Let's face it: bass guitar isn't that hard

[blue4]

No. It's easier to get started on bass, but I feel it's actually harder to be good at bass than good at guitar. If you have an inferiority complex, it's because you have years of people yapping about 4 strings and root notes and whatnot in your ear.

 

[red_rhino]

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.

It was really more of a social commentary about topics on TB that do get people riled up, regardless of of the intent. This topic is one of them because (let's face it), all of us have heard some uninformed, non-musician type comment about how easy bass guitar must be, when it isn't. And if anyone as a player does find it to be easy, they've either put a lot of effort into it to get to that point, or they're not pushing themselves hard enough. I don't care how good you are, you can always get better. Mastering the next level gets harder and harder the farther you go.

I'm generalizing here; but as bass players, we're usually ensemble players in a supporting role. There is often a rather humble mindset that goes along with that role, and we tend belittle our own talent, falsely believing that if it's easy for us, then it must be easy for everyone. Our logical, rational mind knows this isn't true, but our little lizard brain can't help but wonder. Threads like this go to the heart of that insecurity, thus the reason it's 10 pages long now.

Playing simple, basic parts, or executing complex, technically challenging bass lines has little to do with being a good player.

 

[blastoff]

switch to upright! youll never again feel like youre not working hard enough!
bass playing is the most important job in the band. its like a bus driver. not terribly complicated looking but really if the driver doesnt know their stuff everone can have a terrible ride. and they may not even know why. the skill is all about consistency and subtleties whether youre a subtle player or not. the ability to keep good time, and strike the strings - and frets - at a particular and very precice timing are essential to a convincing song. all while playing something melodically interesting.

 

[Mike Sorr]

Being "just the bass player" is easy. Being a musician is not so easy. Being a guy who owns a hammer and nails wood together is easy, being a carpenter, not so much. Music is a craft, like carpentry, or being an electrician. Craftsmen learn their trade. I don't think a guy like Chuck Rainey thinks of himself as "just the bass player".

 

[Geekydad]

Every time I think I'm a decent bass player, I listen to an isolated bass track or the like, and realize just how much farther I have to go.

 

[sonic 7]

Yeh... As a matter of fact I was just out in my driveway with my hocky stick , hittin slapshots at my garage door , Im pretty much ready for the NHL , I mean thats all there is to it right ?

 

[DinoRock]

This is about is nonsensical is Beethoven saying "it's just my left hand you know, it's not all that big of a deal.

Bad example It is as nonsensical as telling Michael Jordan that basketball is just putting a ball into an over-sized hoop, or telling Tiger Woods that golf is just about hitting a stationary ball into a stationary hole from 500 yards away in 3 shots where the fans can't talk and no one plays defense - what's the big deal? Hahahaha

In all seriousness, in my mind, there is a huge difference between a truly awesome bass player (e.g., Billy Sheehan) and a ground breaking virtuoso (e.g., JAE or Stanley Clarke). BTW, you all understand my point, I'm not trying to get into yet another discussion about who is the best at this or that or who was groundbreaking or rebranding. My guess is that none of us fall into those categories - I know I don't - which means that there is always more to learn/enjoy/master/etc.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[lifeoffroadbass]

i shred at the bass. I just dont think its a big deal.

Says you. It's easy to say anything you want. I shred at all instrument. Anything I pick up I'm a master at.

P.S. this post is stupid.

 

[JoeWPgh]

There is more to playing good bass than just nailing riffs. You have to listen. You have to listen to several individuals simultaneously, and devise a solution that (in the worst case) makes them all sound like they are in the same room. As the bass player, you ARE the groove. You are what makes the whole package work. Some of it is technical, some is musical, and some is political, as there are always egos that need stroked. I'm not saying this to glorify what bassists do. It took me a while to come to terms with this. But there's a life lesson here that transcends just playing music.

 

[Mr.Ace]

its all about doing your part. Your the foundation. What happens if you build a mansion on a week foundation. It falls to the ground. and I'm sure you know chords, you probably play broken chords all the time. They just don't sound good in first position. Its not our job to strum a bunch of chords or play high-pitched squealy riffs. I play multiple instruments, but my love for the bottom end is just to deep. "hold you head up high and keep the groov down low" I just made that up!

 

[bdplaid]

Someone asked me a long time ago about playing bass. I replied, It's the easiest on which to just get by, but one of the hardest to master. To be a good bassist, you don't need chops nearly as much as you need knowledge - like chords. The bass can be the most powerful instrument in the band, because the bass note defines what the chord is. And if you don't understand that, you don't know what you're doing.

In short, if you think it's easy, you very likely suck.

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

Someone asked me a long time ago about playing bass. I replied, It's the easiest on which to just get by, but one of the hardest to master. To be a good bassist, you don't need chops nearly as much as you need knowledge - like chords. The bass can be the most powerful instrument in the band, because the bass note defines what the chord is. And if you don't understand that, you don't know what you're doing.

