Bass players and mental health?

No. No. No, probably. Yes. I don’t know.

 

It's depressing how completely clueless many people are about how important the bass (not just OUR instrument but the lower register melody) part is to music.

A couple co-workers I've had over the years didnt even realize Les, Geddy, Flea, Gene, Sting, etc were bass players, or even notice how many well-known passages are bass lines. I.E. the intro to Sober, the solo in The Chain, Metallica's Anesthesia... The list goes on.

 

Non-musicians as a whole are mostly clueless about what the role and function is of the bass.

Most other musicians in the band are happy to have someone to support the band that they feel they don't have to share the limelight with.

In my experience, if you don't contribute to the vocals you usually are setting yourself up to be more replaceable.

That's why I own the PA, the lights, and sing alot!

 

I'd venture to say bassists are in general more introverted than lead vocalists, lead guitarists, etc.

 

People have been telling me I’m jaded, since I was about 19. I’ve been very fortunate. I suppose I am jaded about the music business. I am however, very enthusiastic about music.

 

Darkness!
I've been noticing in the Goth community folks who play a stringed-instrument more often choose bass over guitar.

I sat here playing Cure, Sisters of Mercy, Bauhaus, on a rainy day & it was pure bliss!
oh, I almost forgot, Type O Negative:



Pete was the epitome of this topic!

 

Nah. I'm an outgoing hugger who never met a stranger. Right now I'm on top of the world living a great life.

It saddens me that everyone on Earth seems to be stressed out right now.... even musicians around me.

Y'all need a collective deep breath. Things ain't that bad.

 

Amen! But remember the TLJ quote from MiB . . .

 

in therapy

on medication

exercise, meditate, walk dog and ride my bike

nothing is better for my soul than getting lost or locked in the groove with other musicians with my bass.

i play other instruments but nothing makes me happier than the bass. i don't belong to any guitar, bicycle, weightlifting or other forums than bass.

bass is a happy instrument played by laid back dudes....believe this stereotype over the one you heard

 

Are guitar-players & drummers naturally upbeat all the time?
that's rhetorical, LOL!

 

I'm a career mental health professional and a bassist. From what I can tell bassists are frequently the best grounded people in the band. Just look at Derek Smalls, John Entwistle, Paul McCartney or That Guy From The Police. Don't look at Motorhead though---there's the exception who proves the rule.

 

Nah, you've got all personality types for every instrument.

For example...

With vocalists, you have your Morrisseys... and then you have your David Lee Roths.

Neil Peart and Keith Moon probably wouldn't have hung out together.

On guitar, you have Mark Knopfler personality types... and then you have Jimi Hendrix.

Keys... it doesn't get more opposite than Jerry Lee Lewis and Tony Banks.

And for bass, you have guys like John Deacon... and then you have Gene Simmons.

And obviously, you have a high number of types that fall in between the extremes.

 

I’ve played drums, longer than I’ve played bass.
I’m definitely naturally Upbeat all the time. Downbeat, as well.
I have never been depressed in my life.
And I’ve had some really bad stuff happen to me.

 

Philthy 'the Animal' Taylor was the crazy one in MH:

 

I was sitting at a restaurant with a new band talking goals with the group. A fellow walked past us, and once he was inside I turned to the vocalist and drummer and said "I bet you lunch that guy is a drummer". They accepted the bet, and when he came back out with his carry out we called him over and asked if he was a musician to which he answered yes. We asked what he played and he stated "Oh, I'm a drummer".

Musicians do have certain personality quarks. Spend enough time around them you'll be able to pick them out in a crowd. Oddly enough as a bassist, I seem to run into mostly bassists and drummers, and am unable to find guitarists and vocalists to save my life.

 

As a long time Police/Sting fan, I'd like to contest that claim Sting was pretty arrogant and certainly not as grounded as Andy Summers. Then again, Andy was also almost 10 years elder to Sting.

 

Meh, that’s probably coming from guitar players that no one wants to play with lol

 

Summers went nuts on his holidays with John Belushi:

Andy Summers Recalls Doing Mushrooms With John Belushi in Police Documentary: Exclusive Clip

However, Mr. Sumner's book opens with him getting crazy HIGH with his wife!

 

Maybe people make this assumption since playing the bass generally involves more subdued physical motions as compared to drums, keys, guitar, and vocals.

Consider the following:
Drummers are moving all four of their limbs while playing.

Guitarists can do dramatic strumming patterns, windmills, crazy bends, etc.

Vocalists have the freedom to move around as far as the mic will take them.

Keyboardists...yeah.

Bassists...we are still mostly playing one note at a time, anchoring our thumb, and plucking with one to two fingers or focusing on strumming one or two giant strings with a pick.

Maybe to the general public this just looks less exuberant than the other instruments. And the natural conclusion is that bass players love life less.

Of course there are players who make a big physical show of playing, but what is the norm?