"Bassist" vs "Bass Player"

[sdjfoh]

Yalls are all mixed up about it

Bass is just an interface. There’s strings, keys, reeds, brass, skins, midi buttons - and a thousand other possible ways to interact with sound. Let’s not reduce ourselves to BS semantics. It’s insulting. Bass frequencies can be controlled by so many ways - you can play a role or break out of the normal paradigm and move those frequencies in unconventional ways. Do what thou wilt - but if you argue on the internet about it - get back to the shed.

 

[Iristone]

I'm thinking of another distinction, still mostly semantic: a "player" is someone who can play an instrument, while an "instrumentalist" is someone who plays an instrument fluently. It becomes an extent of muscle memory, you don't need to consciously think of it and it just becomes a natural extension of yourself. You can free your mind to think about the music, which turns to your playing more naturally.
By this definition I'm about 80% drummer and 50% bassist, but only 10% flautist, 5% vocalist and exactly 0% guitarist. I'm making fast progress with my flute, though, and I'll also become a better drummer and bassist when time permits me to practise more of them.

 

[Jeff Scott]

I'm thinking of another distinction, still mostly semantic: a "player" is someone who can play an instrument, while an "instrumentalist" is someone who plays an instrument fluently. It becomes an extent of muscle memory, you don't need to consciously think of it and it just becomes a natural extension of yourself. You can free your mind to think about the music, which turns to your playing more naturally.
By this definition I'm about 80% drummer and 50% bassist, but only 10% flautist, 5% vocalist and exactly 0% guitarist. I'm making fast progress with my flute, though, and I'll also become a better drummer and bassist when time permits me to practise more of them.

So you're saying that you are 145% a musician?

 

[pyrat56host]

I detest the idea of being ANY type of "ist".

 

[PNW Tony]

I detest the idea of being ANY type of "ist".

Sort of an anti-istist?

 

[Iristone]

So you're saying that you are 145% a musician?

I don't think it's additive in this way

Sort of an anti-istist?

Reminds me of a self-proclaimed philosopher talking about "ismism", or the ideology of ideologies. It could actually be an interesting field of research by a more professional philosopher!

 

[Jeff Scott]

I don't think it's additive in this way

I never claimed to be a mathist®.

Reminds me of a self-proclaimed philosopher talking about "ismism", or the ideology of ideologies. It could actually be an interesting field of research by a more professional philosopher!

Go for it!

 

[pepj]

100% Bass Player.

 

[steve_ss]

I consider myself to be a bass owner / collector who can sometimes make noises similar to something musical. I hope one day to be good enough to consider myself a bass player.

 

[cymbop]

I would like to further the discussion by adding that it's fun to sing this tune as "You, and your bassist friend."