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Are you a bass player? Poll...

Are you a bass player?

  • Yes, I consider myself to be a bass player.

    Votes: 122 75.8%

  • No, I just play some bass.

    Votes: 24 14.9%

  • I like carrots because they have lots of Vitamin A.

    Votes: 15 9.3%
  • Total voters
    161
A

allexcosta

Apr 7, 2004
4,721
119
#1
Just curious of how many folks here on TB would consider themselves bass players, rather than dudes/gals that play some bass...

Are you able to:

-
  1. Read music?
  2. Charts?
  3. Come up with a good bassline in a few minutes?
  4. Play most gigs without rehearsal?
  5. Go on tour with a band you've never heard about, first show tonight?
  6. Go on tour with Mariah Carey after one rehearsal?
  7. Play a salsa gig tonight?
  8. Go in a studio session and be comfortable recording songs you never listened to in less than 15 minutes?
  9. Play with your band if your male singer got sick and there's a girl singing tonight and you need to transpose all the songs on the gig?

Not that you need to do all of the above to be a bass player, but food for thought. Please answer the poll as you please.
 
#5
Thats a totally extreme list.
Those items describe a highly skilled, professional first call musician, Not a bass player.
For example, Most would consider Geddy Lee a Bass Player but I doubt he could play a salsa gig tonight.
There are plenty excellent bass players who can't do everything on that list. I don't consider McCartney, Sting, Geezer Butler, Chris Squire, Bob Daisley, Rocco Prestia, Bootsy Collins, Duck Dunn or numerous other great bassists "guys who play some bass" :rolleyes:

That list describes guys like Anthony Jackson and Jeff Berlin.
 
#10
  1. Read music? Yep.
  2. Charts? No problem.
  3. Come up with a good bassline in a few minutes? Sure.
  4. Play most gigs without rehearsal? Depends on the gig.
  5. Go on tour with a band you've never heard about, first show tonight? Probably not, would depend on the material.
  6. Go on tour with Mariah Carey after one rehearsal? Dunno, never really listened to her stuff.
  7. Play a salsa gig tonight? With charts or notation I could get by.
  8. Go in a studio session and be comfortable recording songs you never listened to in less than 15 minutes? Depends on the material....
  9. Play with your band if your male singer got sick and there's a girl singing tonight and you need to transpose all the songs on the gig? Simply wouldn't happen, but if I had to.

Not sure if I qualify or not, but there's where I stand for this "test". :hmm:
 
#14
  1. Read music? Yes
  2. Charts? Yes
  3. Come up with a good bassline in a few minutes? Yes, for jazz and mainstream rock.
  4. Play most gigs without rehearsal? Yes, that's mostly what I do.
  5. Go on tour with a band you've never heard about, first show tonight? No. Strictly part time, local gigs.
  6. Go on tour with Mariah Carey after one rehearsal? Who?
  7. Play a salsa gig tonight? I've done salsa on an hour's notice -- with charts. I got killed, but I did it.
  8. Go in a studio session and be comfortable recording songs you never listened to in less than 15 minutes? Done it.
  9. Play with your band if your male singer got sick and there's a girl singing tonight and you need to transpose all the songs on the gig? Yes

With all of that said, I would be the first to admit that there are players who are better than me at all of these things, and there is material that is over my head.
 
#15
My above comment notwithstanding, I respect anybody who plays bass, enjoys it, and makes some effort to improve as a musician. That's all it takes to "qualify."

Sometimes when I comment about skills, it is within the context of knowing that some skills are easier learned when someone is a beginner, so it's worth letting people know what those skills are. I think reading is in that category.
 
#17
1. Read music? - Yep
2. Charts? - Yep
3. Come up with a good bassline in a few minutes? - Yep
4. Play most gigs without rehearsal? - Do that a lot already
5. Go on tour with a band you've never heard about, first show tonight? - Just give me a set list and a CD
6. Go on tour with Mariah Carey after one rehearsal? - Where do I sign up?
7. Play a salsa gig tonight? - Where's the gig?
8. Go in a studio session and be comfortable recording songs you never listened to in less than 15 minutes? - When do you need me, and where's the studio?
9. Play with your band if your male singer got sick and there's a girl singing tonight and you need to transpose all the songs on the gig? - Done it a couple times
 
#18
Are you able to:

-
  1. Read music? Not as well as some, but I get by
  2. Charts? Yep
  3. Come up with a good bassline in a few minutes? Most definitely
  4. Play most gigs without rehearsal? Most? Yes
  5. Go on tour with a band you've never heard about, first show tonight? Yep, as long as there is a rehearsal this afternoon, or some CD's I can listen to.
  6. Go on tour with Mariah Carey after one rehearsal? You bet
  7. Play a salsa gig tonight? Yeah, but I couldn't do it as well as somebody who plays it all the time
  8. Go in a studio session and be comfortable recording songs you never listened to in less than 15 minutes? I would probably need 25 - 30 minutes
  9. Play with your band if your male singer got sick and there's a girl singing tonight and you need to transpose all the songs on the gig? Done it many times before, been playing in church since I was 12.
 
#19
Read music? Not well at all.
Charts? Yes
Come up with a good bassline in a few minutes? Yes
Play most gigs without rehearsal? Yes, but depends on the gig
Go on tour with a band you've never heard about, first show tonight? Wouldn't want to, but yes
Go on tour with Mariah Carey after one rehearsal? No, I don't play keyboard bass
Play a salsa gig tonight? No, I can't play that style
Go in a studio session and be comfortable recording songs you never listened to in less than 15 minutes? I wouldn't think so, but if the producer is happy I guess that's enough. I personally need more than 15 min to give my best. Just ask my woman.
Play with your band if your male singer got sick and there's a girl singing tonight and you need to transpose all the songs on the gig? Depends on the material Most pop, R&B, country and rock, Yes. Jazz standards would give me trouble

So... You tell me. Am I a Bass Player?
 

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