How To Play Bass Guitar?

Do I need to learn how play the acoustic/electric guitar before I learn to play the bass guitar?

• I have wanted to learn to play the bass guitar for a while, and I wanted to know if I should tackle the regular guitar before moving on to the bass, or if its necessary to learning the bass. I don't need to worry about musical experience, I'm in my school's drumline and have been playing percussion for 3 years, so music reading and rhythm won't be an issue. I just need to know if I should wait to learn the bass until I learn acoustic/electric guitar. Thanks!

• Answer:

  Please DON'T learn guitar before learning bass! Most people who play guitar make horrible bassists because they don't understand that bass is a rhythm instrument. Rather than treat it as such, they regard the bass as a four-stringed guitar and focus on melody, which defeats the purpose of even having a bassist in a band. The term "bass guitar" is actually wrong, since the bass isn't a guitar at all. The electric bass is simply a portable and amplifiable version of the upright bass, which nobody ever called an "upright guitar." You'll probably be a fantastic bassist because you're already a rhythm player. A good bassist essentially provides a bridge between the drums and the melody, so you'll be following the beat of the bass drum while playing notes that complement the melody. You're still very much part of the rhythm section, since your playing will be unmistakably rhythmic. Because most guitarists have no idea what a bassist does, they abuse the bass by cramming as many notes as possible into every song, making everything sound cluttered and muddy. Nothing pisses off a drummer as much as a guitarist trying to play bass and stepping all over the rhythm like a showoff. And any good musician can tell the difference between a real bassist and a guitarist masquerading as a bassist. It's incredibly hard for a guitarist to make a good transition to bass, since that means thinking like a rhythm player. But everyone understands the role of melody in a band, so it's much easier for a bassist to become a good guitarist. And the drummers I know love working with guitarists who started out as bassists, since they have a genuine appreciation and respect for the rhythm section. I strongly recommend learning bass before guitar. Not only will it be a natural fit for you, since you're already a drummer, but it will give you a leg up on other players if and when you do transition to guitar at some point. As an added bonus, a good bassist can have his/her pick of bands because there are so few of them around. But you can't swing a hatchet without hitting a good guitarist, since they're a dime a dozen. That's why so many guitarists think they can get away with auditioning to play bass in bands. It's obvious they're not really bassists, but because they don't realize the bass isn't a remedial guitar, they keep on trying. Good luck with the bass! The bass might not be the most glamorous instrument, but it's incredibly fun to play. And there's a lot to be said for being in demand.