Is this you?

[Rhythmman535]

Quote from Michael Lazaroff, Executive Director of Entertainment Cruise Productions:

"Going back to the bassists, I see their special vantage point on the bandstand similar to that of a catcher in baseball. Both have the unique opportunity to see all and to be the one who controls the pace and direction of the action. This perspective enables them to understand the game or the music in ways that others cannot. And, of course, for whatever reason the bassists always appear to be the most calm and collected musicians on the bandstand."

 

[ppiluk]

This is a good way of looking at bass players. It fits the way I modeled myself as a bass player. It’s an interesting analogy for me because I was a backcatcher when I played baseball.

 

[JRA]

works for me.

 

[StyleOverShow]

At the confluence of the meter and feel. I was six months into playing bass before I realized this....

 

[Wood and Wire]

Quote from Michael Lazaroff, Executive Director of Entertainment Cruise Productions:

"Going back to the bassists, I see their special vantage point on the bandstand similar to that of a catcher in baseball. Both have the unique opportunity to see all and to be the one who controls the pace and direction of the action. This perspective enables them to understand the game or the music in ways that others cannot. And, of course, for whatever reason the bassists always appear to be the most calm and collected musicians on the bandstand."

That's interesting, because on too many occasions I've found myself seemingly loosing a battle with a drummer who is rushing, or dragging, and I'm doing my damnedest to correct the pace.

I always came away feeling I wasn't having that big of an impact, and it was all in vain.

I just recently heard a rehearsal recording of one of my bands - who in spite of my frustrated attempts to counter imperfections - usually sound good (if not as great as I think they could / should be).

I was out of the country, so they had to rehearse without me.

It was a complete and utter train wreck!

I'm still struggling to get my head around the fact that I clearly do have a major impact on the band's cohesion, pace etc - given how many hundred times those songs have been played, I would have expected everything to go at least as well as usual - if not better with fewer moving pieces to coordinate.

 

[Scottgun]

The analogy I've heard is that the music is like a building where the frontmen stand on the roof flying their kites while the bass player is on the ground floor and can best see the structure.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

You had me until calm and collected.

 

[two fingers]

As a baseball fan and a bassist, I totally agree.

I have always considered my playing to be a doorway between drums and all melodic instruments. I welcome you through the doorway, but you have to go through this door to get to the other side.

 

[grrg63]

the unique opportunity to see all and to be the one who controls the pace and direction of the action.

That's interesting, because on too many occasions I've found myself seemingly loosing a battle with a drummer who is rushing, or dragging, and I'm doing my damnedest to correct the pace.

yeah, this only works if the drummer is paying attention and not in their own little world.

 

[Basshappi]

My analogy; A band is like a bus, the drummer is the engine, the bassplayer is the driver and everyone else is along for the ride. The singer is the idiot hanging out the window yelling at people on the sidewalk (could apply equally to saxophone players).

 

[Smooth_bass88]

We're like the twig runners in whack-bat

 

[Rhythmman535]

My analogy; A band is like a bus, the drummer is the engine, the bassplayer is the driver and everyone else is along for the ride. The singer is the idiot hanging out the window yelling at people on the sidewalk (could apply equally to saxophone players).

Francis “Rocco” Prestia: Get on the Bus (1999)

 

[saabfender]

You had me until calm and collected.

I know! Flat pissed me off! We have stuff to do and look after. You know... stuff.

 

[Spectrum]

Basically. When people ask me why I love to play bass so much as opposed to guitar or some other instrument, I tell them it's because the bass player is at the center of the machine. The best guitar players and drummers I've played with all insist on being able to hear the bass and pay attention to it.

When the band is good, oftentimes most people don't explicitly notice the bass. But if the bass player sucks, everybody knows the band sucks, even if they don't know why.

 

[Fretless1!]

Basically. When people ask me why I love to play bass so much as opposed to guitar or some other instrument, I tell them it's because the bass player is at the center of the machine. The best guitar players and drummers I've played with all insist on being able to hear the bass and pay attention to it.

When the band is good, oftentimes most people don't explicitly notice the bass. But if the bass player sucks, everybody knows the band sucks, even if they don't know why.

Exactly...

 

[richntiff]

I’m the catcher, but i also sometimes wander around in the stands selling hotdogs and peanuts.

 

[JMacBass65]

Yeah, that quote is spot on!