Talentless Bass Players Thinking They're GOD

willisilliwilli · #1 01-11-2008, 04:35 PM

I had a mild experience of being spoken down to by a guy because I am currently without a band while I study to be a session musician.

He was talking to me as if he was the best bass player in the world.

I was judging a "Battle of the Bands"

I watched him specifically for much of the time and was shocked. In the first song he hit so many wrong notes I felt sorry for him, after all, he had just spent 30 minutes telling me how great he was.

In the second song he looked at my amp (he was using my amp because it's part of the backline) and his lead, walked forward and stood on his lead so it came out so people couldn't hear him playing, then proceeded to jump around like a wounded duck for 25 minutes.

He then complained when his band didn't get through and blamed the lead coming out on my amp, not the fact that his lead was 10ft long and he was 30ft away from it.

I challenged him to a bass-off after this. He declined.

Valerus · #2 01-11-2008, 04:37 PM

I love idiots.

Too bad you didn't have a bass-off. That would have been lovely.

vegas532 · #3 01-11-2008, 04:51 PM

There is a serious decline in bass skills with some of the newer players. Just look at some of the pros that people list as "influences". Fortunately, most of our fellow talkbass brethren believe in the instrument, instead of being the "guitarist who drew the shortest straw".

MyUsernameHere · #4 01-11-2008, 04:59 PM

What's a bass-off? Do you guys take 10 paces and then throw your instruments at each other until someone cries uncle?

willisilliwilli · #5 01-11-2008, 05:05 PM

no, you hold your bass at the headstock, pointing the body at the other player and then tighten the E-string until it snaps, pressing the F fret and it snaps in their eye

first to snap and cause injury wins.

If the E-String does no damage, move to the next.

Of course, buying a new bass might result after you warp your truss rod.

HEY! I'm 23 and only been playing 5 years.

Never played that other thing though. What did you call it? Gui...

YCBass · #6 01-11-2008, 05:13 PM

People are just people and they talk the way they do... There are just guys out there who are not too conscious of how cocky they sound while I for myself really pay attention to how I come off and make sure there humility in my tone of voice and just let the tone of my bass talk.

I had a guy at GC once who came and gave me all the advice in the world, from theory to bass construction... When I finally handed him my bass that I brought in - I wasn't too impressed and I'll leave it at that.

It's a good laugh.

MyUsernameHere · #7 01-11-2008, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willisilliwilli

no, you hold your bass at the headstock, pointing the body at the other player and then tighten the E-string until it snaps, pressing the F fret and it snaps in their eye

first to snap and cause injury wins.

If the E-String does no damage, move to the next.

Of course, buying a new bass might result after you warp your truss rod.

HEY! I'm 23 and only been playing 5 years.

Never played that other thing though. What did you call it? Gui...

Gui...

= what?

Foxworthy925 · #8 01-11-2008, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MyUsernameHere

Gui...

= what?

Gui...

= what = guitar

bassaficionado6 · #9 01-12-2008, 01:10 AM

I guess all the musicians I hang out with are humble or haven't been playing long enough to feel condfident in their chops. Lucky me.

Valerus · #10 01-12-2008, 02:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vegas532

instead of being the "guitarist who drew the shortest straw".

I still hate that mindset.

willisilliwilli · #11 01-12-2008, 04:08 AM

to be honest, if someone plays bass because they're a "failed guitarist" then they have no right to pick up the instrument. What makes them think that because they couldn't handle a guitar, with a smaller scale length, less distance between the strings and less weight, that they can just pick up a bass and become the best bassist in the world?

Sure, they'll be able to play root note basslines pretty good but where's the groove?

the most groove you'll ever get outta these people is a pentatonic scale they learnt to solo with in their failed stint on guitar, or occasionally throwing in the fifth.

BassmanDk · #12 01-12-2008, 04:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willisilliwilli

Talentless Bass Players Thinking They're GOD

Yess finally there's a club i can be a member of.
I call #1!!!!!

Seriously he's probably been playing a couple of years, thinking he's pretty good but isn't.
IME the beginnings usually knows they're bad and therefore having a relaxed attitude.
And the pro knows he's good and so he's really cool and (usually) don't need to brag or anything.
It's when you're in the middle the problem occurs. You're can some nice licks, maybe the frase "you're pretty good" been uttered from somebody not good themselves and this is making you think "i AM pretty good" but inside you know you're not and so you have to tell everyone that you're good.

