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bass-boring?

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#21
The bass isn't the hardest to play, but it's the hardest I think to play it right! What keeps me going is to be quite frank, most bassists are not very good. I see a lot of bassists and most of the time they are maybe the weak link in the band. It's delegated to the worst guitarist, or the new guy that wants to learn an instrument and play in a band. When you see a good bassist your like "wow" how can that guy/girl do that? Bass adds soul and feel to the sound. Would there be a Motown sound without the basslines? If your the kind of person who likes being the engine room if you will, the soul and emotion of a band than bass is for you. If you want recodnition as a musician it may be harder to achieve on the bass, but if you get any credit you will be part of a very special few in your area that can do that.
 
#25
Boring?
Depends on your perspective. I think many bassists(I know I do) take a lot of pride in being rock solid and keeping a consistent foundation, worthy enough for the other band members to create the rest of the song. It takes a lot of practice, exercises and musical talent to be the backbone of the music. If you have ever had the experience of being in a band with someone who really struggles to keep time and feel the beat than you know what I mean.

I, for one, will never be as good at this instrument as I desire to be...there is just so much to learn, maintain, and practice. And that's the fun part about it! :D
 
#26
Bass is one of the easiest things to pick up, but the HARDEST TO MASTER. You sound like the K-Roq kinda kid... If you listen to K-Roq then you dont know what bass is.

Listen to Primus, or Victor Wooten. That is bass, you will hear more on those cd's than you will hear on the radio or possibly YOUR collection of Music...

Not intention to offend in any way.

Ohh, btw, what kind of music do you listen to?
 
#30
It's a wooden plank with strings, tuned to a low octave. That's it. If you are a boring person, you''ll be a boring player.. and if all you listen to is corporate radio rock, then it's natural you'll think bass is boring, because to be blunt, a lot of rock bassists are hacks. Like so many others said, it is as easy or hard as you make it. You can get by on bass if you are a very marginal musician though, since little is demanded of you (in rock music at least). That just gives you more of an opportunity to make people's jaws drop when they see what a real player can do with one of these. :)

I met a guy today who used to be a guitarist. He told me that he doesn't really "understand" bass. I think that's pretty common.. I think most of the general public doesn't, either.
 
#32
You guys make it seem like im a snob or something, i was just asking a question. :hiding: What makes bass exciting? (Thats what I was wondering) BTW, I listen to Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Robin Trower, phish, doobie brothers, and all 70's bands. I can hear the bass lines,(especially JPJ) I just didn't understand. I'll have to check out primus though. I heard that Les Claypool is the man from my cousin, but never got a chance to listen to primus. Also, is Victor Wooten solo? Or is he in a band?

Actually I don't have a ducati, I wish though..... :bawl:
 
#34
well, I used to think that bass is boring too, but later found out that it highly depends on the type of music that you listen to!

Well, u have heard everyone talking about Jaco, but I would assume that you wouldn't like any Jaco tune that listen. But I highly recommend u just go out and grab a copy of the Jaco Live in New York City Vol 2 (Trio), and give it a listen. Its the best introduction to Jaco that I have heard from a rock fan!

After listening to what Jaco did in Cissy Strut (by The Meters) and Dear Prudence (by Beatles), only I realize what Jaco meant when he said this in Modern Electric Bass:

"I mean, I think that the Bass Guitar is the most important instrument in the band, it have got the harmony, rhythm, and the melody!"

Ooo, yeah, if you are into Rock music, it is boring to play the riffs that people have created. One hard thing about bass is to make a bass line groove, one that is created by yourself!

Well, I think Bass playing is quite comparable to the rhythm guitar in some sense. The rhythm guitarist also have to play the same thing over and over again, but he does have some room to move as well. And there are tonnes of rock songs where the rhythm just strikes u.

Cheers!
 
#35
rickbass said:
Ever see anyone get on the dance floor when just the guitars are playing???...........I thought not.

Everyone waits for the bass to kick in.

Without bass, there ain't no party !!!
Click to expand...

Word.

Someone here had a signature that was (paraphrased):

"Their eyes may be on the star, but their @$$3$ are shakin' to the bass guitar!"

That pretty much says it all.

:cool:
 
#36
now,

1) you can have boring music or interesting, challenging, fun music. In any case, you can find a beautiful role for your bassline. Always. It's "a train that carries the notes above".
And you can even make a boring tune interesting!!! It's up to you.

2) I started playing guitar at age 15 but soon I was kind of stuck; BORED. Then a bass fell in my lap by the chance and it has been love at first sight: I could do anything I thought and more! Just made for me! Me made for it!

3) there are more guitarists than windows; everywhere. But go find a real bassplayer! You are going to find to play if and whenever you just want

3) read Ed Friedland on BP (april?): what REALLY makes a song a best selling "hit" is that repeated, insistent, intelligent, maybe simple, "catchy" bass-line. Playing the bass is about taking care of the foundation of the family: the bassplayer is the big brother to all the band members.

4) go take off the bass foundation from ANY beautiful sax/guitar/piano/trumpet solo: yes you still might end in having good music, but...

