Can a Bassist be a Troubadour?

[REV]

I believe Victor Wooten had a solo gig at a coffee house or a bookstore someplace when he was coming up.

 

[Kenan]

This was in the New Yorker I received today and it reminded me of this thread. Lol.

 

[Tony In Philly]

Some of you may not like this one....

 

[Tony In Philly]

 

[Rolling Thunder]

Two words: Tiny Tim. If that guy can make it big playing an instrument then anyone can, just need the right "in" moment (which I guess now is called viral).

 

[Real Soon]

I came in here just to say

Foot tambourines are the way and the factuality. I recently discovered the joy.

I have to handmake a leg-mounted sleigh bell for a group I'm in, and that should actually be pretty practical to do and could def be a shared design if ones aren't already out there. Might be less useful for solo work but makes for a great percussion add-on with a small group.

 

[La Faro]

These give my ABG a little boost. One of the guys on here has one attached to the other and fitted a strap so he can walk around a children's ward entertaining.

Now throw a loop pedal into the equation and your free to build things up.

 

[IamGroot]

Get a bajo sexto and join a mariachi band.

 

[DustyBottom]

 

[DustyBottom]

 

[J_Bass]

There is a reason for the double bass to be that size. We have this discussion many times, and every time the conclusion is the same. There is no way of being heard with an acoustic bass or a uke bass without amplification. It's just physics. Not possible.

If you want to play acoustic bass, buy a portable amp.

If you want to play acoustically, go with the double bass.

There is one alternative that is loud enough, that I know of. The mandoloncello.

 

[Stempelloos]

 

[micguy]

There is a reason for the double bass to be that size. We have this discussion many times, and every time the conclusion is the same. There is no way of being heard with an acoustic bass or a uke bass without amplification. It's just physics. Not possible.

If you want to play acoustic bass, buy a portable amp.

If you want to play acoustically, go with the double bass.

There is one alternative that is loud enough, that I know of. The mandoloncello.

The Mexican Guittaron also works. Every time I see one, though, my back hurts.

 

[lat]

Yes, yes they can...

 

[fermata]

 

[fdeck]

The Mexican Guittaron also works. Every time I see one, though, my back hurts.

I attended a music camp last summer, roughly 30 fiddles, assorted cellos, and two bass instruments: A guitarron and my upright bass. We were mostly split up into groups, plus there were evening jam sessions. I was holding my own amongst up to a dozen fiddlers. At the same time, my upright could completely bury the guitarron, even when I was playing pizzicato.

Size is one difference, string length / tension and setup are also important.

I think that for virtually any "troubador" type role, you either have to be virtuosic on an instrument, or capable of singing.

Edit: Short of virtuosic, at least melodic.

 

[Chicory Blue]

IMO: Yes!

I know I'm not even close to the only one whose thought about this, but I couldn't find much in my own search so if there's a pre-existing thread, I apologize. I'd just like to share my thoughts on it.

People who play guitar, piano, or uke get all the glory; always busting their ability to sing and play out as party tricks and solo performances. Bassists, conversely, are often left out since 99% of the time we're just the accompaniment. Even Sir Paul and Sting still have full bands backing them. I don't think the bass gets enough recognition as a troubadour's potential main instrument (especially since it's 1,000x more interesting and a lot less cliche).

So, I've started working on a way to compete with my chord-strumming friends around the campfire. The key, I've found, is to acquire a foot tambourine that I keep in my acoustic bass case. It helps "fill the air" where the percussive higher frequencies are missing. And this is my 12-Song set list that I plan to practice regularly so that I'm ready when the moment strikes:

(Sittin' On) The Dock of The Bay
Ain't No Sunshine
Walk On The Wild Side (Edited )
All I Wanna Do
Blister In The Sun
Road Trippin'
(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66
Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)
Moondance
Money
Something
Smooth Operator

Are there any other great songs for this purpose? Does anybody else do this, or have any advice?

Happy singing and playing!

I've tried this myself, foot tambourine and all, and even gotten handy using dyads as chords to harmonize with myself.

Turns out I absolutely cannot keep my foot coordinated, though, so I'm still trash. xD

--^@

 

[GIBrat51]

Can a bassist be a troubadour? Let's see..
- Are you a French lyric poet?
- Are you writing and singing songs about "courtly" love?
- Are you wandering the roads in the Provencal district of France?
- Are you currently living sometime in the 11th -13th century?
- And. for bonus points; are you of knightly rank?
If you can answer "Yes" to all these questions, then - Yes, you can certainly be a troubadour. In fact, you already are one. But, if you can't? Sorry; best you can hope for is to be a successful, well paid professional musician. No lute and funny looking clothes for you...