Another 'bass is pointless' argument

[Beginner Bass]

Show him that.

 

[been_effected]

Metallica? The biggest band in the world? I'm sure that's very far from true.

Look at music that's actually really popular - Lady Gaga, Shakira, T-Pain, Kanye... it will always have vocals, drums and a bassline in some form (instrument or samples or synth), but often has no guitar. Guitar is pretty irrelevant to booty-shaking, and therefore completely optional. Sure it's traditional in country music and rock, but nothing more than that.

If you really want to lose some friends, say that in real life guitar is always least important because guitarists are plentiful and therefore the easiest to replace.

*cough* For Whom The Bell Tolls *cough*

 

[lewys93]

Show him that.

That is BRILLIANT!
I have to use that at some point in the future.

 

[bassdog]

I'm sorry but that is just idiotic to say bass is pointless. Just a stupid thing to say, IMO. Anybody who says that just does not have a clue and I probably would not play with them.

Anybody who really understands knows that bass is the anchor, the foundation and is pretty much essential to most groups. Just ask Ron Carter.

Bob

 

[s4001]

The Ferdinand clip demonstrates that the preamp is more useless than the bass.


*runs and hides*

 

[BullHorn]

If the Franz Ferdinand video sounds good to him without the bass maybe you should just stay at home during the next gig and see how he likes it.

 

[David Jayne]

You call this guy a 'friend?' He's a d**khead.
You are a bassist. He say's bass sucks and is pointless. He might as well say your wife is ugly. Are you not a bit offended?
I can't see the logic with being 'friends' with such a person.

 

[39-Bassist]

1st off your buds don't have clue....they are uneducated musicians and I hope you aren't playing with them because until they learn the full spectrum of music and it's parts they will be one dimensional with no musical idea.
Also yes bass can be taken out as long as you have a GREAT keyboard player, but you then change the style and type of music you're doing. 2nd you can take out drums too for the very same reason if keys are good at programming. Also you can play songs for just bass and drums if you a quality bassist, aka Wooten and Jaco, but it is posssible.
Just remember every instrument is needed to create a FULL diverse and QUALITY sound as a band. My advice is study and learn many different styles and create your own, then you can be the REAL musician out of the group! "DON'T play with them they will bring you down musically and mentally too.
Good Luck!

 

[Batmensch]

It seems to me this attitude is based on the fact that guitards like him are all about being up front, and in your face, with a "Look at me !!! Ain't I great!" vibe, and can't understand the concept of wanting to be in the background as a part of a whole, rather than standing out from the crowd. It's a "Rock Star" thang.

 

[Gopherbassist]

Ummm, the guitar sounds an octave lower than written and I've always heard it could be considered a bass instrument.

Ding ding ding!
The guitar is a bass, a bass is a double bass.

 

[gully_P]

I'm with 39 on this. No clue at all. Also for his question about anyone ever writing a song around a bass line...has he ever heard of Michael Jackson? It is my understanding that he would consult with Louis Johnson and write a song entirely around the bass line.

 

[DBTOYS]

It seems to me that over 90%++ of all music has a bass player the guy is just inexperienced and trying to talk and play louder than anyone else!

 

[SeaBassSteve]

Bands without a bass?

1: The White Stripes
2: Er...

The Yeah Yeah Yeah's.

 

[Munjibunga]

Either Ben is an idiot or he loves to push that big red button of yours.

 

[IronLung1986]

You call this guy a 'friend?' He's a d**khead.
You are a bassist. He say's bass sucks and is pointless. He might as well say your wife is ugly. Are you not a bit offended?
I can't see the logic with being 'friends' with such a person.

+1 that was my thought. if someone said that stuff to me i'd be pretty much done with them. luckily i've never had the famously ******** "bass is pointless" argument with anyone. i hope that, being in my mid 20's, i might be out of the woods on that one. mercifully, stupidity of that magnitude is usually confined to high schools. and i do think it's interesting how poor taste and general ignorance often coincide with metallica fanhood

 

[OmnitzGarima]

Why even engage in discussions like this? If people don't understand the value of the bass, it really is their problem. It's certainly not mine. I don't waste time arguing things that are so subjective to begin with.

 

[tehbassist]

This reminds me of a time when I mentioned that I thought bass (and similar string instruments) were more expressive than the piano in front of three very "opinionated" female pianists.

At the time I had forgotten they played piano because they all also played a string instrument (Cello, Viola, and Violin for the record) so I thought they'd understand.

They didn't.

I got yelled at for a loooooong on that one, similarly bad arguments as well though.

Also don't forget The Doors didn't have a bass guitar player, just bass keys.

 

[dminer]

Also don't forget The Doors didn't have a bass guitar player, just bass keys.

Certainly true for their live gigs but they did use bass on record...some really great bass lines from Elvis' bassist, Jerry Scheff on LA Woman.

 

[Nickthebass]

I may be wrong but ... doesn't Steve Harris write most of Iron Maiden's material on bass?

Also ... why the hell does pretty much every band or ensemble in the world have some sort of bass in it?

Is it just that the bass players in his favourite bands all suck donkey b*lls?

 

[Jazz Ad]

Meh. Just say ok and resume having fun playing your bass.