A weird thing I have noticed since I started playing Bass

[froglips]

Disclaimer:
I have been learning to play guitar for 20+ years now, and will continue learning to play until the day I die.
Some old man with lots of wisdom once said "Once you have learned everything there is to know, you will know what you still need to learn!".

The weirdest thing I have realized since learning to play the bass for about a month now, is that the types of music that I like to play with my guitar are completely different than the types of music I want to learn to play with my Bass.

I am a Rock-N-Roll guy, and I always have been. Sure, I like all types of music now that I am 40.5 years old, but for the most part I am still a Rock guy with Rock roots.

So, for me to be gravitating towards any music other than Rock while playing my Bass is really strange to me... But at the same time it is really awesome because I am learning to play music I would have never cared to try to play with a guitar... And I am loving every second of it!

I want to play Funk, R&B, Crooner type Standards, Slow Jazz, and stuff like that with my Bass. I do NOT want to play Rock on the Bass because it seems to be too stupid, or dummed down, for such a powerfully vocal instrument such as the Bass. Rock seems to take something away from the Bass, rather than add to it. I know I do not really know enough about the Bass to make such a statement yet, and I am not trying to insult you Rock bassists out there, but I truly do see it this way at the moment.

There is something that I can feel inside me when I am learning to play stuff like "Lowrider" by War, or "Theme to Barney Miller", "Love Rollercoaster", "Superfreak", stuff by Victor Bailey, Victor Wooten, Jaco P., and others, that I do not feel when I play Rock stuff. It actually makes my body move to the groove... And I really like it a lot!
The aggresion that I would normally feel playing Rock on the guitar does not seem to come through when I am playing the Bass. Maybe I am doing it wrong or something... But the feeling I get when I play Rock stuff on my Bass is laughable compared to the feeling I feel when playing Funk and stuff like that.
I guess I just mean that I "Feel" a groove that I can not seem to feel when I try to play Rock on my Bass. I feel retarded when I play Rock with my bass, but I feel like I am on the path to true musical enlightenment when I am playing Funk, R&B, and stuff like that.

I am sure this makes no sense at all to most of you out there, but I am really curious to see if any one else has had this happen to them.

Thank you for your time!

[allexcosta]

Originally Posted by froglips

I am sure this makes no sense at all to most of you out there, but I am really curious to see if any one else has had this happen to them.

Why? Do you think everyone loves rock? I feel retarded playing rock too, that's why I don't do it... Ever...

[froglips]

No, I just figured that everyone usually sticks with what they like, and that what they like usually does not change just because they switch instruments. I would assume anyway.

[bassteban]

It makes perfect sense to me. A lot of traditional(w/e that means)rock basslines are IMO quite boring, particularly when compared w/R&B, funk, even, dare I say it, DISCO(!) There's of course, a world of genres, styles, etc outside what I've mentioned, w/INSANE basslines. What's more, again, IMO, a good bass player is open to a greater variety of music than the *typical* guitar player(again, I can't really define this term; admittedly I'm generalizing about my own limited experiences ). Most importantly, welcome to the low end, & I very much agree w/the bit about learning- good attitude.

[Rocker949]

Maybe it is because you have the perspective of a guitarist playing bass. Maybe even Noel Redding had some of the same thoughts. I suppose there is nothing wrong with that. Personally, though, I would rather play rock bass than anything. I find myself bored out of my mind if I can't play genres I actually like such as rock.

[froglips]

Originally Posted by Rocker949

Maybe it is because you have the perspective of a guitarist playing bass. Maybe even Noel Redding had some of the same thoughts. I suppose there is nothing wrong with that. Personally, though, I would rather play rock bass than anything. I find myself bored out of my mind if I can't play genres I actually like such as rock.

Please do not get me wrong here (I know I used some strong words against Rock Bass), but I will NEVER stop playing Rock music all-together on any of the instruments I own. I will always want to Rock out, even if I have to feel completely retarded doing it! Hell, half of the fun of playing Rock music in the first place is feeling completely retarded while doing it!

I will just always be looking really hard for Rock Bass songs that have a little more to them than just banging on the E and A strings all of the time (Not that that ain't fun to do sometimes too!).

All music is fun to play at some time or another IMHO!

[stflbn]

IMHO... rock basslines are traditionally boring because rock is more of a guitar driven genre. Put a bass line in a rock song that varies from the guitars and the guitars can't just do what they normally do.

