I don't buy into that at all.
All the hooey about "real" bass players- hell, go over to the DB forums and all you so-called electric bass players are just guitarists. Bass players, as I've evidenced in the past 5 years here at TB, are a very exclusionary lot. Whether it's pick players, or ER basses, "bassists" or "bass players," or how high or low you sling your instrument, or whether you play guitar or not, if you have the need to star out letters in the word "guitar," ...The measure of how "good" you are of a bass player isn't in a set "box" of what you know or what you can do, it's how well you function in the context of the band you're playing with (or the piece of music you're playing).
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Could not agree more. Sadly, bassists (but more generally, musicians) are an exclusionary lot...
I've got a few questions:
If players that do all those things way better than I (read, transpose, do studio work, salsa, bossa, cha cha, meringue, tour extensively, teach, arrange, compose, sing, dance or whatever a "player" does) say "Man, what a bass player you are!" and want me to join their project, am I a bass player? If my dedication to the instrument (although not oriented towards the objective of being a professional musician) is still true after 35 years and that my understanding of bass playing is one the most important aspect of my search, am I a bass player? And if my input in the projects I'm in greatly surpasses my bass playing abilities, am I a bass player or worst, a musician?
Well, I think I am, despite what the poll implies, and everybody that has played with me would tell you the same (even bass players that have way more tools than I). Do I regret not having a musical education? Of course I do. Would that make me a better player? Sure! It would allow me to transpose easily, to be a better studio player, to play in different genres on the spot, etc. But is it what defines me (or anybody for that matter) as a "bass player"? Of course, not.
As I've learned in my long journey in the scholars' world - not in music - Power often is the ability to define the "word" (here: bass player). For those that relies on knowledge and accomplishment (in this case, bass playing) as there main scene of self-realization, defining who is or is not, who has it or has it not, is one important way of acquiring power over others that "are not", that "do not have it". And I don't let that happen anymore.
Peace
Charles
What do you think?
