Is a bass player really necessary?

[mmbass21]

OP trying to put us bassists out of business...NOT COOL!!!

Luckily I only read the first page of this thread...

 

[Jesse Reyes]

Here's a shallow answer... playing live at a venue... what causes the girls to dance?

 

[MtManiac]

I feel like you don't really need one. A guitar is only an octave higher and it can still cover a lot of the notes that a bass guitar does. Also, you could just use an eight-string guitar and tune the lowest string down to a low E. I know that some bands have eight string guitarists as well as bassists and the bassists play the same notes as the the eight string guitar players, but the bass will make the low end sound "fuller" because of how thick the strings are. But I don't think that really makes any much of a difference. I know this question might make me appear ignorant, but this is my own judgement.

Trolling, trolling, trolling... keep those doggies rolling...

You do know this is Talk*bass*, right? Why are you here?

Anyway, there are lots of bands who don't have bass players. There are lots of bands that don't have guitar players. There are lots of bands that don't have tuba, organ, kazoo, didgeridoo, or harp players. Nothing is essential, even having the lower register covered by another instrument isn't essential. Music itself isn't even essential.

You do you, and by all means enjoy your White Stripes/Black Keys cover band.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

I feel like you don't really need one. A guitar is only an octave higher and it can still cover a lot of the notes that a bass guitar does. Also, you could just use an eight-string guitar and tune the lowest string down to a low E. I know that some bands have eight string guitarists as well as bassists and the bassists play the same notes as the the eight string guitar players, but the bass will make the low end sound "fuller" because of how thick the strings are. But I don't think that really makes any much of a difference. I know this question might make me appear ignorant, but this is my own judgement.

It's all perspective I guess.

I know that in our group the bass is as important as guitar, because that's all there is for instruments. I play the groove, my job is to be between the cajon and the guitar. One plays the beat and one plays melody closer to the vocals. And in between, my groovy lines

People say you can't have a band that people will dance to if you don't have drums, but we've proved that incorrect as well.

But why would you post this on a bass forum, that's probably the bigger question.

 

[saabfender]

Guitars, even with an octave pedal, don’t thump. Game over.

 

[PneumaticFrog]

I saw Lacuna Coil play without one. A MacBook is much cheaper apparently.

that's far from true hahahaha

 

[Pops OB]

Here's a shallow answer... playing live at a venue... what causes the girls to dance?

The bassist.

 

[Lowendtech]

I love how, in this shot, Lee’s digit is perfectly parallel to the bass neck. The bass is necessary to achieve this effect.

 

[robd]

I know this question might make me appear ignorant, but this is my own judgement.

The question doesn't make you appear ignorant... posting it on a bass website makes you appear ignorant. This is my own judgement

 

[dalkowski]

If he's the only guy in the group with a van, you better believe he's necessary.

 

[QweziRider]

But I don't think that really makes any much of a difference.

Then you're not using your ears much.

 

[Perrygoround]

Well, you think you don't need a bass player, but you do think you need a guitar player with an 8 string instrument playing on the lower register.

If such guitar player is playing in the lower register, he can't play at the same time on the higher register (unless he has 4 hands). Therefore, what he doesn't need is the upper register strings. Therefore, he would be better off with a 4 or 5 or 6 string instrument that covers only the register in which he will be actually playing. Not having to deal with a few of strings he does not use anyways, which only cause the instrument being heavier, the neck wider and less playable and could make unwanted noises.
Therefore, suddenly, what he is playing is a bass guitar. Therefore, suddenly he has became a bass player. So, under the OP conditions, he does seem to need a bass player.
Other people do not need a bass player for their music, but the OP seems to need one.

 

[2112]

Didn't The Doors do it without a bassist?

 

[bound'n'blocked]

No. You dont. Lets just all quit.

Shut the website down. Now. Everyone go home. Oh, wait, we are mostly all home already. Ok then. Go to another website.

We are done here now.

BnB

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Necessary? Probably not. Depends on the genre.

 

[mmmmmmmmm]

 

[Tigerpig]

No, and to quote John Bodger from school in 1993: 'Bass is just an element'.

 

[sissy kathy]

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Da-yum!

 

[groooooove]

you're welcomed to have your own philosophy!

there's definitely a reason it's the standard - Mozart wrote bass parts - so did the Beatles - or Metallica - or Justin Bieber..

but there are plenty of examples of music that works just fine without a bass part.

if you feel is not, then go pursue your vision and prove the nay-sayers wrong!

I for one will keep playing bass

 

[TonyP-]

Are troll threads really necessary?

Edit: well, of course they are, or we'd have nekkid trolls running around everywhere!

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