Is bass guitar easy to play?

Question

I'm going to buy a bass guitar and I've no clue how to play!
Are there any good books or is it easier by yourself?

I havent bought it yet! I'm going to! is 206 euro a good price?

Answer 1

yes it is very easy to play when you know how. so get practising.

Answer 2

Nobody would say a harmonica is harder than a flute or recorder just because it doesn't require the use of finger placement, but when it comes to guitar & bass apparently less strings=easier. I'd see it the opposite way, a much harder challenge is to write a good lead on bass with 4 strings than a good lead on a 6 string guitar. As for whather its easier, not at all a bass presents just as many difficulties in its own areas as a guitar does. Also any half decent bassist will not imitate the guitar throughout the entire song but make the guitarist play around the scales & chords the bassist is presenting. John Paul Jones Flea Bootsy Collins Pino Palladino Jaco Wooten Mark King want me too keep suggesting?:P

Answer 3

People are constantly stating that bass is easier to play. Its really not true though. The start on bass you may find it physically easier than playing chords on a guitar. However, you need to have a better understanding of how music works in general to be able to play bass with other people.

Playing bass will get you more Friends however, since everyone is looking for bass players and guitar players are a dime a dozen!

Answer 4

While it's true playing Bass guitar is easier then Guitar because you only have to play notes instead of chords, the dexterity and stamina make it more difficult due to the string size, note pressure, neck width and length and learning to play with your fingers, whils a pick can also be used.

Answer 5

The bass is pretty simple to learn when it comes to the basics. But any instrument is difficult to master. If you are serious, i highly recommend private lessons. That is by far the best way to ensure a good foundation; it will also help to stop bad habits before they form. The next best choice would have to be using books. "Self Teaching" without any reference can be frustrating, and is not very effective. Hope this helps. : )

Answer 6

The real problem with bass guitar, in my opinion, isn't in the instrument itself, but the players... most of the tame bass players tend to just accompany the drums and with doing so, the instrument itself, or rather it's sound gets lost. Playing like that is easy, but playing like Jaco Pastorious or Flea os Sting takes a lot of practice and hard work... but it shurely pays of... books, as with any instrument, can help, but practice and playing as much as you can, setting a playing routine, is 90% of the "job".
ABOUT mysongbook.com: it doesn't work anymore, so go to the guitar-pro.com and check other links for tabs...

Answer 7

It's easier than normal guitar - 4 strings for 4 fingers! It's all about learning riffs which are easier to remember than chords, in my opinion. Buy a book that teaches you the basics and take it from there.

Answer 8

Just dive right in, & get your bass & a starter book. But def' keep your eyes out for friends who play bass who can show you stuff. (& taking actual lessons won't hurt, but not 100% necessary. Plenty of rock's top bass players never took a day of lessons)

Also, I don't know what style you're wanted to play in- rock, hip hop, etc (my guess is rock though if yr getting a bass) but *listening* to some of rock's big names in bass would be a Huge inspiration. Be prepared to get a list of them! lol!

Answer 9

bass guitar is easier to play then acustics or electric guitars, sometimes its easier 2 teach ur self depending on what kind of music u wanna play.

Answer 10

like every other instrument its really easy to play badly. Listen to people that play really well to get an idea of what can be done - you can teach yourself ok but i know loads of bass players who think its easy cos they have zero ambition and just plunk away.

Answer 11

for me it's pretty hard, I'm a guitar player and the bass is foreign territory. The fret spacings are wider the strings fatter but if you practice, practice, practice I'm sure you'll be able to master it.