--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Bass is for people who can't play guitar" description: "\"Bass is for people who can't play guitar\" — Eddie Van Halen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df9/eddie-van-halen-6965_bass_bass-is-for-people-who-can-t-play-guitar_1889468.jpg" --- # Bass is for people who can't play guitar ![“Bass is for people who can't play guitar” quote by Eddie Van Halen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df9/eddie-van-halen-6965_bass_bass-is-for-people-who-can-t-play-guitar_1889468.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df9/eddie-van-halen-6965_bass_bass-is-for-people-who-can-t-play-guitar_1889468.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df9/eddie-van-halen-6965_bass_bass-is-for-people-who-can-t-play-guitar_1889468.jpg) > “Bass is for people who can't play guitar” [Eddie Van Halen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-van-halen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Bass players are often seen as less skilled than guitarists, but this is a misconception. **In simple terms:** Bass is not inferior to guitar. Key Takeaway Value all musical roles equally. Themes music skill instrument hierarchy stereotype Mood reflective encouraging Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - band formation - music education - performance Key Concepts music theory cultural perception Questions to Reflect On - Why do we stereotype certain instruments? - How can we appreciate each role’s contribution? A Different Perspective Undervaluing bass can limit musical richness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [I think the biggest problem with drum and bass is that people don't like to collaborate, and so from very early on I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-rap/i-think-the-biggest-problem-with-drum-and-bass-is-that-people-don-t/) DJ Rap > [I lie around and play guitar, that's something I do for sure. In fact that's all I do, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-dando/i-lie-around-and-play-guitar-that-s-something-i-do-for-sure-in-fact/) [Evan Dando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-dando/) > [I wasn't originally a bass player. I just found out I was needed, because everyone wants to play guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-weymouth/i-wasn-t-originally-a-bass-player-i-just-found-out-i-was-needed/) [Tina Weymouth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-weymouth/) > [That's what Joe Don Rooney and I do. He plays guitar and I play bass - and there's no reason to call it a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/that-s-what-joe-don-rooney-and-i-do-he-plays-guitar-and-i-play-bass/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [These people I play are not usually wish-fulfillment characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-spall/these-people-i-play-are-not-usually-wish-fulfillment-characters/) [Timothy Spall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-spall/) > [I think Clapton is brilliant. He's the only one who moved me. The only one who made me want to play the guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-van-halen/i-think-clapton-is-brilliant-he-s-the-only-one-who-moved-me-the-only/) [Eddie Van Halen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-van-halen/) > [I can't play guitar well at all, so I had to learn that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olly-alexander/i-can-t-play-guitar-well-at-all-so-i-had-to-learn-that/) [Olly Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olly-alexander/) > [T's a good thing you learned to play the guitar so you have something to do while not getting laid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/t-s-a-good-thing-you-learned-to-play-the-guitar-so-you-have-something/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Since I left Chicago, I'm a lone wolf. I put on the record player and sit and try to play on the guitar. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cotton/since-i-left-chicago-i-m-a-lone-wolf-i-put-on-the-record-player-and/) James Cotton > [I play enough guitar to get by. I don't like to play guitar live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-chase/i-play-enough-guitar-to-get-by-i-don-t-like-to-play-guitar-live/) [Will Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-chase/) > [I'm quite glad I never learned to play the guitar, because I think I'd write songs that were more classically structured. As it is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/i-m-quite-glad-i-never-learned-to-play-the-guitar-because-i-think-i-d/) [Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/) > [I can't do anything but play guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-bolin/i-can-t-do-anything-but-play-guitar/) [Tommy Bolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-bolin/) > [Learning to play the guitar is a combination of mental and motor skill acquisition. And to develop motor skill, repetition is essential... Whenever musicians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-roberts/learning-to-play-the-guitar-is-a-combination-of-mental-and-motor/) [Howard Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-roberts/) > [If I don't channel pain into a song, I play my guitar or play the piano or play my drums, or go