bass players selling out

[JimiLL]

Originally Posted by guy n. cognito

I'm a bass player, and bass solos bore me. And, honestly, I don't think anyone is "forced" to sell out. Throw a few million at me and I'll back Justin Beiber all day long.......

It would take a lot less than a few million for me to back the beeb

[Clef_de_fa]

Originally Posted by kurosawa

Hell yeah, I'll play a bass solo. Doesn't mean ya gotta bust the groove. Most heavily airplayed and bought bass solos of all time? Brown-Eyed Girl and Another One Bites the Dust, right off the top of my head.

Those are bass solo ???

[DSims63]

Originally Posted by wilberthenry

"Quality" is totally subjective. Read "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintainence" and then come up with a definition of what "quality music" is.

+1 I always thought a book called Zen and the Art of Bass Playing would be great.

[lfmn16]

Originally Posted by bass12

Selling out? Bass players are, 99% of the time, sidemen. That's what playing bass is about - helping to provide the foundation for a song. It's not about us. Too bad so many "bass players" don't seem to get that these days...

If you want to limit yourself to that role, feel free. However, don't place your limitations on those of us who are actually equal members of their bands.

[BassKitty101]

Well I think we can assume that people have different goals.

If you want to make music for musicians, go ahead and create something super complicated and laden with effects and solos.

If you want to make music for non-musicians then observe what they like and deliver.

I've always been much more interested in making the average persons day by playing them a simple tune than working my butt off to try and impress some music snob who will never like anything you do anyways.

[bassteban]

I like shakin the butts. Getting paid for is pretty wonderful, I try to do it as often as possible

[mjac28]

Originally Posted by BassKitty101

Well I think we can assume that people have different goals.

If you want to make music for musicians, go ahead and create something super complicated and laden with effects and solos.

If you want to make music for non-musicians then observe what they like and deliver.

I've always been much more interested in making the average persons day by playing them a simple tune than working my butt off to try and impress some music snob who will never like anything you do anyways.

+1 great post people like what they like and if being Lady GaGa was so easy there would be a lot more like her running around.

[lfmn16]

Originally Posted by BassKitty101

Well I think we can assume that people have different goals.

If you want to make music for musicians, go ahead and create something super complicated and laden with effects and solos.

If you want to make music for non-musicians then observe what they like and deliver.

I've always been much more interested in making the average persons day by playing them a simple tune than working my butt off to try and impress some music snob who will never like anything you do anyways.

I'm not sure why you think that it is either a choice between being a sideman or playing super complicated, effects laden, and solos. There is a lot of middle ground for someone who can think for himself.

I don't consider sir Paul either of those extremes and there are plenty of other examples of bass players who were more than sidemen and less than soloists.

[JakeF]

"Sell-Out" is just a convenient label for musicians who make you feel insecure.

Who you label a sell-out says more about you than them. After all, do any of us actually know people we label sell-outs?

[BassKitty101]

Originally Posted by lfmn16

I'm not sure why you think that it is either a choice between being a sideman or playing super complicated, effects laden, and solos. There is a lot of middle ground for someone who can think for himself.

I don't consider sir Paul either of those extremes and there are plenty of other examples of bass players who were more than sidemen and less than soloists.

But the main difference there is playing for the music or playing for yourself.

[Mykk]

What defines selling out? Playing a genre of music that the player may not naturally be attracted to (or even dislike) in the name of a pay check?

Well, seeing as how I make a living doing for hire bass playing work and I may not always enjoy the material being played. Then yes, I am.

[johnny5string]

I think a sell out is someone who gives up on their dreams and then goes and gets a "real job" when things get a little tough. If someone is making money making music, that is not selling out, That is living the dream. Who cares if someone's song is in a car commercial? I'm sure it's nice to keep a roof over your head and food on the table that way. The term sell out is a pathetic label invented by jealous people to make themselves feel better about not having the wear-with-all to go out and struggle a little bit to be happy about what they do for a living.

[two fingers]

Originally Posted by johnny5string

I think a sell out is someone who gives up on their dreams and then goes and gets a "real job" when things get a little tough. If someone is making money making music, that is not selling out, That is living the dream.

Nope. That's living YOUR dream. Yes, I stopped playing music full-time. And I am currently back in school at age 41 trying to "fit into" this world in a way that doesn't involve having a bass around my neck at 3a.m. 4 hours from home. BUT, the thing is, that shift in me occurred when I mat an amazing woman, got married, and had two of the most beautiful children you can picture in your head. That BECAME my dream. I would RATHER see them than a bunch of bar whores at 2 a.m. most nights. I can still play when I want, and get paid dearly for every gig I play or run sound for. And I STILL get to go home to a nice house and a beautiful family. THAT, my friend, is my dream. Now, in no way am I knocking you for wanting to play music as a dream. In fact, it's my whole point. As long as you are living YOUR dream, you are NOT selling out. Yours seems to be music (right now). Mine is my family. Neither of us is selling out.

