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adding a second bass player (but without a bass)

#22
Hey but really 2 bass players could be fun? Do you know more bands that have that in their line up? I (vaguely) remember a band called Damage from NYC that used 2 bass players in the eighties if I'm not mistaken.

as for 4 guitar players you might need 2 more so they could play each 1 string and form a chord.
 
#23
No way. Harmonic interactions between two bass players will sound like crap no matter if one plays high or not. Getting high and listening would be much better. Or let him play but not plugged in. :D
 
#26
I know James Brown's band had basically two people for every position - 2 drummers, 2 bass players etc.

I assumed it was a stamina thing - keeping going for very long sets!! :p

Seriously though - in Country - isn't it just because people are nervous about getting on stage without having a nice big guitar to hide behind..? ;)
 
#27
Only one way to settle this:

6a00d834236afb53ef00e54f2b830c8833-.jpg


2 bassists enter: 1 bassist leaves!
 
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#29
Sounds like a country version of Slipknot, seriously. Throw in a DJ and a guy banging on an empty keg and you got it. IMHO, the more members you have, the more important it is for everyone to show up for practice/rehearsal. More musicians = greater potential of mistakes.

On the topic of two bassists, I only know of one band that pulled it off well. A small college alternative metal band called Ned's Atomic Dustbin. One bassist played the low end, like dub low, while the other played upper harmonies. Seemed to work out ok for them. Oh, then there is the almighty Spinal Tap song Big Bottom, three basses and no guitar!! Great song.
 
#31
Played in a band for about half a year with another bassist. A strange mix of dub and prog. It was really fun and sounded very good according to feedback. We had lots of fun creating bass parts where we really tried to utilize the possibilities two basses open up (making sure that what we played couldn't possibly be done by ONE very good player ;)). We also made sure the basses sounded distinctly different, but sounding good together. And when both of us sometimes fell into the exact same groove, oh man...! But that was a planned lineup/design from the beginning. What goes on in the OP's band sounds like the beginning of the end to me...
 
#34
Update:

Went to practice last night.
The drama quickly unfolded when one of the guitar players told me the lead guitarist was having girl friend issues.
Their was a lot of swearing envolved.

The bassless bass player,I was informed would not be their tonight,but would be at saturdays practice since were moving to a bigger practice area.What would it matter? He's bassless?
I was in some since a bit releaved,yet pissed off because I as of yet have a good story to make of this on TB.

I'll update this thread after saturday.
 
#36
Stumbo said:
The other "bass" player doesn't have a bass:scowl:, will play percussion :eek:also (does he have percussion instruments?:confused:) and won't be at every practice. :eyebrow::atoz::bawl::mad:
Click to expand...

He could just dance around and like Ben Carr from The Mighty Mighty BossTones

Stumbo said:
...Btw, when will he get a bass...
Click to expand...

It's only a matter of time before he asks to borrow your bass.

chokeslam512 said:
One bass player only. Tell him he can have a baritone guitar if he wants to play "up high".
Click to expand...

Better yet, tell him to get lost an then buy an octave-up pedal.
 
#38
michael_atw said:
Forget about making any more than a beat-up, bent, chewed-up nickel at any given gig. Soon you'll be splitting that $500 (if you're lucky) per gig check 47 different ways. They'll be the manager, 12 guitar players, 5 bassists, 4 drummers, "Bongo Joe", the homeless rain-stick guy, a cut for the tithe down at First Lutheran for supplying the 19-person choir, Billy the egotistical 2nd lead singer who never actually does anything but b**** and wail, the bagpiper that happened to be walking by the bar as you were unloading the equipment van, some semi-attractive chick who sings backup and has dated half the band within the first 2 months, and the hippie sound guy whose joint-rolling fingers always stick to the EQ knobs and throw them out of place.

Oh...and don't forget your new mascot, "Dwayne"...the Alpaca the hippie sound guy rescued from the ASPCA. He deserves to eat, right? Better yet, everyone is hoping he'll learn bass too. They'd have recruited him for 6-string purposes, but his big, stumpy, hairy paws get in the way of the correct finger positions.
Click to expand...

*This* is so full of win. I think I'd watch a movie about this band; at worst it would make a great Steely Dan song.
 
#40
So when the other bass player shows up just tell him you have a policy of not letting anyone play your instrument. Then watch him twist in the wind. :atoz: And for god's sake please record all this and upload the highlights so we can hear. Sounds like a reality show in the making.
 

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