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Bass lines that make you yawn

#121
Portrait of Tracey.

There, I said it. Sorry guys and girls. I know it's technically very clever, with some deft fingering and all many of tricky harmonics, blah blah blah, innovator blah, blah, only four strings blah blah invented the fretless blah blah blah...

But it just doesn't move me one iota and leaves me cold.

Ps, this also goes for a few other artists work that you're "supposed" to like if you're a bassist. Wooten, a lot of Stu Hamms solo stuff, even Sheehan solo stuff (bearing in my my avatar). I just like songcraft. Music that makes me feel something, not just technical prowess shoehorned into a song structure.
 
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#123

Also this. When i heard it first time yeah, bass line did sound boring and simple. But it drives song. That Jazz Bass made this song. Same for You've got another thing coming. I prefer simple and effective bass lines, they sometimes do the trick much better than complex and hard ones.
 
#125
JustEADG said:
Wait... I thought we were talking about bass lines in MUSIC, but if we're talking about bass loops on recordings of people talking, then yeah, 99% of rap is snoozeville.
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Its all music. Alot of stuff is music. anyway

Yes something that loop is hard for me because their is too many repetition. Juste like some James Brown music, too much repetition just kill me.

Like this ... the guitar line just irritate me
 
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#129
I guess I have a different criteria for artistic satisfaction than you, abotaun. If I like the song, am pround of how the ensemble I'm in is performing it then I'm engaged. If, in addition, the crowd we're performing it for are really digging on it then that's a nice bonus. It's all about teamwork and the quality of the ensemble sound for me.
 
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#134
Darkhorse1962 said:
Pour Some Sugar On Me.

Not even sure that the bass is even needed in it.

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This is literally the only song in my last probably 6 bands where I have vocalized how much I hate playing it. I can find enjoyment/groove in just about anything, including old moldies, eighth-note pedals, and Tom Petty. But good lord, I question why I do any of this any time we play this.

The only caveat to that, and the only reason the song exists, is that it brings out the inner stripper in the ladies. So if you have a roomful, it's at least entertaining. If it's towards the end of the night - I'm looking forward to tearing down.
 
#136
abotaun said:
I thought about asking for other people's experiences with this after hearing How Long by Ace on the radio and thinking that it would be painful to play live. I guess there is some movement in the chorus, but otherwise I think it would feel like a long song for the bass player.

Any other songs that you would have you daydreaming as you played?

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Yellow Submarine.

John Entwistle, remarked after touring with Ringo and his Allstars, that he "had the dubious pleasure of playing Yellow Submarine more times than Paul.

I'd be thinking, "do I want room service to deliver me a club sandwich after the show, do I want them to put the mayo on the side, otherwise it will make the toast soggy............ad infinitum".

Oh. The song is over?
 
#137
abotaun said:
I thought about asking for other people's experiences with this after hearing How Long by Ace on the radio and thinking that it would be painful to play live. I guess there is some movement in the chorus, but otherwise I think it would feel like a long song for the bass player.

Any other songs that you would have you daydreaming as you played?
Click to expand...

Your post and thread enable a lot of somewhat unfortunate comments, IMO.

First, taking this Ace tune, which is actually a pretty hip tune; you have to recognize that the existing footage of Ace from the day was mostly aimed at supporting the commercial success of the song. So, though you may find a bass pedal groove to be boring, those guys were laughing all the way to the bank. And part of that is the bass line needed to support the lyric is a simple pedal. Fine.

But, for example, here is one way the tune might actually get done in performance:


Which, ok, it's still not the 3rd movement of Beethoven's 6th; but, you can definitely hear some other stuff going on that makes the groove deeper and increases the interest. So, just because a studio part is not so challenging (maybe, though I suspect there are players on here who still can't hold a good pedal groove, just sayin'), that doesn't mean that a cat has to emphasize the lack of interest in the part live.

Part of being a bass player in a popular music context is that we can add or change things up as long as the supportive part is honored and the feel of the tune gets across. Other than that, it's open season on creativity. In fact, it can become pretty interesting figuring where and how to toss in interesting fills and variants without anyone noticing at all. Or slightly changing up a rhythmic figure to groove harder. And, further, there are literally tons of mainstream tunes, some mentioned in this thread, that have interesting and quirky little twists carefully and tastefully inlaid, which cats miss altogether. The studio cats are experts at that.

Cats posting that they hate such and such tune because of the bass part are just missing the point. Popular music is about telling new stories and bringing something fresh every time. If you can't get with that, and you are purely interested in reciting things, then go play orchestra. Yes, you have to support the vocals and do your job with the groove. But, assuming you are covering those aspects, there is almost always room to keep things interesting. And, the better you get at it, the less anybody notices. Pretty hip.
 
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#139
A band I was in wanted to cover "Bullhead City" by Umphree's McGee, and it was all I could do just to keep awake. I actually nodded off playing it, once. I can play a lot of simple stuff and I won't mind. "Sin City" by AC/DC is one of the simple ones that's fun to play for me. But "Bullhead City" literally put me to sleep.
 
#140
The Rage said:
Think there's something wrong with me, 'cause playing almost one note bass lines have never bored me... Hell! I also really had fun playin Hard as A rock and Who made Who by Ac/Dc!!!
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I feel the same way you do so I guess there's something wrong with me as well.
I like the simpler bass lines because they give me a chance to really listen to the song.
Besides, wether they are simple or complex, I'm still playing bass!
 
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