Bass Battle: Rehab for Slap-Shred Fanatics

[Beginner Bass]

My friend, who I have known for the majority of my life (8 yrs./13 yrs, not much but hey) I found at a year ago, was into bass, which I found out after talking to him in 6th grade orchestra last year (Haven't had a real conversation with him in years) is into bass. He said he essentially transfered his guitar lessons (Which he'd been taking for a while) to bass. I figured, ok, good for him. Now he will not shut up about how "amazing" he is. He believes Flea is the greatest, most funkiest thing to ever bless this Earth, and always starts playing "Dani California" or "Can't Stop" whenever he has a bass (Even a DB). Today he started talking about how much "better" than me he was. I realized today he was in need of an ego check.

I would normally say "good for him, he can play some overrated 'mastery' of slap from a bassist who I personally believe doesn't deserve his praise". But he, quite frankly, has no sense of beat or rythym. He couldn't hold a beat for his life without having it written down for him. So I believe it's time for a Bass Battle.

I'm looking for a set of challenges that will not nescessarily require blinding 32nd note slapping at a tempo of 45643248 BPM, but require a basic sense of pocket and rythym. No covers. The focus of this is the basic role of a bass. so I'm looking for a minimal ammount of wankery.

For the judging system I was thinking blind test with 2 sound clips posted here. So please, all suggestions are welcome.

[tracer03]

I think the challenge is not to let it bother you. There will always be people that *think* they are better than you - at playing bass, school, work, or just life - and it's not your job - or even your responsibility - to try to disprove them.

Personal example: Years ago, I happened to be at a house party with a score of other local musicians. One guy there made a big show of telling everyone how good he was - he had endorsements, was recording at Paisley Park with Prince, etc. He was a shredmeister - 8 million notes a second.

Well, the beer flows, people showed up with instruments, and we headed to the studio for a jam. He grabs a guitar, lays out a whole bunch of noise, er..."256th note solos" including 2-hand tapping, Yngwie Malmsteen Classical Music riff coppage, etc.

After about 10 minutes of this, he stopped, waiting for the adoration, oohs and ahhs of the people (primarily females, but the rest of us shlub musicians as well, no doubt) - only to be greeted with silence. Someone popped off, 'hey, how about some blues jam in E?' - and a bunch of us jumped in and kicked it out. He stood there, tried to slam a few 512-th note solos over the 12-bar blues we were playing, then went and stood in the corner.

For the next 2 hours we played everything from Rush to Black Sabbath to Neil Young to 12 Bar blues. He didn't play another note. He was great at shredding, but he couldn't swing it when it wasn't at mach 12, and he couldn't improv, or just 'play'.

He currently resides in the 'where is he now' file.

My point? Even Flea would probably say that 'without the groove, it's just noise'.

Don't let it bother you. If he's that much of an a$$, find people to surround yourself with that actually make you feel good about yourself, not better.

And always remember: people who think they know it all really will always frustrate those of us that do....

And if you still want a challenge: 12 bar blues-style groove, D - G - A, make up your own bridge. Play along with a metronome. No effects. Post the clips here, side-by-side, and let TB peeps be the judge.

[Gerlan86]

And if you still want a challenge: 12 bar blues-style groove, D - G - A, make up your own bridge. Play along with a metronome. No effects. Post the clips here, side-by-side, and let TB peeps be the judge.

If you follow with this, do not tell who's clip it is so that the judging won't be biased

[Beginner Bass]

Originally Posted by tracer03

I think the challenge is not to let it bother you. There will always be people that *think* they are better than you - at playing bass, school, work, or just life - and it's not your job - or even your responsibility - to try to disprove them.

Personal example: Years ago, I happened to be at a house party with a score of other local musicians. One guy there made a big show of telling everyone how good he was - he had endorsements, was recording at Paisley Park with Prince, etc. He was a shredmeister - 8 million notes a second.

Well, the beer flows, people showed up with instruments, and we headed to the studio for a jam. He grabs a guitar, lays out a whole bunch of noise, er..."256th note solos" including 2-hand tapping, Yngwie Malmsteen Classical Music riff coppage, etc.

After about 10 minutes of this, he stopped, waiting for the adoration, oohs and ahhs of the people (primarily females, but the rest of us shlub musicians as well, no doubt) - only to be greeted with silence. Someone popped off, 'hey, how about some blues jam in E?' - and a bunch of us jumped in and kicked it out. He stood there, tried to slam a few 512-th note solos over the 12-bar blues we were playing, then went and stood in the corner.

For the next 2 hours we played everything from Rush to Black Sabbath to Neil Young to 12 Bar blues. He didn't play another note. He was great at shredding, but he couldn't swing it when it wasn't at mach 12, and he couldn't improv, or just 'play'.

He currently resides in the 'where is he now' file.

My point? Even Flea would probably say that 'without the groove, it's just noise'.

Don't let it bother you. If he's that much of an a$$, find people to surround yourself with that actually make you feel good about yourself, not better.

And always remember: people who think they know it all really will always frustrate those of us that do....

And if you still want a challenge: 12 bar blues-style groove, D - G - A, make up your own bridge. Play along with a metronome. No effects. Post the clips here, side-by-side, and let TB peeps be the judge.

