Things You NEED To Know Before Choosing To Play The Bass

BassNoob1 · #1 02-12-2011, 12:53 PM

People aren't going to pay a lot of attention to what you're playing. Only other bass fanatics are really going to pay much attention to the bass line. The job of the bassist is not to stick out. The joy of playing the bass is knowing that you're important and that the band couldn't survive without you. Don't go developing an ego, and don't start trying to out-play the guitarist, keyboard player, etc. That's not your job.

You're not supposed to cut through the mix. You're there to support the band. It shouldn't be a war to see who can play the loudest. Because once you start turning your amp up too loud, the guitarist needs to start playing louder, and so does the drummer, and the keys player, and the vocalist, and the horn player, and it's going to turn into an all-out battle to be heard. Playing an electric instrument that is amplified doesn't mean you need to be the loudest person in the band.

You need to be prepared to take some crap from others. People are going to call your instrument a "guitar". People are going to try and convince you that bass is easy. Your band is going to tell you to turn down if you start to play too loud. People are going to ask you what the difference between "guitar" and "bass" is. You just have to deal with it.

Being able to play guitar doesn't automatically make you able to play bass. Maybe if your bassist is sick for a gig and you need to cover for him once or twice. But be reminded that that gig is not going to be the best gig of your life. Just because technique is similar (not the same), doesn't mean the instruments are the same. There are many distinct differences, really in the attitude that you approach the instrument with. I'm not saying you can't play both, I'm just saying that you can't approach the bass the same way you approach guitar, just like you can't approach the oboe the same way you approach the guitar.

Expensive gear doesn't make you a better player This goes for all instruments and is pretty self explanatory.

Although Fender isn't the only brand out there, it is a great place to start. Buying a Squier starter kit is a great way to get started without selling your internal organs to afford an instrument. This by no means means that you have to start on a Squier, though. Look around.

More to come, please post yours and I will add them.

Mayers · #2 02-12-2011, 01:04 PM

and all that is valid for a pop/rock/blues/punk/r'n'b/funk/metal type of band. If you look into jazz ( especialy fusion ), classical music, a solo artist and extrem technical death metal, the bass player is more than that.

So... it really depends what you like, it will change what you play and do ...

Rockmusician · #3 02-12-2011, 01:15 PM

[quote=BassNoob1;10436320]
You're not supposed to cut through the mix.

Expensive gear doesn't make you a better player This goes for all instruments and is pretty self explanatory.

[quote]

No offense but why is it so many musicians try to over generalize?

Actually, the bass should cut through the mix to a point. Otherwise, it cannot be heard. The amount you cut through is directly related to what style you play. Try telling Marcus Miller or Geddy Lee that they shouldn't cut through the mix.

Expensive gear might not make you play better but it can make you sound better. Having said that, I would rather listen to a great musician with crappy gear than a crappy player with great gear.

lyes4string · #4 02-12-2011, 01:28 PM

These are the so called rules I love breaking. Most of the bass players I listen to do as well. Yeah are job is to keep the band tight but who wants to just sit there when playing bass can be so much more fun than the rest of the instruments in the band because we have the ability to blend all of them together. We can play a nice melodic or groove part then jump into a percussive part or mix them all up.

klaus486 · #5 02-12-2011, 01:30 PM

Nothing like reinforcing stereotypes! I suggest a close study of Michael Manring.

Snarf · #6 02-12-2011, 01:37 PM

FACT: Playing with your feet makes you 2349287x better than Jaco.

theduke1 · #7 02-12-2011, 01:59 PM

Good gear doesn't make you a better player, but it will help you become a better player. Fact! When you start out to play a $100 unit and you think you have the world by the a@@, but give a newbie a upper level unit, which play easier, and sound better and it just might make the difference between someone who sticks with it and someone who becomes tierd of it quickly!

kuys · #8 02-12-2011, 02:10 PM

GENERALIZATION!

JimiLL · #9 02-12-2011, 02:17 PM

I basically agree with everything you said... except for the part about not cutting through.

Frequency notching is a a whole different issue than "volume".

BTW, no one instrument should ever be much louder than another it accompanies...

Waterpilot · #10 02-12-2011, 02:18 PM

I'm not sure I agree with any of this... I always thought cutting through the mix had more to do with frequency ranges and less to do with volume and volume wars for example.

EDIT: Was a minute too late on the cutting through comment... haha

Phalex · #11 02-12-2011, 02:25 PM

The OP pretty much describes my own personal playing style and philosophy.

I'm just a cog in the machine.

You can pretty much do whatever you want to as a bassist. If what you do doesn't suck, people will want you in their bands. (You really don't get a say in whether you suck or not.)

