Have you tried this? Two bassists jamming

[MisterFabulous]

So my friend, an experienced guitarist, and I are going to jam together on Saturday, as we've done before. Only problem is, he doesn't plan on bringing his guitar at all.

Help me.

After playing my bass the last time we jammed, he immediately went out and bought one for himself. Bass is all he plays since then. :scowl:

So this Saturday, he wants both of us to play bass. Together. At the same time.

The only song I know with multiple bass parts is "Big Bottom" by Spinal Tap, which I love, but that's a short jam.

Can the TB community suggest anything beyond that? I am not very experienced and don't read music. I am learning blues structures and progressions, reggae and rocksteady, and classic rock.

Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[s_mcsleazy]

there was a band im uber into called the black eyes and some of there songs had 2 basses.

i actually wrote a song with 4 bass parts. its pretty epic but you have to be extra carefull with how you play and frequencys

 

[GrapeApe]

"Back in the Saddle" by Aerosmith had Tom Hamilton on a four string and Joe Perry on a six string bass in guitar tuning IIRC.

 

[s_mcsleazy]

here is a black eyes song with 2 bass players. panned left and right for each

 

[MisterFabulous]

I should say that it doesn't have to be a "song" that we play. I t could be an exercise or progression or anything.

I don't know any theory or anything, so it'd have to be simple.

 

[mrviking]

Band of Horses- "Our Swords"
Good song with two basses IIRC

 

[chuck norriss]

Yes one of the bands I'm playing w now has two basses--I play higher; he tends to stay low. We were in a previous band together--I played distorted fretless & he played thumpy bottom end. As a matter of physics you have to have the sense & taste to not crowd each other's frequencies. As a matter of music, like you would in any case, you have to work hard at making something beautiful or bad ass, etc.
I was told the National recently played on tv w/ two bassists.

 

[sykes of christ]

Link Removed

 

[puddin tame]

So my friend, an experienced guitarist, and I are going to jam together on Saturday, as we've done before. Only problem is, he doesn't plan on bringing his guitar at all.

Help me.

After playing my bass the last time we jammed, he immediately went out and bought one for himself. Bass is all he plays since then. :scowl:

So this Saturday, he wants both of us to play bass. Together. At the same time.

The only song I know with multiple bass parts is "Big Bottom" by Spinal Tap, which I love, but that's a short jam.

Can the TB community suggest anything beyond that? I am not very experienced and don't read music. I am learning blues structures and progressions, reggae and rocksteady, and classic rock.

Thank you in advance for your help.

You seem to have a strange idea of 'jamming'!

just make up your own music, that is what jamming is!!

 

[MisterFabulous]

Point taken, puddin' tame.

And I have a little experience doing that with a band (2 guitars, drummer and me). It works out fine. But we play some songs that we've prepared for first.

If this is an opportunity to expand my horizons musically, I'm all for it.

 

[dtsamples]

I would think that two basses playing in unison would sound cool. Like a chorus pedal. Could play with a pick. Might be cool to do harmonies as well. Try some straight eighth note stuff with a pick (a la killers or the temper trap).

 

[BCalder]

Check out Girls Against Boys. Absolutely amazing group. They are two basses, guitar, and drums.

 

[HeadyVan Halen]

One guy plays the chords and the other guy plays the bassline.
*OR*
One guy plays the melody and the other plays the bassline....real complex stuff here going on. I think that's how you make this elusive thing known as (music)

 

[Testing_123]

1) Why reinvent the wheel? How about just jamming on songs the two of you already know, but one bass covers the parts usually played on a different instrument? It'd be like rhythm bass + lead/melody bass

2) Look up the mid-'90's band CopShootCop. Rock band, two bassists. Gloriously rumbly. Never hugely popular, but they had a song or two get some airplay or MTV attention during the alternative explosion "All grunge, all the time!" days.

 

[Peepaleep]

Go for it, man - have fun with it. If you guys already have a musical connection you'll find a way to make it work (and I have a feeling it is going to be easier than you think it will be).

I lobbied for a second bass player for the last band I was in. I wanted to hold down the bottom while the other bassist played in a higher register, or a piccolo. Guess who objected?

 

[HMZ]

Check out "The Deep" two bass players and a drummer...