Female Bassist Threads

[Bassndrums73]

I enjoy watching women perform on their instrument no matter what instrument they play. This is especially true in rock bands because it’s the kind of music I like most and in my area you never see women in a rock band unless it’s a singer. You see plenty in classical oh symphony music. I really enjoy women drummers because there aren’t many and I was a drummer for a very long time before starting bass. It’s just fun to see them crank it out. We all know they can play as well as a guy, that has nothing to do with why I posted.

 

[rollie 55]

I just want to say that many of us who post on TB are older and we probably notice women musicians more because they were comparatively rare when we were coming up. That said, whenever I go on YouTube, I see more and more great female musicians (it is remarkable how many men follow cute female musicians.) I wonder if there is any real merit distinguishing between male and female musicians anymore? I mean, our gonads do not offer any advantage when it comes to musical ability as far as I know. Maybe the time has come to just call a great player a great player?

ive always called a great player a great player girls rock as good as men look at suzi quatro the bass was bigger than she was but boy could she rock

 

[Lobster11]

While we're all busy celebrating how enlightened we are these days, it's a good time to remember how much subtle and covert sexism still lies just below the surface. For example, virtually nobody is going to post "She's pretty good... for a girl" anymore, or explicitly claim that men are better musicians than women. But I wish I had a nickel for every time I've seen someone go on about how great some female player is, and how they don't care if someone is male or female if they can play like that, yadda yadda.... but then they can't resist adding something along the lines of "...and she's easy on the eyes too."

 

[J_Bass]

While we're all busy celebrating how enlightened we are these days, it's a good time to remember how much subtle and covert sexism still lies just below the surface. For example, virtually nobody is going to post "She's pretty good... for a girl" anymore, or explicitly claim that men are better musicians than women. But I wish I had a nickel for every time I've seen someone go on about how great some female player is, and how they don't care if someone is male or female if they can play like that, yadda yadda.... but then they can't resist adding something along the lines of "...and she's easy on the eyes too."

So, what were all those screams about when The Beatles and other bands showed up?

 

[rutrho]

What is your take on the subject?

A couple of things...
First is gender and or sex are often irrelevant to music in the context of playing, creating, performing for the most part. I think the biggest difference in a bass specific context is lugging amps and cabs around and MAYBE hand size and technique when say playing the first five frets on bass.

The second is that threads of this nature always turn into a charlie foxtrot of emotions, feelings, poorly veiled sexism masquerading as ignorance and sometimes people can show that they're willing to learn and grow. I've been glad to see that there is a lot of civil discourse and listening going on so far and people are showing they're willing to grow, but it can still be hard to see these discussions happening constantly.

I tend to opt out of a lot of these discussions because I'm flat out tired of trying to defend myself and I have a fairly prickly attitude when these topics come up that ends up more as a "FU" until proven otherwise.

That said, being willing to show that your able to grow and willing to start looking and trying to understand other folks' experiences outside of yours is a good sign and it really is something that I wish more people were able to do.

Girls can do anything guys can do except piss on a campfire. This conversation should end right about....HERE.

I strongly disagree with you on the campfire. Its all in the hips dear!!

We know different women because I can testify otherwise...



Don't forget all that social stigma they have to overcome. Very few genres are openly accepting of women. Heck, even here on TB we have multiple threads reducing women to visual objects to be consumed for our pleasure. But it is flattering to say how "hot" all these "singer/bass babes" are, right? They should appreciate the attention.

Yep. The overt sexism/sex appeal is the biggest thing that a lot of other women see when those posts come up. It doesn't bother me really, but I almost want to start the hot bass playing dude thread, you know, just cuz.

 

[AboutSweetSue]

My only real curiosity is the possibility that female fingers sound different than male fingers on the bass. I suppose it’s a tone-fingers question.

 

[oZZma]

I find your attitude thoroughly retrograde and somewhat disgusting.

The fact you even have to ask the question in this day and age

Don't take offense @Dr. Cheese but I admit when I saw the thread I thought something like this. Is the matter even in discussion?
Then I remembered I saw an imbecile "female bands contest" advertisement like 2 weeks ago so I don't know. Maybe some people still need the idea to be hammered in their head even with patronizing threads like this.

 

[rollie 55]

My only real curiosity is the possibility that female fingers sound different than male fingers on the bass. I suppose it’s a tone-fingers question.

what a load of rubbish

 

[Mushroo]

So, what were all those screams about when The Beatles and other bands showed up?

