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How To Not Be a Dumb Bassist

#101
According to this thread, you're either a grand experimenter who only plays alone in your mother's basement, or some artistically devoid robot who only plays root-8ths for a paycheck. Nice to know.

It's almost like it's an argument on the Internet...

Chrissake people, how about we play what makes us happy and stop judging each other because the other guy might do things a little differently. Just because I play covers in a bar for cash doesn't mean I'm not creative. And just because I might play a fill here and there doesn't mean I'm a pre-pubescent wanker. Leave your straw men at the door and let's just respect each other as fellow bassists.
 
#105
Whousedtoplay said:
Don't say, "according to this thread". Just say, I think you are wrong Who's (I really need to shorten my login name).
I did not say, the experimenter plays alone.
What I said was, usually, the experimenter does not make living off playing music.
And yes, sometimes for a paycheck you need to play "unpleasant" music.



Sheryl Crow - If It Makes You Happy (I like the song).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyihQtBes1I



1. Who is judging you?

2. About covers. In my life, I played so many covers, and got paid for it. Sometimes, a lot.(It's a different story).



3. WE ALL MIGHT PLAY "a fill here and there".

Please show me where we disagree about the OP.
Click to expand...

I wasn't talking about you, only the general divide displayed in this thread. That was my first post in this thread. I'm sorry you felt it was targeting you directly, but it wasn't.
 
#110
Who else thinks TB'ers should back up what they're saying with recordings/video's?
I see a lot of people here that make bold statements and call out other players in aggressive, combative, and mean fashion. I always check to see if the person making the statement has any music/video links on their profile page-most of the time they don't. The ones that do, usually know what their talking about. So I'm suggesting to go ahead and have some audio examples so we can hear where ur coming from. That way each of us can make our own decision as to what ur saying is valid or not- Not just by the text, but the music. just an idea...
 
#111
Whousedtoplay said:
Is the OP article for beginners?

YES.
Click to expand...
There is nothing within the article that indicates it is "for beginners". On the contrary, it seems to address all bass players.

You are the only person in this thread that has asserted that the article is aimed at beginners; not even the author has stated this.

:edit:
This is a post from the author, in the comments section of his page (from this morning):
Brandon Shaw said:
My intention with this article is to encourage bass players to think about how what they play fits in the bigger picture musically and how they can best compliment the other musicians on stage with them.
Click to expand...

That doesn't sound to me like he is addressing only beginners.
 
#113
^

People hate it when they hear something they disagree with, especially on the internet. I understand that a lot of young players, and maybe some not-so-young ones, want to believe that the world is waiting for each new virtuoso bass player to bestow upon them the funk. Or the rock. Or whatever.

The reality is that, as in any other vocation, there's a set of basics to be mastered first.

I love to play music with people. It's teamwork, and team implies roles. Bass players generally have a musical role, which is to maintain tempo, rhythm, and chord changes for the rest of the band and the audience to follow. If a bass player neglects that responsibility, the music suffers.

It is possible, over a long period of time, to become adept, where as a bass player you can keep those foundations covered and also let it hang out a little. Gotta stay faithful to the basics first. I think that is what the OP's article is supposed to convey.

Nowthen:

http://youtu.be/LJTAkvKv-WY?t=6m10s



 
Last edited by a moderator:
#115
Whousedtoplay said:
(From Logistics/Marketing field)

Deliver your product (bass line as a product/goods/service)

the right product
to the right place
in the right quantity,
in the right condition
at the right time.
Click to expand...
i like it! sometimes that "right product" can be a crazy-busy line, too.

still, it seems like half the respondents in the thread are saying "well yeah, of course" while the other half are saying "how dare you suppress my creativity!";

i have a sneaking suspicion about which half actually gets the calls to do gigs ;)
 
#116
Whousedtoplay said:
David,

I really like you. You can be emotional.
Your videos do not show it.
I like educated and emotional musicians.
What's more, you are a very good bass player/jazz musician.

Next.


