Musician Or Bassist?

[m3t4lhed]

OK do you play bass as a musician or as a bass player with your band? I know its a stupid question but wanted to know what is more important. being a better bass player or being a better musician?

[FoHBass]

I try to balance the two, honestly. In the context of a single song, as a musician I need to understand what the other instruments are doing, basically looking at the big picture. As a bassist, I need to understand what the bass's role is in the song in order to play something that fits the song. Besides, I wouldn't want to limit myself to being just a bassist, as I also play guitar, and know a little piano. I like to think I wear both hats.

[Yngwie 4String]

Im not a guy that is blessed with a lot of talent so I focus my energy 100% on my bass playing. The way I look at it Im a bassist, and thats what I do, I play the bass. So I want to play the bass as good as I possibly can.

[heavium]

a (good) bass player is a musician.. i guess

i play bass, i sing, i play guitar, i play drums, keyboards.. so i guess that kind of makes me a musician too, hehe

right now my main 'duty' is playing bass though, because i have two bands, but one of them is an out and performing band (bass), the other one is a solo-project (i do everything) and it's a homerecording band thing.. don't really want to start playing live with it because i don't have time for two bands at the same time.

but bass is my weapon of choice, guitar and vox come second..with bass it's more like an instinctive way of playing, more spontaneous because that is the instrument i learned to play first.
and we all know bass players always get the hottest groupies
don't we ?

[m3t4lhed]

oh ok. would you (whoever is reading this) add ambience and effect to the song with the bass or would you concentrate more on your technicality and showing off your talent?
for example the bassy from opeth works more as a musician which adds ambience to the songs. on the other hand les claypool and flea are better bassists who concentrate more on showing off

[Orco87]

so in essence as another post stated: a bassists is a musician... or a kind of musician, especially if they take seriously their role in the band or in the song in particular. I view myself more as a bassist then a musician though... To me also, to add to the whole "musician", one should play more then just one instrument, so they become more then being a bassist....


I've probably contradicted myself somewhere in the paragraph....

[Matt Till]

I'm a musician first for sure. I'll often record solo stuff that has no bass at all, but if I'm going to be in a band, I'd pick bass over any other instrument. But I try to look at the bass a little sideways in my approach, I don't know if that's a musician thing to do.

[C.Cat]

Originally Posted by heavium

a (good) bass player is a musician.. i guess

Very true

[CraigG]

It sounds to me like your trying to rationalize a difference that I don't think exists. A bass player creating music, regardless of how simple, fantastic or complicated their musical contribution is, is a musician.

Could it be that your trying to find out whether folks think providing a solid support role VS. the ability to be flashy in their playing is the mark of a "better whatever"? The important factor, IMO, is whether as a bassist/musician the player can compliment the bigger picture and know when to shine and when to play in the pocket. A musician, regardless of instrument, even if he/she has all the flashiness in the world can quickly ruin a song if they don't know how to play in the pocket when its needed. There is a time for flashiness and it's not as often as some may think.

Craig

[m3t4lhed]

Originally Posted by CraigG

Could it be that your trying to find out whether folks think providing a solid support role VS. the ability to be flashy in their playing is the mark of a "better whatever"?

Exactly

[Matt Dean]

I don't think there's a difference... I think of myself as a musician... my instrument is the bass.

[CraigG]

Originally Posted by m3t4lhed

Exactly

A player that can't find the pocket is a nusiance. A good player will know when to sit comfortably and tastefully in the pocket and be ready to jump up and "run" when the time is right --- that goes for any musician, regardless of instrument. That is what differentiates a musician from someone who can play an instrument.

Craig

[A Minor]

Originally Posted by heavium

a (good) bass player is a musician.. i guess

i play bass, i sing, i play guitar, i play drums, keyboards.. so i guess that kind of makes me a musician too, hehe

right now my main 'duty' is playing bass though, because i have two bands, but one of them is an out and performing band (bass), the other one is a solo-project (i do everything) and it's a homerecording band thing.. don't really want to start playing live with it because i don't have time for two bands at the same time.

but bass is my weapon of choice, guitar and vox come second..with bass it's more like an instinctive way of playing, more spontaneous because that is the instrument i learned to play first.
and we all know bass players always get the hottest groupies
don't we ?

this man speaks the truth!

[richardjones89]

i was under the impression that anyone who plays an instrument with a basic knowledge of how, is considered a musician.

however speaking on the bassist v musician terms, i consider myself a bassist atm because i dont know enough theory about it to consider myself 'to musically free myself', or rather be able to play it well. when i develop a good understanding of the instrument, then i will consider myself a good musician.

[heavium]

Originally Posted by A Minor

this woman speaks the truth!

fix'd.

[m3t4lhed]

Originally Posted by CraigG

A player that can't find the pocket is a nusiance. A good player will know when to sit comfortably and tastefully in the pocket and be ready to jump up and "run" when the time is right --- that goes for any musician, regardless of instrument. That is what differentiates a musician from someone who can play an instrument.

Craig

Nailed It, Thnks Man

[CraigG]

Originally Posted by richardjones89

however speaking on the bassist v musician terms, i consider myself a bassist atm because i dont know enough theory about it to consider myself 'to musically free myself', or rather be able to play it well. when i develop a good understanding of the instrument, then i will consider myself a good musician.

Trust me, if you know how to play and it sounds "right" you already know and are actually using theory --- whether you realize it or not.

Just because you may not have had formal lessons or worked through a theory book, there is still theory behind what you're doing to make it sound right. You just may not know how to put it into theory-type terminology and concepts. Trust me, there are musicians who know theory to death that freeze up when they have to play without a score (I have worked with several).

Knowing formal theory does not necessarily make you a better musician than someone who knows very little yet has a good sense of how to play their part - it just gives you a different set of tools for making music and different career options.

Craig

[neuromancer]

I don't make a distinction here. To me, the bassist is a musician, and bass is an instrument, even if someone else in the band doesn't think so.

[Yngwie 4String]

I can say with no shame at all that I am a complete triumph of style over substance.

[JHL]

Musician