How To Not Be a Dumb Bassist

[davidhilton]

I probably play the root on the downbeat 99% of the time. The problem with these type of articles is that they don't allow for the possibility of other roles for a bass player. Although that's the role I play by choice, I don't need some nobody wannabe pontificating to the world that it is the only role.

I hear you. and totally agree.

 

[davidhilton]

Here's my five points on how to not be a "dumb bassist":
1) Know the tunes.
2) Know your chords.
3) Know the melodies.
4) Listen.
5) Don't be a dick.

The question of what you make of your knowledge is another thing. Pound the root, go totally fly wheel crazy, but the above I consider the requirements to be able to play about anything you want.

Could of saved a lot of ink huh?

 

[davidhilton]

I liked your simple and concise article for those who start learning bass.

"But, man, I'm working on Coltrane's solo right now. He does not play the root on beat 1."

My deeply rooted and very staunch belief, based on my personal experience:
"This huge world - Earth - can only afford to feed VERY few "playing-the-sharp-9-on-the-downbeat" bass players.
Yes, indeed, very few - the cream of the crop bass players.
If you are not in that top of the World bassist's class, and still wanna play that #9 on the downbeat, you have a big chance to become the "forever-young-and-starving experimenter", staying forever with your parents or doomed to exist doing some boring daytime office stuff.

P.S. Just wanted to ask you one question.
You've been "playing and teaching professionally for about 10 years", but only NOW decided to become a TalkBass member.
Why?
Are you afraid of those "experimenters"?

Is this your web-site?
Link Removed

which trane solo? cuz he's plays the 1 on the downbeat a lot...especially on a chorus of giant steps....

 

[Pandastylebass]

 

[Nashrakh]

which trane solo? cuz he's plays the 1 on the downbeat a lot...especially on a chorus of giant steps....

Quick check of my Coltrane omnibook... Nope.

If you are not in that top of the World bassist's class, and still wanna play that #9 on the downbeat, you have a big chance to become the "forever-young-and-starving experimenter", staying forever with your parents or doomed to exist doing some boring daytime office stuff.

Let's face it, who can live off making music anyway? So why not do what you actually like to do if experimenting is your thing?

 

[marmadaddy]

Thanks guys for the feedback. I did gear it more toward the beginning bassist.

The bass shouldn't be played like a guitar. Obviously there's times when stepping out and playing some tasty busy stuff works great, but it bugs me when a bass player can't seem to keep it simple.

...sometimes the music calls for a busy, complicated bass line. But more often than not, if you're being the "bass player" (rather than a soloist like Wooten), keeping it simple is the right thing to do.

Completely. Not. True.

How busy or simple one should play is entirely dependent on the gig, the piece of music, the moment, the people I'm playing with etc. For instance: "country music calls for simple bass lines". May have been true once, but if you listen to modern country there's some serious riffing going on there.

In music there are guidelines that one learns with experience, but there are absolutely no inherent, hard and fast rules.

 

[Wolffgang]

Completely. Not. True.

How busy or simple one should play is entirely dependent on the gig, the piece of music, the moment, the people I'm playing with etc. For instance: "country music calls for simple bass lines". May have been true once, but if you listen to modern country there's some serious riffing going on there.

In music there are guidelines that one learns with experience, but there are absolutely no inherent, hard and fast rules.

This is also how I feel. I think they're mostly good tips, and would probably typify my playing a lot or even most of the time, it's just phrasing them as rules and endpoints rather guidelines and beginnings that I don't like. To me, you can complicate/evolve/busy up your playing without breaking what is important about these tenets.

I also find the section about trying to be extra helpful because you're just the bassist and obviously don't have anything better to do incredibly condescending. I think all members of a band should make all attempts to helpful to all other members of the band as much as possible, not that somehow the bassist ought to do more because he has less to set up or contribute. If this is just a way to say 'be helpful when you can and take personal responsability for making the band function quickly, smoothly and easily as a unit', I agree, but again, the phrasing has condescending implications I don't like.

 

[Nashrakh]

Some musicians can live off making music.

About experimenting.

Learn how to live off making music, and in spare time (it happens a lot) experiment as much as you want.
Or,
be unhappy if you cannot live of making music
(what's the reason? I have my reason.); therefore, rationalize about your being the "grand" experimenter.

