This article is about bass, or the easier guitar, if you’re a guitarist.
So, is bass easier than guitar? The problem with this question is that it is like comparing apples to oranges. Even though both instruments look similar and are generally played in a similar fashion, this is all they have in common.
The reason I am saying this is because each instrument has its own specific role in music, so they aren’t competing with each other. The guitar’s function is to bring melody to the song, while the bass’ role is to bring lower frequencies to complement the guitar while also keeping the rythmn along with the drums (or whatever rythmic section you may use).
We could compare guitar and bass to a piano, where the left hand would be the bass player and the right hand would be the guitar player. While we could play piano with only one of either hand, we would certainly make more interesting music by using both.
In short, guitar is there to be heard, while bass is there as a rythmic support for the guitar and drums. In a way, a good bass groove should not draw attention unless the song calls for it.
It is as simple as that, most bass grooves are there to complement the drums and guitars, which is why they sound boring most of the time, because the more complex and flashy it gets, the further away it drifts from its main purpose. A good bassist is a bassist that you won’t notice.
As for the technical habilities needed for both instruments, they also are different. The bass is bigger and heavier, the frets are larger, and the strings are way bigger. So this limits us in what we can play and how fast we can play it. But again, bass was not intended as a solo instrument. In many cases, bass is definitely easier than guitar, because it amounts mostly to play the root note of what the guitar is playing, and nothing more. So while the guitar player will probably be doing chords or possibly complex melodies, the bass player will be playing a few notes on beat, one at a time.
But once we dig deeper into the bass universe we can see that it doesn’t stop there, there is a multitude a playing styles and techniques that can be used on the instrument. We could play with the thumb, by alternating the index and middle finger or with a pick, we could also use tapping, slapping or even a combination of some or all of these, and maybe some other techniques I don’t even know about… And just as anything else, these techniques all require a great amount of practice in order to be mastered, just like it is for techniques on guitar, piano, flute, bagpipes or any other instrument.
So while bass playing in a band will be easier than guitar most of the time, the actual instrument itself has a whole world of its own, it just isn’t suited to every style, and sadly, we don’t get the hear music styles that actually put more emphasis on the bass on the radio. While each genre, pop included, each have a few bassists that stand out, some genres, like jazz, funk and technical death metal, are known for having more complex and interesting bass lines.
So at last, my own personal theory as to why this question even exists is simply because some people are ignorant or are trying to hide their lack of skills and confidence by bashing on others. Because anyone who is willing to take time practicing an instrument, over watching Netflix and playing video games, deserves at least some respect for their discipline, no matter what instrument they choose.
