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Bassists Are Their Own Worst Enemies

#43
This is the stupidest post I've ever read.

Each bassist has their own style. Our own style is driven by what makes us individuals.

If you don't like playing root/5th, then don't. It doesn't mean that a bassist who does is a terrible bassist.

Geddy Lee was interviewed about his style (you can look it up on YouTube, it's in two parts) and his answer to the question was, in effect, "Well I've always been insecure so I wanted to show everyone that I am a good bass player."

If you tell folks what to do you end up sounding like a haughty dippoopie.

All those studio musicians who make money playing in the pocket. They are their own worst enemy.

ETA: There's the thing about tradition. There are thousands of bassists who played before you. Thousands. Who played the root and the fifth. Why? Because it works. That's what Chesterton called "The Democracy of the Dead." Don't tear down the fence unless you know why it was built in the first place.

Jimmie, I suggest you reflect and think about what you wrote because you're obviously new and don't understand wisdom.
 
#44
JimmyM said:
Serving the song isn't a load of crap. What's turned it into a load of crap, though, is people interpreting it to mean "the bass player does nothing to call attention to himself." Good intentions misinterpreted by nimrods.
Click to expand...

I don't disagree, but is your point that this misinterpretation has led the music-listening public to expect nothing attention-grabbing from a bassist or that bassists are adopting this misinterpretation in what they deem serving the piece of music?

If it's the former, I'd argue that any opinion of bassists on bass playing was long pre-dated by a public demanding to be spoon-fed and dumbed down to the point of strapping a drool bucket on 90% of the general public when music is being played. The de-evolution of popular music from the mid-late '70s to present is staggering. There are a few exceptions, of course.

If it's the latter, I'd think you'd be pleased that your competition for gigs is greatly reduced. Well, except for consideration of my point above.
 
#45
I.

KNOW!

I was just thinking about making a thread like this. NEVER, in ANY of the instruments or hobbies I've played and been around numerous people with, have I ever heard anyone take pride in underachieving other than bass. It just boggles my mind that people will actually limit themselves like this. They bash the players that just want to be good at what they do, meanwhile guys like DavidSinRocks are out there making names for themselves.
 
#49
Mechanical said:
This is the stupidest post I've ever read.

Each bassist has their own style. Our own style is driven by what makes us individuals.

If you don't like playing root/5th, then don't. It doesn't mean that a bassist who does is a terrible bassist.

Geddy Lee was interviewed about his style (you can look it up on YouTube, it's in two parts) and his answer to the question was, in effect, "Well I've always been insecure so I wanted to show everyone that I am a good bass player."

If you tell folks what to do you end up sounding like a haughty dippoopie.

All those studio musicians who make money playing in the pocket. They are their own worst enemy.

ETA: There's the thing about tradition. There are thousands of bassists who played before you. Thousands. Who played the root and the fifth. Why? Because it works. That's what Chesterton called "The Democracy of the Dead." Don't tear down the fence unless you know why it was built in the first place.

Jimmie, I suggest you reflect and think about what you wrote because you're obviously new and don't understand wisdom.
Click to expand...

:eyebrow: :rollno: :scowl:
 
#51
Mechanical said:
This is the stupidest post I've ever read.

Each bassist has their own style. Our own style is driven by what makes us individuals.

If you don't like playing root/5th, then don't. It doesn't mean that a bassist who does is a terrible bassist.

Geddy Lee was interviewed about his style (you can look it up on YouTube, it's in two parts) and his answer to the question was, in effect, "Well I've always been insecure so I wanted to show everyone that I am a good bass player."

If you tell folks what to do you end up sounding like a haughty dips***.

All those studio musicians who make money playing in the pocket. They are their own worst enemy.

ETA: There's the thing about tradition. There are thousands of bassists who played before you. Thousands. Who played the root and the fifth. Why? Because it works. That's what Chesterton called "The Democracy of the Dead." Don't tear down the fence unless you know why it was built in the first place.

Jimmie, I suggest you reflect and think about what you wrote because you're obviously new and don't understand wisdom.
Click to expand...

