Do Bass players and keyboard players ever get along?

[de la mocha]

Speaking from my own personal experiences, it appears, (not saying that this is fact), that keyboard players seem to be arrogant and look down on us bassists.

[wingnut]

Don't feel bad, they seem to look down on all other musicians as a group. I think I know about a couple dozen key players and only three of them are down to earth and genuinely friendly. Just an observation, the friendly ones are basically self taught.

[Gard]

The only keyboardist I really got along well with over a long period was a former bassist that knew how to stay the hell out of my way.



There were a few others that took direction well, and we tolerated each other.

Most keyboardists I've dealt with have overactive left hands, and should find something else to keep them occupied at gigs.

[pedro]

Do Bass players and keyboard players ever get along?

I get along fine with the guys I've played with.

[bassteban]

The only musicians I know of that do not look down on lowly bassists are drummers, & they're as dumb as we are.

[bassbrad]

I guess i am lucky because the keyboard player I work with the most is also a bass player, so he knows how good i am.
OTOH he knows how much I suck on keys, compared to him so it evens things out.

[capnsandwich]

My experiences with keyboard players have all been great. We have one in our band that knows theory like the back of his hand but he hates it when I can't make practice. He knows his role and knows mine as well. We have one at church that constantly relies on me to carry the groove and make her sound better. She's always bragging on me. And again, there's 2 at a church that I help out from time to time that love it when I come and play with them. They're all very friendly and always compliment me on what I do for the songs as a whole.

We bassists may get a bad rap because of how we're portrayed on TV and on stage but true musicians know the role we play and can respect it. I'd like to see them try to do what they do with 10 fingers on a bass using 4.

[bassteban]

The two keyboardists I've played with were very supportive/cooperative and phenomenal vocalists. Back in my early-80s punk rock days we had no respect, but as a friend once said, keys take the garage out of your band.

[Bearded Bugs]

My synth player's one of the nicest guys I know, we're good mates

[BillyRay]

Only keyboardists that think that every song should be based around their part while they have a hard time grooving or improvising nice stuff. The bad ones are basically guitar rythmn players that can and do get in your sonic space...

With that said, I've met a few selct keyboardists who play their instrument with taste and know how to groove, keep time and and their colour to the mix. Every instrument is a spice and most of the time, keyboard is the spiciest of all.


Bass and drums: Salt and pepper, makes or breaks the receipie while not being very flashy most of the time.
Guitar: Herbs (basil, etc.). You need them almost always and they stand out.
Keyboards: Jalapeno. The receipe can be based around it (Mexican cuisine), but not every genre needs to.

[cnltb]

Originally Posted by pedro

I get along fine with the guys I've played with.

+1

[Stumpy]

In my experience all the players that are actual musicians, not just hacks, get along fine...if their personalities click --> there are always going to be some personality conflicts.

But if the players are hacks ...

[Mudshark23]

q: how many bassists does it take to screw in a light bulb?

a: none, the keyboardist can do it with their left hand.

[Jazzdogg]

I'd be curious to see what kinds of responses a question like this would elicit if it were posted on the DB side of TB.

Some of the best, most musical, most educational, and truly collaborative experiences I've had as a bassist have been while playing with jazz pianists as part of a duo or trio; they seem far more able, and willing, than guitarists to play in a wide range of keys - it's nice to play in keys other than E, B, A, D, and G

OTOH, some of the most overbearing, unlistening, egotistical players I've ever had to endure have been organists. Also annoying are synth players who seem to spend at least as much time farting around with their gear as guitarists with inordinately large and complex pedalboards. And then there are the solo pianists who are so accustomed to playing alone that they have difficulty playing with other musicians, whether they play bass or something else.

Just like bassists, keyboard players come in a variety of flavors; it seems music isn't a one-size-fits-all proposition, no matter which instrument(s) one plays...

[CrazyArcher]

After hearing a plenty of stories about keyboard players with horrid personalities, I'm curious how my upcoming project will turn out - it's an Ozzy tribute band featuring a key player

[jmaestro]

I play keys and I'm really cool (I think)................... but I also picked up the bass though

[not_jason]

I've only been in two bands with keyboard players, and in both cases my experiences were sort of miserable. But in both cases, it was pretty much due to specific shortcomings of those particular people.

In one case, it wasn't that we conflicted for space on the low end or anything, but I disliked his contributions to the songs as well as his management practices (for some reason, he managed us). After I quit the band, I talked to him after a show once and he seemed pretty rad. I just could not work with him.

More recently I was in a three piece band featuring me on bass, my buddy on drums, and some chick we know playing keys and singing. In her case, her personality as well as her unwillingness/inability to really take in her surroundings was what made it difficult for us. Both me and the drummer had to follow her, which was incredibly difficult.

In the latter case, she tended to put relatively strong pronounced basslines in her keyboard parts, which did make it harder for me, as the bassist, to work freely on the bottom end. In the end though, I liked that aspect of working with her, because it forced me to do things I otherwise would not have. I liked trying to interact with her bass parts sometimes, which produced interesting low end harmonies. In other cases, I enjoyed the rare freedom of not NEEDING to hold down the bottom end, which really opened up the opportunity to play lead melodies. Combined with the fact that I wasn't competing with a guitar, it allowed for a lot of new things I wouldn't be able to do in a traditional guitar/bass/drums trio. I'd love to be able to play in a band like that again... just not with that girl.

[LumpyGravy]

Been with my keyboard/singer for 7 yrs. Every now and then we step on each other's toes, but it has never been a bad situation.

[cranberrysauce]

Well, in my band, the keyman and the bassist are the same person....

So "we" get along just fine

But seriously, when I learn a new song in the band, I create the bassline first. I then add keyboards/organ around the bassline. In other word, my key melodies basically compliment my basslines. But that's during recording. Alot of times live, we leave the keys or have our rythm player switch to bass while I play keys.

[Rattman]

Originally Posted by de la mocha

Speaking from my own personal experiences, it appears, (not saying that this is fact), that keyboard players seem to be arrogant and look down on us bassists.

I tend to think that in a band situation, KB players really aren't aware of bassists at all. Almost like we are "beneath" their contempt or notice. Pretty irritating actually. But just try to rise above it.. as the KB guys also have a function (sometimes..)