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is there a "bassist" character archetype?

pie_man_25

pie_man_25

Jun 28, 2007
4,376
7,888
#1
Well, okay, maybe not "archetype" that's for like movies and literature and drama and stuff. What I mean is, is there a general character for a bassist?

like, I play bass, and I'm pretty laid back. One of the guitarist in my band also plays bass, and he is pretty laid back. I know most local bassists I know are pretty laid back. However, I know some that also play piano/keyboards are kinda stuck up and really cocky.

Is anybody else finding some commonalities with this, or even that certain character traits/types generally play certain instruments?
 
#2
Donald~Dunn.jpg
 
#4
pie_man_25 said:
Well, okay, maybe not "archetype" that's for like movies and literature and drama and stuff. What I mean is, is there a general character for a bassist?

like, I play bass, and I'm pretty laid back. One of the guitarist in my band also plays bass, and he is pretty laid back. I know most local bassists I know are pretty laid back. However, I know some that also play piano/keyboards are kinda stuck up and really cocky.

Is anybody else finding some commonalities with this, or even that certain character traits/types generally play certain instruments?
Click to expand...

yes ... of all musicians, other bass players are generally the chillest. i find that most of the guitarists in my area are trying to one up eachother. whether it be skill level, or who has the best gear. and all drummers i know secretly want to play guitar and or sing. these are my observations of my local music scene
 
#11
pretty much what everyone else has said. Most definitely the most diverse as far as music goes, and I'd recon the most down to earth typically. That's not to say we're not weird :P

but yeah, its all better than the guitards who are stuck up as hell sometimes xD
 
#13
From Bill Anschell's guide to jazz jam sessions:

"Bassists are not terribly smart. The best bassists come to terms with their limitations by playing simple lines and rarely soloing. During the better musical moments, a bassist will pull his strings hard and grunt like an animal. Bass players are built big, with paws for hands, and they are always bent over awkwardly. If you talk to the bassist during a break, you will not be able to tell whether or not he’s listening."

And yes, the rest of the band gets stereotyped just as nicely. Read the whole thing.
 
#17
For sure! My personality has always been that of the unsung hero. Wether it was sports, socially, musically etc. Im the dude that doesnt like much attention but yet I secretly relish in the fact that I know you cant do it without me. Now that I think about it, my career has followed in the same way....Im a paramedic, saved many, many lives but its the Hospitals that get all the credit. Yeah, bass player for sure.
 
#20
sound of bass said:
For sure! My personality has always been that of the unsung hero. Wether it was sports, socially, musically etc. Im the dude that doesnt like much attention but yet I secretly relish in the fact that I know you cant do it without me. Now that I think about it, my career has followed in the same way....Im a paramedic, saved many, many lives but its the Hospitals that get all the credit. Yeah, bass player for sure.
Click to expand...

I feel the same way! That's true about the paramedics as well, you guys are there in the really crucial moments between life and death for many.


Music is dead to me without bass!
 

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