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Fancy stuff.

Which is better?

  • Nothin' but groove for me.

    Votes: 85 30.8%

  • Fancy tricks are better.

    Votes: 2 0.7%

  • I like both, in moderation.

    Votes: 163 59.1%

  • Tons of both, crammed together into a complete mess of a bassline.

    Votes: 26 9.4%
  • Total voters
    276
#41
I feel like the majority (this time, at least) MODERATION of both.

Really, I guess the best thing is to lay down the sacred GROOVE and, if the SONG calls for it, fill in something really TASTY to add to the song.

ALL things in MODERATION :cool:

NEVER SACRIFICE THE GROOVE!!! :D
 
#42
Music has no limitations, neither should skill or technique.
I love it all.
The driving slap thunder earthquake of Larry Grahams "POW".
The deep brooding and beautiful growl of the Police's "Wrapped around you finger".
The elegant virtuoso fretless fluidity style of Jaco's "punk Jazz"
The thunderous boom and bite of RUSH'S "Tom Sawyer"

It's all music, it's different, beautiful, wonderful, it's BASS!!!!
 
#45
...it seems that we are living in the post "Stanley Clarke, Rocko Jaco, Larry Graham, Bootsy" age where musicality is equated with technique. Kinda like Gee-Whiz technology. Fake boobs and all that. The aforementioned guys had technique that served their musical goals. Everyone who copies like them sounds like them. For the most part because we are blown away by their technique. But miss the musical ideas. Or at least many miss the groove. :hiding:

A solo. it seems to me, is the players' opportunity to interpret the musical idea as a solo voice-not an opportunity to show off technique. That is why so many solos sound uninteresting. IMHO.

OBTW-
A careful listening to the discography of Rahsaan Roland Kirk will show that*anything* can be used as a solo instrument. Including phone books, pencil sharpeners and a garden hose.

Peace and play well
 
#46
I think of Bass as a function, whether it be through upright bass, electric bass, key bass, or tuba

You should do what the function at that current time requires. When it's time to groove give them a fat groove and make em' dance, if it's your turn to solo or time to play freely,
than do what you want or express yourself in that fuction.


Music is a form of expression.
And is completely subjective that's what makes it beautiful

that's just how I feel :)
 
#48
First of all, quite a loaded poll "fancy tricks are better" definately has a bad connotation.
Anyway, I don't beleive in "jobs" on any instrument (although it is true that an instruments strengths and limitations effect what can be done with it). Everyone should be locking in the groove, everyone should be contributing in everything. This applies to the thread because I believe that what one can do on an instrument and the person themselves should be what decides how they fit into a song. Melodies can be in the lower registers, so can grooves, and to some extent chords. Cream (when they are jamming) I think is a good example of what can be done with a bass: often Clapton and Bruce (and Baker for that matter) are playing busy lines, but ones which play off eachother and do not exclusively draw attention to themselves. The Allman Brothers are another good example. I don't think people make good use of the full fingerboard, and the fact that you can play up to four voices simultaniously (though usually only two is practical) you can play contrapuntal lines by acompanying yourself (a bass line under a melody or double stops over a lower melody).
Fancy tricks are definatly bad in that they're all technique and no music, but playing fast or complex does not mean that its bad. What comes first is the music and what the player hears and feels, which might be a pedal tone under double stops, a grove, a contrapuntal line to the guitarist/singer/horn player or a percussive sound accompinment (rather than harmonic or melodic).
 
#49
Groove is important. When I listen to a solo I pick apart the melody. I want bass players to utilize the whole instrument with emphasis on support. The bass is clearly not the only instrument that supports. I don't get uptight when I hear a pianist break loose in the bass register after it has supported the melody for a composition. When the Tuba cuts loose it doesn't bother me. I figure if the melody is strong and the support is not lost, do what you feel. I can't say that some "jam-band" soloing excites me all that much. When a theme is expressed for 2800 bars it gets old to my ear quickly. When jams go in a direction it seems to hold my attention alot longer.

I think that the attention these bassists garner is fabulous for an instrument that struggles to get recognition, and some feel has a shelf life limited to a few more generations.
 
#51
pointbass said:
I've managed to stay very active over these past many years by being a groove player. I have nothing against bass solo's, I'm moderately okay at soloing but I much prefer the groove function. Guys like John Patitucci impress the heck out of me, because they are, at heart, groove players with major solo chops. I really like how Nathan East drives the band, and Al Caldwell is totally tasty in everything I've heard from him .... :cool:
Click to expand...

+1.

Another great example is Gary Willis.
 
#53
MikeyFingers said:
I've seen a video of Gary Willis playing a fretless solo at Link Removed. I love his playing but that's the only time I've ever heard him play. Could you maybe name a few CDs/songs with him playing?
Click to expand...

Absolutely. He's on all of the Tribal Tech recordings, I like "Face First" the most, especially the title track.

He plays on a few tracks on Dennis Chambers' "Outbreak" CD, I recommend "Otay", which also has John Scofield.

He has two solo albums - "No Sweat" and "Bent", both also featuring the amazing Kirk Covington on drums. I slightly prefer "Bent", mainly the opening track "Hypnotize", along with "Armageddon Blues".

He's got some great info on his website, Invalid Link Removed.

He's addictive. Enjoy.
 

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