This again sounds the whole 'yo momma's basement' argument we had already.

Personally I don't have any ambitions to make it big or live the illusion of being able to make ends meet with making music. And that is liberating on an artistic level because I don't have to consider what's popular or which studio skills I need to acquire to get on the next local country record. There's people who can do it (and more power to them if they can) and those like me who say no thanks. To derive from that any kind of value judgment about those who don't do it professionally is silly.

Thanks for being condescending, anyway.

 

[lfmn16]

Some musicians can live off making music.

About experimenting.

Learn how to live off making music, and in spare time (it happens a lot) experiment as much as you want.
Or,
be unhappy if you cannot live of making music
(what's the reason? I have my reason.); therefore, rationalize about your being the "grand" experimenter.

There is a lot of middle ground between playing all roots and being a "grand" experimenter. I don't think anyone is advocating playing a Victor Wooten solo on every song. The discord arises from these blanket statements that don't consider that we don't all have the same goals. In certain situations, the OPs advice is spot on, but if you don't know me, my band or my music, don't tell me what my role is or should be.

 

[Altitude]

How not to be a dumb bassist, rule 1;


If the bassist giving you advice has a soul patch, shades, a 'trendy in the '90s' flat cap, jorts, and plays their bass on a really short strap...

I give up. Norm Stockton?

 

[davidhilton]

You say, Coltrane, the bassists say, "Giant Steps".

See attached. I've tried to highlight beat 1 in order to demonstrate what I meant, but got tired - to much marking.

Heres the whole transcription- Trane definitely the 1 on the downbeat of his solos now and then....just saying...
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[davidhilton]

Quick check of my Coltrane omnibook... Nope.



Let's face it, who can live off making music anyway? So why not do what you actually like to do if experimenting is your thing?

Heres the whole transcription- Trane definitely hits the 1 on the downbeat of his solos now and then....just saying...
Link Removed

 

[Bassdude15]

Root notes are crap! Sure every baseline doesn't have to be an up&down- the neck 5-minute all-out solo, but as long as you stay tight with the drummer and dont drown out everything else IMO you can do whatever you please from there.

 

[Bassdude15]

I think you need to switch from playing the bass to playing the flute.That's what I'm getting from your posting.

Dude Im all for locking in with the drums, just let me do it MY way .

 

[ToonD]

Great article!

But come on guys, no need to take it this serious. Of course it doesn't apply to everything, everybody, all the time, but the point has been made.

I personally love a bass player with 1 bass, 1 back-up, a cable and an amp. No need for all the faff!

 

[Bassdude15]

In your opinion, as soon as the bass player locks in with the drums, he/she can play "whatever you please from there"?

The problem is if I had posted "don't overplay" all the root pounders would've attacked me saying anything more complex than long strings of eighth notes is overplaying.

 

[Bassdude15]

I hope I understand you correctly.
Let's say you needed to play the bass for Kacey Musgraves at the 56th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday night. It's a simple country song "Follow Your Arrow."
http://theboot.com/kacey-musgraves-follow-your-arrow-2014-grammy-awards/

You rehearsed it. It's easy, but you are a bass player, and Nathan East is in the audience, plus the rest of the bass nation watching you on TV.
Are you going to play those boring root and 5th notes?
The bass players are going to laugh at you.

I'd play it, but I'd wear a dark robe with a huge hood so no one would recognize me

 

[Gaolee]

I hope I understand you correctly.
Let's say you needed to play the bass for Kacey Musgraves at the 56th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday night. It's a simple country song "Follow Your Arrow."
http://theboot.com/kacey-musgraves-follow-your-arrow-2014-grammy-awards/

You rehearsed it. It's easy, but you are a bass player, and Nathan East is in the audience, plus the rest of the bass nation watching you on TV.
Are you going to play those boring root and 5th notes?
The bass players are going to laugh at you.

Sure, I would play it and play it completely straight. Until some shiny squirrel ran across the stage and made me forget where I was. Then it's time for a slap solo.

 

[Bassdude15]

IDK what your definition of a "pro bass player" is. I play in bands, with guitarists and drummers and singers and the like. I'm not some studio hand who will play whatever crap you want for a $100 check. Not to sound stuck up, but I have dignity to maintain, just for myself.

 

[Clef_de_fa]

gotta love Whousedtoplay