I agree with almost you have said. But honestly I don't care about what he says. It's actually more of a lesson for his good. I'm using this a friendly way to help him understand there's more to bass than just slapping spasmadically. I know this sounds really self-righteous but, it's really more for his sake than it is mine.

[champbassist]

Originally Posted by Beginner Bass

I agree with almost you have said. But honestly I don't care about what he says. It's actually more of a lesson for his good. I'm using this a friendly way to help him understand there's more to bass than just slapping spasmadically. I know this sounds really self-righteous but, it's really more for his sake than it is mine.

IMHO, if you think that by "defeating" him at a bass challenge you're going to drive sense into him and ego out of him, sorry to say, but it ain't happening. Most people who have such bloated egos (case in point: telling YOU how much better than you he is) will only try to enforce themselves on you and won't accept defeat (even if you are judged better in this scenario, sometime in the future, he'll try to get back at you). At one point of time, even I thought this way- trying to better people by pointing out their mistakes. But you will gain nothing but negative opinions from people who you tried to help thus.

Originally Posted by tracer03

I think the challenge is not to let it bother you. There will always be people that *think* they are better than you - at playing bass, school, work, or just life - and it's not your job - or even your responsibility - to try to disprove them.

And always remember: people who think they know it all really will always frustrate those of us that do....

+<insert monstrous positive integer here>.

[DudeistMonk]

Originally Posted by Beginner Bass

My friend, who I have known for the majority of my life (8 yrs./13 yrs, not much but hey) I found at a year ago, was into bass, which I found out after talking to him in 6th grade orchestra last year (Haven't had a real conversation with him in years) is into bass. He said he essentially transfered his guitar lessons (Which he'd been taking for a while) to bass. I figured, ok, good for him. Now he will not shut up about how "amazing" he is. He believes Flea is the greatest, most funkiest thing to ever bless this Earth, and always starts playing "Dani California" or "Can't Stop" whenever he has a bass (Even a DB). Today he started talking about how much "better" than me he was. I realized today he was in need of an ego check.

I would normally say "good for him, he can play some overrated 'mastery' of slap from a bassist who I personally believe doesn't deserve his praise". But he, quite frankly, has no sense of beat or rythym. He couldn't hold a beat for his life without having it written down for him. So I believe it's time for a Bass Battle.

I'm looking for a set of challenges that will not nescessarily require blinding 32nd note slapping at a tempo of 45643248 BPM, but require a basic sense of pocket and rythym. No covers. The focus of this is the basic role of a bass. so I'm looking for a minimal ammount of wankery.

For the judging system I was thinking blind test with 2 sound clips posted here. So please, all suggestions are welcome.

Meh, fleas lines aren't THAT difficult, also flea does have groove and substance and I don't feel like he overplays. Dani is a really simple tune, the fills are what make it interesting, does he play fleas fills note for note, improv his own or just play the basic line over and over?...just curious?

If you want to play music, and I mean make it an ongoing part of your life, get used to this. Just remember that anyone who spends all of their musical time on technique and isn't Victor Wooten probably has some serious confidence issues at the core of their being. Wanting to have a bass-off is an understandable but ultimately immature reaction, there are better ways to prove yourself.

[Jools4001]

And then, there is always the possibility that he is 'better' than you?

Wherever you go in life and however good your bass playing, there will always be somebody 'better' than you and there will always be people who are worse, just accept it, there really is no point in trying to teach people a lesson in humility through cranking up your own ego.

What is 'better' anyway? Flea is better than Victor Wooten...at playing like Flea.

[Drop-the-One]

I say don't battle him

If you try too hard to prove publically you're better than him,
it looks less professional on your part.

If you battled him infront of a crowd, and slayed him... no one would really care.

[Nashrakh]

Originally Posted by Beginner Bass

He believes Flea is the greatest, most funkiest thing to ever bless this Earth, and always starts playing "Dani California" or "Can't Stop" whenever he has a bass (Even a DB).

Ah I see, so that's how one fakes the funk!



Well, too bad you apply the "no covers" rule. I'd suggest "Boogie Wonderland" by Earth, Wind and Fire.

Pretty easy line to play, but to make it groove is when the magic happens.

[Beginner Bass]

OK, I'm really not getting my point across well. All I want to try to get him to realize that that kind of stuff is not all there is to bass. Tracer, the point of this is not so much to squash his ego as it is to try and stop him from becoming Mr. 512th-Note Solos in your story. The fact he's being a pompous idiot is not my problem. My problem is what he's using to back up his claim.

Meh, fleas lines aren't THAT difficult, also flea does have groove and substance and I don't feel like he overplays. Dani is a really simple tune, the fills are what make it interesting, does he play fleas fills note for note, improv his own or just play the basic line over and over?...just curious?

Basic line. Over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over. Same for Can't Stop.

[Beginner Bass]

Originally Posted by Nashrakh

Ah I see, so that's how one fakes the funk!



Well, too bad you apply the "no covers" rule. I'd suggest "Boogie Wonderland" by Earth, Wind and Fire.

Pretty easy line to play, but to make it groove is when the magic happens.

Well the "no covers" was just kind of to keep it more rythym-based.

And yes, he has managed to fake the funk.

[Bocete]

Oblivious people are oblivious, and will stay oblivious no matter what you throw at them. Making them realize they're wrong is futile. Don't waste time on that jerk.