"...gonna use my sad self, gonna use my fingers, gonna use my 'migination whoa... cause I, gonna make you see nobody else here, no one like me..." Surely I jest, but you all get my point. Tension and release baby, tension and release. Yeah, Brass in pocket, ccllasssic. If you're a trio, fill the voids.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
6 String guitarists dictating the bass lines..do they get it?
- Thread starter gkella
- Start date
Based solely on your description in the above posts, that middle-age-plus guy’s behaving like an adolescent and you’re letting him. If the two (or more?) of you in this group can’t find an agreeable middle ground, one of you needs to start or find another band. Life is short, time is much too valuable for that crap.
Some musicians have an extremely specific “vision” of what their band/the band they’re in should sound like. As pertaining to cover bands these types usually end up operating on the fringes after continually alienating and driving other musicians away. Sometimes they’ll luck upon a rhythm section that plays decently and are willing to deal with the oppression for a variety of reasons. This type of musician’s success has a lot to do with how well they play, charisma and the type of work they can get.
I’ve been exposed to this type of behavior plenty of times. Sometimes people are just control freaks, sometimes they are true believers of the song they hear in their head and feel literal pain when parts are played differently. Both situations are equally bad.
FWIW, when it comes to original music it’s a totally different set of parameters...goes without saying.
I’ve been exposed to this type of behavior plenty of times. Sometimes people are just control freaks, sometimes they are true believers of the song they hear in their head and feel literal pain when parts are played differently. Both situations are equally bad.
FWIW, when it comes to original music it’s a totally different set of parameters...goes without saying.
Last edited:
record two versions. good bass line with appropriate guitar lines. bad bass with complicated guitar.
if you cant convince the guy, then you need to make a decision to put up or ship out.
if you cant convince the guy, then you need to make a decision to put up or ship out.
Since you mentioned you’re new to the bass, I’ll just ask when you go off the “root notes” are you in time and still tight with the drummer? Maybe that’s what the guitarist is trying to say. If your answer is yes, then he’s probably just a control freak. I’d play at least what’s on the original recording.
As for someone telling me I had to play only root notes, that would be my cue to unplug and look for another band. Life is too short.
As for someone telling me I had to play only root notes, that would be my cue to unplug and look for another band. Life is too short.
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
I have played in many bands … a few had dictator guitarists who tried to micromanage my bass playing … this always ended badly
You have to stand up to the bully
What would he think if you micromanaged everything he played?
Last edited:
It's been said many times on TB before: There are three reasons to play/stay in a band:
1. You're earning good money.
2. You enjoy playing the music.
3. You like spending time with your band mates.
If you have all three, congratulations; you're in gig heaven. Any two, and most people are quite happy. Only one, and you should probably start looking around for another project. None; what the #&@% are you doing there?
In the original post you say "I am in the midst of starting up a band. Having issues with my guitarist." Nowhere do you say this is the guitarist's band. I'd remind him he's not the band leader. If he has a problem with that, sack him. Even in a small town, it's easier to find a decent guitarist than a good bass player.
If he is the band leader, I'd quit. I don't think you're going to enjoy playing with this guy. And take the drummer with you - sounds like the guitarist might be hobbling him too.
1. You're earning good money.
2. You enjoy playing the music.
3. You like spending time with your band mates.
If you have all three, congratulations; you're in gig heaven. Any two, and most people are quite happy. Only one, and you should probably start looking around for another project. None; what the #&@% are you doing there?
In the original post you say "I am in the midst of starting up a band. Having issues with my guitarist." Nowhere do you say this is the guitarist's band. I'd remind him he's not the band leader. If he has a problem with that, sack him. Even in a small town, it's easier to find a decent guitarist than a good bass player.
If he is the band leader, I'd quit. I don't think you're going to enjoy playing with this guy. And take the drummer with you - sounds like the guitarist might be hobbling him too.
devnulljp
Supporting Member
I'd tell the guitarist to take a hike. There are way more guitarists around than bass players.
If this was started to be a cooperative and democratic band, then you’re well within the parameters of such to tell the guitarist one or more of the following:
A. Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll take it under advisement.
B. If you know so much about playing bass then why aren’t you doing it in this band?
C. Until you’re paying me to play for you I’ll write my own bass parts.
However, just like @JimmyM said, people in music scenes talk and you’ll want to make sure that you don’t develop a reputation for being a pain to work with.
You mentioned that you’re relatively new to playing bass so I’ve gotta ask: are you sure your lines are harmonically correct? You might want to run a few of these bass lines past your teacher to get a second opinion. If you’re hitting a few “jazz” notes every run then your guitarist may have a point about you sticking to root notes...if not then it’s time for a “come to Jesus” talk with the guitarist.
A. Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll take it under advisement.
B. If you know so much about playing bass then why aren’t you doing it in this band?
C. Until you’re paying me to play for you I’ll write my own bass parts.
However, just like @JimmyM said, people in music scenes talk and you’ll want to make sure that you don’t develop a reputation for being a pain to work with.
