I've seen a guy do the party trick thing. A whole set actually. It sounded great. I love doing that and tend to transpose common guitar riffs and basslines to play whole songs on one instrument. It's great to learn new stuff.
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bass as a solo/melodic instrument.
- Thread starter ani10s
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I've seen a guy do the party trick thing. A whole set actually. It sounded great. I love doing that and tend to transpose common guitar riffs and basslines to play whole songs on one instrument. It's great to learn new stuff.
^ +1.... I like it too I think it's a good vibe, folk used to ask me 'play a tune then?', I had to say 'you won't recognise it, it'll just be the bass line'.
So down the years I got some 'tunes' I liked anyway and transferred as much as I could of the recognizable parts to bass for a 'sing along rendition', I like what's involved to do it well, harmonic's, using right hand fingers for simple chord extension's, picking techniques, tap stuff etc.
The tunes were never intended to become an exercise in technique, but they did become that through necessity to convey them well.
I will be uploading some 'party trick' tunes in the near future, for fun. ; )
So down the years I got some 'tunes' I liked anyway and transferred as much as I could of the recognizable parts to bass for a 'sing along rendition', I like what's involved to do it well, harmonic's, using right hand fingers for simple chord extension's, picking techniques, tap stuff etc.
The tunes were never intended to become an exercise in technique, but they did become that through necessity to convey them well.
I will be uploading some 'party trick' tunes in the near future, for fun. ; )
It's page 3 but I just want to add my perspective, I think it's sad that people sort of limit each other (or even themselves) in expressing feelings in music. I believe music has evolved throughout the time and still evolving, and it's not much about tradition, it's about revolution. And you really have to understand that what you see/listen to is probably something that is evolved, from what it used to be.
Don't bash people with your idea. If that's the way they want to play, let them be. No need to come up with "That's wrong", because it's never easy to do something original these days.
Don't bash people with your idea. If that's the way they want to play, let them be. No need to come up with "That's wrong", because it's never easy to do something original these days.
JimmyM (bless his no capitals heart) said pretty much what I think. The bass' role is what the bassist defines it to be. Now, of course, if I define the role much differently from those that are paying me to play, my income may be impacted, and I may asses things differently through that prism. But, for there to be a blanket statement about how individuals SHOULD approach the role is to me narrow minded. Especially for a guitarist to make such statements, given the traditional role of guitar in lots of American pop music before the fifties. If Charlie Christian et. al. had adhered to the "guitar is a rhythm instrument, leave that solo stuff to the horns", we'd not have heard those wonderful guitar solos.
Me, I come from sometning I got from Jack Bruce (Guitar Player Magazine interview around 1974 or so) where he essentially said (don't have the quote) "Sure the bass has a traditional role, but just because its got that role doesn't mean you have to fulfill it in the traditional manner". Besides, there're only two rules of music with no exceptions, and they're related...
A. If it sounds good, it's right.
B. If it sounds bad, it's wrong.
John
Me, I come from sometning I got from Jack Bruce (Guitar Player Magazine interview around 1974 or so) where he essentially said (don't have the quote) "Sure the bass has a traditional role, but just because its got that role doesn't mean you have to fulfill it in the traditional manner". Besides, there're only two rules of music with no exceptions, and they're related...
A. If it sounds good, it's right.
B. If it sounds bad, it's wrong.
John
+1
You've made your opinion known several times in this thread. Once was quite enough. Continued attacks on musicianship and technique (because we're not talking about the hacks who just happen to be fast) brand you as a troll.
I was reading where Mike Manring said the electric bass is a *natural* solo instrument because of its big range, and because many of the notes, being low notes, have a lot of rich harmonic content. If you're playing bass solo, say in a music store, why would anyone expect you to try and fill out a pocket with no other band members present? Cover the neck, see how that bass/amp/pedal (whatever gear you're checking out) sounds throughout the entire tonal range of the instrument. It's not a band audition, you're checking out a piece of gear and only playing/using 10% of that gear's potential tonal range is silly.
