• 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 freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Another 'bass is pointless' argument

Punch that Non-Appreciative-of-Bass jazzwhole in the throat with your headstock. Hard. His desperate gagging will have a lot more bass in it than treble.

Listen to a volcano---the dominant sound is bass. Creation is bass. Everybody else can kiss my bass.
 
WHAT song on the planet has been written around a bassline, you make a good chord progression on the giutar then add some lyirics then add a drum beat then the bass guy does a note every 2 years

LMAO! Ohhh man I laughed so hard at that one! Methinks this guy listens to too much rock. Even then, tons of rock songs are written with the bass leading the song. Just listen to Roundabout by Yes. The song would be worthless without the bassline
 
You need to make him listen to some Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden and ask him how he thinks it would sound without bass. They are a couple of the bands that influenced modern metal and are heavilly bass driven, even so much as to be written around the bass lines often. Metallica has even claimed that Maiden and Sabbath were some of their influences.

Yeah, in most forms of metal the bass guitar can be a defining instrument, without it it wouldn't sound the same, It's even the lead instrument in some cases. I hate the stereotype that a lot of metal guitarists have about the bass being simple or useless.
 
"if you just had the bass playing think how simple it is compared to the guitar, its just the root note of ever chord the guitar has to play. Also the bass just follows the guitars chord progression (most of the time) but just has a lower pitched sound"

Haha. Oh my. I would LOVE to see his reaction after he heard some Jean Baudin. ;] This coming from another Metalhead. It's guys like him who make the majority of us look uneducated.
 
Metallica....hmmmm...


Ok, a few points.

1. Never heard of Metallica NOT playing without a bassist; be it Cliff, Rob, Jason, or Robert

2. If I recall history correctly; didn't Lars and James relocate from LA to the Bay area JUST so they could have Cliff in the band? They thought a bassist was that important? Could be wrong on this, but I know I read it somewhere; probably Metallica's Wiki...

3. Last one, I promise...forget Metallica for a moment and let's count the number of bands that have not had bass in them (including keyboard/synth)...trying to think of something...let's see....nope, nothing comes to mind. Again, I could be wrong.

:D
 
Why are wasting your time arguing with someone who is obviously a moron? Especially when he's the only one who will suffer for being so?

Also, Death From Above 1979.

Because he's the sort of person who never lets anything go, and I wonder how long it will take for him to realise the importance of the bass by himself...

Your comments have been interesting and a good laugh so far...
Keep 'em coming and I'll keep you posted as it progresses.
 
In addition to the comments above. If he loves Metallica so much how come he hasnt heard any of Cliffs work, main one being For Whom The Bell Tolls. The bass only plays the root in that does it? Or maybe Orion, Call of Ktulu, Anesthesia... This guy clearly isnt that much of a Metallica fan.

And i can think of one band who dont have a bassist (As far as i know) which is Go! Audio. 30 Seconds to Mars dont have a bassist as a member but they've had the same session guy on tour and in studio with them since 2007.

Liam
 
Then you do think it's futile. So why do you care?

Because he eventually does give in if he runs out of things to argue with.
Occasionally he comes back with something he's said ages and ages ago, but it doesn't take much to keep him quiet again.
Besides, I think it's quite funny. I know he's wasting his time and so does everyone else.
If he starts a pointless argument again I'll just tell him about the time he said the bass was pointless.
 
You could just make a dumb argument like "if base is soo dumb den y do all those gangstas bump it in theyre cars all the tyme? if u dont lik base ur racist."

Although you'd likely have to be a bit more specific about the race of the "gangstas" as it pertains to your area to fully make the argument.

In hindsight, it's actually not a bad argument.
 
I like bands without bassists, and I like bands without guitar players. In fact, one of my favorite bands right now (Black Diamond Heavies) has neither, just drums and Rhodes Piano.

What instruments are "essential" to a band depends entirely upon the genre and the sound you want to have.

However, I can certainly see how a guitar player in a metal band could have that opinion. I have quite a few early metal albums where the bass is barely audible. WE may notice the lines as bass players, but most other folks would not.

I think you should suggest he take up bass as a second instrument. That way, when his metal band breaks up, he'll have a much better chance of getting another gig....
 
Just tell him Bass is the only instrument that plays in absolutely every genre.

We can go from classical orchestra pits to the craziest death metal stadium.

And, even if the argument doesn't die, just remember, you'll have 10x more gigs than he will.
 
Because he eventually does give in if he runs out of things to argue with.
Occasionally he comes back with something he's said ages and ages ago, but it doesn't take much to keep him quiet again.
Besides, I think it's quite funny. I know he's wasting his time and so does everyone else.
If he starts a pointless argument again I'll just tell him about the time he said the bass was pointless.

That, I can understand.