Whats harder to learn?
 

Which one is harder to learn? Electric Guitar or Acoustic Guitar or is there no difference? Also if i were to get a guitar should i get a bass or reg?

This is more of a music discussion type thing.

Anyway, I personally don't think that acoustic is any harder than electric.

I'm a bass player myself, and I've been messing with guitar for the past few months and if you were to ask me, I would say that it is all relative to the type of person you are.

I've always responded to the bass in music, it has always been what captivated me, so bass is obviously what was fitting for me. If you respond more to typical "shredding" than a guitar would be for you.

With that said, go to your local music shop and play on each one, and go with whatever feels the most comfortable to you.

People say that Bass doesn't do a lot it only plays strings of notes is it true, does it have melody's, etc?

Learn guitar at first and then you can play anything stringed. :)

Or as Sev said, learn what suits you best.

Correction.

Most bassists today don't do a lot. They just strum the root note (the base note for whatever the guitar is doing) with no sense of musical direction, scales, or feeling.

It really irritates me. Bass is in no way easier than guitar, it takes a whole different set of skill. It needs impeccable time and rhythm, and an excellent ear for notes and scales.

Bass should have melody, granted a lot of your normal bassists don't follow that.

The right bassist doesn't do a lot, but he does everything. He serves the song, when he needs a steady stream of notes he will know when to use them, and when he needs a line that is nonstop with melody and note switches, he will know when to use that, too.

OK so if i were to go into my friends band and play bass and we play "famous" bands songs would i just be playing a strings of notes or not?

Learn acoustic guitar first. It strengthens your hands and fingers. Also, because every single sound you create on the acoustic will echo out of the body of the guitar, you are forced to create smoother sounds, and that will only improve your playing. When you get to electric, you might find it pussy compared to acoustic. =P

ummm ok... i personally like the acoustic sound better but i dont think it would go good with electrics around it.

Aero is right, being a bassist I didn't think about what he pointed out, because you know, the bass had already made my fingers super strong..

As far as playing bass on well known songs, it depends on who you are playing. Some bands have good bassists, others just have shity "root note" bassists. What kind of bands are you going to be covering?

By learning acoustic, you will be able to play on electric anyway, so yeah, do that. You fingers will be stronger and shizzle.

Try telling that to Billy Sheehan... =p

^ Kudos to you. =p

Or Flea, Justin Chancellor, Jaco Pastorious, John Myung, or Geddy Lee.

There are many excellent bassists out there that would amaze the hell out of you.

Heh, i'll be seeing John Myung in 9 days :D Though really i'm there for Petrucci...

I think acoustic and electric are just as hard as each other. I started out on acoustic because it saved buying an amplifier. I then bought an amplifier and an electric, but still play both. Acoustic is good for developing finger strength I suppose, but its nothing you wouldn't get from playing electric...

Right.

The simple fact it spares you the amplifier would be good enough for me in terms of learning it.

The strings are heavier and tougher, so yeah, I think it would help you develop it sooner, but you would still achieve it on electric.

In the end, it is all a matter of what works best with you. No advice can beat going to a music shop and trying each of them out to see what you like best.

Edit: I hate you for being able to go see Dream Theater live... =p

ok...

Did you seriously just make a list of bassists and leave out Joey DeMaio and Hunter Burgan?

Anyone who ever makes an asinine statement about bass being "simple" or just a bunch of one-note rhythms needs to listen to Sting of the Bumblebee by Manowar. Period.

That's all. I'd argue that traditional guitar is harder than traditional bass due solely to the fact that you're working with more strings. Otherwise, I fail to see an obvious difference...

If you think bass is all quarter-note single-pitch strings, listen to twenty seconds of "Higher Ground" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I dare you. =p

Seriously...I was never very involved in any sort of string instrument (percussion and winds are my speciality), but even I could tell you that you have to try it all and play what suits you best. Personally, I prefer playing bass because it's more of a rhythmic than a melodic instrument, and my background with drums makes me a rhythmic kinda guy.

Try them all, see what you like.

I hear bass you have to stretch your fingers out a lot and im only 5'3"ish so i don't think my hands are big enough... Also what is cheaper and what is a good cheap brand, because i know my parents are gonna make me pay for it..

Yeah, most bass players are tall fuckers. I'm 6'3 with huge hands, so yeah.

With that said, my girlfriend plays and see is 5'5 with small hands, and she can play just fine.

It all just depends on the person.

As far as cheap brands goes, that depends on the instrument you go with.

Ibanez has some decent entry level basses.

I'll probably go with the base becuz my bro plays it and he might be able to teach me a few things.

That's cool, however I still recommend trying out other instruments before you actually buy the bass, just to be sure.

My first bass was some Ibanez starter kit, it worked well and lasted through two years of shows. I have retired it now and replaced it with an Ibanez Soundgear 505.

Just avoid peavey, at all costs. =p

How much are you looking to spend.

I also play the trumpet for my HS band.... and im looking for something cheap idk the cheapest price of a guitar is but almost im willing to spend $115 and i think a 36" (which i think is a 3/4) or w/e is good for me