On the other hand, in a band context, the bass does have a certain fundamental role to play in locking up the bottom of the harmony and making a pocket with the drummer, and possibly the rhythm guitarist and/or keyboardist. I think that kind of playing is important too. But there are ample examples of bass players playing quite aggressive, challenging, and melodic stuff while fulfilling that role. It has to work, sure, but there's really an almost infinite amount of stuff that could work, if executed properly. The style of music and adventurousness of your band mates will dictate what works.
So yeah, to the OP, that guy was a jerk, plain and simple.
On the other hand, in a band context, the bass does have a certain fundamental role to play in locking up the bottom of the harmony and making a pocket with the drummer, and possibly the rhythm guitarist and/or keyboardist. I think that kind of playing is important too. But there are ample examples of bass players playing quite aggressive, challenging, and melodic stuff while fulfilling that role. It has to work, sure, but there's really an almost infinite amount of stuff that could work, if executed properly. The style of music and adventurousness of your band mates will dictate what works.
So yeah, to the OP, that guy was a jerk, plain and simple.
Sorry to go a little off topic, but someone mentioned that if you're playing in the store, you'll probably be playing solo stuff instead of pocket playing, so here's my story about music store playing.
A few weeks ago, I'm in my local GC, checking out some basses. I pull out a squier classic vibe and plug in. Some guitard was playing crazy loud so I try to drown him out. He's halfway across the store and in one of the aisles, so I can just hear him not see or anything. Then some drummer joins our volume war. It sounded awful and people were noticably getting pissed. Suddenly Blitzkrieg Bop comes on in the store and I start the line, then the drummer then the guitarist. We ended up playing the entire song together in the middle of GC. People in the end found it pretty awesome instead of being pissed. Fun time...
Alright, back to this nonsensical debate.
A few weeks ago, I'm in my local GC, checking out some basses. I pull out a squier classic vibe and plug in. Some guitard was playing crazy loud so I try to drown him out. He's halfway across the store and in one of the aisles, so I can just hear him not see or anything. Then some drummer joins our volume war. It sounded awful and people were noticably getting pissed. Suddenly Blitzkrieg Bop comes on in the store and I start the line, then the drummer then the guitarist. We ended up playing the entire song together in the middle of GC. People in the end found it pretty awesome instead of being pissed. Fun time...
Alright, back to this nonsensical debate.
I think ultimately any instrument should be played in whatever way the musician chooses. There will always be traditional roles for instruments that best fit whatever genre or style that role is designed for, but trying new and different things isn't wrong either. There will always be people who enjoy playing instruments in their more classic roles and the musical community needs those folks as much as it needs the innovators. As a musician personally I tend to play my bass in a lot of different ways to suit whatever sound I'm trying to make in either my band or my solo work, some traditional and some not. Neither is right or wrong, just different from each other. There's a lot of undeserved mud-slinging between those who play the instrument in traditional ways and those who don't, but at the end of the day we might as well just enjoy playing our own ways instead of hating on our fellow bass brothers (and sisters).
Not to shamelessly self promote too much, but I've got some of my melodic solo work on my youtube page using a lot of less-traditional bass techniques (tapping, alternate tunings, four finger picking, etc.) for anyone interested in checking it out since I figured this thread might attract those of such interests.
Not to shamelessly self promote too much, but I've got some of my melodic solo work on my youtube page using a lot of less-traditional bass techniques (tapping, alternate tunings, four finger picking, etc.) for anyone interested in checking it out since I figured this thread might attract those of such interests.
^ To Zanarkand (Final Fantasy X) nice flow, nice sound, nice musicality, nice
Thanks, that song was a pain to arrange since its originally written for piano so I'm glad you liked it!
ive recently been getting into tapping and strumming chords and harmonics and all that jazz.. basically expanding the bass into a solo instrument. I feel that playing the bass to its full potential can only help, i mean, different techniques can help you develop, diversity is a great thing.