In short, if you think it's easy, you very likely suck.

Thanks

 

[Kukulkan61]

Learn and play like Victor Wooten then say it's easy...

 

[obimark]

I have played bass for almost 30 years, just about every day. I find it fun and challenging still.

 

[Mr.Ace]

Says you. It's easy to say anything you want. I shred at all instrument. Anything I pick up I'm a master at.

P.S. this post is stupid.

I personally don't think this post is stupid. It has opened up a dialogue. Mantis is a funny guy, and he expressed his thoughts. I'm also a fellow Rick player. Sometimes we all need a pep talk. What would music be with no bottom? Have you ever heard the song I'm all about that treble? No? Me neither, because it would be a stupid song, but a stupid post. I think not.

 

[Kukulkan61]

It's only easy on a P bass cause it has 1 pickup and you don't get all confused and s***...

 

[bdplaid]

Thanks

Let me also say that early in my career, a killer player told me the same thing as I say to you. His critique destroyed my technique. Rather than get pissed (I was pretty hurt by it), I took a lesson from him, and never looked back. I studied music in college, where I was forever challenged to be conceptual about music. Then I played with the best players that could stand me. I was never the best player in the group. But I learned a lot that way. I wrote music, specifically to figure out different ways to use bass in an arrangement. I learned a lot about bass from drummers, actually, who taught me that bass is the most important instrument in the ensemble, because it bridges percussion with harmony and melody. If you ask a good drummer, he will probably tell you he relies on the bass a lot.

Bass is really important to an ensemble, and not to be taken as lightly as you seem to.

 

[Oldschool94]

I have been playing bass guitar for 22 years. I have played in a folk rock band, a jam band, a cover band, a punk band and now I am playing in a metal band.

Does anyone else feel kind of modest when discussing being a bass player? I feel like I am good at bass but also like this isn't that big of a deal. I also feel like it is probably the easiest instrument to learn and get decent at. I tend to offer suggestions and discuss things with my band, but I also keep myself in check by reminding myself that I am just the bass player. I guess I have a slight inferiority complex about being a bassist. The other guys in my band think I'm great and it is strictly me doing this to myself btw. Am I the only one who feels this way?

It's bad. When someone compliments my bass playing I smile and say thanks but I think to myself "it only has four strings and we dont play chords but thanks..." Maybe I am being too hard on myself ...

Lol OP this is doomed to be a troll thread, but I feel you. I'm constantly awed by my fellow musicians, especially on keys and drums. As far as difficulty goes, I will note, however, that I truly can barely name any amazingly musical bass players, whereas I have known personally several prodigy drummers. I have a theory that bass is difficult to become musical at because it is so low pitched. Bass players have a hard time developing musical ears because the instrument is incredibly hard to hear well. Many trumpet players I know always play melodically, even when flubbing. In contrast, I rarely feel like bass players are melodic even in very well rehearsed circumstances.

 

[Mr.Ace]

Lol OP this is doomed to be a troll thread, but I feel you. I'm constantly awed by my fellow musicians, especially on keys and drums. As far as difficulty goes, I will note, however, that I truly can barely name any amazingly musical bass players, whereas I have known personally several prodigy drummers. I have a theory that bass is difficult to become musical at because it is so low pitched. Bass players have a hard time developing musical ears because the instrument is incredibly hard to hear well. Many trumpet players I know always play melodically, even when flubbing. In contrast, I rarely feel like bass players are melodic even in very well rehearsed circumstances.

Here are some musical bass players:
Randy Meisner
Tiran Porter
Lonnie Turner
Steve Harris
John Taylor
Geezer Butler
Stuart Zender
Tony Franklin
Alain Caron
Victor Wooten
Steve Bailey
Billy Sheehan
Jaco Pastorious
Geddy Lee
Mark King
Marcus Miller
Louis Johnson
Nikki Six
Sting
Flea
John Entwhistle
Les Claypool
John Paul Jones
Cliff Burton
James Jamerson
Jack Bruce
Stanley Clark
Geezer Butler
Bootsy Collins
Chris squire
Larry Graham
Rodger Waters
Robert Trujillo
Pino Palladino
Randy Jackson
Allen woody
Stuart Zender
Ect.........

 

[micque]

When I feel that what I'm doing is getting easy, I'm actualy glad, cause I know I'm doing it well, But when I feel its getting too easy I move up to something more challenging, and you will never run out of stuff more challenging to play, probably hundreds of great suggestions, I've been trying off and on for the last 40 years to learn Emerson, Lake & Palmer's Tarkus album, hardly even getting close, but great fun trying !

I love challenging music, its what drives me forward.

and on this note, I'm done here !