Is Victor Wooten right about us being underappreciated?

JazzyLambert · #1 01-19-2009, 03:15 PM

Vic says... "The bass guitar is the honourable instrument..... It is understated and under-appreciated, yet it plays the most important role. The bass is the link between the harmony and the rhythm. It is the foundation of a band. It is what all the other instruments stand upon, but it is rarely recognized as that.....The foundation of any building has to be the strongest part, but you will not hear anyone walk into a building and say 'My, what a nice foundation.' Unless the foundation is weak it will go unnoticed. People will walk all over it and never acknowledge that it is there. The life of a true bass guitarist is the same."....in his book "The Music Lesson".

How many bass players agree that they are underappreciated?
This foolows on from my post in bass humour about Kinky Freidman labelling all bassists as being miserable types.

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dvh · #2 01-19-2009, 03:20 PM

Of course he's right. Only musicians or people who are serious music listeners understand that though.

JoelEoM · #3 01-19-2009, 03:20 PM

i dont know about 'most important....' i feel all instruments play an equal role and work off of each other. thats like saying my lungs are more important than my brain. everything works as a system where the sum is greater than the parts. i wouldnt say that I'm personally underrated as bass player in a band. i do agree that the instrument and the player provide a very firm link between rythm and harmony.

dave64o · #4 01-19-2009, 04:19 PM

In most bands the bassist's job is to provide the foundation, linking the rhythm and the melody. In that respect, we're like umpires and referees. If you do your job well you will generally wear a cloak of invisibility while the music continues around you. Do something wrong, and your cloak of invisibility vanishes and everyone immediately notices you and the fact that you screwed up.

I've always said the same thing about my job in IT. I must have been destined to play bass.

JohnDavisNYC · #5 01-19-2009, 04:50 PM

i think that vic is right.

john

spark_chaser · #6 01-19-2009, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave64o

In most bands the bassist's job is to provide the foundation, linking the rhythm and the melody. In that respect, we're like umpires and referees. If you do your job well you will generally wear a cloak of invisibility while the music continues around you. Do something wrong, and your cloak of invisibility vanishes and everyone immediately notices you and the fact that you screwed up.

+1 also with DVH

Jake of Bass · #7 01-19-2009, 05:06 PM

I read "Is Victor Wooten right..."

YES!

Quote:

Originally Posted by JazzyLambert

Vic says... "The bass guitar is the honourable instrument..... It is understated and under-appreciated, yet it plays the most important role. The bass is the link between the harmony and the rhythm. It is the foundation of a band. It is what all the other instruments stand upon, but it is rarely recognized as that....."

Wow, I've been saying the exact same thing for years, so he must be right!

Toastfuzz · #8 01-19-2009, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave64o

I've always said the same thing about my job in IT. I must have been destined to play bass.

+100000. Another bassist/IT guy here.

Eric Morgan · #9 01-19-2009, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dvh

Of course he's right. Only musicians or people who are serious music listeners understand that though.

That's pretty much what I was going to say...so, +1!

NWB · #10 01-19-2009, 05:48 PM

I have yet to find a point of disagreement with Victor!

His amazing bass talents are only matched by his wisdom.

AlembicPlayer · #11 01-19-2009, 05:51 PM

VIC speaks for me as well!

Arpeggiator · #12 01-19-2009, 05:54 PM

Hit the nail on the head. Bass is unappreciated, My brother asked me when he was listening to a song (cant remember the song) but i said "The bassline is pretty good" and he replied "how can you pick out the bass??...

baalroo · #13 01-19-2009, 05:58 PM

No, I disagree. The concept of "underappreciated" is weird and subjective in the first place and really is just some sort of ego-centric concept. I have a hard time understanding how to gauge appreciation in order to properly determine the appropriate amount that should be placed upon the bassist. It's jut music, people like it or they don't. Must we always turn it into a popularity contest? By saying that bass is the "most important" part of a band isn't Vic really passive agressively stating that the other instruments aren't as important?

Elmo Oxygen · #14 01-19-2009, 06:12 PM

100% correct as usual. gotta love that 'Woot.

J. Crawford · #15 01-19-2009, 06:15 PM

Anyone read his book? I think Im on the third time.

He says many smart, true things. The one that sticks with me is:

"Everything I say may be wrong, but its alright"

I love that saying, and its true for everyone.

Baryonyx · #16 01-20-2009, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dvh

Of course he's right. Only musicians or people who are serious music listeners understand that though.

Victor is absolutely correct. When you play bass, you are agreeing to wield great power, but you must use it wisely and not expect praise. Everyone harps on about "this legendary guitar solo" or "these heart wrenching lyrics" but you very rarely hear a bassline given the praise.

dmusic148 · #17 01-20-2009, 06:40 AM

I would have written 'the bass bears the greatest responsibility.' Which is true. We can't **** up. We have to really know the tunes. Under appreciated? Not sure what he meant by that. Obviously, as been stated already, we are somewhat invisible to the average listener. Until we **** up. Or stop. Fellow musicians appreciate us a lot, if we're good. So do critical music fans.

basste · #18 01-20-2009, 06:44 AM

fully agree with him, as i experienced that:

I was guitarist first. Then one day i decided to became bassist, after fallin in love with the instrument. When i told that to all my relatives and friend, they all said: "what ? bassist ? are you crazy ? you play guitar pretty well and you would switch to the useless instrument in the band ? "
nota: "pretty well" were the word of non-musician relatives and friend

In the band i play, they don't underappreciate me. If they, i quit the band and it's a pain in the ass to find a bassist here

OT: for those who like Vic's book, i highly suggest to read "Zen Guitar" by Philip Toshio Sudo..

tycobb73 · #19 01-20-2009, 06:44 AM

I think percussion is more important. No I'm not a drummer.

kenlacam · #20 01-20-2009, 07:05 AM

Vic is right. A true bassist plays the bass for what it is supposed to do-hold it down, and not to look for appreciation. If a bassist is looking for props, you shoulda picked up the guitard, the bass is not for you.