So I mentioned in the last post that I would have to tell you about why I started playing bass in the first place. We all have a story of why we started playing bass. Some of us started on accident – maybe we were in a band with too many guitar players and not enough bass players, and since we were the only one that was humble, we agreed to play bass. :D
Well, my story isn’t much different. I started playing music in Sixth grade – playing the trumpet (I originally wanted to play drums, but when I saw so many of the other kids sign up for it, I decided to pick an instrument where I could let my individuality shine :). Shortly after that, my mom gave me my first guitar for Christmas. I kind of noodled off and on with the guitar until later in high school when I started getting seriously interested in it. So at that point I was playing trumpet and guitar.
Fast forward a few years and now I’m in college, a music major (on trumpet) and playing in bar-bands in the Tulsa area. During this time is when the “Jump Swing” era was popular – bands like Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Squirrel Nut Zippers, etc. So I’m playing trumpet in these bands at area bars, and for those of you who don’t know, playing the trumpet can be a very physical, demanding, and frustrating endeavor. So we are playing this gig in Tulsa, and I’m blowing my brains out trying to keep up with the electronic instruments, and I’m just killing myself. It’s getting late in the night, and I’m not having any fun. I happen to look over at the bass player, and he’s got this big grin on his face. He’s groovin’, and checking out the ladies in the audience. I stared at that for a minute, and though to myself “He’s make just as much money as I am, he’s probably got more gigs, and he’s having FUN!”. So shortly after that I picked up a bass, and the rest is history.
Oh I still play the trumpet – you never get over your first love. :D But I play bass more than anything now. It didn’t take me long to realize that the bass has more of an attraction for me than guitar, so I don’t play much guitar any more. It probably helps that I have more aptitude for bass than I do for guitar. :D
What’s your story?