I am just curious if I am the only one who after completing this course suddenly decided to venture into playing the mysterious 6 string guitar? I feel that learning bass without knowing the origins, the music and chord theory is missing out some awesome insights. So here I am struggling with understanding harmony, fumbling with the F Major barre chord, Minor 9th chords, while feeling that this is all magically connected…It helps me appreciate the beauty of bass even more than ever before. Coming back home to the familiar four string world is like the return from a journey “with the elixir” of deeper understanding. Did anybody else stray?
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Not really so far but I intend to compose and mix my own complete creations and am thinking about plaing the guitar parts for myself instead of relying on virtual/digital help there 
I initially played guitar when I was around 18-20 years old but I would not say that I learned it. Regarding music theory Beginner2Badass is just so accessible that it made me want to learn about it and I’m still at the beginning of my journey.
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might have played a little bit of those 6 strings things before I switched to the bass …
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@emanigol welcome to the forum…
I have a 6 string, and noodle around with it occasionally, but have never taken any lessons or courses on it. I’m very focused on the bass, and have not found the time to spend on the 6 string. However, I would like to learn it someday, despite the fact that I am definitely staying on the bass.
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Do it like @Lanny - “Cheat” by learning the few barre chords - You can move those up the fretboard and it works and is just a chord a semitone higher.
That and strumming patterns is enough for rythm/background guitar.
That’s it honestly if you only wanna dabble anyway. Once you get your fingers to do the barre chords you are settled for rythm guitar.
I remembered one step earlier even: Power chords on guitar! The problem is they will always sound growly and like rock or punk or something. Never the clean “la-di-da” chords if you get what I am saying.
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is this a problem ?
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Pam, it is really a fascinating loop: starting with a simple walking bass line, then moving to chord progressions, then back again to the “new simple” with the thrill of a redux…Just knowing why and what is out there…Now, it is easy to get carried away by the siren songs of guitar shredders, but it is a mistake. The secret is to peek, then come right back.
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If you don’t wanna play that it can be but not necessarily.
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@juli0r… 
. Actually, I’ve probably said this before, but “most” guitarists (myself included) are some of the laziest musicians on planet earth in that they will always find the easiest way to do something and make it look and seem hard…
.
After years of playing the 6 string (acoustic and electric), I realized that 90% of the songs I would play used only one of two different styles of play… If I wanted to hammer out some kick ass rhythm, barr chords in E or A served me quite well and made me look like I knew what the hell was going on up and down that neck… If I wanted to throw in some kick ass lead riffs, the E and A pentatonic scales made me look as if I were a rock star… All pretty much boring after a while which was why I took up bass… Thing is, I find myself using that same pentatonic scale on many of my bass songs, but only in a more melodic and simplistic configuration…
Bottom line… Learn ‘em both… And as @terb can attest to, is kinda fun and helps bring a bit of understanding into playing bass (at least from a guitarists point of view)…
However, if one is compelled to actually take guitar lessons, go the “Classical” route. I hated those lessons when I was a youngster, but now that I’m much older, learning Classical Guitar was the best music training I ever had… If you can play classical music on a guitar, you can play damn near anything…
Keep on Thumpin’!
Lanny
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Yeah, I see playing some guitar again, as I too played when I was younger, and I too, never really learned any music theory. I will do this all on bass, and if I decide to step back DOWN to the guitar, I will use what’s applicable, and pick up what’s needed, as needed.
Absolutely not. Especially if they sound Punk!
This reminded me of the movie “Crossroads”. Wher Ralph Machiao’s character beats Steve Vai (IIRC, or Yngvie Malmsteen) with classical guitar, that he was studying in the beginning of the movie.
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I think one of the compelling reasons I went the bass route (aside from Josh’s teaching ability) was that I found the guitar route too…overwhelming? I mean you can go so many ways with the guitar? What do you want to do? I’m pretty eclectic, so that’s a real problem for me. I just didn’t know. When I was shopping my first guitar, I felt like fool when they asked me “Well, what do you want to play?”
Bass was simpler ( not easier!!) in that we mostly play rhythm and single notes. So, it wasn’t too much to get my head around. Yes, I’ve seen some videos of guys playing “lead bass,” but that was never where I wanted to go anyway.
I think though, eventually I’ll figure it and play some guitar one day; it would be a shame to let that sweet Tele (Telecaster Standard Special Edition HH configuration) go to waste!
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