Out of all the instruments, why do you play the one you do?

[Chankgeez]

... It was most notable in that I learned the audience has no idea what's going wrong on stage if you don't let on.

That's so true.

[Mudfuzz]

Attention ILF heed this mans words... Quit trying to Synth Up Yo Guitbass and just buy a Synth...

I did, do have any idea how cool it is to use a midi converter to control a phatty AND run the bass through the audio in?

and I play bass because I like it.
I like the rumble, the shake
I like the lowz tonez it does make
I like the make the bootayz quake

I wish there was a midi converter that actually worked more than like every third note.

yeah they still don't have it perfected... the things work best with the exact opposite of your sound you can get pretty "ok" tracking with flats, you can get "good" tracking with flats and a mudbucker... but you have to play uber clean...

[theavondon]

I play bass because when I was in fifth grade, I thought the double bass was the coolest fucking thing ever. And then I realized that I'd be in a ton of bands if I played bass.

I've been dabbling in guitar as of late, primarily just to...I dunno, pass time?

[psychedelicrelic]

I play guitar because its the easiest to play while I'm singing. It's simple to sing along with other people's playing but I like to shape my songs in whatever fashion I please.

[Greenfuz]

Guitar because of Neil Young, basically.

[kbit]

Mainly for different timbres and differences in the method of playing / organization of notes. It's fun and interesting how different parts of my musical preferences come out depending on whether I'm using strings or keys or knobs or drums or my body.

I played in french horn when I was a kid in school so that was my foundation of knowledge.
Learned theory on piano and I like it for the wide harmonic possibilities.
Picked up bass because it seemed easier than guitar because I identify with groove and rhythm a lot.
Guitar for more harmonic possibilities than bass and fuzz.
Synth for drooooooooone and more sounds.
Xylophone because I had to for school, but I really enjoy the sounds and percussive nature of playing.

If I had a place to play a drum kit I would love to have one. Still want to pick up a djembe or some kind of hand drum one of these days because letting out rhythm in such a physical way is awesome.


TL;DR / Alternative answer: I actively got into music because I wanted to play bass lines like Tim Ward.

[Jwar]

Cause I'm too stupid to play anything else?

[MSUsousaphone]

It's my username. I felt obligated.

[Josh Pelican]

Bass players do it deeper.

... Well, at least I do.

[snipelfritz]

Because the accordioboe has yet to be invented.

[dubkitty]

It's my username. I felt obligated.

[The4455]

Natural attraction, when I went in fourth grade to pick out an instrument, before I even tried a single one I had already decided that I wanted to play the Bass, I don't think I really knew what a Bass was at the time, but I do remember picking one up for the first time and beign captivated by the size and sound.

I plucked each string and then plucked E, G, A, D. To me that was it, a sort of a power lust I think. I huge deep instrument as big as my dad, mind you it was a eighth size double bass.

[Haki]

Started playing guitar because it seemed fun and my sister had one she was no longer using. Which got me curious about bass so I picked that up. I just bonded with bass in a way that I never did with guitar so now that's my main instrument.

The lack of drummers interested in playing anything other than U2 cover bands or emo has me thinking about taking up drums just so I can do everything myself.

[GardenoftheDead]

Because I was a kid in middle school who thought guitar sounded more fun than band/orchestra because eventually I could learn to play songs I actually liked.

I KEPT playing guitar because of Nirvana.

[Rob Fossil]

I play an instrument because I am compelled to. There has never been a time in my life where music has not been a major force. My earliest memories are of listening to my brothers records, studying the cover art, being amazed at the magical instruments the musicians were holding and the feeling that I had to make a similar noise. I play bass because the low end has always stood out to me. I have always been able to separate the bass form the rest of the track, it's what I hear most. The bass speaks to me whereas, I play the guitar for fun and songwriting purposes. Synths fall somewhere in-between for me, but I need to play bass.