SchaerMann

Cause the dominant right hand is stronger/faster and can pluck/strum strings faster? If only it were that. It's something far simpler, and quite as silly; been around for centuries in one form or another, too: trainer bias. In more detail: Most trainers/teachers/tutors/etc will have been trained a certain way, usually right-handed, and their instructor was same, and so forth. So 99% of the population learns and produces equipment for a certain way. Swords, guitars, firearms, most anything with a focus on selecting a specific hand to use primarily, same. It's why you can look at a page of handwriting and instantly tell if a left- or right-handed person had the pen(cil). It's why even now, right-handed fencers of all levels of capability have such a time dealing with left-handed opponents. It's basic human interaction and economics. As I demonstrated, it's a lot simpler at core than Billie suggested, but quickly becomes a Gordian knot of permutations, complications, exceptions, etc. - and I gave one of the most pared-down explanations possible.

Here's a more recent hardcore punk band whose sound I appreciate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2FGWoV98OA

Ok, most of that I'll agree with on songs. I'd also look into some other things that could pique your interest; ever hear Metallica, Nirvana, or Radiohead on a double bass? Fun stuff. Blues Traveler, Cranberries, Reel Big Fish, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Joe Bonamassa also come to mind. The point where I'll disagree is the odd sound for the Beatles' bass lines. So McCartney used a short-scale bass. So what? Standard length for an electric is 34". If it really annoys you, use a bass capo or transpose notes slightly to account for the whopping 4" difference in neck length. If none of that works, it might be your output arrangement (cab, pedals, etc.) at fault. Don't knock the instrument for it. It could be as simple as he used (and continues to use) a really nice, vintage tube setup, which sounds completely different than newer tube setups or any solid-state or hybrid you can pick up these days. Not really the place to do too much discussion of finer points like that, though. If you'd like to continue this potentially quite intriguing debate, I'd request a PM thread or something to be the place. Ragnar, hope you find some good options in any or all of the suggestions here; there are some pretty decent musicians on here, and between the lot of them I'm sure you'll find an overabundance of options to sort through that would fit your needs and musical tastes.

I learned both. I'm primarily southpaw in a number of regards, but there are quite a lot of things I do primarily rightie. Learning both can be a hassle, mostly because you have to flip-flop everything in your head every time you switch orientation. On the other hand (yeah, bad pun; oops), being able to play right-handed has saved my skin on a few occasions gigging about. As has been noted, the vast majority of instruments are right-handed, and leftie models are given the premium pricing. If you're primarily leftie, learn right-handed. There may come a time when you're playing a gig or something and your axe goes down. Just starting out, you're not as likely to have brought a spare along, and any spares that might be lying about will be right-handed. That versatility could be the thing that allows you to finish the gig versus getting half your pay for it at best. And AMOlson: I have seen left-handed pianos. I've also seen backstrung harps and a few other truly weird things. Just a few months ago, single example, I was looking online for some new kit and found an 8-string resonator bass with a tremolo lever for sale. Probably one of the silliest things I've ever seen, and too expensive for a novelty item when the asking price was $800ish. People, I've found, *will* make some of the most ridiculous niche items you could conceive and sell them to people who think that it's just a swell idea, usually for far too much.

Honestly, while they are two different instruments with completely different play styles and requirements, you'll discover there are a number of things that carry over between the two, and even between orientations (going from right-hand guitar to left-hand bass for a single, extreme example). If you have a basis in one, picking up the other will be less difficult, but generally still not easy.

I'm a bassist, not a guitarist, so take that as what it's worth. I've only listened to a minute or so of the song, and I'll tell you right now, the bass line is utterly simple. I could pick it up and play it first time no issues. I knew that after 30 seconds; even the first 10 seconds of the bass line was sufficient to tell me where it would go and what sorts of embroidery (read: fills and freehand improv) I could viably use. As to whether I'd ever want to play such rubbish... well, if I were paid well enough, I could stand playing about anything. Other than that, the fact that I prefaced the theoretical by calling the song rubbish should tell you everything you need to know.

