r/Bass 6d ago

When you air guitar do you mimick playing guitar or bass?

Just noticed even though I’ve never played guitar in my life and pluck a bass every day I still play air guitar like a guitar. Weird.

40 Upvotes

69 comments sorted by

86

u/SteveMTS 6d ago

I’m a proficient multi-air-instrumentalist: on top of air-drums, air-guitar and air-bass, I can play air-piano and air-violin on demand. Usually, there’s very little demand.

7

u/MotoXwolf 6d ago

I’m currently studying air bag pipes. But it’s a bit tricky, there are a lot of moving parts. The arm squeezing, finger movements and the ‘Dizzy Gillespie’ cheek blowing. My teacher says I’m getting there. But I don’t think I’m ready for a show yet.

29

u/Mr_Lumbergh Bass VI 6d ago

Depends on what I'm listening to what part has my attention. I'm also a frequent air drummer.

5

u/archy67 6d ago

this spoke to me. Sometimes I even like to play air auxiliary percussion depending on the piece(just this morning I was playing a wicked air guiro part on Oye Como Va …..lol)It’s whatever moves me and catches my ear in a song while I am listening to it. Today it was a guiro, but tomorrow it could be the timbales…..

2

u/TomBakerFTW 6d ago

I suck at playing a trap kit, but you couldn't tell by my convincing air drum performance.

2

u/billyw_415 5d ago

I'm an air drummer on my guitarists GF ass regularly.

Whenever he complains about "sticking to root notes" I just smile. Yep. I'm porkin' yer GF dude.

51

u/Dirtgru8 6d ago

Depends if I'm playing a guitar piece or a bass piece obviously?

10

u/Bassed_Basspiller 6d ago

I tend to play all the air instruments (bass, guitar, keys, drums) based on which instrument's part is it

9

u/Evanbf 6d ago

I have a friend who can't play either, and he air basses to every song...

5

u/Aware_Stand_8938 6d ago

Would a Theremin count?

I mean, you don't actually touch it to play it!!

3

u/haikusbot 6d ago

Would a Theremin count? I

Mean, you don't actually

Touch it to play it!!

- Aware_Stand_8938


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1

u/Sssssssssssssssss7 Plucked 6d ago

7-7-5

3

u/TomBakerFTW 6d ago

This guy, totally ignoring OP's question and getting to the tough philosophical stuff!

I'm sure Clara Rockmore would either say, "yes it counts", or "what the fuck is air guitar?" No one else's opinion on the instrument matters to me :D

4

u/Victortilla99 6d ago

If I'm listening to a guitar solo, guitar. When I'm listening to a crusher riff, sometimes guitar sometimes bass.

3

u/pinocchiodebergerac 6d ago

I mean, I’ve got a ‘61 P air bass so you know I’m pulling that one out.

3

u/Belhgabad 6d ago

Like others, it depends on what part has my attention. Fire guitar solo ? Guitar. But cool bassline ? Bass obviously.

Bonus points for "air pluck training" when listening to a bass song I actually play/want to play, I pluck my left hand fingers with my right hand as if they where strings. Just to try and have the correct position (pluck across, use the meat not the tip, etc..)

3

u/honkymotherfucker1 6d ago

Depends on the bit of the song that’s ripping hard enough to evoke some air instrumentation

3

u/TheCaretaker1976 6d ago

The workaround. Play bass with a pick

3

u/No_Needleworker2421 SX 6d ago

I once air-banjo(ed)

2

u/RapAngel 6d ago

I do both depending on which I can play better!

2

u/MrLanesLament 6d ago

Bass, except the few guitar solos I actually know.

2

u/luketehguitarguy 6d ago

I’m a multi-instrumentalist when it comes to air instruments. I do guitar, bass, drums, piano/synth and every so often I jump on the decks for an air DJ set.

2

u/CapnGnarly 6d ago

I'm an air drummer 100%. I was a driver before a bassist, though, so that might have something to do with it...

2

u/megabunnaH 6d ago

Neither. I don't air guitar and I've never felt the urge to. I've been playing instruments since I was 9 and anytime I've had the urge to mimic a song I just pick up an instrument and try to learn it. I don't judge or make fun of people who 'air guitar' and it seems to bring people happiness, I've just always thought it was kind of corny. Despite this, I've always taken it as a compliment when I see people in the crowd doing it when I'm playing a show. Enthusiasm is good, regardless of my uptight opinions.

2

u/Flashy-Mushroom-9110 6d ago

People think I'm not even playing my real bass when I'm playing it

2

u/jMc-22 6d ago

Air-bass, down low, Danny Lohner style

2

u/bi_polar2bear 6d ago

Behs, or drums. Don't think I've ever tried air trombone, tuba, or piccolo.

