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Any of you bass players also play drums?


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I have been playing bass for 27 years and I decided to pick up an electronic drum kit two years ago and give it a shot. I couldn't hold down a beat for a while, but after buying a double kick pedal, it all seemed to fall into place. I really dig playing drums and feel like it has helped my bass playing. I am wondering if any of you have done the same? Thanks.

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I have been playing bass for 27 years and I decided to pick up an electronic drum kit two years ago and give it a shot. I couldn't hold down a beat for a while, but after buying a double kick pedal, it all seemed to fall into place. I really dig playing drums and feel like it has helped my bass playing. I am wondering if any of you have done the same? Thanks.

 

 

I started off with drums and gravitated towards bass. I think they do compliment and improve your feel for rythm for sure.

 

 

 

Dan

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Playing any instrument helps in playing any other instrument.

 

I've heard playing drums can really help your bass playing. I don't see the connection though.

 

First, it reinforces the language of music.

 

Second, there's the that's what I wanna hear factor. As a bassist, I'm sure you've spent some of your playing time saying "I wish the drummer would..." well, here's your chance to practice being the drummer you wish you had! Conversely, as a drummer you might say "I wish the bassist would..." and then go practice those avenues of playing on bass. You develop an understanding of arrangements that might have been lacking when all you cared about was that low-frequency trance.

 

Third, it makes you more versatile. You can sit in with folks where you otherwise might not fit in.

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I've done a couple of gigs as a drummer, but I am absolutely not a real drummer. I can keep a very steady beat and add a few fills, but I'm kind-of a no frills drummer, as a drummer.

 

I enjoy doing it. Like Bob, I've been spoiled with great drummers so I try not to do much to sully them. :)

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That's really cool. I had no idea. Thanks for sounding off. I decided to start playing drums mostly because I couldn't get the drummer I play with to concede to my ideas on the tunes I write, not so much out of stubbornness but a difference in feel. And it is even harder to translate your ideas if you can't speak the language. I bought a Hart Dynamics set and a DW 7000 Double Kick pedal cheap from eBay, and have a Roland TD-12 module. I have every drum kit I could ever want now and highly recommend something similar to anyone interested.

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i guess you could say that i play drums. i own a kit and hit them sometimes but i'm not sure if it could qualify as 'playing' the drums.

 

good idea on going with the electric kit. i was looking at some when i was shopping kits but i ended up buying a yamaha rydeen.

 

i kinda i wish i had an electric kit just so that i could turn on the metronome and play a back-beat for an hour straight just to work on my time and feel.

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Like many young people, I started out on guitar but gravitated very quickly to the drums as a teenager and played in bands for a few years. So, on and off I've played drums for over 35 yrs and bass for 5 yrs. At this stage of the game I just play drums once every few weeks for one of the worship teams in church. I like to keep my hand in drumming (if only a little) so that I won't totally lose my chops. The bass is now my preferred instrument but there is definite synergy in knowing how to play both. After all, bass is a rhythm instrument. I would feel comfortable though to gig as either a drummer or bassist. If I owned a kit again, I would probably play more but my two band situations are both as a bassist.

 

Two of the other drummers in our church are also guitarists, one of them actually very good.

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I really like playing drums, I picked them up pretty faster after 7 years of bass playing.

 

I love rhythms so much . They just speak so much louder to me than melodies. Melodies have all been done, so many times, but rhythms are fractal, they're infinite, and you can do so much with them...

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I had a diversion into percussion for about 4 years and it really helped my bass playing when I went back to it. It didnt hurt that I had an excellent instructor for 2 of those years who made me go through all sorts of painful exercises and drills :cop:

 

I miss playing and wish I would not have sold my kit. :cry:

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