Switching from guitar to bass

[FUNKGRAVY]

I am lead vocalist in a currently non-working band due to the fact that we cannot find a decent bassplayer with a levelheaded attitude and I'm toying with the idea of picking up the bass as well as singing. Am I being greedy? If other people can do it I beleive I can too (with dedication and practice).Well I have played bass on recordings, songs that I have written, and have been quite satisfied. The part I am worried about is playing and singing at the same, as far as a timing and rythmic point of view. I can play the guitar and sing at the same time on songs that I'm well practiced at. I guess I'm trying to talk myself into going out and buying a bass(probably a used one, maybe from the paper or something to start out). My question to anyone who might have experience with this is how hard is the transition from guitar to bass while singing?

[StoneDragon]

Hey FUNKYGRAVY,

<sheepish grin>Guess I must have missed this thread in the transfer</sheepish grin>

Anyway, I think you can take comfort in the fact that there have been some great bass players who have also been great vocalists... John Wetton.... Jack Bruce.... Geddy Lee.

Hey... even Gene Simmons was able to play bass, sing, breathe fire, spit blood and wag his tongue at the same time http://www.zentao.com/ubb/smile.gif

[FUNKGRAVY]

Stone Dragon-
Do you also play the bass? And if so are there any pointers you can offer?

[Josh]

My uncle plays trumpet in a band and they have two singers: the guitar player and the bass player. And they're pretty damn good.

[StoneDragon]

I play as much bass as I have to.... I'm cetainly not what I would call a "bass player".

For me, that distinction is important. Some people really have the bass inside their bones. It is a different animal than playing the guitar. When I play bass, I try to approach it as a "real" bass player would, instead of as a guitar player would.

The bass is what holds it all together and makes people feel the music. I wish that some of these bassists who want to be lead guitar players understood that point better.

From a compositional standpoint, the bass works with the drums to help define the rhythm and works with the guitars to help define the chord structure of the song. This dual role carries a lot of responsibility, because the bass is the cement that holds together rhythmic movement and harmonic/melodic movement.

One of the best pieces of advice on how to play the bass is something I read a long time ago. I don't remember who the guy was, but I remember that it was one of the greats (I keep thinking it was Billy Sheehan). He said that the secret to the bass is to stick to the drummer like glue. If the drummer moves... you move.

[FUNKGRAVY]

The cool thing is that one of my best friends happens to be my drummer. The bad thing is that he just moved about an hour away from where I live, but if theres a will, there's a way- right. Another cool thing is that he already ownes the bass. Now if I can just talk him into buying the amp! hehe http://www.zentao.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

[StoneDragon]

You can always run the bass through that P.A. that you requisitioned from ghodaddyyo http://www.zentao.com/ubb/smile.gif

[FUNKGRAVY]

Yeah thats probably what I'll do. It's an 8 channel peavy, with 300watts of power (that has definatly seen some stagetime), and I've recently gotten two SP2G's speakers by peavy. They are pretty decent, do you think they will suffice till I hit the lottery. http://www.zentao.com/ubb/confused.gif Can you recomend any tips on which effect processor's are good to buy for a bass, if any?

[ghodaddyyo]

Dagnabitall! http://www.zentao.com/ubb/mad.gif I forgot that it was 8 channels, dogonsumufabich! If you don't put that thing to some use, I definitely want it back!

[StoneDragon]

Chorus (especially if you can run it stereo) is pretty much the standard bass effect. Other than that you can add a smidgen of reverb or the tiniest amount of distortion to fatten the sound up or give it some bite.

You have to be careful with adding effects to the bass or run the risk of washing the sound out and losing punch.

[FUNKGRAVY]

Cool well it sounds like I'm all set. Now all I need is practice, practice, and more practice. http://www.zentao.com/ubb/cool.gif