Can you play bass guitar if you know electric? and vise versa?

Question

question says it all, i have no guitar experience but i want 2 learn.

btw im 14 yrs old if that helps

Answer 1

Bass guitar and electric guitar have different techniques for playing. I played guitar for 2 years and went to bass drum for a bit, but, needless to say, I wasn't very good at it. Sure, they may look the same, and have frets and everything, but you must understand that one is not easier than the other -- they are two different instruments that have two different ways of playing.

Answer 2

Yea, if you play by tabs. Thats how i play and I can play both the ele. guitar and the bass guitar. Bass you can play with a pick or with your fingers while your thumb rest on the pickup. While guitar you more or less have to play with a pick.

Answer 3

It would be easier to go from regular guitar to bass.  Keep in mind that I'm talking about an experienced guitarist.  On a regular guitar, you're playing chords, and lead.  The lead is similar to a bass run.

Answer 4

Both employ similar techniques, however, they each require practice of its own. If you started out playing electric and you wanted to switch to bass, you would have to train your right-hand fingers, unless you wanted to use a pick, then you would have to get used to the spacing between strings. As far as the left hand, you would have to get used to pressing harder on the strings to get sound.

If you were to go from bass to electric, you would have to to get used to other things, depending on your playing style. Either way, you would have to practice to get used to certain things.

Answer 5

Um.. just so you know.. On a 4 string bass, the strings are the same as the top 4 on a guitar, but one octave lower.  Im mentioning this because someone said they are in a different key!  Totally untrue.. so disregard what they said.

    Ive played bass for over 40 years, and one thing today hasnt changed from when I started playing.  

   The Bass and Drums is the meat and potatoes of the band.  Those 2 instruments are the driving force.  Ive seen great guitarist sound pretty bad because the drummer and bass player cant keep time with each other.  In turn, ive seen a mediocre guitar player shine because of the great rhythm section backing him.... bass and drums.

   If your interested in playing the bass... if you are able to, find a good teacher.  Especially if you have no music experience.

   If you are familiar with some of the basics of music, I would suggest start out listening and learning some slow blues. (whether it be guitar or bass) The slower the music, the more you can hear what your playing, and what the band is doing as well. I started on bass, and also play guitar. Bass is my main instrument.   I know some others who have started on guitar, and play bass as well.  So.. the answer is yes......

    By the way.. if you can find any videos of Paul McCartneys band.... hes had some great 2 way players over the years... bass and guitar... and Paul is also one of the great 2 way players of our time. Hes also one of the first bass players ever to bring the bass guitar to the forefront of the band.

Answer 6

A guitar be it acoustic or electric is played in a different key than a Bass guitar. It would be like me as a violinist thinking I could play the cello just b/c I already play one stringed instrument.  But not only is a guitar and a bass guitar in different keys they also have a whole different style of being played. Some people can switch back and forth but those are people large amounts of musical ability and hours of practice and learning.