5) if the bass is "boring", what could ever be about congas, maracas, triangle or other, then? Again: misconception!! I've heard a guy here in Italy that sings and plays just Maracas: that two damned are an entire percussion orchestra! Believe me!

6) with a bass you can actually play COMPLETE pieces. Melody, harmony and rhytm. Not boring at all. Plenty of examples around. In addition you can support the band and leave the... autographs hassle to the guitarist. Let him believe he's God; you still stay with the feet on mother earth. Fellow bassplayers will come to you to exchange welcomed chats about the bass

7) you have a huge responsibility about the overall sound. A guitarist stops or makes a mistake: nothing (or so) happens: now you try to hit a wrong note and see everybody turning to you!!!

8) "It seems like all you guys play the same things over and over" You said it right: "it SEEMS". Just listen a second or third time and enlarge your personal musical scenario

9) "you don't get any recognition anyways like the guitarists or singers" well: the main point for ANY artistic activity is the creation of something valid "per se". If you look for the recognition, you'd better make something else!!! You and the few (many?) ones that know and that you trust anyway are the only ones that will give you the real recognition of a job well done. For a parallelism, none might give credit to the hotel doorman anyway. His collegues and the hotel manager know how important his job is.

BTW, Scott Thunes (Frank Zappa!!!) was a doorman for a few months, lately!!!!!!

No; definitely not a boring instrument!!!
 
#37
ducati151 said:
You guys make it seem like im a snob or something, i was just asking a question. :hiding: What makes bass exciting? (Thats what I was wondering) BTW, I listen to Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Robin Trower, phish, doobie brothers, and all 70's bands. I can hear the bass lines,(especially JPJ) I just didn't understand. I'll have to check out primus though. I heard that Les Claypool is the man from my cousin, but never got a chance to listen to primus. Also, is Victor Wooten solo? Or is he in a band?
Click to expand...

Sorry, but you came across with your initial post as a bit insulting to bass players.

If you listen to the bass in Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Doobie Brothers, etc. and you still think bass is boring, you are not really hearing it.

It is not uncommon for novices to only hear root notes of the bass line. There is a lot more going on there than you would think at first. That is due to the fact that, first, bass is a low frequency instrument that doesn't just jump right out at you.

Secondly, aside from al the fancy, shrill guitar notes that guitarists play, the bass actually has more complexity to it, as it combines timing with melody. Bass is the glue that holds the music together. Guitarists woulds have no place to play without the bass. It is a skill that no one just masters by playing a root note to the beat, though that's what alot of people assume the bass to be.

Listen closer to those CD's you mentioned. There is more going on with the bass than you think. It is actually quite a compliment when someone doesn't notice the bass the way they do guitar. Bass blends the beat with the melody and if done smoothly, it sometimes might give the illusion of not doing much.

Having said that, you'll find that few wannabe bass players...or guitarists who play bass, understand the importance of space in music. What you don't play is just as important as what you do.

Give those songs a closer listen. Buy a bass and try to learn them and you'll see how much more there is to playing bass.
 
#38
Bass playing is an art form. It ain't boring. You have to find the right note, at the right time, and keep the groove goin' while the guitar player goes on a wank-fest and the drummer goes crazy with roll after roll after roll. It's your job to keep it musical while all Hell breaks loose.

Bass playing is a real man's job. :cool:
 
#39
Bass is increadible fun, we keep the music together, but we can add in fills just like a drummer does, I like pink floyd Great band, I love Dark Side of The Moon.

Victor Wooten does play solo, but he also plays with a band called "Bella Fleck and the Flecktones". If you go to buy a Victor Wooten CD, get "A Show of Hands" and listen to that song.

EDIT: Ohh yeah, all the cute girls in the arena... They shake there A$$ to your playing!!! But the Real point is (Although already stated SEVERAL times) Bass is as fun as you make it. Its no more exciting than the Drums or Guitar or Piano or Cowbell (COWBELL!) but its how fun it is when YOU pick it up.

Go to a music store, Pick up a bass fool around a bit... Then Pick up a Guitar Fool around a bit... Than the Drums, Piano, Percussion, Cowbell... Etc... Whats fun to you is fun to you.
Maybe bass isnt for you, Maybe it is, Just go to some Music store and try out all the instruments you can, Where ever you are when you realize you are having fun, is probably where you would want to start, if later you are unsatisfied with your instrument choice... Sell it, get a new instrument.
All I can really say for myself is that bass is just as fun for me every time I pick up one of mine. Because I just love it Bass + Me = Good times.
 
#40
Avezzano said:
now,

Playing the bass is about taking care of the foundation of the family: the bassplayer is the big brother to all the band members.

You knew when you wrote that this would happen....NICE!




I saw the best DVD last night. It was a documentary about the Funk Brothers. They were the studio musicans for Motown records. All the hits from Motown, those same group of guys all played the music. But rent it and pay attention to the bassist James Jamerson. They talk a lot about him. After watching that you will fully understand what the bass is all about. I recommend it to everyone on this board. I always liked Motown music (who don't) being a younger guy this was my first opportunity to really fully understand what they did and appreciate the scope of their accomplishments. Now I have to learn Jamersons basslines, but I will need all my fingers to play them :)
Click to expand...
 
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