Of course, bass is a part of the rhythm section...along with the piano, drums, guitar (believe it or not), vibes, etc.
I have heard many say "rhythm section" & mean only "bass & drums". Not 100% accurate.
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Is bass mostly a percussion instrument?
- Thread starter NickInMesa
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Of course, bass is a part of the rhythm section...along with the piano, drums, guitar (believe it or not), vibes, etc.
I have heard many say "rhythm section" & mean only "bass & drums". Not 100% accurate.
+1. Although I can admit I have occasionally used this term this way (and also let it be used this way without my efforts to correct it) simply to avoid a long-winded diatribe about exactly what I think a rhythm section is or isn't.
Yes, I understand what you're saying. Every instrument, in the end, follows a/the rhythm.
So, if that is the case, we bassists are all living with delusions of grandeur of 'gluing together harmony/melody and rhythm in a band' (FWIW, Jaco said something along these lines too.). Thus, we are probably not required at all, except to fill up the low end.
Yes, I understand what you're saying. Every instrument, in the end, follows a/the rhythm.
So, if that is the case, we bassists are all living with delusions of grandeur of 'gluing together harmony/melody and rhythm in a band' (FWIW, Jaco said something along these lines too.). Thus, we are probably not required at all, except to fill up the low end.
This is what I think. We are the low voice. We aren't stuck in one role.
Yes, I understand what you're saying. Every instrument, in the end, follows a/the rhythm.
So, if that is the case, we bassists are all living with delusions of grandeur of 'gluing together harmony/melody and rhythm in a band' (FWIW, Jaco said something along these lines too.). Thus, we are probably not required at all, except to fill up the low end.
Not quite - it stems from the old jazz days where - yes - piano, guitar, drums, bass, were considered rhythm instruments and the horns and voices lead (melody and solo) instruments...
From reading this thread, it seems that some of you guys are pretty closed-minded. All instruments are percussion and rhythm. All instruments are also melody and harmony. It just depends on what kind of imagination you have when you decide to use them.
Too many people play bass. Play music, and if your medium just happens to be the bass, play the music the bass is asking for. And if you're playing music on the bass with other people playing music on other instruments, play what the music's asking for. It's a simple concept that's kinda difficult in execution until you get a handle on it.
Too many people play bass. Play music, and if your medium just happens to be the bass, play the music the bass is asking for. And if you're playing music on the bass with other people playing music on other instruments, play what the music's asking for. It's a simple concept that's kinda difficult in execution until you get a handle on it.
I know what you're trying to say but that's a little profound isn't it? Let me hear you play the melody of Happy Birthday on a floor tom (all the notes, not just the thumps).
I agree with the spirit of what you're saying, though...
Maybe my perspective is a little different, but I approach playing bass from the mindset of a drummer. I started out on drums, and switching to bass was, at first, purely an economic decision. Over time, I discovered the rhythmic possibilities, and how I could compliment what the drummer was doing, and at the same time bridge to the guitars and keyboards. A moment of revelation also helped me, by learning to listen to the lead vocal, and discovering that the vocal (main melody line) would always tell me where the bass was going. When needed, I can lock in with the drummer in a rhythmic blast of percussive sound, basically putting notes to his drum hits. Bass is also a counter-melodic instrument, able to place a counterpoint to the main melody, embellishing and adding richness to the overall sound of the band.
This, pretty much.
Basically, percussion instruments are things that are struck or shaken. Plucked, not so much, though you could say that the striking of the string could be kind of percussive. And a thumb slap is definitely percussive. On the whole, however, a piano is more of a percussion instrument than a bass is, as has been said.
Again, percussion is NOT the same thing as rhythmic. Percussion, as used to describe an instrument, mainly refers to the mechanism by which the sound is generated. Rhythmic refers to musical function or quality. Two different things.
So no, bass is not mostly a percussion instrument.
