6 String guitarists dictating the bass lines..do they get it?

[Spectrum]

He's the guitarist, and many guitarists have valid opinions

Fixed.

(Just kidding. Sort of.)

 

[madbass6]

I am in the midst of starting up a band.
Having issues with my guitarist.
He is very rigid and demands I play very simple bass lines.
To the point, I am getting very frustrated.
If I try to add some colour by playing walk up notes to the root, he has a fit.
He demands I just pound the root note.
We are all in our 50’s and 60’s and this is more of a hobby band, with hopes Of playing play local pubs, picnics, etc when get enough songs together.
I discussed this with my bass teacher and his opinion was..
If you are paying me,
I will play it the way you wish.
If not, then, I will play it the way I think it should be.
He also commented that this attitude is common with guitar players.
My thoughts are...
I am bored pounding the root note, it’s not challenging me.
I want the chance to add some colour.
I am not trying play over everyone and be the star.
Any thoughts..

Hey your band if not happy with the guy just find another guitar player!

 

[Cheez]

I feel your pain. I’ve seen many VERY GOOD guitarists often be just plain WRONG when it comes to the bass line.

 

[StayLow]

...
He also commented that this attitude is common with guitar players.

Not at all true. Not even close.

It depends on who is in charge and what their vision is, and whether they feel comfortable having that vision challenged a bit.

If the cutlure in the band doesn't suit you, you leave or get fired.

Same as any other relationship.

Long threads / emails / etc. just make it worse.

It's that simple.

Best of luck!

 

[JoeWPgh]

So the lead singer and drummer already quit? One question: What band?

 

[sunnyboy010101]

I've had guitar-zans tell me what to play. The one I liked the best was the dude who kept telling me I was "doing it wrong" - well, yea.. but that's because he can't discern notes to save his life and was actually playing the BASS PART with his 6-string (from the record he wanted us to sound like). Doesn't leave me a bunch of room, so I was just covering the root of the chords.

Turns out he wanted to sound like the record, couldn't figure out what was wrong ('cause he was playing the bass line on his 6-string) so was trying to get me to do the guitar lead line on my bass. ????WFT dude???

I finally gave up on him and his band.

 

[Mike Sorr]

I used to get bored just playing the roots when I was younger, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve acquired an appreciation for playing simple lines. I saw an interview with Cliff Williams of AC/DC where they asked him about how simple he plays and he commented that he just enjoys playing for the song and to keep the listener interested, rather than for his own amusement. If I could have had any job in music it would have been Cliff a Williams job.

 

[basted]

I think it is better to be playing in a band than not. Especially if you are getting started and playing with a drummer. If he has a lot more experience than you I would put up with it for your long term development but some guitarists can be hard to get along with.
Recording the practice sounds like a good idea. All the best for the future.

 

[vin*tone]

This is the wrong band for you.

I usually love it when I'm given a line. Often they're really good and I immediately take to them, sometimes they take a bit to see how they fit into the song (ie. I learned something) and often I will improve them and offer them back an improved version. But if someone is insisting you play something you don't want then its time to go.

 

[gkella]

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.

Trust me, I am not overplaying.
Because
I am relatively new to the bass..I stick to the basics.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

This a cover band? Do they allow the singer to change some of the words and/or melodies?

 

[gkella]

I think it is better to be playing in a band than not. Especially if you are getting started and playing with a drummer. If he has a lot more experience than you I would put up with it for your long term development but some guitarists can be hard to get along with.
Recording the practice sounds like a good idea. All the best for the future.

I have played in bands since the 70’s, as a banjo player.
This is my first band experience as a bassist.
Never played with anyone so rigid and controlling.

 

[basted]

I have played in bands since the 70’s, as a banjo player.
This is my first band experience as a bassist.
Never played with anyone so rigid and controlling.

Ok, if you have been playing a long time already then maybe it is time to look for another guitarist.

 

[Artman]

I’ve just seen the post where you wrote that the singer and drummer have quit. If you think those guys were pretty good and you got along well, why not call them up for a jam without captain guitar superstar? Drums+bass > bass+jerky guitarist, and Drums+bass+vox = new band auditioning guitarist and/or keys!

 

[obimark]

IMO_ Sometimes guitarist have a valid opinion sometimes they don't.

What I won't stand for is 2 guitar bands, where the rhythm guitarist doubles the bass line, because the rhythm guitar didn't play anything on the original 1-guitar track.
Example- I played with one band that did Lips Like Sugar, and he was literally doubling my bass line with power chords.
Didn't matter how many evil looks I gave him...

 

[Ric5]

I think there is a difference between having someone wanting you to play a certain way or micromanaging your playing

You only let someone micromanage your playing if they are paying good money in the studio or touring …

in a band it is supposed to be a collaboration

 

[oldrocker]

I think there is a difference between having someone wanting you to play a certain way or micromanaging your playing

You only let someone micromanage your playing if they are paying good money in the studio or touring …

in a band it is supposed to be a collaboration

in a band it is supposed to be a FUN!!

 

[Nevada Pete]

I have played in bands since the 70’s, as a banjo player.
This is my first band experience as a bassist.
Never played with anyone so rigid and controlling.

It happens. Just remember, there are plenty of people to play with who have no interest in treating people that way.

 

[StayLow]

I used to get bored just playing the roots when I was younger, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve acquired an appreciation for playing simple lines. I saw an interview with Cliff Williams of AC/DC where they asked him about how simple he plays and he commented that he just enjoys playing for the song and to keep the listener interested, rather than for his own amusement. If I could have had any job in music it would have been Cliff a Williams job.

There can be great brilliance, and sophistication, in relative simplicty.

 

[Mr_Moo]

Without hearing a recording of your band, it's impossible to know what to say here. It may be you really are overplaying. It may be he's too controlling.

Early on, I was in a cover band playing Journey's Stone in Love - three-piece plus singer. We wanted to do it with the whole long outro and the Neal Schon solo. I started learning Ross Valory's part under that, which is very melodic and kind of all over the place. It's a great bass bit. When I started doing it in practice, though, the guitarist stopped me, and insisted that I play the root notes for him to solo over. Otherwise he was getting lost. I was pretty miffed about it, but then I realized that with no second guitar or keyboard providing a foundation of chords, for him and I both basically to be soloing was just making a mess. So I started to play the roots, and then over time found ways to toss in occasional flourishes from the recorded bass part that suggested enough of it to make the point.

So, essentially, you accommodated the guitarist's lack of fundamental musicianship by dumbing down what you were playing.

I'm not saying that you made the wrong choice, I wasn't there. But it does seem to be a recurring theme in musical life that we use our skills to make inferior musicians look like stars.

Or as I sometimes say, our job is to create the illusion that the guitarists/singers/soloists know what they're doing.