Can you really play Geddy Lee?

Spare me.

 

Yawn.

And why are either of them in a different realm? Most of Geddy's stuff is relatively easy, in the grand scheme of things. Have you just not tried very hard?

 

You're being too pessimistic. Perhaps the reason that you can't play their stuff despite having been playing for 19 years is that you're assuming that they've got a greater potential than you do. If you had been practicing diligently for half that time you'd be able to play most or all of their stuff. I'm not trying to say that you're lazy for not having learned to do it, just that if you really wanted to play like them, then you could have learned to.

 

Sounded to me liek that's exactly what you wanted. My mistake for not being able to read minds

 

First off, Geddy and Entwhistle aren't that amazing. They're both great players and came up with some awesome basslines, but they're not THAT great.
Secondly: I'd be glad to show my skill and play for y'all, but I don't have any recording equipment/software.

 

There's an old saying...to be a legend, you either have to be first or best. Entwistle was first.

 

"A chimpanzee could learn to do what I do physically . . . "

- Jaco

 

That's a pretty arrogant statement for you to be making considering that you probably don't know anyone on here. I'll post my stuff when it's done. Not before.

 

Marty, man, get a life.

 

There are a lot of professional bassists here, many of whom play jazz, and you don't think most people here can groove or make up a bassline?

 

Martyman, a huge chunk of the people here have links to soundclips in their signature, and the DB side of TB has a thread devoted to nothing but member recordings. There's plenty of ways to hear TB members play, if you bother to look, or possibly PM someone. Sounds to me like you're trying to stir people up for some reason or other. If you want to see people play, or hear their recorded material, there's better ways to ask then, "put up or shut up."


EDIT: Your profile says you've never played live. This could be why you think Geddy and Entwhistle are on an entirely different plane, and why you apparently find it hard to believe that other TB members can't do what they've done.

 

+1.

Depending on how you define bassline, someone can pick up a bass and play simple 8th notes and theres a bassline. Just because someone can't create their own crazy songs like Jaco doesn't mean they can't groove or create a bassline. Certainly most of my basslines are simple, and sometimes they may not groove with the song, but it works and my band seems to like it so I'm happy with it. Does that make me any less of a bass player than all of the bassists on here? No. We all started somewhere, which could mean we learnt how to play other peoples basslines as practice. I know I started off by playing Beatles and some Cream songs before I could write a more interesting bassline. I don't play jazz(more like I don't have the chops/musical knowledge to play it), so I have the utmost respect for the players on here who can, and even though I don't post much, I always browse through the forums and try and learn stuff from them to utilize in my own playing. I don't know where I'm going with all of this though, so I'll stop.

 

Back on topic, yes. It's pretty easy to play Geddy Lee's line, it only really gets tricky when you're trying to sing over it. It's all about practice!

 

I'd like to add in that martyman5000 posted his soundclips on his thread to soundclick. Well i checked it out. Honestly i can see why he doesnt think other people can play their stuff or groove or make up original material. not to be harsh but his stuff isnt that impressive. so marty to you man in 5000 years you might be able to do want geddy or entwhistle can do then but now keep practicing. if you been tinkering with bass from 86 till now then why cant you play their stuff. its not that tough. geddys work is mainly playing in diferrent time sigs(ill admit sometimes can be a bug to work with) but he just plays through a chord and uses notes wisely and tastefully. its prog its written out and orchestrated. if you are a big fan of them or ever heard them, most of their songs are similiar in composition. as for originality, punk bass lines are all the same to my ears. play and learn jazz. made me a better player and others as well. it will help you in writing original lines.

 

What a myopic world view. "Just because I have done something on and off for 19 years and think something is difficult, then everyone else who says it's not that tough has to prove it to me, otherwise they are lying."

Coming up with basslines like Geddy's or Entwistle's is one thing. Parroting them is not that tough, though. I was ripping through YYZ in high school. Could I have come up with a bassline as good? Of course not. But, there is nothing "different realm" about anything they physically do on a bass.

As for questioning JimmyM:

Good God, man--he's opened for Air Supply! What more do you need to know about his skillz??!?!?

 

Damn skippy! Thanks for reminding me of that, bassmonkee. So Marty, unless you've opened for Air Supply too, I've got nothing to prove to you.