No Respect For US

flacoclef · #1 10-03-2001, 09:42 PM

Im really mad about people saying that we bass players are just playing the easiest instrument.
I have a friend, who plays the trumpet, and switched to bass for a few and he says that being a bass player is a breeze. "You just play along with thr root notes, it is just one note at a time" , Even though I know it's not true, I would like you to give me some advise on some good answers to their comments about us.

**Hategear** · #2 10-03-2001, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by flacoclef
...give me some advice on some good answers to their comments about us.

Tell your buddy to take his trumpet and blow.

**john turner** · #3 10-03-2001, 09:52 PM

my advice is not to let people get you down so easy.

or you can send the particularly a$$holish people our way - we've got ways of dealin' with butt monkeys around here.

CaracasBass · #4 10-03-2001, 09:57 PM

When someone say that playing bass is the easiest part in a band or bass is the easiest instrument.... show him/her a pic of John Turner with his double neck 7 stringer....... cool!!!!!!

Bass Guitar · #5 10-03-2001, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by flacoclef
"You just play along with thr root notes, it is just one note at a time" , Even though I know it's not true, I would like you to give me some advise on some good answers to their comments about us.

Tell him he is a very elementary basic novice bass player if all he does are root notes. If he's a trumpet player, I assume he knows some Jazz trumpeteers - ask him to play the basslines to some of Miles Davis songs - then ask him if it was easy. Show him what Jaco was doing in the 70s.

It's easy to play bass on easy songs. It gets harder with more complicated compositions.

If he's serious about bass, he will learn quickly that it is easier than it looks and seems.

Angus · #6 10-03-2001, 11:51 PM

Sure, it's simple to be a bassist...but it's hard to be a musician!

Bruce Lindfield · #7 10-04-2001, 02:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by flacoclef
it is just one note at a time"

Ask him to demonstrate how he plays a chord on the trumpet??!!

BehindTheMoon · #8 10-04-2001, 03:02 AM

Well, for the most part (pun intended) most bass parts ARE the easiest voice in a given band. With obvious (and not so obvious) exceptions.

Who cares anyway?

"Hey, I can play difficult stuff too guys!! Look at me!!! This is really difficult guys, why aren't you looking at me?"

It's not a competition.

kirbywrx · #9 10-04-2001, 03:09 AM

say
i dont see u playing any music instrument

that if they dont play a musical instrument

flacoclef · #10 10-04-2001, 09:37 AM

Thanks for your replies.

brewer9 · #11 10-04-2001, 01:49 PM

Someone can be as good or as bad as they want to be at any instrument.

I think its often the case though, that the worst member of many local bands is their bass player. I think its because sometimes the bass player is someone who couldnt play the guitar well (or trumpet), and switched to bass in order to hide.

These guys always have really muddy sounds that make distinguishing their notes impossible. See, I knew you'd seen these guys. Of course there are none at TalkBass, but they're around your town.

Rockinjc · #12 10-04-2001, 02:02 PM

Easy to start out on...
Difficult to master!

jc

**Hategear** · #13 10-04-2001, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by brewer9
...it's often the case...that the worst member of many local bands is their bass player. These guys always have really muddy sounds that make distinguishing their notes impossible.

Most of the bassists around my area try to be flashy, without getting the basic foundation right. I personally prefer to play simpler lines and get the sh*t right (I get a little bit fancier the more I play that particular song), whereas most of the other schlubs around my town try to fancy it up too much. That's great if that's what you wanna do, but they don't even get the "fancy notes" right. Sure, they may look good while they're doing it, but in the end, they didn't really play anything. I always compare it to masturbating without an orgasm.

brewer9 · #14 10-05-2001, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hategear
I always compare it to masturbating without an orgasm -- sure, they may look good while they're doing it, but in the end, they didn't really play anything.

Hmmm, I really dont want to conjure up that particular image. I'm not sure how "good" they look while they're doing it and I dont want to find out either.

But, hey if thats your thing....go for it.

**Josh Ryan** · #15 10-05-2001, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by flacoclef
Im really mad about people saying that we bass players are just playing the easiest instrument.
I have a friend, who plays the trumpet, and switched to bass for a few and he says that being a bass player is a breeze. "You just play along with thr root notes, it is just one note at a time" , Even though I know it's not true, I would like you to give me some advise on some good answers to their comments about us.

yeah, if you want to suck. I see a trend of raising the bar a little bit, and it makes me happy. bassists are starting to get heard again, and that forces them to either be musicians or quit. Fine. You certainly don't have to play root notes, or one note at a time, and by god it may just make you more interesting!! Say some of those things then punch him in the face as hard as you can.

edit: just to be sure everybody gets the smiley, the punch thing is a joke, m'k?

nikofthehill · #16 10-08-2001, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Blisshead

Say some of those things then punch him in the face as hard as you can.

or just ignore him

NewWaveBasser · #17 10-08-2001, 06:57 PM

Challenge the trumpet boy to play the bass fingerstyle for THREE HOURS STRAIGHT! AND FAST!

When he starts crying coz his fingers are bleeding...

arvidgunardi · #18 10-09-2001, 02:51 AM

It's not about simply playing root notes. Hitting the notes are easy, but playing them with emotions, groove, rythmic variations, melodic lines, laying down solid timing, constant dynamics, chords, harmonics, false harmonics, etc. Not to mention thumbing and plucking, and all different techniques that had evolved from players' innovative approaches.

So how many different playing variations from him to his trumpet can he pull off? Like can he use all his saliva accumulated from 3 minutes of playing and make his trumpet sound like it's gargling??

HMMMMM????????

Deynn · #19 10-09-2001, 11:39 AM

I played trumpet for over thirty years and I have to say that the bass guitar IS easier....to "start out on". Sure...I can put my fingers on the frets and play the right notes....BUT.....
I cannot use my breath to control the notes. It is all in my touch. And so far, my fingering is no where near as fast as it was on my trumpet.
The longer I play bass....the more it challenges me. And I suppose that is one of the reasons I enjoy it. As someone else alreaady said.....
Easy to play....HARD to master...

chipmolter · #20 10-09-2001, 02:50 PM

It depends on the band setup. In my group, we cull our songs from extended jam sessions. My job in those sessions is to act as a medium between the beat and the melody. In an improv situation, I'd say the bass is the hardest of all parts!