I don't know if any of you know Bobby Vee at all, but he lives in my area and I know him and his sons pretty well. Tommy is the Bass player, and he's infamous for doing crazy stage antics on his upright, standing on it and so forth. anyway, I recall some wise words he once gave me: "The bass is really the foundation of the band. we tell the drummers that they are, but it's really you. the song stays together until the bass falters, then it starts to crumble." That was paraphrased a bit, but that's the basic Idea. It's not really a percussion instrument at all, it's a string instrument, but it has arguably an even larger role in keeping the beat going and the song flowing than the drums. It doesn't mean that you play it like a percussion instrument, you play it like a BASS. That's just its role. I used to play guitar, mostly, and still play it a lot, but I think I'm going to go over to bass, my rationale being that I'll pretty much always find someone who can play guitar better than me, but I'm one of the best bassists I know. I'm renowned for my insane amounts of rhythm and feel, and my very first instrument was cello, so bass is just a logical choice. but the bottom line is, if you don't have rhythm, feel, or groove, you will not make a great bass player. Learn those first, and you've got it made.
I don't agree that one can infer from a glossary entry that a bass guitar is not a percussion instrument. Neither I agree that it is kinda percussive only when you slap or pop.
Don't you people incorporate to your playing dead notes or muted grooves? That's what makes a groove move (just ask Rocco) and by far, sure thing all right that's a percussive artifact we all should use.
Not essentially a percussion instrument, but the bass have elements of percussion.
I think of it as a link between the drums (pure percussion) with the rest of the band (melodic/harmonic but still part of the rhythm).
Don't you people incorporate to your playing dead notes or muted grooves? That's what makes a groove move (just ask Rocco) and by far, sure thing all right that's a percussive artifact we all should use.
Not essentially a percussion instrument, but the bass have elements of percussion.
I think of it as a link between the drums (pure percussion) with the rest of the band (melodic/harmonic but still part of the rhythm).
It's still not a percussion instrument, because unless it's being struck or shaken, that's not percussion. That's just how it is.
Of course we make use of non-pitched sounds like dead notes. Still doesn't make it percussion. Percussion has to do with the mechanics of how you generate the sound (plucked, struck, blown), not what the notes sounds like.
We do sometimes use the word "percussive" figuratively, when we describe notes that in some sense sound a bit like notes produced by percussion instruments. But bass is still not a percussion instrument, except to some extent when it's slapped.
And no, I'm not "inferring this from a glossary entry." I know this from 40+ years of playing the damn thing, as well as 30+ years of being a working professional in the English language.
Yeah, but we're living in an age where everyone is entitled to make up their own definitions to long-established words. 
1. Didn't mean to say it IS a percussive instrument, but was just making a point that it has elements of it.
2. I did not direct this reply to you, so no reason to come slapping my face (I guess that's percussion, isn't it?)
3. I'm not a native english speaker so if I use your language wrong that's too bad, I didn't grew up with it.
1. Didn't mean to say it IS a percussive instrument, but was just making a point that it has elements of it.
2. I did not direct this reply to you, so no reason to come slapping my face (I guess that's percussion, isn't it?)
3. I'm not a native english speaker so if I use your language wrong that's too bad, I didn't grew up with it.
1. Only when slapped.
2. My intention wasn't to "slap your face." (Yes, that would be percussion.) You paraphrased something I said. From that, I assumed you read my post and were at least in part replying to it. If not, my regrets. Besides, even if you weren't replying to me, i can still reply to you if I wish. This is, after all, a public forum, not instant messaging.
3. In this context, you use English very well for a non-native speaker (and better than some native speakers I've read here), so don't think I'm criticizing that. This just happens to be an issue on which, by whatever accident of life, I've ended up with some expert knowledge, in two senses (musical and linguistic). No big thing.
