Has being a bassist affected your musical preference?

[Infern0]

I know it has for me. I was a straight up rock and metal man, the black shirt-wearing, headbanging dude. Then I picked up the bass. Immediately one tries to mimic their favorite band, for me I played some Metallica. I guess the pursuit to find innovative bassists transitioned me. Now I am listening the The Weather Report, Jaco is my hero. 6 years back it would have been Cliff. Don't get me wrong, I still love Cliff's riffs. So, have you been bitten by the groove?

[DayoftheGreek]

Absolutely.

Being a bassist has made me learn music. Learning music has opened my eyes to hundreds of bands I never would have been able to listen to.

In all honesty though, it has also closed my eyes to some less-musical genres of now popular music but eh, you win some you lose some.

[FenderBinder]

i wouldnt say it has changed me. It just has made my musical choice have meaning. I dont like unskilled music like fall out boy. I hate 2 note songs. I love hearing scales and ppl whale away on there instruments. Thats how I was raised. My musical choice was there now I know how to play it all and ppl can look at me as I look at my favorite musicians.

[Cajunmetalist]

Justin Chancellor.......PERIOD!

[StanFan]

It's definitely had an effect on my musical preference because sometimes I'll check out a group just to hear what their bassist sounds like. Still, even if the bassist is good, it may not be enough to draw me to a band. But I definitely listen to more bass driven music than before I played bass (although I only listened to a handful of bands pre-bass).

[AdlerAugen]

Totally.

[Christopher]

Yeah. In fact, since I pay attention to basslines, I can identify songs my neighbors are playing through the walls.

[afinalfantasy]

It's lead me to listen to jazz, that's about it.

I still listen to different music other than jazz though, like folk and electronic stuff.

[keb]

Bass-driven bands (Rush, Yes, the Police) drove me to take up bass when I was young. But affecting my overall musical preferences? No... there's tons of music that I love that doesn't even have a hint of bass guitar in it, or can be perceived as being bass-driven.

[Jo6Pak]

Absolutely NOT. When I go to a concert, the first thing I check out is the bass player's gear. After that, my eyes are on the guitar solos. If its recored music (CDs, etc), I pay most attention to the song structure and lyrics (if there are lyrics). I do get a special thrill if there are good bass lines, but not what I listen for from the get-go...

[sick-jimmychick]

I guess it has, coz if you had asked me 6 and a bit years ago whether id ever be listening to SRV, Rush, Weather Report, Stanley Clarke, Sly and the family stone etc etc i probably wouldve just laughed at you!
I certainly am thankful for not being so close minded towards other styles of music anymore, all coz of playing bass...

[Mojo-Man]

Yes.
I serch out different music.
To explore new basslines, and players.
It has made me more eqiectic.
Im more open to new stuff.

[MirageBass]

Not really, actually. I loved Rush from the start (though Geddy DID inspire me to try my hand at bass again), and I always had that avante-garde personality that Primus appealed to, though I got into them through Rush. I still don't like a lot of bass-driven bands (I'm kind of neutral towards Yes, though I've liked Roundabout since my youth, not just for the bassline... And I just can't bring myself to like Dream Theater ). Past that, I still love a lot of groups where bass is simple or non-existent.

I would say, overall, that it didn't affect my preference, but I sure do pay a whole lot more attention towards the bassline.

[Phalex]

I think perhaps my musical preference may have influenced my choice of instrument. It's kind of the chicken or the egg thing, you know?

[HowLow]

Originally Posted by sick-jimmychick

I guess it has, coz if you had asked me 6 and a bit years ago whether id ever be listening to SRV, Rush, Weather Report, Stanley Clarke, Sly and the family stone etc etc i probably wouldve just laughed at you!
I certainly am thankful for not being so close minded towards other styles of music anymore, all coz of playing bass...

Right on man.. it's a natural evolution if you're open to it.. bass playing eventually leads to other types of music you never thought you'd be into. I just got deep into Flamenca.. man them Gypsies can play. Also just started checking out some AfroJazz for lack of a better word... check out Karim Ziad sometime.. insane stuff...

[Baryonyx]

I don't think I would have gotten into fusion if I wasn't a musician...

[Johnny Crab]

Now ANYTHING(well, except that stuff out of cars with tinted windows going WOOO WOOOO WOOOMMMMM) with "good bass" will get a listen and maybe a purchase.

Examples: see all of the above posts and...
Pipe Organ music....
Bass pedals ROCK the place as do many of the lines written by the "old masters"!!!

[Rattman]

Certainly has! I feel my taste in music is now more exacting, more selective in both the arrangements.. the production and mixing as well. I say 'hooray' for being a member of the elite Brotherhood of Bottom.

Sure has taught me to be more precise in equipment nuance.

[jenderfazz]

Yeah. Though I'm not necessarily "bass-centric" all the time, I love the feel of a good groovy bass line or the cutting edge of an aggressive bass line. Not that bass attracts me to bands (I'd probably listen to some of the same bands if I was a guitarist or drummer) but it's an element that I enjoy and it definitely affects my preference overall.

[JimmyM]

I think my tastes would be exactly the same as they are now if I didn't know how to play music.