Electric guitar vs electric Bass

glug

Is it true that if you play an electric guitar, you shouldn't play bass, because it flattens your fingers.
I heard this from someone.

AlanRatcliffe

No, not true. A lot of great guitarists also play a mean bass (Dave Gilmour, Dave Martone and Yngwie Malmsteen spring to mind). It helps you better understand how the two work together.

Some instruments do affect your ability to play others - like flute vs. singing (don't tell Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull that though), but most only help your musical knowledge.

sepheritoh

I agree with Alan. You should rather try to learn to play a number of instruments. When you play in a band it really helps a lot when you need to exchange ideas with the other musicians or if you need to give them instructions, if you know the instrument.

As Alan points out some of the greatest guitarists play bass as well. I want to add Andy Fairweather Low to the list he mentioned. One of my personal favourites. He play 2nd guitar (and a very mean one too) with Pink Floyd, most of Roger Waters' solo albums and Eric Clapton, while he plays mainly bass guitar on many live shows with Roger Waters.

Most great bass guitarists started off as guitarists. If I remember correctly, Paul McCartney and Jack Bruce being very notable ones.

glug

Oh Ok. Thanks

Bob-Dubery

sepheritoh wrote:
Most great bass guitarists started off as guitarists. If I remember correctly, Paul McCartney and Jack Bruce being very notable ones.

Macca started off as a guitar player. Then as the Beatles grew in number he doubled up on piano. Lennon and original bassist Stu Sutcliffe had a falling out and so one of George, John and Paul had to move to bass. John had just bought a new Rickenbacker 12-string, and that took him out of the running. Can't remember what George's excuse was ? Personally I think that Paul was a better guitarist than George while the Beatles were together. It might be argued that he was the best overall instrumentalist in the Beatles. Could play drums as well - and did on at least two Beatles singles.

deanBailey

sepheritoh wrote: I agree with Alan. You should rather try to learn to play a number of instruments. When you play in a band it really helps a lot when you need to exchange ideas with the other musicians or if you need to give them instructions, if you know the instrument.

Yeah especially drums (or at least understand it) so you know how to handle different time signatures. And different Rhythms patterns from 1/4 - 32nd notes. ?

But regarding the topic, If anything it should improve your guitar playing as with the thicker strings you're applying more force and thus strengthening your fingers for better fretting and stretches (wider frets).
If you use fingers instead of a pick then you're slowly working your individual finger strength on your right hand which comes in handy for things like 8 finger tapping ? Especially if you pluck with all four fingers like Steve Digiorgio

Renesongs

+1 drums - It increases your knowledge and ability for setting up complicated rigs which is good training for a roadie *Rene ducks for cover*

C-LYDE

Bireli Lagrene - hot jazz guitarist on bass!

=

ChrisRhutZ

Just don't fall into the trap of playing guitar on a bass. Groove that bass man...

They are two different instruments. Although they are both rhythmic and melodic stringed instruments.
And work really closely together.

Bass you can see as a link between your drums and the melodies (Horns, Guitars, Vocals, etc.).
Let's face it, a bassist that can't groove, isn't that great. As a bassist you have to lock in with the drummer's grooves, while linking the chords/notes from the melody to it.
One can get bored very quickly when a guitarist and bassist play the same line (only octaves apart).

Bass is used to highlight chord tones, and create the background also in improvisational moments. If you play a guitar solo with and without bass, you'll soon realize that playing it with bass gives more texture to your notes, and sometimes determines the selection of note. Where guitarists play chords, bassist use the chords' chordtones (or tensions, with some passing notes) to create a grooving bassline.
Please when you do play bass, don't JUST play the root. Sometimes using only one or two chord tones spices things up a lot.

Guitarists are the guys who melodically 'colour' in the rock solid foundation laid out by bass and drums. They also throw chords in there (like a pianist).
Guitarists tend to get busier sometimes, but they can't do too much if they don't have a good rhythm section behind them.

Peace,