Opinion on FEMALE BASSISTS

[bea_rox]

Well, i myself is a female bassist.. i just wanna know what u guys think about us..

[middlebit]

Originally Posted by bea_rox

Well, i myself is a female bassist.. i just wanna know what u guys think about us..

First of all, I think u guys should fill in your profiles correctly .
No, seriously - I don't think any of you as a group just because you are female, I judge any player from the way he or she plays. I would also find it very weird if someone where to evaluate me for being a 'male bass player', which I certainly am...I just can't see how that affects my playing.

[junerig]

Originally Posted by middlebit

First of all, I think u guys should fill in your profiles correctly .
I don't think any of you as a group just because you are female, I judge any player from the way he or she plays.

Thank you for showing me some respect! When I first started out I got so sick of hearing people talk about me being a girl rather than how I played. Of course it doesn't help the image when you have brats forming 'all girl bands' for non-musical reasons. Let it be about the music, anything else is politics and doesn't belong here.

[bassbully43]

I think you are great and very cute holding that big bass Women bass players have great feel and rock as hard as the guys!

[6-3-2]

I think there's not enough of you.

[Cristo]

Really gender doesn't make a difference. If you want to play, do it.

It is something of a "novelty" though, since so few women do want to play. That makes it a bit of an unusual sight to see a woman playing in what is otherwise a male dominated activity. But I don't think that makes it "unfeminine", just rare.

[Rich600]

I love seeing woman play in bands, im teaching my other half how to play bass!

[ayton]

Agreed with 6-3-2, I have a friend whos a girl and plays bass - but she stopped playing it as people used to make fun out of her in practice

[Larry99]

Originally Posted by junerig

Thank you for showing me some respect! When I first started out I got so sick of hearing people talk about me being a girl rather than how I played. Of course it doesn't help the image when you have brats forming 'all girl bands' for non-musical reasons. Let it be about the music, anything else is politics and doesn't belong here.

When those people say things like that, just ask them about Carol Kaye, Michelle N'degeocello or Gail Ann Dorsey ...if they say they never heard of them and they look at you like you're from mars it will show their ignorance. Dont worry about what these people think. Playing bass is about music, not about image or gender.

[SGT. Pepper]

It doesn't matter what gender you are, if you're good you're good.
There are many excellent female players. Rhonda Smith, Paz Lenchantin, Carol Kaye, The girl from Cracker, {I forget her name sorry} and many others.

[junerig]

Originally Posted by Larry99

When those people say things like that, just ask them about Carol Kaye, Michelle N'degeocello or Gail Ann Dorsey ...if they say they never heard of them and they look at you like you're from mars it will show their ignorance. Dont worry about what these people think. Playing bass is about music, not about image or gender.

Oh, I already know these people are ignorant - they would've never heard of these players or even know anything about music.They are the kind of 'people' who are more concerned with their image, what colour their hair is, how expensive their clothes are, etc.
Besides, that was all many years ago. It's been a long time since people have been making excuses for me after hearing me play

[Planet Boulder]

I'm a big fan of Tina Weymouth. While some of the bass lines on early Heads records were performed by Eno, hers were always creative and quite tasteful. She really came a long way as a bassist in a very short time, having only learned how to play right before the Heads were formed.

[Marcus Willett]

Originally Posted by middlebit

I judge any player from the way he or she plays.

+1

I work with a female drummer with Andy (even more rare than female bassists, IMO) and she kicks some serious butt! One of the best drummers I have ever worked with, and I've played with some damn good ones.

[johnvice]

Interesting question. I've been playing bass for 25 years and never gave it any thought.

I learned from the Carol Kaye method book. In additon to being a bass educator, Carol played on tens of thousands of sessions as a first call L.A. session musician.

Bands tend to be all guys, if there's a woman, she's typically the lead singer. When I see a band that fits this line-up (from Blondie to Garbage), I don't think twice. When I see a woman playing bass (i.e. D'Arcy in White Zombie) , guitar (Jennifer Batten in the Jeff Beck band), or drums (the movie "Cotton Candy" comes to mind), it catches my attention, becuase it's not the norm.

Also, in 25 years I have never met a female bass player in person.

So, I'm stuck by how un-common female bassists are but that's the extent. I'd never think "Wow, pretty good for a girl".

[Bushfire]

Yup, it doesn't matter at all. However, if you have to join an all girl band, just because you're all girls, it doesn't mean you can call it "the girls" or "the chicks" (seen both of these)

[Bluez Dawg]

if you can play, then who cares what you are right? I mean come on time for being sexist is over, died out with the 70's geesh.

[mntallpaul]

Both of my girls..13 and 11 play guitar, I am begging them to learn bass, of course dad will teach....LOL
Actually my 13 yr old wants drums now, and the 11 yr old wants to sing . So anyway.....it doesnt matter what you play , just enjoy being a musician , and most people dont care if your female or not....groove on.....tallpaul

[XavierG]

There's one of your species living in my house.

[Mojo-Man]

Sex has no baring, on how you can play.
Look how many female violin and cello, player play classical music.
If you can play, you can play.

[philzbass]

As long as they can play, female bassists ROCK!!!