(off-topic)

The documentary "How The Beatles Changed The World" has a really interesting answer to this question. Highly recommended!

Okay, back to our regularly scheduled programming...

 

[flojob]

Of course gender doesn't dictate musicianship, and there are tons of great female players, just as Doc cheese is pointing out.
And I'm always a gentleman, and appropriate in most situations, but if she's a cutie, I'm probably gonna mention that too. I guess I'm supposed to pretend that I don't notice, because gender is fluid, or whatever.
But you know what's not fluid? Hot.
Hot is fire.
And I yell fire when I see one.
And if that fire is age appropriate, I'm probably gonna try to run over to it and put it out.
Cause I'm a hero.

 

[CryingBass]

I there lives a God, this will be the //EOT post here...

 

[rutrho]

My only real curiosity is the possibility that female fingers sound different than male fingers on the bass. I suppose it’s a tone-fingers question.

Dimorphic differences in expression of secondary sexual characteristics are going to be less important than someones overall strength, fitness and other factors.

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

Jesus. SJW hath arrived. And this is why people that want to do the right thing say "screw it". Status quo doesn't hurt me in the least.

I don't know why you are tossing out derogatory terms like "SJW" when all she did was point out the academic and scientifically correct way of differentiating between sex and gender. Gender is a social construct which has historically been used to oppress. This is an important fact in a discussion about why women are not present in male-dominated realms (i.e. most of the world).

Having the "status quo not hurt you in the least" is a huge testament to the privilege we males receive in society, all because of our gender.

 

[Jokei]

Don't take offense @Dr. Cheese but I admit when I saw the thread I thought something like this. Is the matter even in discussion?
Then I remembered I saw an imbecile "female bands contest" advertisement like 2 weeks ago so I don't know. Maybe some people still need the idea to be hammered in their head even with patronizing threads like this.

Maybe it's my european influence :S

I get a lot in the world is still pretty broken, we still have nation-wide media that has scantily clad women pictured... I'm not sure why that's in news media. I think and hope musicians are better. In my fairly wide circle of friends and acquaintances that play, I've never heard any crappiness regarding gender/race/sexuality etc. Maybe I'm just lucky.
I've seen a few articles on all female "rock" bands that have made me a bit uncomfortable, but seemingly the bands have pandered to it. I'll stay in my little peaceful niche

 

[rollie 55]

my old drummer chrissy tomphson was and is the best i ever played with male female dont matter its a human thing FACT

 

[Dr. Cheese]

A couple of things...
First is gender and or sex are often irrelevant to music in the context of playing, creating, performing for the most part. I think the biggest difference in a bass specific context is lugging amps and cabs around and MAYBE hand size and technique when say playing the first five frets on bass.

The second is that threads of this nature always turn into a charlie foxtrot of emotions, feelings, poorly veiled sexism masquerading as ignorance and sometimes people can show that they're willing to learn and grow. I've been glad to see that there is a lot of civil discourse and listening going on so far and people are showing they're willing to grow, but it can still be hard to see these discussions happening constantly.

I tend to opt out of a lot of these discussions because I'm flat out tired of trying to defend myself and I have a fairly prickly attitude when these topics come up that ends up more as a "FU" until proven otherwise.

That said, being willing to show that your able to grow and willing to start looking and trying to understand other folks' experiences outside of yours is a good sign and it really is something that I wish more people were able to do.




I strongly disagree with you on the campfire. Its all in the hips dear!!



Yep. The overt sexism/sex appeal is the biggest thing that a lot of other women see when those posts come up. It doesn't bother me really, but I almost want to start the hot bass playing dude thread, you know, just cuz.

Thanks for responding.

 

[rutrho]

BRB making a "I back a hot singer dude" thread...

 

[oZZma]

Maybe it's my european influence :S

I get a lot in the world is still pretty broken, we still have nation-wide media that has scantily clad women pictured... I'm not sure why that's in news media.

Hey mate are you from Italy too?

 

[LBS-bass]

A couple of things...
I almost want to start the hot bass playing dude thread, you know, just cuz.

I really just want to see the "Male Bassist Available" ads on Craigslist

You are right about where these sorts of threads go, of course, and this one appears to be no exception to the rule.

 

[rutrho]

I really just want to see the "Male Bassist Available" ads on Craigslist

You are right about where these sorts of threads go, of course, and this one appears to be no exception to the rule.

Saddly, I find that is often the case. Want some popcorn?