Bass: Rhythm or solo instrument?

[Skitch it!]

There's a time and place for everything imo, but it's got to be musical. I remember a dep that subbed for a long term band I played with, he had a great rep, but then spent most of the night above the 12th fret apparently, that's an ego problem, nothing to do with musicianship or music, it wasn't the time nor the place, he didn't get asked again.

 

[BassAsAHobby]

Either way....

I love simple but effective grooves, and then I love cranking the distortion mixed with an octave above and soloing over the simple grooves.

Hey...its a musical instrument. You can say the same thing about a stratocaster. Use it for rhythm or leads. Depends on your tastes.

 

[JtheJazzMan]

While an instrument can be an obstacle to your playing, to answer your question, I think its the personality of the playing, not the instrument.

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Maybe this will give you some ideas.

 

[Orangeclawhammr]

Depends on what you wanna do....

For me....it's drums with notes....

I've thought of it that way, but a couple of other musicians suggested that it could also be a tuba with strings.

 

[Minotauros]

None of the above. Bass is a lead instrument. Think about it................the drummer clicks the sticks and goes 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 and who plays the first note. The bass man is leading the band and he better get that first note right.

Not all songs have an intro with a bass line. And not all drummers tap out the timing to start.

 

[Minotauros]

One might also ask if drums are a rhythm or solo instrument. they can do both. So can a guitar. So can a keyboard. And what about when there is no drummer in a band? Who does the bass keep rhythm with and for? C'mon, you can't pigeonhole what an instrument's or player's part is.

 

[Kwesi]

Playing solo and playing melodically are two completely different things. Solo is when an instrument is unaccompanied while melodic just means it's playing the melody. Playing solo may can be melodic but playing melodically does not mean to play solo. Plenty of bassists play the melodies of their songs on their leader albums without playing solo.

Now that I've said that, I'm fine with with the bass filling rhythmic or melodic roles in the music so long as it fits the music. One thing I've grown to like less and less are solo bassists. Just not my thing and I think it's because of the general lack of musicality in the field. Musicality, to me, is when the average non-musician Joe can hear something and not say "that's amazing" but rather "I enjoy that" which is not a quality I hear in many solo bassists music. You do hear it in a lot of solo guitarists work though.

 

[bass_lord_mutha]

Do you think the bassist should be a rhythm instrument and hook up with the drummer, or a melodic solo instrument free to venture off the beaten path?

It should be whatever it needs to be in any given situation. Like a chameleon.

 

[nysbob]

Whipped cream: dessert topping or marital aid?

Really everything depends on the user, doesn't it?

 

[Al3x]

It can be both. It can be a melodic role, or a rhythmic role, but you really shine when you can do both at the same time. Hold down a groove while sounding melodic.

IMO, anyway...

 

[skidrawk]

Bass: it is a stick of wood, a paint brush. It's up to the artist to determine what to do next...

 

[PaulDouglas]

My Drummer is tempo; all follow him here. He is also accents and passage introductions, but in this and all else, he follows ME.
Because.......
I am the Rhythm of the band, and harmony to the guitars.

 

[maturanesa]

i dont really get the point of the OP. "Bass: a rhythm or solo instrument?"
The instrument is capable to do both, why do you want to create an statement on which of the two should be right? its like saying "a basketball player: should shoot or pass?"
it all depends on the situation, theres no "right or wrong"..

 

[Slyonbass]

If your curious, here are some examples of my solo bass pieces :

YouTube - ‪SlyonBassDotCom's Channel‬‏

Comments welcome...

 

[zachoff]

Generally not into bass as a solo instrument.

 

[keyofnight]

i dont really get the point of the OP. "Bass: a rhythm or solo instrument?"
The instrument is capable to do both, why do you want to create an statement on which of the two should be right? its like saying "a basketball player: should shoot or pass?"
it all depends on the situation, theres no "right or wrong"..

This.

Often times, a bassist is asked to play more than one role: hold down the rhythm, reinforce the melody, solo. They're all part of the same game.

 

[Slyonbass]

Generally not into bass as a solo instrument.

May I ask what instruments you do enjoy hearing solo and example of players??

 

[tylerwylie]

A pencil can write poetry and stab people in the eyes, all depends on who's using it.

 

[djaydjay]

I think bass can do both, but is better fitted for the rythmic role. This because of the frequencies of the instrument, that is harder to hear. A bass solo gets drown out quite easily by the rest of the band, and often leaves the band without low end.
It is VERY rare that a bass solo fits a song.

I'm of course speaking about a band context. I won't say too much about solo bassists (aka playing without a band) because I generally don't like solo artists (appart maybe from a few classical guitar artists). I can only think of maybe 4-5 bass solo songs that I like.

 

[MikeBC]

Both.

My style preference is contrapuntal. I grew up on bands like Cream, Airplane, Hot Tuna, and Grateful Dead. Love the interplay.

However when called for I have fulfilled the role of metronome. Some songs simply require that. Besides if I enjoy the company and the pay is good, for a while anyway, what the heck. You can always throw in a ghost or grace note or two to keep yourself amused.