swimming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-cliff/if-i-don-t-channel-pain-into-a-song-i-play-my-guitar-or-play-the/) [Jimmy Cliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-cliff/) > [I play the guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mats-wilander/i-play-the-guitar/) [Mats Wilander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mats-wilander/) ## More by Eddie Van Halen > [Everything comes to me while I'm sitting on the pot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-van-halen/everything-comes-to-me-while-i-m-sitting-on-the-pot/) [Eddie Van Halen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-van-halen/) > [If you have a great-sounding guitar that's a quality instrument and a good amp, and you know how to make the guitar talk, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-van-halen/if-you-have-a-great-sounding-guitar-that-s-a-quality-instrument-and-a/) [Eddie Van Halen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-van-halen/) > [I don't really know what inspires me to write the music I do, but usually, the music will set the tone for the lyrics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-van-halen/i-don-t-really-know-what-inspires-me-to-write-the-music-i-do-but/) [Eddie Van Halen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-van-halen/) > [We're musicians. We make music for a living. It's that simple. Nothing else matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-van-halen/we-re-musicians-we-make-music-for-a-living-it-s-that-simple-nothing/) [Eddie Van Halen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-van-halen/) > [I never dreamt of being a musician for my livelihood. I certainly never would have wanted to be in the business that I'm in,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-van-halen/i-never-dreamt-of-being-a-musician-for-my-livelihood-i-certainly/) [Eddie Van Halen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-van-halen/) > [I applied to Uncyclopedia Bassists, and was accepted!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-van-halen/i-applied-to-uncyclopedia-bassists-and-was-accepted/) [Eddie Van Halen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-van-halen/) > [I never took guitar lessons. I took classical piano lessons from the age of six when we lived in Holland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-van-halen/i-never-took-guitar-lessons-i-took-classical-piano-lessons-from-the/) [Eddie Van Halen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-van-halen/) > [It's all about sound. It's that simple. Wireless is wireless, and it's digital. Hopefully somewhere along the line somebody will add more ones to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-van-halen/it-s-all-about-sound-it-s-that-simple-wireless-is-wireless-and-it-s/) [Eddie Van Halen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-van-halen/) > [I took classical piano lessons from the age of five.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-van-halen/i-took-classical-piano-lessons-from-the-age-of-five/) [Eddie Van Halen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-van-halen/) > [Actually, if I could deliberately sit down and write a pop hit, all my songs would be pop hits! Let's put it this way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-van-halen/actually-if-i-could-deliberately-sit-down-and-write-a-pop-hit-all-my/) [Eddie Van Halen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-van-halen/) > [I'm just a normal schmo like anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-van-halen/i-m-just-a-normal-schmo-like-anyone-else/) [Eddie Van Halen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-van-halen/) > [The stainless-steel frets were a major breakthrough, because of the amount of playing and bending that I do. I have to get my guitars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-van-halen/the-stainless-steel-frets-were-a-major-breakthrough-because-of-the/) [Eddie Van Halen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-van-halen/) > [Music is for people. The word 'pop' is simply short for popular. It means that people like it. I'm just a normal jerk who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-van-halen/music-is-for-people-the-word-pop-is-simply-short-for-popular-it-means/) [Eddie Van Halen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-van-halen/) > [And if I would have taken lessons I probably wouldn't have done it, and what forced me to do all this weird stuff on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-van-halen/and-if-i-would-have-taken-lessons-i-probably-wouldn-t-have-done-it/) [Eddie Van Halen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-van-halen/) > [I boil the strings so they stretch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-van-halen/i-boil-the-strings-so-they-stretch/) [Eddie Van Halen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-van-halen/) [Explore all 96 Eddie Van Halen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-van-halen/) ## More Bass quotes > [I remember that the bass was turned up slightly more on the mix from last week, and I thought that was good - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ronson/i-remember-that-the-bass-was-turned-up-slightly-more-on-the-mix-from/) [Mark Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ronson/) > [In life's orchestra, the bike is the double bass. Hard to forget it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-fournel/in-life-s-orchestra-the-bike-is-the-double-bass-hard-to-forget-it/) Paul Fournel > [Bass guitar is the engine of the band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-quatro/bass-guitar-is-the-engine-of-the-band/) [Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzi-quatro/) > [I'm 12 years sober, so I don't have beer! When I used to drink I really liked Bass Ale!