BUT, (hate to be the d-bag in this conversation lol) technically, if you are playing melodic lines, i.e tapping and all that, you arent really playing bass, not in the sense of the instrument, but in the sense as the context of the bass's supposed role in music. i feel this idea could be explained better with a little history: the first 6 string basses were called tenor basses. so, as you expand the potential of the bass (tapping and all that jazz), you are technically venturing away from the bass.
but again, dont get me wrong; im a very progressive bassist, im lucky enough to enjoy both extremes of this debate, i love 6 string basses and all their melodic glory, yet at the same time i can watch pino palladino play his deep pocket grooves and fat runs until the wee hours of the morning. to each his own i suppose, you cant take the time to fight with every intolerant a****** trying to bring you down..
BUT, (hate to be the d-bag in this conversation lol) technically, if you are playing melodic lines, i.e tapping and all that, you arent really playing bass, not in the sense of the instrument, but in the sense as the context of the bass's supposed role in music. i feel this idea could be explained better with a little history: the first 6 string basses were called tenor basses. so, as you expand the potential of the bass (tapping and all that jazz), you are technically venturing away from the bass.
but again, dont get me wrong; im a very progressive bassist, im lucky enough to enjoy both extremes of this debate, i love 6 string basses and all their melodic glory, yet at the same time i can watch pino palladino play his deep pocket grooves and fat runs until the wee hours of the morning. to each his own i suppose, you cant take the time to fight with every intolerant a****** trying to bring you down..
If you have the desire for it then theres no point being caught up in other peoples opinion of you. Go and play the **** out of the bass.
Music is a passion, not a job. If you arent true to yourself in your music then go find a job that pays better.
Music is a passion, not a job. If you arent true to yourself in your music then go find a job that pays better.
In fairness, I just thought about how many times I have called out drummers as wankers when the launch into the Bonham-esque obligatory drum solo, or start nailing those damn cymbals on every stinking chord change. So I fully acknowledge the hypocrisy that is 'any instrument can be played any way except those damn drums'
In fairness, I just thought about how many times I have called out drummers as wankers when the launch into the Bonham-esque obligatory drum solo, or start nailing those damn cymbals on every stinking chord change. So I fully acknowledge the hypocrisy that is 'any instrument can be played any way except those damn drums'
Should be followed by "and then I watched Neil Pert play drums and I realized that even drums can be played to their full potential and still work well in a group setting".
The question is not whether or not the bass is a melodic/solo instrument, it is, rather, is the MUSICIAN a melodic or solo musician. The bass can do anything that a real musician wants to do with it
In fairness, I just thought about how many times I have called out drummers as wankers when the launch into the Bonham-esque obligatory drum solo, or start nailing those damn cymbals on every stinking chord change. So I fully acknowledge the hypocrisy that is 'any instrument can be played any way except those damn drums'
But that's a different issue totally. If someone was to let loose with a Mannring/Wooten-esque rush of tapped melodic solo bass parts during a band's rendition of Sly Stone's "Everyday People" or The Temp's "My Girl" it would probably be inappropriate in THAT context. That in no way diminishes the validity of playing like that, it only calls into question the musicality of the person unleashing it. Same with drummers who play inappropriate things for the current song and the group's objective with that particular song. It's all about context. Same thing with a guitarist stuffing a Yngwie moment into "The Thrill Is Gone" or "Sex Machine".
As Mike Dimin says, it's about the MUSICIAN, not the instrument.
John
Oh my God you called me a troll. I'm going to loose sleep for weeks. People on a music forum are mad at me. Boo hoo. I feel like such an outcast.
I'm too tall to be a troll. I'm 6'6 dummy.
I'm too tall to be a troll. I'm 6'6 dummy.
Oh my god!! Now I can't help but say W T F on that one! Anyone who read that last sentence you wrote is laughing at you.. Can you not see you're acting like a complete dickhead(Excuse the language) Now I try to be friendly on not insult but you are just takin the piss. You have an opinion which is fair enough you are entitled to it but you're acting like you are right. It's an opinion not fact. Grow up and discuss instead of acting like you're better than everyone on the forum.