1. Only when slapped.
2. My intention wasn't to "slap your face." (Yes, that would be percussion.) You paraphrased something I said. From that, I assumed you read my post and were at least in part replying to it. If not, my regrets. Besides, even if you weren't replying to me, i can still reply to you if I wish. This is, after all, a public forum, not instant messaging.
3. In this context, you use English very well for a non-native speaker (and better than some native speakers I've read here), so don't think I'm criticizing that. This just happens to be an issue on which, by whatever accident of life, I've ended up with some expert knowledge, in two senses (musical and linguistic). No big thing.
In fact, I didn't even read your post, the one you said I paraphrased!
Anyway, I didn't mean to sound like a jerk neither to create some kind of disagreement between fellow TBers! I'm usually cool in my posts, so I when it seems like I'm a little harsh about something it is either a bit of sarcasm or it is just me expressing myself in a way I didn't notice that could offend someone (but in this case when I see it I edit my post and apologize for any misunderstandings!).
Now back to topic, what about it when we use a pick? Is it kinda percussive or doesn't fit the definition?
No offense Essen,
I'm a guitarist for more than 15 years now, and been a bass player for 3 years now, and coming from a guitarist point of learning; the scales and theories are both the same, that's why they call it bass guitar--with exception to double bass players--fretless or not, coz the logic of the fingerboard of a bass guitar and guitar are the same, BUT the rhythmic value of it in an ensemble or band are different. I play different stuff on bass (not like a guitarist) when playing bass. My music is mostly funk, fusion, and jazz. Maybe on metal music where bass player needs sync with the guitarist to thicken the lines--bassist tends to think like a guitarist. But not all converted guitarists play and still think like a guitar player when playing bass.
Bass guitar for me is a very expressive instrument, that can be percussive but melodic at the same time.
For me its the same logic with (reed players)sax players who converts to (horn players)trumphet, or tuba, or trombone. They dont "think" like sax players...
...coz they think of music itself, not the stereotype of what instrument they used to play
In fact, I didn't even read your post, the one you said I paraphrased!
Anyway, I didn't mean to sound like a jerk neither to create some kind of disagreement between fellow TBers! I'm usually cool in my posts, so I when it seems like I'm a little harsh about something it is either a bit of sarcasm or it is just me expressing myself in a way I didn't notice that could offend someone (but in this case when I see it I edit my post and apologize for any misunderstandings!).
Now back to topic, what about it when we use a pick? Is it kinda percussive or doesn't fit the definition?
No worries, giacomini.
Using a pick is still plucking as opposed to striking, just with a piece of plastic rather than fingers. So it's still not a percussion instrument, really.
That said, though I normally wouldn't quote myself, let me repeat what I said earlier:
"We do sometimes use the word 'percussive' figuratively, when we describe notes that in some sense sound a bit like notes produced by percussion instruments. But bass is still not a percussion instrument, except to some extent when it's slapped."
So we might use "percussively" as kind of a metaphorical description of certain types of playing. You could even sing in a fashion that could be described as "percussive," I suppose. But that wouldn't make the human voice a percussive instrument, or the bass either. See where I'm coming from?
Bass, like guitar, is technically a percussion instrument, it's not a woodwind or bowed instrument. It is struck to make sound.
I see what you're saying, but in fact, in normal usage, neither instrument is generally considered that. Both are typically considered instruments of the string family, in which sound is produced by strings being set into motion (this includes both bowed and plucked strings).
The basic Western classification is strings, wind instruments (including not only woodwinds but also brass), and percussion. Of course this system is far from perfect. Where to put keyboards, for example, is an issue, since they have strings but make use of hammers to strike those strings and set them in motion. There are other omissions as well. (How about those hammered dulcimers?)
But this is basically what we're working with, and I think it's fair to say that it's something like a common understanding. If you have a choice between strings, winds, percussion, and (maybe) keyboards, you pretty much have to put the bass guitar in strings, not percussion.
There are other classification systems as well, of course. All of them, like this one, somewhat arbitrary.
