Things only WE notice

[StrangerDanger]

I always equate drums to the offensive line, bass is the running game, rhythm guitar is the qb and lead guitar is the diva wide receiver. Lol

[Razman]

Last night at practice my drummer said he couldn't hear me that well. I rotated my stack (two Hartke 4x10's and one 1x15) towards him slightly and proceeded with our practice. After the next song he said, "YESS! Your bass is now in my head!!" I took this as an indication that the tone and volume of my bass playing was satisfactory and needed no further adjustment.

Last fall we played at one of our church's youth rally (~750 yoots). I was down on funds and wasn't able to purchase new strings for the gig. So, I went there with about three-month old D'Addario ProSteels and hoped for the best (I prefer bright, zingy new SS strings; these were far from that).

We got there and their rig was a Walkabout Scout into a Mesa 2x15 cab - not the ideal cab for my preferred tone of aggressive mids and highs. However, with sufficient tweaking I was able to get a pleasing tone out of the entire setup and we proceeded to play about 20-25 songs for them over three days.

After our last set on the last day, their sound engineer commented on how good my bass sounded. That was cool that he noticed.

[powmetalbassist]

Originally Posted by StrangerDanger

I always equate drums to the offensive line, bass is the running game, rhythm guitar is the qb and lead guitar is the diva wide receiver. Lol

+Awesomeness

[lomo]

Reminds me of a quote by legendary Montral goalie Jaques Plante: I have the toughest job in the world. When I make a mistake, a red light goes on behind my back and 20,000 bosses give me hell :-)

[ddawson2012]

This couldn't be more accurate - i feel as though you've been sitting in on our rehearsals....

[superbee66]

played soccer for years always played defense. 200+games scored one goal. played guitar for a few years, never quite "got it". started bass a couple of years ago. a natural easy fit, love it. pissed at myself for not pickin it up sooner.

[superbee66]

oh yeah, on topic my guitarist/ singer thinks my traynor yba200-2 can and does sound exactly like my blackface bassman

[gdawg27]

I was at a wedding after party at a hotel and there was a band playing "Give it to me Baby". The bass player played the entire tune a 1/2 step off. To me it was like nails on a chalkboard but as long as the people are dancing, who cares?

[Mooch]

This even happens in original acts. When you get into the studio and lay your part down. I have heard wow that's awesome did you change what you were doing? No... You guys just weren't listening...

[domestique]

Played D-Middy Lacrosse (long pole) in high school & college.... just started playing hockey and I only play forward because my backward skating sucks!


One of my favorite Victor Wooten lessons is from one of his DVDs. He played nothing but all the WRONG notes soloing over other players, but he played with a groove that made it sound great.... He then played all the "right" notes but was all over the place and it sounded like garbage. 90% of the time as long as you are grooving the audience will not be the wiser.

[Old Fart]

Originally Posted by meals

...and the best way to describe what the bass does to those who don't know (i.e. MOST people), is to say they only notice it when it goes away... When the bass stops people leave the dance floor, the bar gets busy and the conversations start - 'cuz there ain't no boogie anymore (regardless of who or how many others keeps playing)!

The exception being bass solos.

I played DE and CB.

I don't hear lyrics. I don't hear tinkly-tinkly guitar crap. I'm listening to the drums and the bass and whoever else is playing rhythm (horns, keyboards, etc.). I hear the backbone. The part that makes the music MOVE. Not the ornaments......the TREE.

[Munjibunga]

Tonight we were visited at our practice by another bass player. He said he noticed that I use several different finger-style picking patterns in different songs. I said, "I just use whichever finger gets to the string first."

[MysticMichael]

Originally Posted by dougjwray

If you've ever spent time in a cover band, have you been amazed by how many times people -- even bandmates -- compliment you on something you've played, as though it was your idea, when actually it's a hugely conspicuous element of the original bassist's part?
One example: the tritone lick in the verses of Robert Palmer's "Doctor Doctor." When I recorded a demo version of that, the engineer said, "I really like what you're throwing in there!" Me: "It's in the original... I didn't come up with it." Him: "Huh. I never noticed it. Huh."