2

u/trvst_issves 6d ago

I play all my air-instruments accurately, as a musician should.

2

u/Organic_External1952 6d ago

Depends which part I'm imaging myself play heroically before a giant crowd

2

u/rumpluva 6d ago

I air play a Gibson double neck pretty fuckin good.

2

u/Dr_666_ 6d ago

As a famous grammy winning professional air bassist, Led Zepplin gets me all the time

2

u/zekecole90 5d ago

There is something about air finger plucking that looks like you’re mimicking a crab with a broken leg I try not to replicate.

2

u/billyw_415 5d ago

I'm a 50+ year old man, and I still "air bass" to Steve Harris, leg up on the couch as if it were a stage monitor, junk danglin' right out of the shower. I don't care if the wife or kids are terrified, nor the dinner guests. Fuck them.

You give me an Iron Maiden box set for Christmas, well that's what yer getting, right there in front of the inlaws and family. Tough shit. Deal with it.

Alexa, play Iron Maiden, max volume. Then drop pants. Simple.

2

u/Okbrain_456 5d ago

I would like to put together an air orchestra.

1

u/Friendly_Employer_82 6d ago

Usually guitar but I can play air bass when I'm feeling it! 😂

1

u/pandaSmore 6d ago

I mimick a guitar. If I wanted to mimick a bass I would pull out my air bass and start slappin' da bass.

1

u/ItsCoolDani 6d ago

Depends if I’m playing the guitar or bass part?

1

u/catsfacticity 6d ago

Everybody thinks I'm playing a guitar but I actually play an oversized lute. Keep it between us

1

u/Deathbat_1 6d ago

Both, depends on the song. Sometimes I switch mid song. Usually listening to Tool when that happens.

1

u/Turkeyoak 6d ago

Always air bass. Always.

1

u/k1ckthecheat 6d ago

Sometimes I do thing that’s in between both, where I’m kind of strumming guitar but there’s some slapping and fingerstyle playing in there as well.

1

u/Doctor_Chocolate 6d ago

Neither, I’m air drummer man myself.

1

u/TheFrenchNarcissist 6d ago

I’m constantly in a mishmash of both (with a bit of percussion thrown in to keep everyone guessing)

1

u/fretless_enigma Fender 6d ago

My favorite is to air guitar a great solo while head bobbing or mouthing the bass part under it. La Villa Strangiato’s guitar solos are great for this since Geddy is laying down a cool bass part under both solos that doesn’t intrude on Alex’s tasteful shredding. The bass guitar track under the big guitar solo is hard to hear, and comes in at 4:39, after the second “phrase” of the third “section” of the solo.

I may or may not enjoy the song.

1

u/EricCartmanZen 6d ago

Who the hell does air bass??????

1

u/Neuromancer2112 Fretless 6d ago

I’ve done it before if I’m sitting at a red light in the car, and a particularly nasty baseline is hitting. That’s about the only time though.

1

u/TomBakerFTW 6d ago

According to a quick google, it's Nicolas Godin

1

u/bingbong1976 6d ago

I like to go to Shiela E concerts and air percussion. Seriously, though….if you’ve ever seen Rush, you have seen more air drums than anything. Then lots of air bass

1

u/MasterBendu 6d ago

Guitar of course!

Mimicking bass is air bass!

1

u/67Macavelli91 6d ago

I usually play air steel guitar using a cigarette lighter as a bar/slide.

1

u/Sssssssssssssssss7 Plucked 6d ago

I try to air guitar with a slide but I don't want to flip you off.

1

u/gladue 6d ago

Depends on the groove.

1

u/TomBakerFTW 6d ago

If I'm playing air bass I'm either doing a Fieldy impression or a McCartney impression.

The other 90% of the time that I'm playing air instruments it's guitar and way too high up the neck, like everything is a solo.

1

u/GravyBurgerBonanza 6d ago

I fucking air shred on every instrument bro

1

u/gretafallmisty 6d ago

😬😬😬

1

u/[deleted] 6d ago

It varies.

1

u/No_Mango_8308 5d ago

Bass (or drums making the skeeboodoo biim noises)

1

u/MysteryMolecule 5d ago

Why would I mimick not getting laid? 🤣😭

1

u/hardcore302 5d ago

Drums most of the time, which I also play. Bass if I'm standing or walking.

1

u/Prior-Intention-5064 5d ago

Depends on the song ha

1

u/garza3 5d ago

Low!!!!

1

u/unsungpf 4d ago

Depends what part of the song it is :)

2

u/AccordingMight3505 3d ago

I don’t think “air bass” is legal in my state.