The video was stupid. The "point" was stupid. If you are doing what YOU want (even if that's playing Brown Eyed Girl 4 nights a week), making ENOUGH money (whatever that means in your world), and not hurting anybody in the process, then you are living the dream. Anyone who calls you a sellout is a jerk.

However, anyone who sits around recording "their art" for 5 decades riding up and down the road in beat up rusty vans staying in rat infested hotels and sleeping with women who were in somebody else's bed last night dirt poor wondering why the rest of the world isn't "smart enough to get you and your music" just so they can say the never sold out is not living any dream either. Just sayin. (And before you jump, I'm not stupid. I know there's a huge middle ground I didn't cover there. Even as long-winded as I can get, I don't have all day to cover every possibility.)

[two fingers]

Originally Posted by bassteban

I like shakin the butts. Getting paid for is pretty wonderful, I try to do it as often as possible

And while we're at it, this too!

[BayStateBass]

I thought the video was comical, I laughed.

I have no delusions of grandeur as far as my playing.

I am a solid, dependable side man who gets it done. Nothing too fancy, nothing wild, I can solo but the music I play doesn't call for it and I'm good with that. I'm doing what I like to do and playing what I find compelling in music (for me).

Actually, on a funny side note, with my current band we went week after week practicing while the guitarists did their thing, singer, etc....nobody ever making a comment, good or bad, about what I was doing.

Then one night I just didn't play a song. I decided to play with the PA and try to dial some stuff in with the mics and FX and stuff. When the rest were done, the singer looked over at me and said, "Wow. That's really empty without you playing, Jer." The room was silent. Everyone kinda laughed a little.

I was told not to do that again......

Best compliment I probably ever got. You see, nobody really noticed or thought much about what I was playing when I was playing it, but when I stopped everyone noticed.

To me, that's my job and I feel I do it well.

[kurosawa]

Originally Posted by Clef_de_fa

Those are bass solo ???

You must not have listened to 'em. Try YouTube. Hear the solos?

[johnny5string]

Originally Posted by two fingers

Nope. That's living YOUR dream. Yes, I stopped playing music full-time. And I am currently back in school at age 41 trying to "fit into" this world in a way that doesn't involve having a bass around my neck at 3a.m. 4 hours from home. BUT, the thing is, that shift in me occurred when I mat an amazing woman, got married, and had two of the most beautiful children you can picture in your head. That BECAME my dream. I would RATHER see them than a bunch of bar whores at 2 a.m. most nights. I can still play when I want, and get paid dearly for every gig I play or run sound for. And I STILL get to go home to a nice house and a beautiful family. THAT, my friend, is my dream. Now, in no way am I knocking you for wanting to play music as a dream. In fact, it's my whole point. As long as you are living YOUR dream, you are NOT selling out. Yours seems to be music (right now). Mine is my family. Neither of us is selling out.

The video was stupid. The "point" was stupid. If you are doing what YOU want (even if that's playing Brown Eyed Girl 4 nights a week), making ENOUGH money (whatever that means in your world), and not hurting anybody in the process, then you are living the dream. Anyone who calls you a sellout is a jerk.

However, anyone who sits around recording "their art" for 5 decades riding up and down the road in beat up rusty vans staying in rat infested hotels and sleeping with women who were in somebody else's bed last night dirt poor wondering why the rest of the world isn't "smart enough to get you and your music" just so they can say the never sold out is not living any dream either. Just sayin. (And before you jump, I'm not stupid. I know there's a huge middle ground I didn't cover there. Even as long-winded as I can get, I don't have all day to cover every possibility.)

I totally agree with you.

[pklima]

Originally Posted by Manuel101

I think the music world forces musicians to sell out because quality music is often ignored while mediocrity is celebrated.

LOL, no. There's not enough money in being a bassist to get me to sell out. My day job just pays too well. I play mainstream pop music because I like it, and because I'm a nice person who wants to make the world a better place with more girls shaking more butts.

[Toptube]

Originally Posted by Manuel101

I think the music world forces musicians to sell out because quality music is often ignored while mediocrity is celebrated. This video pretty much says it all https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvtUtWiro4Y

This is a troll post but I will bite:

in this video, the bassist is doing nothing but slamming out as many notes as he can, as quickly as he can. Its all about him, its for him, its nothing. He also never takes a second to look up at his "audience".

That guitarist, while strumming a couple of basic chords, its looking out at his audience nearly the whole time. he's also got a complete song going: rhythm, and singing.

a bassist could engineer some simple songs and sing a long if he wanted. But even better, he could set up some rhythm tracks that allow him to play an undeniable groove, but is open enough for him to riff and improvise. and they don't just have to be drum tracks. He could *gasp* put some guitar in the back track as well! Its also nice when bassists move to their own groove and actually look at their audience, smile, and look like they are having fun.

[lfmn16]

Originally Posted by BassKitty101

But the main difference there is playing for the music or playing for yourself.

I never said you shouldn't. I just said that I was an equal member of the band, not a sideman. Besides, 'playing for the music' doesn't mean anything. Everyone plays what they think is best for the song. Wanking is when someone plays more notes than you think they should; it's all subjective.