Okay, this post is a lot about nothing. But this phenomenon always reminds me of how much bass playing goes unnoticed, even by fellow musicians.

It's called "having a good ear" - a key component of good musicianship in general. And I'm afraid that we bassists can't claim any particular monopoly on it. All good musicians ought to be able to deconstruct what they hear in this manner - regardless of instrument(s) played...

Now it may be that bassists, due to the frequency range in which they play, have developed exemplary listening skills by necessity. I might grant you that...

MM

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by Razman

Last night at practice my drummer said he couldn't hear me that well. I rotated my stack (two Hartke 4x10's and one 1x15) towards him slightly and proceeded with our practice. After the next song he said, "YESS! Your bass is now in my head!!" I took this as an indication that the tone and volume of my bass playing was satisfactory and needed no further adjustment.

Last fall we played at one of our church's youth rally (~750 yoots). I was down on funds and wasn't able to purchase new strings for the gig. So, I went there with about three-month old D'Addario ProSteels and hoped for the best (I prefer bright, zingy new SS strings; these were far from that).We got there and their rig was a Walkabout Scout into a Mesa 2x15 cab - not the ideal cab for my preferred tone of aggressive mids and highs. However, with sufficient tweaking I was able to get a pleasing tone out of the entire setup and we proceeded to play about 20-25 songs for them over three days.

After our last set on the last day, their sound engineer commented on how good my bass sounded. That was cool that he noticed.

Which is why I replace my strings every four years ... and I can afford new ones. Fodera sent me a 12-year supply of strings with my bass - the set that's on it and two more sets.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by dougjwray

If you've ever spent time in a cover band, have you been amazed by how many times people -- even bandmates -- compliment you on something you've played, as though it was your idea, when actually it's a hugely conspicuous element of the original bassist's part?
One example: the tritone lick in the verses of Robert Palmer's "Doctor Doctor." When I recorded a demo version of that, the engineer said, "I really like what you're throwing in there!" Me: "It's in the original... I didn't come up with it." Him: "Huh. I never noticed it. Huh."

Okay, this post is a lot about nothing. But this phenomenon always reminds me of how much bass playing goes unnoticed, even by fellow musicians.

My trio plays "Doctor My Eyes" and I've seen people dig it when I play Lee Sklar's fast sorta-pentatonic intro dropping into the verse. There are parts of some songs that just have to be there.

[iriegnome]

Ok. I have stopped laughing enough to respond. These kinds of things happen all the time. During a show (years ago) we played River of Dreams by Billy Joel. Our keyboard player came to me during set break and asked why I was playing the part during the vocal vamp toward the end of the tune and that I should not play where there was no bass parts. Well, I pulled out the copy during practice and promptly spanked him in front of the rest of the band with the proof. There are tons of tunes like that. Whisper to a Scream by Icicle Works before the ending there is also a subtle bass riff that I loved to play, but the lead singer said it was distracting! Never can win

[Razman]

Crossing over from guitar to bass helped my ability to pick music apart immensely. Haven't looked at tab in years as it can be incorrect; if we learn a difficult cover we slow it down to dissect it. My sound man frequently engages me to assist whenever possible.

[Beersurgeon]

Originally Posted by lomo

Reminds me of a quote by legendary Montral goalie Jaques Plante: I have the toughest job in the world. When I make a mistake, a red light goes on behind my back and 20,000 bosses give me hell :-)

+1 I love this quote!!!

[billgwx]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

Tonight we were visited at our practice by another bass player. He said he noticed that I use several different finger-style picking patterns in different songs. I said, "I just use whichever finger gets to the string first."

Funny coincidence...young sound guy at our church is a bass player too, and after Mass had ended this morning he came down and asked me the exact same thing. That launched a pretty long discussion that wove in and out of technique, merits of J vs. P basses, etc.--somewhere in there I pointed him in the direction of TB so maybe he'll pop in soon?

[trkelley]

I dropped out of high school to go on the road with a working band. Sports were on TV in the bar.