Anybody here torn between learning guitar or bass? I am not a young one but I would like to finally start learning one or the other. 
I stink at both as I keep going going back and forth. Impossible to me to put time in to learn both. Example I was doing Josh lessons and then I switch to guitar to try and learn that from an external site. Now I’m itching to get back to Bass. I think I have to get rid of one of the instruments so I do not keep doing this. Does anyone have this issue or is it just my old azz? Thanks in advance!!
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This kinda says it doesn’t it?
Here’s my $0.02…
It is very hard to start two different instruments at once.
Many hear play guitar or other but have been doing so for a while and now starting bass. This is different than starting both at once.
Doesn’t mean you can’t learn both but much harder and not a whole lot translates quite frankly, less than you think for two insturments shaped sorta the same. But, assuming you have limited time like most of us, pick one and go big or stay home. Six month in you can say 'hey, this isn’t what I thought it would be like" and bail.
Take Josh’s course, if at the end you say ‘not loving this’, go be a guitar god. No harm.
Or, do it the other way, but my advice is choose one for your brain (and fingers) to bake on.
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I’m pretty committed to playing bass at this stage, the reason being is that my 11 year old son plays guitar a lot better than I could ever play when I started learning it 20 odd years ago. So with the help of youtube drum covers we know jam together to easy songs like the odd ACDC number!
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If you have the time I would try both at the same time. That might be to much though. I say as long as you stay interested alternate every couple of days. Don’t listen to me though I’m just some dude, trying to be a bass dude, pretending to be another dude.
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I wouldn’t say torn. Bass was already not my first instrument, so trying guitar was more natural than anything else. A couple years after finishing B2B, I bought a guitar and did the first few levels of the basic course at JustinGuitar. I found it actually improved my bass playing. YMMV. Ended up not playing the guitar much and eventually sold it, but it was still fun. I used it on a cover, in fact.
I don’t think I would try to learn them at the same time though.
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I would advise against that.
As has already been stated many here play both guitar and Bass.
I assume most probably started with guitar and then moved to Bass.
This is what I did at the beginning of this year and found the transition relatively easy.
The solution to your problem is to pick one and stick with it.
It sounds like you already have the B2B course so I would pick that one and follow it to the end.
I am not sure why it is but when I jam with others I find my playing ability gets better.
You can jam with others on the Bass by just playing the chord root notes and go from there.
Playing with others is so much fun and I do not think I would stick with any instrument if I just played on my own.
In the end you are the only one that can decide on what path to take and the thoughts above are individual to me alone.
WHATEVER YOU DO JUST DON’T QUIT - YOU CAN DO IT!!!
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Great points already raised by the team. I’ll pile on my…
While learning and being proficient (a BadAss) on both instruments would great, for me, I am just drawn to the tones and the groove, and the Bass was the hands down winner of my affection. Check out the Flea video several of us have watched and commented on…
There were several comments Flea made which really struck me and made me / makes me want to continue with the Bass. Here are two applicable to this conversation:
- “You’re giving the ground for everyone else to dance upon (as the Bassist)…”
- “…Every Bass player has their own Bassline inside of them, everyone, and it’s a unique Bassline and to play and practice and study in service of finding the uniqueness inside of you so you can express it as a Bass player.”
Hope this helps!
JD
PS - I fully agree with @Celticstar …
Oh and one more point as a funny…
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I do think that the bass has better courses out there… Joshs course is just the best… I did a beginner course in the guitar and it was good but I came out of joshs course feeling like a badass… Also there are great courses on the bass to move onto in Marks courses at talkingbass to take you to that next level and beyond. So maybe thats a factor in your decision
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Just wanted to say thank you for the kind responses! It all makes sense and matches with my feelings about the bass. I cannot have the guitar in the house at this time so off to Guitar Center tomorrow to trade it in. I am 60 and to attempt to do both is a bit crazy at this time. Thanks again to a great forum of bass fanatics to keep me in line! CelticStar step 1 and 2 is great!!!
Thank you to the Head Honcho Josh as well. What a great site and awesome instruction!
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