• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

dumbest thing i have ever heard

R

remainthesame

Sep 24, 2008
818
48
#1
There's a band that's considering to take me on board. I've been talking to the singer to arrange everything and get the songs that I need to learn. I asked what tuning they play in and he said drop Db. This is when I told him that I prefer to stick with standard tunings so I'd play playing in Db standard.

This is when I found out that the guy before me got kicked out for doing the same thing. I tried explaining to the singer that many bassists prefer standard tunings and as long as everything sounds good, why does it matter?

That's when he said: "bassist for bands tune according to the music so they can all have the same open notes and have great stage presence"

I couldn't believe it. I had to read the txt message about 10 times before the depth of stupidity finally sunk in.
 
#3
No kidding. Thats a little ridiculous. I'd never go to a show and point out a bassist playing in a different tuning... If the bassist can do it and it sounds good, let him play how ever he wants. Oh well, not a band I'd wanna play for, it's really their loss IMO. Bass players are hard enough to find, I don't think this is worth being that picky over.
 
#11
Jeez, really? Wasn't that what 5 string basses were developed for in the first place, to extend the range downward? Who cares if your you're hitting a fretted or open note as long as it's the right note? What is it about about down tuned rock guitarists that make them so adamant and didactic about the process? Does it make them closer to...Satan?(cue Dana Carvey voice)
 
#14
the guitard probably gets insecure if youre playing in a different position because then he cant tell you if youre playing it wrong...been there before...so insecure that they deflect problems to the bass player. and theyre probably so worried about image that thyre afraid itll look weird if youre not playing the same position.

i played bass in a trio and the guitard got weirded out and messed up if i played something different or god forbid counterpoint to his part. he got better about it or atleast less vocal when i told him id part his part when it was the best thing for the song id do it. ...my schedule got busy so he and the drummer started doing practices with and without me....i got the lame excuse that he had to change his parts when i wasnt there and change them again when i was....that was my fault??? needless to say i left
 
#16
remainthesame said:
..."bassist for bands tune according to the music so they can all have the same open notes and have great stage presence"...
Click to expand...

Perhaps it's so they can synchronize the changing of their drool cups?

That would after all be some pretty strong stage presence.

Seriously though, random drool cup changing on stage just screams amateur.
 
#18
Don't expect guitar players to be grounded in reality...

That said, I couldn't live being told to tune the bass to play open notes...
a) I was trained to avoid open strings (play cleaner) on bass
b) agree that is why the 5 string bass was invented.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back