Best Metal for Bass

[Remyd]

I have to go sit-in with a metal group next week. I don't get metal. I've listened to hours and hours, and I just don't see what people see in that genre. I don't know how I can get inspired to give a good performance. I also don't know how to play that fast.

What should I be listening to as an intro-to-metal?

 

[KevInDaBassment]

If you'd like to hear some very eloquent, yet aggressive bass playing in the realm of metal (idk if others consider them metal) but Mudvayne's Ryan Martinie has some excellent playing. If you'd like something with a bit more classic or traditional metal sound, Iron Maiden's Steve Harris was also a very talented guy.

 

[Mike Sorr]

I concur, Steve Harris is probably the tops when I comes to metal...but his style is a little, how can I put this....if you don't want to give yourself carpal tunnel syndrome, he might not be the guy to look to. Geezer Butler from Black Sabbath is a great one to look to for inspiration on an approach to playing metal. He's one of my favorites.

 

[Haji]

What genre of metal, though? It's not all the same, and goes from slow and churning to melodic and speedy, to bluesy and crunchy to thrashy and complex, and everywhere in between. My favorite metal player really isn't for most of his records: Brian Beller of the Aristocrats. He's also the bass player on all the Deathklok (the Metalocalypse adult cartoon) stuff. Dude can play anything and is funny on top of it all.

 

[Remyd]

I'm not sure exactly what kind of metal. This is supposed to be an originals band, so I'm not sure if it's even been decided.

It sounds like the bass just doubles the guitar lines 80% of the time, and it has to be more complex than that! I need something approachable to get a feel for what I'm supposed to be playing and when.

 

[Metalbasspro]

Impossible to comment unless we know more about the band. Give Judas Priest a listen for basics in bass metal.

 

[somegeezer]

Metal is entire genre that is full of so many subgenres, it would take a while to explain each. But in general, you can go from fast to slow, heavy to soft, vocal to instrumental...

As an intro to Metal, I'd start with the classics. Some of the first Heavy Metal stuff of Black Sabbath or something, or a little after with some Thrash and Metallica or early Prog with Dream Theater or Queensryche [two different forms of Prog]. For me, though, I think the really interesting stuff starts off in the 90s. Death, Black, Symphonic, Progressive Metal really starting to come to life. Or play it safe with some "Alternative" Metal, which is basically just Rock...

Once you get through the 90s, you start getting a lot more weird, and into more territory of "that's not even Metal!". Things like Metalcore, or a third style of Prog often named "Djent".

Also some particularly lovely Technical Death Metal. Or on the slower end, Brutal Death Metal... This is where you can see microgenres really starting to come into place. You think subgenres are difficult to follow?

Seriously though, this is a genre that spans so many things, that you can be sure to find something.

 

[Haji]

I've been a metal fan since I was about 10 or 11 and I have never heard of "Djent". Now I gotta go do some research!

I understand what it is now, and even came to learn a new, entertaining word: "djenty", used as an adjective to describe gear. "Are these pickups djenty?" I love this stuff; it makes people crazy and I'm all for that.

 

[SteveV74]

Check out Tool....Justin Chancelor is an excellent bassist.

 

[cjmodulus]

Give the album 'Colors' by Between the buried and me a listen. Dan Briggs is an incredible bass player who plays very contrapunctally (if that wasn't an adjective before it is now) in a very chaotic and proggy setting.

 

[somegeezer]

I've been a metal fan since I was about 10 or 11 and I have never heard of "Djent". Now I gotta go do some research!

I understand what it is now, and even came to learn a new, entertaining word: "djenty", used as an adjective to describe gear. "Are these pickups djenty?" I love this stuff; it makes people crazy and I'm all for that.

Can't stand the term, myself. It's just a particular sound that some Prog bands started out using, but is now even in other music. I mean, the guys given credit for "inventing" the sound to start with, are Meshuggah. Tech Death stuff from all my counts. But the term is more associated these days with guys playing styles that are closer to Hardcore Punk in style. Definitely some great music within. But I can't really take the term "Djent" seriously.

 

[Piggy8692]

I agree on Ryan Martinie of Mudvayne, and Dan Briggs of Between the Buried and Me. Also with Dream Theater.

Unfortunately most metal bass does just follow the rhythm guitars. So that should be easy for you. Just a little embellishment here and there is enough to get by. It will always differ from band to band so you need to be able to adapt.

I would add Seventh Wonder, Aeon Zen, Necrophagist, Mastodon, and Periphery to the list to check out for metal bands with cool bass.

 

[Fat Steve]

Listen to Kill 'Em All in its entirety. You can even find some of the isolated tracks on youtube for even more detailed analysis. Seriously, Cliff wont steer you wrong. Well, unless they just want you to double the guitar the whole time, in which case listen to anyone else other than Cliff Burton.

 

[callofcthulhu]

For me, part of the fun of writing metal bass lines is knowing when to follow the riffs and when to venture off on your own. If you do it right, every time you change from one mode to the other it'll feel like the earth and the sky have cracked open to reveal a cosmic hand reaching down to shatter your soul.

Also, if you can't play fast, just quit now.

 

[Feral Feline]

Check out fretless player Steve DiGiorgio from "Dark Hall" – Instrumental metal (billed as Jazz Fusion).
It was a revelation finding some instrumental cuts of DiGiorgio's playing. Great stuff! I wish all the bands he was in were instrumental.

 

[sikamikanico]

for speed (and certain tones), using a pick can do the trick...

ultimately, how far you can take it depends on the band and the music, and what they allow you to do...

 

[JoeVictim]

I have to go sit-in with a metal group next week. I don't get metal. I've listened to hours and hours, and I just don't see what people see in that genre. I don't know how I can get inspired to give a good performance. I also don't know how to play that fast.

What should I be listening to as an intro-to-metal?

There's so many avenues of this music, and so many talented players, it would be hard to recommend one.

For speed, you might want to try a pick.

For players, there really is a ton, especially considering all offshoots of metal and what fans consider metal (some of these bands didn't start as "metal bands")
Alex Webster
Joe Lester
Justin Chancellor
Lemmy Kilmister
Nick Oliveri
David Ellefson
Steve Harris
John Myung
Cliff Burton
Geddy Lee
Geezer Butler
Tim Commerford
John Alderete
Robert Trujillo

And many more...

 

[TrevorOfDoom]

The bands that make me want to play metal are Protest The Hero, Dillinger Escape Plan, and Norma Jean.
Protest and Dillinger have incredible bassists that do not just follow the guitars. Norma Jean is just fun.

 

[chuck norriss]

I have to go sit-in with a metal group next week. I don't get metal. I've listened to hours and hours, and I just don't see what people see in that genre. I don't know how I can get inspired to give a good performance. I also don't know how to play that fast.

What should I be listening to as an intro-to-metal?

isis, gojira, augurst burns red are good metal bands older stuff 90's soundagarden rage against the machine & helmet good older than that is acdc just keep it simple think heavy not pretty like a tug boat

 

[chuck norriss]

listen to janes addiction nothings shcoking very simple john myung /dream theater is the polar opposite of that