Hey there,
so here is the situation: I joined a "temporarily band" (these kind of bands that do some stuff together for some specific event and split up afterwards :-) ) and we met up for second rehearsal and our base player doesn't show up. So the guys wanted me to play base as we were two guitarists me, and the other guy who's already a little bit overchallenged with playing guitar. And I say ...Well.I play guitar for 5 years now...but actually... I haven't never touched a base guitar let alone played it. So the other were of the opinion that every bloody guitarist should be able to play at least the basic background base lines and do some runs...
So what about your base skills? Do you think these guys are right and should I learn a bit playing base..?
Thanks for comments...

It's true in my opinion, that any guitarist can play simple bass lines... it isn't much diffrent than the guitar, except for the small fact that bass string are much much more thick and so fretting the strings might take some adjusment..

Overall though, I think it's allways usefull to learn to play other instruments, it can only benefit you

if you're just playing some standard metal or rock songs its basically exactly the same as playing guitar, but if you really wanna play bass then you gotta play completely different thn a guitar and practice alot.

Any guitarist can play bass lines that are simple. Advanced bass techniques no but simple lines I believe any guitarist should have no problem with.

I think it's a rather complex issue. A guitarist can handle the bass as being a string instrument. But never the less it's closer to drums than to guitar. If bass and drums doesn't work together it will sound crappy beyond repair.

Bass is good to know - I don't - since it gives an idea on how to tie together the drums and guitars and make it sound good.

Like they said, basic basslines are easy to do if you can play guitar. What is hard (impossible without practice) is consistency with such bass techniques as slapping and popping, or fingerpicking assuming you don't fingerpick with your guitar. It's possible that if you've done fingerpicking and slapping etc on guitar that you can pick up even advanced bass techniques pretty quickly, but theres still a whole mindset to bass that is different than guitar. But if you can get in that mindset, a good guitarist should be able to fill in for basic bass stuff

As Micke touched on - the technique is similar, but to do it well you need to think differently. If you don't you will sound like a guitar player playing bass (as I do!)

Bass is as much about rhythm and driving a song as it is pitch and the notes you play. Oh, and you really need to use your fingers for playing although you can also use a pick if you want to.

Having said the above though, its fun to try and a useful skill to learn if you put some effort into it!

I really hate the sound of bassists that use their fingers. I think it sounds messy. I know a lot of people who prefer bassists that use picks and we only allow bassists in our band to play with picks.

Yeah, playing bass with fingers sure does sound like crap.

Cheers. I would have posted a vid of why not to use fingers but I didn't have the time to find one. Thanks for posting.

Man that is some MUSIC! thanks for the introduction..

Sure man... it's messy if the bassist isn't trained enough, check out guys like Les Claypool, Stu Hamm, Victor Wooten, Billy Sheehan, I'm sure it'll change you'r mind about finger picking

I know all of them bassists and it does sound messy apart from Victor Wooten in my opinion but with a band like Primus it doesn't really matter and it fits. For our band the bass needs to sound very smooth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRuOQtg-pJ0

Not to argue with you organized, just because it's kinda cool

well yeah bass is really close to guitar, you can learn quickly, but if you like playing guitar, i don't know why you'll have to change your habits for your band .. if you are a guitarist, be a guitarist, in your band or in another one ... you see what i mean
that's my advice to you

I've seen that many times but it is very messy sounding and far from smooth playing. But it's just my thoughts on things. Doesn't mean it's everyones. I'm on my own for most things but that's how I like things

it's not hugely different.
i don't have a bass and have only messed around on them in the past.
last night i was asked to play bass with two of my friends. we were to play in like half an hour. i worked out the riffs and played it for the first time on stage and it went fine. it was feeling good (muse).

Cool. I've played that on bass live once

I know, it's not that smooth. But still pretty sick I think

And pertaining more to the topic at hand, relating to how a bass can be played as a guitar, just as an example.

Of course you should not be ashamed!! Bass is a totally different instrument , and yes you can take it if you know how to play guitar and play around because of the same playing mechanics (notes are on the same places etc) and same thing goes vice versa on guitar..But than again I don't think guitarist will sound good on bass because of the different approach to playing and I know lot of bands who wanted to fill in that spot with a guitar player and it just isn't the groove they needed..So yes its cool to learn different instruments (and I recommend it! ) , but I think your band needs to find a real bass player if they want to be "groovy"

bogdan beat me I tried to do a fast reply to add to my post but bodgan posted in between >.>

Sorry man And yes Billy Sheehan knows how to shred on that bass

No problem, I should just stop being lazy and actually editing my posts rather than relying on the fast reply function

If you can play guita you can also play simple bass lines that just follow the rhythm guitar for example, but if you want to play a good bass you will really have to practice.

For some simple stuff you can fill in the bass player always, but don't expect miracles. The bass has a lot more than it looks. It's the rhythm that is very important.