My fingers hurt

Jainarayan said:

You could play a barre chord, or any chord, on a bass but the sound would be overpowering. I think it would definitely overpower the guitar(s). Also, the best you could probably do with an F maj, for example, on a bass is F5... F power chord. Remember, bass strings are the same as the 4 lower strings of a guitar, E, A, D, G, so you wouldn’t get the notes on the (non-existent) b and e strings. You also couldn’t play a Bb, Bbm, Bm, Cm, C#m, etc. because the b and e strings aren’t there. Again, I think you’d be limited to power chords. Btw, power chords are my go-tos on guitar for F#, F#m, Fm, Gm, G#, G#m, etc. because biomechanically I can’t form barre chords. And because I’m lazy as ****, so I don’t play those songs. But mostly because my fingers won’t make them. Did that help or did I make you run out screaming and want to take up the recorder or kazoo? .

Click to expand...

Sorry, I didn't explain it too well. I meant making a barre with the first finger, then using the other fingers to play a melody, above the barre position.

Meerkat said:

Sorry, I didn't explain it too well. I meant making a barre with the first finger, then using the other fingers to play a melody, above the barre position.

Click to expand...

Ah, got it! If you have the finger dexterity I suppose you could. But as you move the 2nd, 3rd and/or 4th fingers to play individual notes your index finger will probably move. Bass strings are hard enough to fret as it is. If you have spider fingers like Sting has and you’re just playing a melody with one finger, musically there’s no reason you couldn’t. To keep the barre from moving would probably take a vice-like grip. You could use a capo unless you’re going to move the barre. A barre is a capo, and a capo is a first finger barre. I’ve seen chord sheets that say you can slide the capo for a key change. Kenny Rogers’s The Gambler is one. I tried it. Yeah, no... either I don’t play the key change (it’s a 1/2 step up, which is pretty undetectable) or I just play the chords. Did that help?

Now I want a bass again! Have you seen Munson Music on YouTube? https://youtube.com/c/MunsonCovers He does lessons and play-alongs of a billion songs on guitar, bass, uke, banjo, piano, bariuke, mandolin. He’ll do the same song on many of them. I’ve played a number of songs along with him and do them by myself now. Check out his bass sessions. Example


It looks like he’s playing the root note of the chord.

Jainarayan said:

Right, because bass players don’t usually use a pick but some do. I tried it but wasn’t a fan. Bass picks do exist and are very thick and rigid. Also, the strings, which are thick, are plucked with the fingertips. So yeah, the fingers of both hands get calloused.

Click to expand...

I played with both depending on the sound I wanted. Picking a bass has a punchier sound.

ETA: Here's an example.

SalixIncendium said:

I played with both depending on the sound I wanted. Picking a bass has a punchier sound.

ETA: Here's an example.

Click to expand...

Definitely agree. I can’t seem to use a pick on guitar anymore. No idea why. So I use my thumb nail. It is more muted.

Here’s the bass pick I got when I was noodling around with the bass. I think it’s compressed felt. It works pretty well on a 6- and 12-string acoustic.

I did a thing. He should arrive today. I’m not sure of his name yet. I wanted David or Dave but the husband doesn’t like that name. I’m thinking of Jake. I have Bryan (my truck), Kevin (Yamaha FG800 6-string), Brad (Epiphone DR212 12-string), Kyle (Yamaha FGTA a/e 6-string).

Damn you @Meerkat. Damn you to Hell!

Ibanez PCBE12MH Acoustic Bass

Jainarayan said:

I did a thing. He should arrive today. I’m not sure of his name yet. I wanted David or Dave but the husband doesn’t like that name. I’m thinking of Jake. I have Bryan (my truck), Kevin (Yamaha FG800 6-string), Brad (Epiphone DR212 12-string), Kyle (Yamaha FGTA a/e 6-string).

Damn you @Meerkat. Damn you to Hell!

Ibanez PCBE12MH Acoustic Bass

View attachment 48121

Click to expand...

Looks very nice, I hope you have fun with him! I have an Ibanez electric bass, also an old Aria semi-acoustic bass.

Meerkat said:

Looks very nice, I hope you have fun with him! I have an Ibanez electric bass, also an old Aria semi-acoustic bass.

Click to expand...

Ooh!

I’ve heard good and bad about Ibanez.. and Yamaha... and Epiphone... and... Rogue and Dean are usually soundly trash-talked.

Aria were good guitars in their day. Not sure if they’re still made. They were high quality Japanese guitars. I had an Arita I got from a friend for $50 almost 40 years ago. It was “my first real six-string, didn’t get it from the five-and-dime”. Lol People always said “Don’t you mean Aria?” “No, it said Arita on the headstock”. Well turns out Arita was a sub-brand of Aria.

I’m really pretty excited. I got his strap all ready to go. Rofl. Years ago my friend saw a picture of the a/e bass I wanted. He says, in front of another guy “You can’t even play guitar and you want a bass?” My foot almost connected with his boy parts. I said “Doofus! they’re different instruments played differently. And yes I can so play the guitar, so nyah nyah!” I’ve never let him forget.