So, IMHO rock bass lines are boring because it supports guitars standing out. Which is an expectation by many guitar players... as a test try not allowing a majority of guitar players to stand out and see the drama that ensues if they feel they're being upstaged by the bass player.


Some can handle it... many cannot...


.

[Godbody]

I can relate. I occasionally play guitar, usually a semihollow, and the type of music I enjoy playing with that instrument (jangly indie/fingerpicked styles) is something I wouldn't want to play on bass (normally hardcore punk, more recently James Brown tunes). Mind you, I mostly keep the semi-hollow around because it impresses the girls a little more.

The one exception is when I play Kyuss (they detune to C-standard) or other super-detuned stoner metal; I like to play rhythm for those, because the dynamic is almost like playing hardcore basslines, and the detuned bass parts are a much different feel from what I like.

Kind of the same thing coming from the opposite direction.

[JimK]

Originally Posted by stflbn

IMHO... rock basslines are traditionally boring because rock is more of a guitar driven genre. Put a bass line in a rock song that varies from the guitars and the guitars can't just do what they normally do.

So, IMHO rock bass lines are boring because it supports guitars standing out. Which is an expectation by many guitar players... as a test try not allowing a majority of guitar players to stand out and see the drama that ensues if they feel they're being upstaged by the bass player.

Hmmmm...what "kind" of Rock?
I wouldn't say any of the following have, for the most part, "boring" bassists-
Sometimes, they played a supportive role & other times they a 'non-trational/bending the barrier' role-
The Beatles
Cream
The Who
Led Zep,
Jethro Tull
Chicago
The Faces
Humble Pie
Santana
Steely Dan
Blood, Sweat, & Tears
Edgar Winter's White Trash
Captain Beyond
James Gang
Alice Cooper
Uriah Heep
Grand Funk
The Guess Who
Elton John
Three Dog Night, etc, etc, etc

...and that's primarily groups from the '60s/'70s.

No doubt, there's "traditional" Rock n' Roll bass figures (i.e. "Johnny B. Goode")...there's also "traditional" Soul/R&B/Funk figures, too (i.e. "Rescue Me")
Stax recordings are like a Bible of now-stock R&B/Soul bass figures.

[Terp619]

Radio type rock is for ****** bass players.

Maybe I shouldn't say ******, but they do not tend to be creative. The only bass player that I think is a pretty creative player for the genre is the bass player from kings of leon. Very simple but his style is not the same from every other rock bass player. I like it.

Seriously though when a bass player sticks to the root notes and only the root notes I always give them a thumbs down.

[Chunk-O-Funk]

Originally Posted by froglips

I am sure this makes no sense at all to most of you out there, but I am really curious to see if any one else has had this happen to them.

Thank you for your time!

No, to me it makes total sense, although I'm sure it depends on what drives people to play what they play.

I've been playing bass for some twenty five years and I think I did what you are doing now. I was brought up listening to rock and that's what I first started playing, but as my skills got better I was bored with some of the bass lines I had learned. I actually remember telling by brothers (former band mates) when I was young that I never want to play as simple as Ian Hill from Judas Priest. I wanted to do more than just pedal the root notes. Of course now I understand his style was just part of Judas Priest and anything different simply wouldn't be Judas Priest.

Still though, as a bassist or I should say the selfish side of the bassist had me looking for better things to play and I couldn't find it in the rock world. Sure there are plenty examples in rock music to contradict what I just wrote, but you sure can't find the same groove as in Funk and R&B. To me it seems to be the complete package as far as playing bass goes. The bass lines are a bit more up front and really dictate the groove of the song. The best time I've ever had (musically) was playing in an eight piece horn band. We did a little bit of everything. In short, it's where it's at for the bassist and finding different music to play is just a natural progression. Even the simplest bass line in a R&B song still has a killer groove. Much better than peddling a root note.

I still love Rock, but I don't think I could ever go back to a band and play just Rock. I just don't have the drive/angst for it anymore.

[BassChuck]

The more you know, the greater your point of view... and as that increases the more you'll see and hear. The upward spiral continues and more and more possibilities seem attainable intellectually, physically and emotionally. Combinations of sounds that at one time seemed pointless, now hold potential for your expression. Avoid words like, Can't, Won't, Never, Always. Every idea that exists has a reason for existance (yea, even the crazy ones). Try to find the value.