album of Nightwish. On the other hand, John Paul Jones written LZ material without guitarist and without guitar :) But bassists are definitely very important part of band
4:45 new millenium cyanide christ heh
I REPLACE MY BONES WITH BARS!
2:24 didn't even noticed the auto promoting of beginner to badass course. I'm in.
Im going to get a bass guitar soon and your videos have always genuinely helped me out with everything I need to know before I start playing:) Thank you!
Moving from guitar to bass was the best choice I've ever made with a hobby.
I have been playing bass instruments for the majority of my life. Playing the bass is just an extension of that. Besides a guitar solo is cool and all but an awesome bass funk solo gives me goose bumps.
Bro, not only are you a great "bass playerrrrrrrrr!" 2:18-2:26 but also one hell of a comedian. No offense
so we’re not gonna talk about how john had to duck his to get inside the house
LOVED this video, dude!
Love the videos man
A bass is BASSIC in life. We all need it. And playing it sounds and feels wonderful
Always click straight away for a bass buzz upload. Cheers Josh
Thanks Ben!
I've played both bass (started about 1989) and guitar (started 1986) for a while, and in both roles in bands. I've found that on average, but definitely not always, bass players tend to have a bit more ability to play guitar and fit into a band setting, whereas so many guitar players are completely out of their element on a bass. To me, when a band is playing, or a band recording is playing, with a guitar player on the bass, it is obvious, it generally will have certain (painful) characteristics. Whenever I've discussed what they did, what I would have done, and why these things fit or don't fit, or help punctuate, accentuate, improve the dynamics, or help bring out the vocals, drums, or add melodic, harmonic, rhythmic, or emotional, elements of the song, every time the guitarist, and whatever band members are present, are grateful, or appreciative, are in agreement with what I said regarding the differences, are often excited to have an, "actual fucking bass player," often have a certain, "ah ha," or, "so THAT'S why," reaction, and usually that's followed by someone immediately asking, "OK, what about this riff/part/song."
Yup. I think also a lot more bass players also play guitar than the other way around.
It's a bit of a struggle in my band made up of friends - I try to come up with a cool fucking groove with the drummer, works pretty well, vocalist does something cool as well... and then the guitarist just noodles something without any resemblance of direction.
Some other friend I jam with - he's also a guitar player, but man, he has ideas, he goes for shit and sticks with it, he'll switch from lead to rhythm so I can put in some bass lead, and so on.
I started on violin at 4, switched to guitar at 10, picked up a bass seriously at 26, put it down 2 years later, picked it back up even more seriously at 36, put it down 1 year later, now I'm 47 and about to pick it up again. Oh, and everyone will tell you later (no matter what instrument you play) to learn the drums. I know great guitarists that are really bassists and great guitarists that are also drummers but I've known very few bassists or guitarists that are also great drummers. A lot of it has to do with your living environment, bass frequencies travel a lot farther than guitar, they shake sh t, that's probably not good if you live in an apartment or small house with other people. That said, there are ways to even learn drums nearly silently these days. Food for thought. Also, learn the piano keyboard and how scales and chords lay on it (no matter what else you do).
I spoke to a musician who was first playing guitar. Then he moved to bass. He told me it was easier to move from rhythm guitar to bass as you're moving to the root notes. So, from his perspective, it's a good idea to learn rhythm guitar and bass. Broadens your knowledge and playing range.
I first started playing Ukulele, then Acoustic guitar, Then Electric Guitar and Finally at last I moved on to bass. I guess every bass player was a guitar player at some point 🤣🤣
hey man really enjoy the videos keep it up
I was originally a guitar player for many years, but I've transitioned to bass a lot more. Why? If I have to fill space with 'ear candy' like sounds, I often get overwhelmed and well, do something, but I don't really enjoy it; I can hear that with other guitarists playing as well, though, if I hear it through 'i played this' ears.
The bass on the other hand... Get a nice groove, a nice rhythm going, keep going and going, put in some tasty fills, listen to the other parts, try to pick up the essentials from them and put them in your bassline, and don't be afraid to solo every once in a while when you feel the other guys leaving that space for you. It's awesome
I love playing bass because it’s really fun. I love playing guitar too. Both are very different instruments in the end 🙂
I kinda feel like ~generally~ starting out on bass will give you more of a feel for the fundamentals, compared to starting on guitar (like what I did). When you're playing single notes you're more aware of what you're actually playing, and you're encouraged to find out why, so you can add your own little bits to basslines
With guitar it's a lot busier, and you tend to do stuff like learn chord shapes without knowing what's actually going on in them. What notes are these! Which one's the 3rd? Who cares just play that shape that's a G#! Sure you ~can~ actually put in the effort to find out what's going on in there, but I know I was more interested in collecting interesting shapes that sounded cool
Also the way the G/B string relationship is suddenly a major third instead of a fourth does NOT help
These are great tips I've never been told told to play guitar b4 bass but next time I'm at a music store I'll try bass
Thanks for video Josh!
2:37 Bassists play bass
2:49 Guitarist playing Bass
3:02 Bassists trying to play guitar
3:08 slapping guitar sounds pretty good
4:13 my Favourite
as soon as the notification comes through, i drop everything to watch your vids
For me I don't have much time on weekdays due to my work being far away and 4-5 days of not playing guitar really does a number on your skills but with bass you don't really lose your dexterity as much with long breaks. Plus songs are generally quicker to learn.
Oh my god that "All your bass all belong to us" Joke is immaculate
My 13 year old self thanks you for appreciating it :P
I play both bass and guitar and learned bass first. I personally think it's easier to go from bass to guitar because you can learn the basics of the strings frets and tunings and apply it to guitar especially if you play fingerstyle on guitar
I always enjoy all these videos !!
Thank you!
Why not just play both? I do and I love it. :D