question for bass players (or non bass players)

it sounds like barrs might be your problem. my advice is to get some really dinky loose strings and learn a bunch of sonic youth songs. once you get the hang of barring, switch back to normal strings and tunings.

Ok here is my suggestion coming from someone who has been playing both bass and guitar for close to 20 years..

I suggest learning guitar first if you are really not sure what you want to play, learn all the notes, get really familiar with the fingerboard, learn simple chord progressions, learn all the various types of harmonics, arpeggios, and string skipping and sweeping..etc,etc,etc....

Now once you have learned a basic amount of stuff on the guitar you can easily translate what you have learned to the bass, there are chords in bass playing just as there are in guitar playing, a lot of the bass's characteristics is all about how you attack the strings, there are various methods to this,
A: the most simple and effective is using a pick...
B: the next is using all of your fingers on your right hand to pluck the strings.
C: the method that takes the most practice is the art of slapping and popping the strings to achieve various percussive effects using your thumb and fingers. Two of the most easily recognizable players that use this style of playing is Les Claypool from Primus or Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers..

I personally use methods b and c in my bass playing and very rarely will I play with a pick.

Now as far as learning their is no substitute from taking lessons from an experienced player...unless you are just a natural born talent..
If you don't want to take lessons there are many books that can help you with the basics, the Mel Bay series is a popular series and I have used them with quite a few students that I have taught...

Hope this has helped anyone looking to learn either the guitar or the bass....