We all have issues!

btw: a bass-off

??? how will you measure and why????

plugger · #13 01-12-2008, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willisilliwilli

the most groove you'll ever get outta these people is a pentatonic scale they learnt to solo with in their failed stint on guitar, or occasionally throwing in the fifth.

Just to be picky, the fifth is already part of the pentatonic.

And btw, not all guitarists who also play bass are necessarily "failed". I know some pretty good guitarists who also happen to be pretty good bassists. In fact, for whatever reason, the best bassists I've played with have always played at least one other instrument. It's not a strictly either/or thing.

-Mark

Sneckumhaw · #14 01-12-2008, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willisilliwilli

to be honest, if someone plays bass because they're a "failed guitarist" then they have no right to pick up the instrument. What makes them think that because they couldn't handle a guitar, with a smaller scale length, less distance between the strings and less weight, that they can just pick up a bass and become the best bassist in the world?

Sure, they'll be able to play root note basslines pretty good but where's the groove?

the most groove you'll ever get outta these people is a pentatonic scale they learnt to solo with in their failed stint on guitar, or occasionally throwing in the fifth.

Bull. Drop this elitist attitude. It's more like they don't necessarily take to the guitar, but how does that mean they won't take to the bass? Maybe if you picked up the guitar you'd be lousy, it wouldn't make you a bad bassist. I didn't take to the piano or the guitar (although I picked up bass a little before guitar, but at almost the same time. I'm finally getting good on guitar after years, but I was more naturally inclined towards the bass), bass works for me.

basses5 · #15 01-12-2008, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sneckumhaw

Bull. Drop this elitist attitude. It's more like they don't necessarily take to the guitar, but how does that mean they won't take to the bass? Maybe if you picked up the guitar you'd be lousy, it wouldn't make you a bad bassist. I didn't take to the piano or the guitar (although I picked up bass a little before guitar, but at almost the same time. I'm finally getting good on guitar after years, but I was more naturally inclined towards the bass), bass works for me.

I agree 100%! willisilliwilli you were judging this affair the other bassist was using your rig. Next time just take the high road it seems a little out of whack for a judge to challenge a contestant to a bass off. I mean hey where was this "battle of the bands" at Sesame Street? Just a little levity there, just be nice.

Matt Till · #16 01-12-2008, 08:42 PM

I hate them just as much as talented bass players that think they're GOD. That level of ego is never justified.

smakbass · #17 01-12-2008, 08:46 PM

Ahh I can't even count the times but hey if it makes them feel good about themselves...

tbwilson · #18 01-12-2008, 08:52 PM

this kid once said he was gonna kick my #$!@ but once he realised i wasn't the guy he thought he just said oh "I'm not gonna fight you". "Ill challenge you to a bass off though", and once my friend told him he'd be better trying to beat me up because i would lay this kid out on bass (he had been playing for "8 years" and couldn't play slap). so i weezled my way out of that one kind of similar i guess.

**bassybill** · #19 01-12-2008, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willisilliwilli

to be honest, if someone plays bass because they're a "failed guitarist" then they have no right to pick up the instrument. What makes them think that because they couldn't handle a guitar, with a smaller scale length, less distance between the strings and less weight, that they can just pick up a bass and become the best bassist in the world?

Sure, they'll be able to play root note basslines pretty good but where's the groove?

the most groove you'll ever get outta these people is a pentatonic scale they learnt to solo with in their failed stint on guitar, or occasionally throwing in the fifth.

Actually, I'm going to be honest here - one of the main reasons I'm a bassist is down to me being no good whatsoever on guitar. I tried, but I just couldn't hack it.

Does that mean I'm not allowed to play my bass any more?

Rocketpriest · #20 01-12-2008, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbwilson

(he had been playing for "8 years" and couldn't play slap).

And this has what to do with anything, exactly?

I've found that it's best to shut up and play, with the occasional compliment paid to other players. 'Cause god knows I'm not up there with the best of them, not by any stretch.