Bands with 2 bass players

[easyj]

Oh man, I thought that one of the best things about being a bass player was that you were always the only one on the band! I guess I have a lot to learn.

 

[Kukulkan61]

F that, I already have issues with keyboard players stepping on my toes..

 

[Paulabass]

I was just looking up- Take a Walk on the Wildside.
Wikipedia credits both bass parts to Herbie Flowers. Years ago I had heard it was Prakash John, and Will Lee.
Certainly Prakash played it hundreds of times on tour, I don't know if live they used two bass players.
I fake it with a slide on the E string with my right index finger, and tapping major chords with my left hand.

 

[farace]

I was just looking up- Take a Walk on the Wildside.
Wikipedia credits both bass parts to Herbie Flowers. Years ago I had heard it was Prakash John, and Will Lee.
Certainly Prakash played it hundreds of times on tour, I don't know if live they used two bass players.
I fake it with a slide on the E string with my right index finger, and tapping major chords with my left hand.

 

[Paulabass]

^ Thanks for clearing that up. I didn't think of checking Youtube.

 

[Passinwind]

So I've seen bands with 2 drummers, percussion, 2+ guitars, and after watching so many talented bass players over lapping bass lines to create a groove to perform a solo should be a testament as how 2 basses could provide a larger dynamic to a musical composition. .. In all genres of music i believe

Two? Just got back from NAMM, try 2000 all playing at once...

 

[Mark Jacobs]

Many years ago I saw Glenn Branca perform "The Ascension" at the Knitting Factory and he had a guitar army of six guitars and two bassists. I'm guessing that they were F.L. Schroeder and Jeffrey Glenn.

 

[m2k2p]

Jonas Hellborg group with Jonas and Anders Nord. Lots of WAL bass porn here too..check out that double-neck!

 

[easyj]

Maybe this is a bit off topic. As someone who is also a guitar player, I think one of the best things about bass is that you typically don't have to coordinate with or share sonic space with another bass player. It is liberating to own your spot in the music and enables you to have a great deal of control in the overall sound of the band. These examples of situations with two bass players are very interesting , but I'm really glad that it's usually just one bass player in a band. I hope that many of you here appreciate and don't take for granted this advantage that a bass player holds.

 

[Passinwind]

Maybe this is a bit off topic. As someone who is also a guitar player, I think one of the best things about bass is that you typically don't have to coordinate with or share sonic space with another bass player. It is liberating to own your spot in the music and enables you to have a great deal of control in the overall sound of the band. These examples of situations with two bass players are very interesting , but I'm really glad that it's usually just one bass player in a band. I hope that many of you here appreciate and don't take for granted this advantage that a bass player holds.

That's a very good point. Being able to lay out for a bar or even a whole tune is incredibly liberating in its own way though. Especially for things like playing fretless and singing lead vocals.

 

[hypercarrots]

is the lake placid blue jazz he's holding in the photo at 1:00 the same one he's playing at 2:30
if so, he's taken off the covers.
and are those daddario chrome flats on it?

 

[The Owl]

 

[Nephilymbass]

So I've seen bands with 2 drummers, percussion, 2+ guitars, and after watching so many talented bass players over lapping bass lines to create a groove to perform a solo should be a testament as how 2 basses could provide a larger dynamic to a musical composition. .. In all genres of music i believe

These guys have since broken up but were from NC. Saw them a few times and it was interesting. They only have one guitar player. Then one bass player who plays a more of a traditional 4 string with a pick rock style and then a bass player who switches between a 6 string bass and a Chapman stick playing a lot of tapping parts and stuff.

 

[rania_d]

Hi,
It depends on how you do it, but two-bassist bands have been known to happen. I'm in one myself and it's a blast. It just takes some consideration for sonic and rhythmic space.

Link RemovedLink RemovedLink Removed

 

[Ric5]

Bachman Turner Overdrive Live

2 bass players … one with an 8 string short scale and one with a 5 string



OMG … the 8 string is a vintage Hagstrom … very cool

And some of the songs he plays a Hagstrom guitar …

 

[Michedelic]

I don’t know how much, if ever, they did dual bass live, but this is a great example of arranged tandem bass parts, courtesy Dave Allen, ex-Gang of 4...

 

[ReverendGodless]

Cantata Sangui from Helsinki Finland. No guitars, just two basses, synth and drums.

 

[Funky Ghost]

Count the "bass players" in this video. Can you spot Gordon?

 

[skycruiser]

Just came across these guys the other day. Two basses, drums, keyboard and several singers.

LEENALCHI

 

[turf3]

I know Ellington had two bass players from time to time, usually when he was in the process of getting rid of one (he hated confrontation, much easier to just put the new guy on the stand with the old guy and wait for the old guy to get the drift). I THINK Monk had two bassists at one time - the names Wilbur Ware and Ahmed Abdul-Malik are in my mind. Coltrane had Jimmy Garrison and Art Davis on the unreleased tracks of A Love Supreme and maybe on some other things too. I think most of Africa/Brass was two basses.

Tons and tons of classic country tunes from the 1950s and 1960s were recorded with the "tic tac" bass sound using two players - one on upright and one on electric, often a 6 string Danelectro, played with a pick for a percussive attack.