My .02

fdeck · #12 02-12-2011, 04:24 PM

I'm pretty sure the first three rules don't apply to jazz, and certainly not to upright bass.

Dmanlamius · #13 02-12-2011, 05:05 PM

Hmm...

prd004 · #14 02-12-2011, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassNoob1

People aren't going to pay a lot of attention to what you're playing. Only other bass fanatics are really going to pay much attention to the bass line. The job of the bassist is not to stick out. The joy of playing the bass is knowing that you're important and that the band couldn't survive without you. Don't go developing an ego, and don't start trying to out-play the guitarist, keyboard player, etc. That's not your job.

You're not supposed to cut through the mix. You're there to support the band. It shouldn't be a war to see who can play the loudest. Because once you start turning your amp up too loud, the guitarist needs to start playing louder, and so does the drummer, and the keys player, and the vocalist, and the horn player, and it's going to turn into an all-out battle to be heard. Playing an electric instrument that is amplified doesn't mean you need to be the loudest person in the band.

Being able to play guitar doesn't automatically make you able to play bass. Maybe if your bassist is sick for a gig and you need to cover for him once or twice. But be reminded that that gig is not going to be the best gig of your life. Just because technique is similar (not the same), doesn't mean the instruments are the same. There are many distinct differences, really in the attitude that you approach the instrument with. I'm not saying you can't play both, I'm just saying that you can't approach the bass the same way you approach guitar, just like you can't approach the oboe the same way you approach the guitar.

Expensive gear doesn't make you a better player This goes for all instruments and is pretty self explanatory

I disagree with much of this. As a matter of fact the ONLY part I agree with is the being able to play guitar doesn't mean you can play bass part.

I semi-see your point about the volume war, I am against volume wars, but the bass is meant to be heard! Just listen to any Beatles track (especially post rubber soul), any Mowtown track, any James Brown, any Led Zeppelin, I could go on and on. On most of these the bass is the loudest, most prominent track and it is clear/present/heard clearly on all of them.

Good gear doesn't equal talent skill or ability, I'll give you that, but when you have the talent, great gear can make your playing better.

Finally, if you go out there and sereously kick ass, people WILL NOTICE. I get compliments all the time on my bass playing. They ask me about my bass, my strings, my amp, hardly a gig goes by where people don't mention it in some form or another. I've had many people approach me on my way off stage with gear in my hand offering me gigs.

I think this is one the most ignorant post I've seen on this forum!

FretlessMainly · #15 02-12-2011, 08:48 PM

If anyone in the band I'm in doesn't want me cutting through the mix, I'm done and finding another band.

bassinplace · #16 02-12-2011, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phalex

(You really don't get a say in whether you suck or not.)

How much you put into your practice time will say it all.

Birdland11 · #17 02-13-2011, 04:22 AM

expensive equipment wont make u play better, but it makes u sound alot better...expensive equipment is expensive for a reason and in a live situation that matters alot.

One Bad Monkey · #18 02-13-2011, 04:51 AM

People don't necessarily pay attention to what you're playing, but when you're 1. playing poorly or 2. not playing, you'll be surprised how many people really notice.

Cutting through the mix does NOT mean playing loudly. I think you're confusing the two. Bass really should cut through the mix, but not overpower the music, unless it is in a style where bass is very prominent (gospel and r&b come to mind).

Being prepared to take a lot of crap is more a life lesson than just playing bass.

Expensive gear for a beginner will give them a leg up in learning, in that they will not be fighting with the limitations of their instrument, but their ability. What an "expensive" instrument is is up to debate, but at least one that is set up well will give learners a leg up.

I will agree about your "just because you play guitar doesn't mean you can play bass" comment. The mechanics are really the same, but you are correct in that the mindset and approach to it is different, because they are different roles in the band.

The bass that makes learners want to play - period - is the right instrument to start on. As said earlier, if the bass is at least set up well, it will make a huge difference in just one off the rack.

DeathFromBelow · #19 02-13-2011, 05:10 AM

I reserve the right to cut through the mix!

zillo · #20 02-13-2011, 05:21 AM

[quote=Phalex;10436743]The OP pretty much describes my own personal playing style and philosophy.

I'm just a cog in the machine.

You can pretty much do whatever you want to as a bassist. If what you do doesn't suck, people will want you in their bands. (You really don't get a say in whether you suck or not.)

Jeezem Crow, this guy has said it all, along with the OP. Lead bass, slapping and popping, 10 bajillion notes or big fat quarter notes, eighth notes and funky syncopation, it's all good, as long as the band sounds good, and your mates and the crowd are the ones who think so, probably in that order.

Of course, the same is true for the rest of the clowns in the band as well