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Help with a bassist
- Thread starter sUPAmETALgUITAR
- Start date
Start hitting on your bass player. Drop inuendos. Every time the bass player talks about the instrument ask "Is that a euphemism?" Either your bass player will become uncomfortable and quit, or you'll have found a new set of problems that will take your mind off the old set of problems.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
In all seriousness, I will give the same opinion I usually give when I read stuff like this. Get together with the band and talk. He may be right, you may be right, the truth may be (and probably is) somewhere in the middle. This is a band, and the band needs to talk out issues. Maybe you are incompatible, maybe it can be worked out. The dude is not your employee - his musical and personal opinions are just as important as yours.
Sounds like the bassist was just trying to fill in a weakness in your band, good guitarists are hard to find and sometimes we just have to step up and take care of business.
- Jul 5, 2013
- 25
- 4
- Disclosures
- Professional Bassist, Private Instructor
I would be honest with the bass player. Explain that you need them to fill a foundation role and not play lead.
I would suggest being as professional and honest as possible. Talk to the bassist and tell them that you need to have them fill a foundation type role, not a lead role in a calm manner. They might just think they are being creative and trying to add to the band. Careful about assumptions. If they can't fill that role then perhaps start looking for a new player. I've found being honest and relaxed in any situation is best.
Regarding the string to choke a bassist on, I believe a G-string would be best. That is usually something unattainable. And, they say some G-strings come in neon colors.
Now, as to the approach, how to deal with the situation. Does the OP know about chords? As in "playing rhythm"?
Now, as to the approach, how to deal with the situation. Does the OP know about chords? As in "playing rhythm"?
You know.... I think you need to think bigger. Here you are more awesome than your bass player wondering how to get rid of him, when obviously you are so incredibly awesome you don't need the drummer or keytarist either. You are a bona fide one-man show bro! You got 4 necks on your guitar, thats 4 instruments right there.... the whole frickin band is.... you.
Do you really want to share the spotlight with those guys? Do you want to share the money? Do you want to share the groupies? Hell no! Fire them all!! Take it all!! BE THE BAND!!!
Do you really want to share the spotlight with those guys? Do you want to share the money? Do you want to share the groupies? Hell no! Fire them all!! Take it all!! BE THE BAND!!!
Sir, you have truly shed the light on this issue for me. I'll do it. I'll become a one-man band.
Probably the latter one, I think he's gay.
DiabolusInMusic
Functionless Art is Merely Tolerated Vandalism
Your band has a keytarist… You have bigger issues than anything going on with the bass.
This is a sad and O.F.R. story. Luckily for you, smg, there's an easy solution. All you need is a vocalist with a 7-octave range that likes to sing in the stratosphere. If you and the keytarist and a singer are committing aural genocide in the treble spectrum your bassist will have no choice but to retreat to the lower frequencies where he belongs! Good luck and let us know how it goes
Don't go solo! You need an inferior being in stage next to you to make you look better. All REAL monster super heavy Guitar Heroes know this.
Keep the keytarist but hobble him first so he has to use it in a stand, thus removing any potential guitar-god-like posing on his part that might steal your well deserved thunder (please pronounce that deserve-ed.)
Don't strangle the bassist, simply muffle him. Ask him if he has a flatwound E string (all bassists carry a set of Jamerson flats around, don't worry) and wrap it around his chest. Every time he breathes out tighten it, until he is no longer 'a problem'.
Keep the keytarist but hobble him first so he has to use it in a stand, thus removing any potential guitar-god-like posing on his part that might steal your well deserved thunder (please pronounce that deserve-ed.)
Don't strangle the bassist, simply muffle him. Ask him if he has a flatwound E string (all bassists carry a set of Jamerson flats around, don't worry) and wrap it around his chest. Every time he breathes out tighten it, until he is no longer 'a problem'.
OP, wow! So many questions, starting with why did you think this would be a good forum for this question?
I notice you have very strong opinions about this change, but noticeably absent is any indication that the drummer or keytard share your concerns...do they? Because if they don't, you may well be the odd man out, not the bass player...
I notice you assume that he shifted tone to be more audible, did it occur to you that between him and the keytard perhaps the lower end is becoming too muddy?
I notice the entire substance of your problem is your bias, at no point do you indicate that the bass player is not technically proficient or otherwise incapable of pulling off what he is doing. Bias is what it is, you may always have it, but you don't need to let it dominate your thinking or decision making do you?
Honestly, he's a gift horse, so stop with the dental examination. Maybe he does need to reign it in a little, and maybe you need to be a little less wedded to your biases.
I notice you have very strong opinions about this change, but noticeably absent is any indication that the drummer or keytard share your concerns...do they? Because if they don't, you may well be the odd man out, not the bass player...
I notice you assume that he shifted tone to be more audible, did it occur to you that between him and the keytard perhaps the lower end is becoming too muddy?
I notice the entire substance of your problem is your bias, at no point do you indicate that the bass player is not technically proficient or otherwise incapable of pulling off what he is doing. Bias is what it is, you may always have it, but you don't need to let it dominate your thinking or decision making do you?
Honestly, he's a gift horse, so stop with the dental examination. Maybe he does need to reign it in a little, and maybe you need to be a little less wedded to your biases.
