Can bass players be "shredders" too?

[Raymeous]

Developing the chops is a good thing, but using them too often is not.

As a disclaimer I grew up as a guitarist during the "shredder era". What I can tell you is that developing the skills to be a "shredder" is the easier part, as developing the sense of when and where to use those skills is the far harder lesson. Over the last 20+ years, and learning other instruments (bass 20+ years, keys 15+ years, drums 10+ years) I have a far different perspective than I did as a teen "shredder".

This next bit goes against the "Guitard Code" but just because I can play rapid fire 6 string sweep arpeggios doesn't mean I should play that way during "Comfortably Numb". That's the growing up thing I guess. In either case having those skill available to you within your tool-box as a musician is never a bad plan.

I think I'll mention John Myung from Dream Theater here as he definitely has the talent to "shred", but most of the time he's just playing the song.

[curbowkid]

I find having good chops really helps to spice up playing. Like instead of playing a basic 12 bar blues with single notes, toss in a few double thumbs and a pop here and there. I love doing it. Same with scales. I say bassists can be shredders. Look at the guy from Divine Heresey. For those of you who dont know them listen to Facebreaker. The bass in that song is nuts.

[Kmonk]

Originally Posted by Lesfunk

Sure but why?

+1

I don't even like it when guitarists do it. I prefer something with some feel to it.

[Herrick]

Originally Posted by kevteop

It only sounds good when Billy Sheehan does it. Everybody else is a mess of clanking noises.

I've heard some of his solos that sound exactly like a mess of clanking notes. Gets very boring very quickly. On the other hand, there is one he does with Gilbert where they're both playing intricate, beautiful-sounding stuff. It's not really shredding though. I'll post links to both solos when I get home from work.

Edit:

Already posted by Two Fingers on the 1st page: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRuOQtg-pJ0

Here's the other one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NITX8WdOHWk

I like El-Bob's post. I think the problem people have with bass shredding is that generic bass shredding usually sounds a lot worse than generic guitar shredding. And some people are simply not fans of any type of "shredding", whether it's on a stringed isntrument, keyboard, or whatever *shrugs*. I think part of this is because shredding is associated with guitar & I see a lot of condescending remarks toward guitar players on this forum. So when a bass player shreds, these people see the bassist as trying to "play bass like a guitar" and they are not playing "real bass".

There is also the common complaint that shredding "has no emotion or feel etc". I believe that type of complaint is missing the point. Many shredding-type solos are there for entertainment & to impress the listener. They're not necessarily there to make one weep. It's entertainment.

I'm not a fan of slap. Whenever I'm watching a review on a bass & the bassists starts slapping, I either skip that part or I turn it off all together. However, I'd never put down the skill & musicality of All Slap Bass. It has its place in music. It's just not for Herrick

[Lon86]

Jaco shreds!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKCwH3amLaU