LOL

Jimmy, you n00b! :D
 
#52
Mechanical said:
This is the stupidest post I've ever read.

Each bassist has their own style. Our own style is driven by what makes us individuals.

If you don't like playing root/5th, then don't. It doesn't mean that a bassist who does is a terrible bassist.

Geddy Lee was interviewed about his style (you can look it up on YouTube, it's in two parts) and his answer to the question was, in effect, "Well I've always been insecure so I wanted to show everyone that I am a good bass player."

If you tell folks what to do you end up sounding like a haughty dippoopie.

All those studio musicians who make money playing in the pocket. They are their own worst enemy.

ETA: There's the thing about tradition. There are thousands of bassists who played before you. Thousands. Who played the root and the fifth. Why? Because it works. That's what Chesterton called "The Democracy of the Dead." Don't tear down the fence unless you know why it was built in the first place.

Jimmie, I suggest you reflect and think about what you wrote because you're obviously new and don't understand wisdom.
Click to expand...
This has to be a friend of mine under a fake name playing a joke on me. Good one, Junior.
 
#53
I enjoy hearing creativity and intelligence expressed through masterful musicianship. Those at the top of their game have a way of making it look easy. Problem is, when mere mortals try, many fail; the Pareto principle applies to bassists, too.

One of the reasons my ears locked onto Rocco back in the sixties is that he didn't play like everyone else on the scene. I enjoyed hearing something out of the ordinary, unexpected, and surprising. I grew to appreciate his rhythmic approach, ghosted notes, and the way he conceived simple, solid, bass lines around which he was free to embellish. His sound and playing style have become so integral to Tower of Power's sounds that everyone else who has played with them left me feeling somewhat unsatisfied. Over the years, Rocco has been cajoled to emulate other players, and slap, but he has steadfastly refused to be untrue to himself.

Be true to yourself. Own the time. Know your limitations. Play as musically as possible. Who could ask for more?
 
#54
Jazzdogg said:
I enjoy hearing creativity and intelligence expressed through masterful musicianship. Those at the top of their game have a way of making it look easy. Problem is, when mere mortals try, many fail; the Pareto principle applies to bassists, too.
Click to expand...
Wrong. The first step to becoming great is tearing down the mental barrier separating you from them. They're not aliens, they're just like you and me. The only difference is how much they practice, simple as that. Once you tear down that brick wall, you can cross it.
 
#55
Well said JimmyM...........

I myself have never understood why anyone would ever purposely limit themselves in any way: their sound, their style, their gear, even their clothes, etc, to one way because of trends, fads, and opinions, especially on a forum.

Be your own man/woman/noodnik(!).

Granted, we all have our opinions.
Music is like food and sex:
You like what you like, and you dont like what you dont like.
 
#59
Funny thing...the average audience member doesn't even know the difference between a bass and a guitar. And the vast majority of them don't know or much less care who's "the best".

So just shut up and play the damn thing any way you want! (that's what I do)
 
#60
Tupac said:
Wrong. The first step to becoming great is tearing down the mental barrier separating you from them. They're not aliens, they're just like you and me. The only difference is how much they practice, simple as that. Once you tear down that brick wall, you can cross it.
Click to expand...

It's not "wrong." Your use of "wrong" is wrong.

While I agree in principle, trust me, there are certain things that some of us just cannot do. If your parents or your teachers told you that you can be anything you want to be, they are wrong. It's BS. There are limitations to many of us. To a select few, there are no limitations, at least in certain genres.

Greatness may crap and breathe like we do, but there is a line in many cases. There's a good reason why if I state that I want to be the fastest man on Earth in the 100-yard dash, you can state: you ain't gonna do that. No amount of practice will make the me fastest man on Earth. And that translates to all facets of life.

Sorry.

As a people, we need to come to terms with this. We can all be important, if this makes us feel a bit better, but we cannot all be all that we dreamed we could be. That's just plain silly. With all due respect to 99% of people on the planet, if you have become everything you dreamed you could be, then your dreams were a bit short-sighted, no?
 

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