That's pretty limiting, but I guess you could install Windows 3.11 on top of it and do a bit more with that...
Sorry, couldn't resist.
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2 basses in a band?
- Thread starter pushbuttonfour
- Start date
That's pretty limiting, but I guess you could install Windows 3.11 on top of it and do a bit more with that...
Sorry, couldn't resist.
being different for the sake of being different < making good music for the sake of making good music
don't put too much importance on being different... especially not with 2 bassists... because it probably won't sound good unless they are both absolute masters of their instrument.
don't put too much importance on being different... especially not with 2 bassists... because it probably won't sound good unless they are both absolute masters of their instrument.
- Mar 8, 2011
- 12,232
- 51,187
- Disclosures
- Authorized greenboy designs builder/Owner of BNA Audio
Naw, I've heard a few bands do it well...in my case a buddy wanted to play on this project I was doing...we both play bass, we arranged our parts to compliment each other...easy
Give it a try, but I'm betting 10 to 1 it's gonna sound like crap. Yeah, people can find the odd exception, but two bass players - what's the point?
I think there's 2 in this Superconductor vid.
Powerful youtube comment for a powerful band.
Nodenorth says
"Your hair blows back and your heart pumps and you want to own a t-shirt. Superconductor were one of the best bands that ever happened, certainly the loudest (despite other flaccid claims to volume - how many amps? It's crazy. Even dinosaur jr would crap themselves. Superconductor needed to exist, couldn't exist for long and made an indelible imprint. If you haven't checked them out, do what you can to buy their records. It will be the closest you can get to the sun."
Yeeahh!! Thats Superconductor. Melvins can go to hell.
Powerful youtube comment for a powerful band.
Nodenorth says
"Your hair blows back and your heart pumps and you want to own a t-shirt. Superconductor were one of the best bands that ever happened, certainly the loudest (despite other flaccid claims to volume - how many amps? It's crazy. Even dinosaur jr would crap themselves. Superconductor needed to exist, couldn't exist for long and made an indelible imprint. If you haven't checked them out, do what you can to buy their records. It will be the closest you can get to the sun."
Yeeahh!! Thats Superconductor. Melvins can go to hell.
My friends band The Cosmic Trigger has two bassists... it works GREAT for them... you can look them up if you want.
I think that this would be really cool to try.
If one of the bass players just locked down groove while the other played upper register melodic lines and fills... why not.
The two bass players could switch the parts they are playing back and forth. As TDP333 brilliantly stated, "as long as they stay out of each others harmonic space".
Gotta break the rules to break new ground!
If one of the bass players just locked down groove while the other played upper register melodic lines and fills... why not.
The two bass players could switch the parts they are playing back and forth. As TDP333 brilliantly stated, "as long as they stay out of each others harmonic space".
Gotta break the rules to break new ground!
Another chance to plug Shrum!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvi54CAKz1M
and No Place for the Dead
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvi54CAKz1M
and No Place for the Dead
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
SMV has 3 and yet they manage to pull it off...
Of course, they're S, M, and V - and you're (probably...) not...
I saw R. Carlos Nakai with a two bass lineup - but that was a pretty unusual lineup all the way around...
Of course, they're S, M, and V - and you're (probably...) not...
I saw R. Carlos Nakai with a two bass lineup - but that was a pretty unusual lineup all the way around...
It could work.. anythings possible in music if you have realistic expectations and the imagination to go for it.
Maybe one of you could go for a dub sound and keep a hypnotic groove down low whilst the other could double the lines and play a more 'lead' bass style? There..... I said the 'l' word lol.
All sorts of things could be possible. One clean one distorted, question and answer duelling.....?
If you want a deep dub tone that you can switch on and off try one DOD fx25 envelope filter with the sensitivity turned down. I find that you can eq for a good full range standard tone and when you hit the pedal you get a huge synth like fundamental. There is a volume drop when going sub but that may work to your advantage.
If you both use that pedal you could swap roles easily.
If you like the idea, look for the two knob version as I understand from what other people have said that the 3 knob version doesn't have quite the same effect.
You can use the pedal for a wicked and wild auto filter sweep too. Its also the pedal that Bill Laswell uses for his huge dub tone.
Plenty of tracks feature synth bass and bass guitar. It's all in the arrangement.
Maybe one of you could go for a dub sound and keep a hypnotic groove down low whilst the other could double the lines and play a more 'lead' bass style? There..... I said the 'l' word lol.
All sorts of things could be possible. One clean one distorted, question and answer duelling.....?
If you want a deep dub tone that you can switch on and off try one DOD fx25 envelope filter with the sensitivity turned down. I find that you can eq for a good full range standard tone and when you hit the pedal you get a huge synth like fundamental. There is a volume drop when going sub but that may work to your advantage.
If you both use that pedal you could swap roles easily.
If you like the idea, look for the two knob version as I understand from what other people have said that the 3 knob version doesn't have quite the same effect.
You can use the pedal for a wicked and wild auto filter sweep too. Its also the pedal that Bill Laswell uses for his huge dub tone.
Plenty of tracks feature synth bass and bass guitar. It's all in the arrangement.
