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Let's face it: bass guitar isn't that hard
- Thread starter Mantis Tobaggan
- Start date
Length of time playing an instrument has NOTHING to do with playing well or improving over time.
I've encountered many players on various instruments who had been playing for 35 years or longer who were at a beginner level. Some people just never progress and are clueless that they suck.
Of course, always learning
"Groove" is applicable to every instrument. You need to be able to play tight on any instrument if you want to be good, as it's one of the basic requirements. Weather you play guitar, drums, keys or even sing, you need to be able to keep time.
IMO it's easier to become what is considered "good" on bass than on guitar.
All instruments are equally hard to master, but some are harder to learn.
Let's face it: no instrument is all that hard if you have a sense if time, rhythm, relative pitch and can coordinate the appropriate muscle movements needed to play it.
Yeah it doesn't matter if it's easy of not. It's fun and gratifying.
You have won this thread (and not only because you met John!)
I'm right there with the OP except for the fact that I'm proud of what I bring to a band. I've argued lots of times here that bass is the easiest instrument, but that doesn't mean we can't get really good at it.
I realized a long time ago that I could be in an OK band if I continued playing guitar, or a really great band if I played bass. And I was right. I've played in a few really great bands.
Bass is much easier than most other instruments, and I don't really think there's much to argue, though I know people do. Sorry to those who are offended by that. Not sure why anyone would be but know in the past they were
This, all day long.
Your point is taken, but we will have to agree to disagree on this this. I've seen and heard more "good" bass players that were little more than mediocre ( granted, they were self proclaimed "good")
BG is easy-Thats why I play upright too. THAT'S a hard instrument.
JK, here are my thoughts
I'm sure someone has said this, but I don't have time to go through all 10 pages of posts:
I agree with the OP that just to be functional in a rock band on bass guitar is RELATIVELY (compared to playing guitar, keyboard, saxophone, even drums) easy. At the end of the day, the our job is, well, basic. BUT I think there are some caveats: The role may be relatively easy, but it's got to be rock solid. Second, moving beyond that basic role becomes much more difficult pretty quickly. Playing solo bass is a LOT harder than playing Solo guitar, on a number of different levels. There's a reason all the singer-songwriters play guitar and not bass.
I also think there is a different paradigm. Getting your fingers to the right place on rock tune may often not be too hard, but getting a good, clear tone, accurate and consistent articulation, and knowing what you can do that adds to the music without distracting from the lead parts or hurting the groove takes real skill. It may not be as obviously difficult as running 16th notes up and down a guitar, but it's skill none the less.
Finally, Playing bass in -A- rock band may not be so hard, but many, if not most, bass players play in a bunch of bands, and so have a whole lot more music to keep up on-and we are usually not picking the tunes. Some of the guitarists I know only have a few dozen tunes under there belt, but I (and a lot of bassist) know literally hundreds, if not thousands of tunes; and the ACTUAL baseline of a song can be a challenging to learn if you have to pull them off a recording where it's buried in the mix (as I often find myself having to do). The guitar, drums and vocal parts, not so much.
That's my two bits, anyway
JK, here are my thoughts
I'm sure someone has said this, but I don't have time to go through all 10 pages of posts:
I agree with the OP that just to be functional in a rock band on bass guitar is RELATIVELY (compared to playing guitar, keyboard, saxophone, even drums) easy. At the end of the day, the our job is, well, basic. BUT I think there are some caveats: The role may be relatively easy, but it's got to be rock solid. Second, moving beyond that basic role becomes much more difficult pretty quickly. Playing solo bass is a LOT harder than playing Solo guitar, on a number of different levels. There's a reason all the singer-songwriters play guitar and not bass.
I also think there is a different paradigm. Getting your fingers to the right place on rock tune may often not be too hard, but getting a good, clear tone, accurate and consistent articulation, and knowing what you can do that adds to the music without distracting from the lead parts or hurting the groove takes real skill. It may not be as obviously difficult as running 16th notes up and down a guitar, but it's skill none the less.
Finally, Playing bass in -A- rock band may not be so hard, but many, if not most, bass players play in a bunch of bands, and so have a whole lot more music to keep up on-and we are usually not picking the tunes. Some of the guitarists I know only have a few dozen tunes under there belt, but I (and a lot of bassist) know literally hundreds, if not thousands of tunes; and the ACTUAL baseline of a song can be a challenging to learn if you have to pull them off a recording where it's buried in the mix (as I often find myself having to do). The guitar, drums and vocal parts, not so much.
That's my two bits, anyway
In the world of bass playing, simple does not mean easy. If you are a well rounded musician, there is no need to feel inferior. Bass is more physically demanding than guitar and more mentally challenging than drums. Give yourself some credit, dude.
or quite possibly click bait to get us to give his songs more listens...
...
Let's face it: Trolling Talkbass isn't that hard.
Im really not trolling. I love playing bass and am confident in my abilities. Also, i dont play basic or simple parts, i try to have fun with it. I dont have a big attitude about it b/c i have so much respect for guitar and drums. I kind of let them call the shots, occasionally offering an opinion, but that is all. Im not trying to get people worked up. Some of you i think get what im saying and have written some really helpful posts. I actually feel a lot better now overall.
You should hear the rest of the album, it's just as amazing, this is the reason why I love metal
eh... no thanks. Truly.
I have been playing for 42 years. Let's see you replicate Jaco or Bootsy with the same emotion.