What a nice example of a beautiful bass line.
Depending on the other instrument parts, maybe I would play your bassline second time as:
C,B/A, G |F#, E / D, B | C, B/A,G | etc. = don't want to stop that bass movement.
or,
C,D/E,G | A, G/F,D| E,C/F (or E),C | etc...
or,
C,D/C,D |C,D/F,G | E,D/E,D | F#.....etc....

It depends on so many things.




(Oh, shoot. I still don't have Skype installed on my computers. What a bummer.)

Are you worried what Scott said?

Scott is a superb bass educator = good for him, but is he the "last resort"?
Click to expand...

Over the melody was my bass line. my post wasn't directed at you whousedtoplay, is was directed at Mechanical. It was his reference to Scott Divine not mine.
 
#117
When I read the OP's article, I was immediately reminded of JimmyM's thread where he basically said that his greatest regret in his career as a bassist was listening to advice like this. I do think the OP's article is well-intentioned and based on solid experience. I think it's especially valid when talking about a studio situation, or many cover band situations, where there's a pre-existing piece of music and the bass' role has already been defined. Going off and doing your own thing and ignoring the role you're needed for will be a train wreck in those situations.

But I thoroughly disagree with the assumption in the article that there is a fixed "role" that bass "has" to play, that only a maestro is allowed to play chords or high on the neck (and you, sir, will never be that maestro!), etc. That's far too rigid and narrow-minded and often just plain wrong. First of all, if you're writing originals, you can assign whatever role you want to the bass. There's no rule graven in the foundations of the universe that in all music for all time bass must always play a root note on the one.

Secondly, even in a cover band situation, there will often be call for more flexibility. Supposing a power trio covers a tune that was originally recorded with synths and horns and you don't have any of that. If the bassist plays only what the bassist on that recording did, you're likely to have a very empty, lifeless song. There's a lot of space to fill, and imo any bassist worth his salt should be figuring out what his role will be to fill it.

The underlying point in the OP that IS valid is that you need to listen to the music, and find where your place in the music is. It's about making the song work, not about showing off your chops or stroking your ego. There are times the music needs you to lay back and play in the pocket. There are times the music needs you to stretch out and give the piece some energy and some flair, and it's no good saying "not my job, I'm just the bassist." A good musician will know which is which and be ready to do either.

And I don't have links to recordings in my sig, so I guess my opinion isn't valid, but I'll just throw that out for people to consider.
 
#118
It's a shame the mouth breathers hating on your well done piece just have missed the point entirely. You are 100 % correct in your approach; that until an aspiring bassist has not only mastered the fundamentals of playing for the song ( root, on the downbeat, etc) but also the role of the instrument in ensemble ( be the glue , drummer is the time,bass is the groove ) he will lack the underpinnings necessary for advancement. Good job and looking forward to more.
( oh yeah - pro player off an on for over 30 years who knows a crap bass player when I hear one )
 
#119
cycler said:
It's a shame the mouth breathers hating on your well done piece just have missed the point entirely. You are 100 % correct in your approach; that until an aspiring bassist has not only mastered the fundamentals of playing for the song ( root, on the downbeat, etc) but also the role of the instrument in ensemble ( be the glue , drummer is the time,bass is the groove ) he will lack the underpinnings necessary for advancement. Good job and looking forward to more.
( oh yeah - pro player off an on for over 30 years who knows a crap bass player when I hear one )
Click to expand...

Actually I think you are reading things into the article that aren't there. There is nothing in that article about underpinnings necessary for advancement. He's making a blanket statement about the role for the bass and doesn't call out any exceptions. The point is not that his approach is NEVER valid,the point is that it's not ALWAYS valid.

If his article was "the traditional role of the bass player in a bar cover band is ..." Then it would be hard to argue with him. When people say "the role of the bass player is ..." Then they are just wrong. I can think of a lot of successful bands where the bass ignored the OP's advice - Rush, Yes, The Who, Victor, Marcus, etc., etc., etc.
 

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