Who else is a Pop bassist?!

[Din Of Win]

Hey guys and gals,

I was curious if anyone else plays bass for a pop act. With a growing number of today's pop acts moving to key-based bass lines, i love it when i see an actual bassist rocking it on stage!

So, who else plays pop??! Are there any pop bassists you site as inspirations?

[amroach]

Well i guess i'm a pop bassist, as it seem a genre that keeps being labeled upon my main ensemble but i don't really take any interest or inspiration from pop music as i listen to mostly: metal, prog, blues, jazz, rock, most things really but not pop.

[James Hart]

Pop is a broad term...

I like a lot of stuff I consider pop, a few of my favorites in the genre off the top of my head are:

Chris Chaney (from Michelle Branch to Celine Dion and beyond)
Sam Dixon (Sia)
Charlie Colin (Train)
Matt Malley (Counting Crows)

[Din Of Win]

Originally Posted by James Hart

Pop is a broad term...

This is true. But the same can be said about pretty much any genre with today's love of genre-labeling.

Haha, people can answer in regards to their own definitions. I don't care.

Personally, i think of pop as hella-catchy, vocally-fronted music aimed at a broad audience.


And FWIW, i don't really listen to all that much pop myself either. I mostly listen to other stuff. Shoot, at a recent show i rocked a His Hero is Gone shirt with pants that had both a McCarthyism (record label) and Orchid patch on them. The audience was mainly, like, 15-19 y/o girls.

[DWBass]

Besides being a 'funk and r&b' bassist, I consider myself a 'pop' bassist since I play in cover bands playing mostly top40 pop dance music.

[Double Agent]

I could consider pop as one of the many genres I play, especially in cover bands.

As far as inspiration, Tony Kinal of No Doubt is my favorite pop bassist that isn't a session player. Of course, guys like Pino, Sklar, and Nathan East are awesome pop bassists as well, but they can play anything.

[Din Of Win]

Originally Posted by Double Agent

As far as inspiration, Tony Kinal of No Doubt is my favorite pop bassist that isn't a session player.

Yeah! Tony is awesome!

Personally, i get a ton of inspiration from The Go Gos' Kathy Valentine. Super catchy and well written... the corner-stone of good pop music.

[BassClef 2010]

I play in a Top40 pop band,a jazz combo, and as a solo act. Guess which one I make the most money in?

[Craig_S]

Originally Posted by BassClef 2010

I play in a Top40 pop band,a jazz combo, and as a solo act. Guess which one I make the most money in?

Let's think... What sort of stuff do you play in your solo act?

[WhoSeyes]

I think I play in a pop band, although we throw in a little disco and experimentation.

My band mates want me to play as many root notes as possible, but I'll never surrender!

[Nashrakh]

I play in a cover band, and we mainly cover pop songs (but we turn them into acoustic versions), guess that makes me a "pop bassist" by extension.

I have an oldschool sound though, since my personal taste is mainly music from the late 60s/early 70s (Psych Rock, Prog, Electric Blues). Good thing it suits this band rather well.

[NickBass81]

Well. pop music is such a large amount of artists and such a subjective definition that I bet everyone of us has played with pop acts!!!
I played with a lot of local pop singers (if by "pop music" you mean very easy listening music, but not necessarily silly or too simple), and when I go to the studio 70% of the times I'm asked to play on pop tunes...here in Italy playing properly pop music is considered an art (the old motto "less is better"!) just as playing properly funk or rock..
I don't consider myself a pop musician, but I often play it and I usually enjoy it!

[Double Agent]

Originally Posted by WhoSeyes

My band mates want me to play as many root notes as possible, but I'll never surrender!

Keep fighting!!! Sting is a great pop bassist and he plays "off" the root all the time. One of the many things that made The Police an interesting band.

[Din Of Win]

In a pop-punkish setting, bass can usually do a more 'lead' part, while the guitarist does powerchord riffs. I love it!

haha, my sing and i have worked out a Paparazzi, by Lady Gaga, cover in our general style... imagine Paparazzi done by the Marvelettes...

[emblymouse]

Yo, Pop here! Get yer Pop!

Raised on Beatles and the golden age of Top 40 radio. Schooled in the midwest Power Pop scene ala Shoes, Cheap Trick, Pezband, etc. Two major label bands in the 80's who were pop in the techno vein (and proud of it pal). In the 90's I recorded w/ Tommy Keane. Lately playing with Kyle Henderson (the Producers) but we're doing Soul covers! Ha!

I do a Chick Singer Night house band thing where I back up all kinds of styles and I'm back in school again with the current crop o' Pop.

Whew, I'm pooped.

[stephenleejp]

Pop guy here, and yes, I just ordered a bass synth for all that bass pop joy.
So I guess you'd still see a "bassist" on stage, just with a synth

[Din Of Win]

Originally Posted by stephenleejp

Pop guy here, and yes, I just ordered a bass synth for all that bass pop joy.
So I guess you'd still see a "bassist" on stage, just with a synth

That's EXACTLY what i strive for.

Which bass synth did you order?

I use a Digitech Bass Synth Wah and a Boss SYB-5... I'm gonna order an EHX Bass Micro Synth when money permits as well.

[BassClef 2010]

Originally Posted by Craig_S

Let's think... What sort of stuff do you play in your solo act?

Micheal Manring-esque bass solos

[Chrisk-K]

I love playing pop bass lines. The Bee Gees and ABBA songs have a ton of cool bass lines.