You mentioned that you’re relatively new to playing bass so I’ve gotta ask: are you sure your lines are harmonically correct? You might want to run a few of these bass lines past your teacher to get a second opinion. If you’re hitting a few “jazz” notes every run then your guitarist may have a point about you sticking to root notes...if not then it’s time for a “come to Jesus” talk with the guitarist.
Suggest your band does a cover of The Who -- The Real Me.
Note for note.
Tough to know the personalities and skillset of everyone involved, but it's great that you're playing in a live band after 18 months. The experience playing with others is great in improving timing and feel. Hope it works out for you.
Note for note.
Tough to know the personalities and skillset of everyone involved, but it's great that you're playing in a live band after 18 months. The experience playing with others is great in improving timing and feel. Hope it works out for you.
Last edited:
I play with a couple of guitar players that fancy themselves bass players...well...one actually was in a former life, nice guy but having him give me bass tips gets old fast especially when it's stuff I already know.
The other one plays some bass, but has a habit of "correcting" bass lines I come up with...Fortunately I don't play with the guy that much.
You say that YOU are starting a band. If it is your band, tell him that you will play as you wish. If he doesn't like it, he can quit. If it is not your band then you have 2 choices, do what your told or quit.
My five cents about this:
I've been playing bass for more than 20 years.. I can play several styles and I'm a fast learner but I'm very conscious that I'm not a musical genius. In the original stuff I play I usually write my parts but I'm open to suggestions. If some other idea works for the song I'll play it. There's nothing wrong to do that.
I had the chance to work with one of the best producers in my country and he showed me how to keep bass lines simples in order to create space for the vocal lines, the keyboard fills and so on.. he make me change some bass lines I wrote for our record... If a Latin Grammy winner tells you to play an arrangement his way , maybe you'd give it a try, because he has way more experience than you and he may know better than you what works for the song..
About guitar players telling how to play... Well, it's the "I'm the only one who knows about music in this band" syndrome... I've been in this scenario before.. usually when I've been playing with younger people... I don't care about it too much.. sooner or later they realize than I have some musical knowledge and I can play guitar surprisingly well..
I've been playing bass for more than 20 years.. I can play several styles and I'm a fast learner but I'm very conscious that I'm not a musical genius. In the original stuff I play I usually write my parts but I'm open to suggestions. If some other idea works for the song I'll play it. There's nothing wrong to do that.
I had the chance to work with one of the best producers in my country and he showed me how to keep bass lines simples in order to create space for the vocal lines, the keyboard fills and so on.. he make me change some bass lines I wrote for our record... If a Latin Grammy winner tells you to play an arrangement his way , maybe you'd give it a try, because he has way more experience than you and he may know better than you what works for the song..
About guitar players telling how to play... Well, it's the "I'm the only one who knows about music in this band" syndrome... I've been in this scenario before.. usually when I've been playing with younger people... I don't care about it too much.. sooner or later they realize than I have some musical knowledge and I can play guitar surprisingly well..
Last edited:
Your guitarist might be badly communicating that something doesn’t feel right, but he doesn’t know what it is. If your rhythm (both start AND end of notes) is not clean and accurate, or if your tone/volume/dynamics are not quite there yet, a non-rhythm section player might hear that as being “too busy”. This may not be the case, but I try to learn something from every conflict. Even if they are wrong, you can learn something about controlling your attack or tone or whatever, that may help you in the future.
With less than two years on the instrument you may not sound as good as you think you do. "Less is more" may be good advice at this stage.
You have a band mate, not leader, who wants to water everything down to mediocrity ?
Nah. Obviously has control issues. He and I would have a serious talk very quickly .
These types thrive on controlling passive personalities. Don't be one.
Look at his life. Is he this way with people in general ? If so, he's a toxic personality. If you have to be in turmoil all the time, what good is it ?!
Nah. Obviously has control issues. He and I would have a serious talk very quickly .
These types thrive on controlling passive personalities. Don't be one.
Look at his life. Is he this way with people in general ? If so, he's a toxic personality. If you have to be in turmoil all the time, what good is it ?!
Have a demand of your own, that he plays an acoustic guitar, only plays barre chords and only strums straight 4 to the bar...
eff em..id rather play by myself in my basement with earphones in the cold and or dark ..naked, with cockroaches crawling all over me than give a guitar player like this one a chance for me to become his personal bass toy...life is too short to be unhappy playing music..oh...and i would probably say this out loud to him,,he obviously never had any bass player tell him which foot to step with,,and where he can stuff said foot.
compromise, talk about it, see things from different angles. After that, find a new band.
Well TBH those songs want mostly roots and 5s. There's a few places where a walkup would sound ok but not all over the songs, it would sound contrived. My BL has it right, he says your job (ie my job as bassist) is to walk the band around the corners. I love that description!
