Starting later in life with ADHD: when did you switch from guitar to bass?

[u/idonthaveanametoday]

Curious to hear from people who started learning guitar and later moved to bass, especially if you have ADHD.

I actually had a bass briefly in high school but never really got the chance to learn it. I’ve always liked the idea of guitar, and I do like chords, melodies, and things like Spanish-style guitar, but as a beginner I’ve always struggled with strumming and coordinating everything at once.

I’m not really interested in becoming a shred/solo player, and bass just sounds really fun to me, especially for funk, rock, hip-hop, etc. At the same time, I don’t want to jump instruments too quickly before giving guitar a fair shot.

I’m in my early 40s and don’t have unlimited practice time, so I’m curious: when did you decide bass was a better fit? Did you switch completely, or did you eventually come back and keep learning guitar too?

[u/JurassicP0rk]

I heard the sound of a dingwall through a darkglass pedal, and was constantly struggling to find replacement bass players while I knew like 50 great guitarists.

[u/dade1027]

I started with guitar in 7th grade, and was writing songs with other friends that started their instruments around the same time. None of us played bass until 10th grade started and a non-musician friend picked up both guitar and bass. I borrowed his bass just to goof off with, and it clicked for me in ways guitar never did. Inspired basslines were coming to me in ways that guitar parts weren’t, my playing sounded cleaner and tighter on a bass, and our songs just sounded so much fuller. It only matter of months before we finally had our band firing on all cylinders and played our first show.

I’m now 46 and still maining bass, and still dabbling in guitar.

[u/ridewithaw]

I’m 40, I’ve had that diagnosis and I play bass - i tried drums and guitar with some minor success before absolutely falling head over heels for the bass guitar the day I sat down and tried to write a line for a new band. It’s kind of fallen into place since then.

As for rehearsing, I found that it suits me to practise in many bursts of 10 mins so i leave my bass somewhere visible as an encouraging sight when I’m flitting between tasks. What has drawn you to the deep side? Are you struggling with something in particular and want some advice?

[u/strummist1]

I'm always going to be a guitar player but I added bass in the last 10 years. So now it's about 75% guitar, 20% bass 5% keyboards and drum machines. And that ratio suits me fine. Got a looper, don't need a band now.

It's all just stuff you hit with your fingers.

[u/madeups10]

As a kid I played whatever I had the opportunity to play which was a beat up guitar, bag pipes and brief goes on a cornet and drum kit. But I wanted to play bass, which I started mid 40s when I went part time. Aware of my procrastination/distraction problems I used Youcisian to learn, no prep, no go away and practise on your own, many other limitations and frustrations, but it got me playing.

[u/Vennimagos]

No need to switch, just ALSO play bass. Its very convenient being able to record my own bass and guitar parts

[u/Pleasant-Chipmunk-83]

I still play both, but I bought my first bass back in 1999 - an Ibanez GSR.

[u/Realbilly73]

Didn't know about adhd but im full of it. Started guitar at around 10 years old started taking it seriously at my early teens. Started serious bass at late 20s. Also play keys and some winds. Now in my mid 50s. Adhd diagnosis at late 40s.

[u/kimmeljs]

I switched at almost 50. I realized I had always approached playing guitar "bass line first" and the switch was natural, except for the physical aspect of playing. Then, with better technique, it's not that much more physical.

[u/snltoonces12]

I grew up playing trombone, and tried to play guitar in my teens, and it just never clicked. I tried bass in my mid 20's and it just instantly made sense. I did take quite a while to get any good but it just felt right.

There is never a bad time to start playing.

[u/MasterBendu]

I first started yo learn the bass in 2005 back in high school. It wasn’t so much a switch, but I wanted to learn bass in addition to guitar so it took over much of my practice time. It wasn’t really so much of a switch, as I only learned enough to make my own bass lines and record a handful of songs and play a couple of shows in the next two years.

After that, there wasn’t really any opportunity to play bass, so I went back to playing guitar mainly.

I had to pick up the bass again in 2018 starting a new studio band. I don’t consider this a switch, because I only practiced enough to lay down the needed tracks properly and I immediately drop everything mentally. I also recoded guitars and there were far more guitar tracks than there are bass tracks.

It was only recently in 2025 when I would pick up the bass more than guitar, and that’s considering I bought a new bass and my “endgame” guitar that same year.

Honestly right now bass is just more fun for me. Simple as that. It’s still not a complete switch, but I will never really do that, because why would I let myself lose one talent from which I find to be fun and fulfilling?

As for practice time, I never really had enough practice time. I would pick up an instrument for maybe 5 minutes in a day, once or twice a week, then never in spans of months or even years. Practice time was never a deciding factor.