Bassist to guitarist ratio?

Exemonium · #1 08-19-2011, 06:38 PM

OK, has anyone noticed the pure abundance of bassists in the world suddenly? It's like nearly every day I talk to someone they are or know a bassist. Even when I was a guitarist it wasn't this bad. This past spring I was looking for a new band, I can do bass/guitar/vox or the frontman dealio, I specified my training and everything. I received 2 emails to play bass, 8 emails to play guitar, and 2 for vocals. Even when I look lately I keep seeing bassist looking, bassist needs band..like really?!

I have to ask myself how many of them are real bassists, and how many are guitarists just thumping along the root notes to get in a band. I don't mean to condescend, every player is important, but it's a bummer. Making it harder for one of the (what used to be) most sought after positions in a band.

I'm guessing they might start with it cause they think it's easier, only 4 string, and usually only 1 at a time hehe. Has anyone else noticed this at all?

animvl · #2 08-19-2011, 06:50 PM

I think the same ratio of good to bad players is happening, whether or not there are more bassists than before as you suggest. I have not noticed an increase, sure I know many bassists but I know many more guitarists.

The email responses you got suggest a ratio that I am comfortable supporting; 4:1. Thats four guitarists for every bassist. Now let me do a head count of my friends... I seem to know 2 guitarists for every bassist. So the ration could easily be smaller than 4:1

Exemonium · #3 08-19-2011, 06:52 PM

oh no sorry, the e-mails that's what they wanted from me. I was requested to play guitar 4 more times than bass. which seemed odd to me, I guess.

WilliamSandoval · #4 08-19-2011, 06:55 PM

I'd say the ratio of good guitar players is equal to all bassists. The other 3 billion guitar players either just have a guitar and play kinda, or have a huge ego and think they are the coolest person in the world because they can tune to drop d and play what sorta sounds like metal and can't play anything else.

Aussie Player · #5 08-19-2011, 07:20 PM

I have noticed the increase in bassists looking for bands but in the end, the good bassists will shine through because they are looking for their equal, not just to get into a band.

When I audition, I am actually auditioning the band because I already know what I an do. I am always looking for my Clapton and he is very rare indeed.

Exemonium · #6 08-19-2011, 08:05 PM

Yea, I made that mistake with this band. I've played bass with sheet music for musicals and such, this was my first band, so I was petrified that I wouldn't have the creativity or be too stale. I outgrew the band's skill level very quickly, and now feel I need to progress. I love the guys a ton, but I think maybe I'm being held back.

drummer5359 · #7 08-20-2011, 09:18 AM

In my area bassists are still rarer than guitarists or drummers.

Exemonium · #8 08-20-2011, 09:24 AM

Yea, maybe it's just my area. It is Motown after all.

Richland123 · #9 08-20-2011, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drummer5359

In my area bassists are still rarer than guitarists or drummers.

Yep, I am 75 miles east of you and bass players (especially good ones) have always been scarce around these parts. Also, I know several guitar players who are "attempting" to play bass because bands need them but they are not very good at it.

champbassist · #10 08-20-2011, 09:57 AM

Statistically, among people I know fairly well, I can count 18 to 20 guitarists of any considerable skill against 4 bassists considering a similar parameter of skill. So with this (admittedly quite small) sample I can say the ratio here is around 4.5-5:1.

ShredderMaximus · #11 08-20-2011, 10:33 AM

thinking about it now, I've met a metric buttload of guitar players, with quite a few of them being pretty shredder, but bassists, only a handful, with most of them being players that fill the role and shy away from fancy stuff. I really don't think I've ever met an "out of the box" bassist... Weird.

Unrepresented · #12 08-20-2011, 10:59 AM

Couple thoughts:

a) could be guitarist turnover is higher, despite having higher total numbers?

b) are these complete bands seeking only the final piece or are they just "someone looking to jam?" If the latter, they may be seeking guitarists earlier in their search.

c) Could bassists be more likely to be band leaders? More likely to be posting ads? Guitarists might not be the self-starters we bassists are.

WilliamSandoval · #13 08-20-2011, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unrepresented

c) Could bassists be more likely to be band leaders?

John Paul Jones cough* cough*

LiquidMidnight · #14 08-20-2011, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WilliamSandoval

I'd say the ratio of good guitar players is equal to all bassists. The other 3 billion guitar players either just have a guitar and play kinda, or have a huge ego and think they are the coolest person in the world because they can tune to drop d and play what sorta sounds like metal and can't play anything else.

+1

I don't subscribe to the "Guitarists are a dime-a-dozen" axiom. Instead, I subscribe to the "Guitarists are a dime-a-dozen if you want a mediocre player who knows a few barre chords and plays endless, uninteresting pentatonic wankery" axiom. Truly gifted guitarists are as hard to find as any other musician.

Of course, the area you live and work in probably changes that factor somewhat.

carlthegroover · #15 11-08-2011, 11:36 PM

I'll give you my recent experience and let you decide for yourself:

Despite being my second time looking for a band/ musicians to play with, and despite saying I'm a novice bassist (but that I do love the instrument and I play nothing else and I'm taking lessons), and despite saying I don't have much band/ gigging experiences... I got 5 offers in the first day! And guess what, I am still getting a few offers a month after my ad was posted.

I have to politely decline for now because I was lucky enough to join a band whose members are pretty solid and have twice the experience in their respective instruments (about two years) than me (one year).

It makes me wonder if this would happen if I said I was "guitarist" instead. Maybe I should do the experiment and see.