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-davis/i-m-12-years-sober-so-i-don-t-have-beer-when-i-used-to-drink-i-really/) [Kristin Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-davis/) > [The kind of fishing that I do is pretty much bass, trout or freshwater fishing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-steyn/the-kind-of-fishing-that-i-do-is-pretty-much-bass-trout-or-freshwater/) [Dale Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-steyn/) > [Imagine if you were a drummer, and you accidentally picked up two magic wands instead of sticks. There you are, keeping the beat, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/imagine-if-you-were-a-drummer-and-you-accidentally-picked-up-two/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I was never much of a bass player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/i-was-never-much-of-a-bass-player/) [Ryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/) > [I've always been playing with other people, and that's how I learned. I got a kit of drums I couldn't play, but I also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ringo-starr/i-ve-always-been-playing-with-other-people-and-that-s-how-i-learned-i/) [Ringo Starr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ringo-starr/) > [I grew up on the pirate radio scene which started out as drum 'n' bass music. U.K. garage picked up and got bigger on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzee-rascal/i-grew-up-on-the-pirate-radio-scene-which-started-out-as-drum-n-bass/) [Dizzee Rascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzee-rascal/) > [Close to the Edge by Yes. Such a fun tune to play on bass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-acton/close-to-the-edge-by-yes-such-a-fun-tune-to-play-on-bass/) [Brian Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-acton/) > [I've been in a band, so I understand the politics. Sometimes the bass player doesn't like what the guitar player is doing, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ric-ocasek/i-ve-been-in-a-band-so-i-understand-the-politics-sometimes-the-bass/) [Ric Ocasek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ric-ocasek/) > [That's what Joe Don Rooney and I do. He plays guitar and I play bass - and there's no reason to call it a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/that-s-what-joe-don-rooney-and-i-do-he-plays-guitar-and-i-play-bass/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [I've always said the bass just happens to be the crayon I picked out of the box. I'd still be drawing the same pictures...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-claypool/i-ve-always-said-the-bass-just-happens-to-be-the-crayon-i-picked-out/) [Les Claypool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-claypool/) > [I was a guitar player in a band that had two keyboard players, sometimes two other guitarists, a bass player, and a drummer, four…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-satriani/i-was-a-guitar-player-in-a-band-that-had-two-keyboard-players/) [Joe Satriani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-satriani/) > [I live a different way today. I have a family, and they are a priority for me. These days, I no longer wake up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-clarke/i-live-a-different-way-today-i-have-a-family-and-they-are-a-priority/) [Stanley Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-clarke/) Browse all 722 Bass quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Bass is for people who can't play guitar", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eddie Van Halen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-van-halen/bass-is-for-people-who-can-t-play-guitar/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bass" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-van-halen/bass-is-for-people-who-can-t-play-guitar/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df9/eddie-van-halen-6965_bass_bass-is-for-people-who-can-t-play-guitar_1889468.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df9/eddie-van-halen-6965_bass_bass-is-for-people-who-can-t-play-guitar_1889468.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df9/eddie-van-halen-6965_bass_bass-is-for-people-who-can-t-play-guitar_1889468.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Bass is for people who can't play guitar” — Eddie Van Halen", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Eddie Van Halen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-van-halen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Bass is for people who can't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-van-halen/bass-is-for-people-who-can-t-play-guitar/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-van-halen/bass-is-for-people-who-can-t-play-guitar/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```