From Guitar Player... To Bass Player...

I have done the same thing in the past. Couple things to really think about, Lock in with the drummer, its now about the groove more so than the flash so stay out of the way and keep a good groove. At First stick to the root notes them move out into playing more bass line grooves, if you can play with your fingers you will get a better tone, unless you need to be agressive then use a pick. LISTEN to the band and play what is needed and nothing else. Playing bass will make you a better guitar player, and enjoy yourself.

E

I used to play a lot of bass for various gropus, and I still do all the bass work on my solo stuff.  I really love playing bass - it's a beautiful instrument.  One thing I'd say is that keep in mind that it is a different instrument, with a different role in the band.  It's not really a 4-string guitar tuned a couple octaves lower.  A lot of it, in my 2c opinion, is knowing when to just hang on the root and when to add melody.  Putting a nice melodic line in just the right place can really bring a song to life.  Conversely, a bassline that's too busy and "guitar-like" can sap the groove out a song.  Like Big E said, you might want to just hang on the root or riff and lock onto the drummer while you're getting a feel for it.  One other thing - you'd better know the song structure inside and out!  Guitarists can flutter about on top of the song, or even stop playing entirely and nobody will really notice (especially if there are two guitars).  If the bass flubs, it's really noticeable because it's the foundation of the song.  Learn to count the measures while playing!

Like any instrument: listen to bassists you like and try to emulate them.  Play along and figure out what they're doing, when and why.

I don't know about that.  I can see where he's coming from, but it's all the same 12 notes, the same scales, and the same chords whether you think in shapes, patterns, runs, notation, or whatever.  The same patterns and runs work on guitar and bass since the tuning is the same, it's just a difference in what and how you're playing on each instrument.

Regardless, good luck and have fun.  I always have a blast playing bass.

In my last band, I used to skip between rhythm guitar, keyboards and bass.  Our lead singer played the bass, but there were a few songs (that didn't require keyboards or the extra guitar) where he wanted to take a break and just sing so I used to hop on his bass.

Definitely a different instrument, and different way of thinking.  I found I had to be much more aware of what the drummer was doing in order to lay that solid foundation.  Also, because we only had the one guitar, I had to pick up some of the quiet space, such as during the lead breaks etc. to keep the sound filled out.

Overall, I gained a lot more respect for bass players during this time.  I used to be of the mentality that they were just guitarists who got it easier with two less strings...but not any more!