Gonna have to say this here: if you're looking into things to help you enjoy the practice more, I'd reevaluate what you're doing and why. Standing is the norm for gigs, as can be 2-3+ hour gigs where you get a 20 minute set break once, maybe twice if you're lucky, and that's spent sitting down, having a drink, wiping off the sweat and checking the instruments backstage before you go back on. As for the rest, it's already been said, but bears repeating: if you're not having fun practicing, you're not likely to practice. Stoning out only hurts you when playing (I know, used to be a stoner myself, seriously screwed up my retention and technique, such that I'm still trying to learn the things I missed as a result after close to 20 years beyond it), caffeine/alcohol, that really depends on the person. If you're playing and don't find what you're playing to be enjoyable, might want to look into playing another instrument, or maybe you're just not really an instrument person. I've known folks like that: love the whole concept of playing, but don't enjoy it, no matter what they play, or what instrument they try, not realizing that not everyone is gonna be the type who ever clicks with an instrument. You could look into vocals as an option, but know going in that that's even harder work and more painful exercise overall than playing an instrument. If nothing else, definitely try types of music that you wouldn't necessarily consider playing or enjoying if you did. Thing that I saw in my own life and playing/gigging: guy I know listens to metal, rock, rap and punk; his actual gigs, the ones where he does the best and actually has the most fun, are playing blues, jazz and country. He doesn't understand it, because he doesn't like listening to those types of music, but he has the best overall experience as a musician playing them, so he plays them, and I think he's beginning to enjoy some of the stuff from those genres.

Played off and on for years now, and the chart is simple enough to pick up. Takes a bit of time, but not much. I admit, I do things a bit differently; if I'm playing a song the first couple of times, I look at the on-screen chart at the beginning, just to orient on the fretboard, then it's straight over to eyes closed and play. Once I've done that a few times, I go over to watching the chart, just to reaffirm and polish up on the "official" version. What I end up playing is viable and sounds good in relation to the song, but it's not the way it's been charted 90% of the time. I will note that I'm primarily a bassist, and I don't tend to do that if I'm playing guitar, as I'm not familiar enough with the chords and shifts yet (and there is a comfort thing at play as well). Point is, you'll pick up the chart quick enough, but don't limit yourself to it and what's on the screen. Session mode is a great tool for just going in and practicing chord strings or odd, funky riffs that you wouldn't necessarily be comfortable trying while in song mode. Helps you learn note placement on the fretboard and solidify you knowledge of the chord placements you've already begun to learn as well. Welcome to one of the most rewarding, and most frustrating, skill sets/hobbies out there, BTW.

My goal? Honestly, my goal is to enjoy playing, and if I improve some more in the process, that's just icing on the cake. I have no real goals with regards to playing and Rocksmith aside from that, and that's fine by me. I was damned good once, and I'm starting to trend toward being even better now than I was then; I'll simply have to see where it goes, if it goes anywhere at all.

I will agree with most of this. I've played bass for a good portion of my life, and so I will point out a few caveats to some of the above: for point A, I will agree with the fact that they are incomplete. I will add that this is not an unusual nor a surprising thing. Those bits you here that aren't in the line as tabbed are fills, and nearly everyone finds it easier to learn the root line first. Fills come later, and fairly naturally. For point B, I mostly agree with you. Minor quibbles is all, and thus I move on to E. You're taking your teacher's comment a bit too far. Yes, those first five frets are the core of the bass player's repertoire, and as such have greater importance. This doesn't negate at all the fact that using those other frets is necessary. Yes, you can transpose most bass lines to those first five, and in the process you will tend to throw the song off. Point G is the last thing I'm going to present a counterpoint to here, so let's get it out of the way. Yes, no question at all that a bassist's thing is not to be flashy and attention-grabbing ... mostly. Yes, it is a support instrument that works closely with the drums. It also, commonly, diverges from the drummer to follow the lead line for certain passages. But in a lot of cases, a large number of bands (though fewer now than in prior years) will, if the bassist is a core member, they will have a song in the set which purposely throws them (along with the other members in turn) into a spotlight solo. Then there's really neat, but uncommon, things where the bass is in fact the lead line of the song. Deep Purple's Fireball comes immediately to mind as a prime example. So, yes, even though it is more of a support instrument, there are lots and lots of exceptions, so many that I'm leaning toward it not being exceptions anymore, but instead a common divergent role of the bassist. The one thing that hasn't been mentioned that I've seen is that you really need to have a good sense of timing. That is probably the most important aspect of the bass. That timing has to be spot-on always to make it sound decent, and an offshoot of that is consistency in picking. As a bassist friend of mine (happens to be an instructor; not mine, I'm self-taught, though he's given me useful tips) recently said to me, bass playing is a lot like being a human metronome most of the time.

I recommend putting a few different types in your hands and seeing which feels best. I have one of those Ibanez basses as well, use it fairly regularly. Been thinking about an upgrade as well; the Fenders feel unbalanced to me. They might not to you. My only real exception is to the Cort basses. I wouldn't recommend those to anyone. It's not the neck or how it plays; it's the fact that playing one of those is a lot like strapping an anvil to your neck. Weighty, uncomfortable instruments. You'll find a decent amount of stuff out there from a variety of makers in that range, unless you're a southpaw player. If so, your options are quite limited no matter what price point you have, and good luck finding many in colors other than black (if that matters to you).