I am a relatively recent transfer from guitar to bass, and after jamming with some folks a few times when their regular bassist was away have been asked to join them permanently....and play along with the other bassist....
So, after asking why they wanted me it seems that a) i dont have an ego, b) I actually enjoy holding down the rhythm ...while the other guy, being way more experienced, throws random non rhythmic walks and leads all over the place ..even when the gtr is supposed to be doing a lead and c) i am way easy to get along with..
So far i have refused on the grounds of a) 99.99999% of bands have one bassist, b) its confusing, and c) if they are not happy with their bass player, deal with that first.
After reading the sentiment in the thread..it seems my approach is the correct one?
So, after asking why they wanted me it seems that a) i dont have an ego, b) I actually enjoy holding down the rhythm ...while the other guy, being way more experienced, throws random non rhythmic walks and leads all over the place ..even when the gtr is supposed to be doing a lead and c) i am way easy to get along with..
So far i have refused on the grounds of a) 99.99999% of bands have one bassist, b) its confusing, and c) if they are not happy with their bass player, deal with that first.
After reading the sentiment in the thread..it seems my approach is the correct one?
Miles Davis "Bitches Brew" album had two bass players. Two of a bunch of instruments for that matter.
Miles Davis – trumpet
Wayne Shorter – soprano saxophone
Bennie Maupin – bass clarinet
Joe Zawinul – electric piano – Left
Chick Corea – electric piano – Right
John McLaughlin – electric guitar
Dave Holland – bass
Harvey Brooks – electric bass
Lenny White – drum set – Left
Jack DeJohnette – drum set – Right
Don Alias – congas
Juma Santos (credited as "Jim Riley") – shaker, congas
Miles Davis – trumpet
Wayne Shorter – soprano saxophone
Bennie Maupin – bass clarinet
Joe Zawinul – electric piano – Left
Chick Corea – electric piano – Right
John McLaughlin – electric guitar
Dave Holland – bass
Harvey Brooks – electric bass
Lenny White – drum set – Left
Jack DeJohnette – drum set – Right
Don Alias – congas
Juma Santos (credited as "Jim Riley") – shaker, congas
- Mar 8, 2011
- 12,232
- 51,187
- Disclosures
- Authorized greenboy designs builder/Owner of BNA Audio
Most of the Beach Boys records have upright and electric...that whole Wrecking Crew thing...tons of country records...it's just a thing. Can work great and has on many, many occasions
P-Funk has been using 2 or 3 bassists since the 70s. Nothing wrong with it, you just need hella good bass players and a reason to have more than one
Bassist4Eris
Frat-Pack Sympathizer
I was in a two-bass band a few years ago. It can work, but it takes some give and take. Here are some things we did to make it work for us:
1. Different tones. The other guy was old-school, using flats and a foam mute. I was all about bright and modern. The other guy was strictly a fingerstylist. While I also primarily played fingerstyle, on certain songs I would use slapping or a pick. And the other guy wasn't much of an effects guy, although he had a Sparkle Drive and a Boss Chorus. I had a board full of weird stuff.
2. Different roles. As you might imagine from what I described above, the other guy fulfilled the traditional bass role 75% of the time. I would often comp chords, play melodies, or solo.
3. Different registers. I used a 6er, which gave me a few extra notes both below and above what the other dude had. Someone's gotta hold down the bottom, but if you're both trying to do it, there's gonna be mud. One of you has to be willing to take the high road, so to speak.
4. Space. Sometimes to the point that one or the other of us would rest entirely for a whole section of a tune. But mostly we kind of danced around each other.
5. Having both bassists meet for writing sessions outside of practice. This allowed us to get parts happening that didn't step on each other's toes. At our best, we sounded like one huge bass part, an effect our drummer dubbed "the uberbass".
To me, the interesting part of the challenge was this: when you show up to play music as a bassist, you normally know exactly what role is expected of you. But how do you negotiate roles when there's two of you? Trying to answer that question proved to be an intriguing creative catalyst.
1. Different tones. The other guy was old-school, using flats and a foam mute. I was all about bright and modern. The other guy was strictly a fingerstylist. While I also primarily played fingerstyle, on certain songs I would use slapping or a pick. And the other guy wasn't much of an effects guy, although he had a Sparkle Drive and a Boss Chorus. I had a board full of weird stuff.
2. Different roles. As you might imagine from what I described above, the other guy fulfilled the traditional bass role 75% of the time. I would often comp chords, play melodies, or solo.
3. Different registers. I used a 6er, which gave me a few extra notes both below and above what the other dude had. Someone's gotta hold down the bottom, but if you're both trying to do it, there's gonna be mud. One of you has to be willing to take the high road, so to speak.
4. Space. Sometimes to the point that one or the other of us would rest entirely for a whole section of a tune. But mostly we kind of danced around each other.
5. Having both bassists meet for writing sessions outside of practice. This allowed us to get parts happening that didn't step on each other's toes. At our best, we sounded like one huge bass part, an effect our drummer dubbed "the uberbass".
To me, the interesting part of the challenge was this: when you show up to play music as a bassist, you normally know exactly what role is expected of you. But how do you negotiate roles when there's two of you? Trying to answer that question proved to be an intriguing creative catalyst.
