Garbage. A good player is not restricted by the size/shape/feel of a particular instrument.
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more basses = less skill?
- Thread starter funk generator
- Start date
Garbage. A good player is not restricted by the size/shape/feel of a particular instrument.
- Nov 8, 2010
- 1,391
- 9
- Disclosures
- Unofficial Endorser: Ibanez, D'Addario, Zoom
I am in total agreement with them. In fact, I'd go further and say that you should actually CHOOSE WHICH you are going to play: a fretted or a fretless and stick to that one bass.
Why? Look at me! I'm a TOTAL hack! I've got all manner of fancy basses some of them expensive and boutique and can't really play any of them. And even worse, I play drums and percussion and blues harp and bottleneck guitar and whatever else takes my fancy. There aren't enough hours in the day to do any of them justice let alone ALL of them!
The bottom line is simple. If you want to really get good at something you've got to practice it. You have to live that and absolutely nothing else. That has to be your LIFE! Doing other things simply takes away from your skills and goals. This is why you find some kid with some old beatup P-bass (with flats and tort pickguard, natch) who positively astounds anyone who hears him even though he has to get someone else to tune his bass for him before he plays it.
So the bottom line is if you want to get GOOD, if you want to record for esperanza spalding then you have no choice but to have only one bass, THE bass that is YOU, and woodshed it night and day until you are famous. Period.
If you want 10 basses and 10 guitars and 3 drumsets like me, then you'll spend your life as a hack poser playing dive bars, nursing homes and other low level stuff having a ball just like I do.
You choose.
- Aug 14, 2008
- 698
- 12
- Disclosures
- Owner and Operator, Xylem Handmade Basses and Guitars
I would lean toward the opinion that multiple basses would make you a better player...assuming you practiced.
I am used to playing a 32" four string almost all the time. But, every time I finish a new instrument I've got to test it out extensively and many times the new instruments have different scales, more strings, different neck profiles, etc. For example, I just finished a 36" six string, which is a vastly different beast from my 32" four string.
After test-playing the 6er for a few hours I went back to the four-string and man, I could fly on that bass! When I picked up the 6er again later for a little bit it felt more comfortable in my hands than the first time too.
Playing these other basses seems to have improved my skill, rather than being detrimental or inert. Sure, I'm better at the 4 string than other kinds of basses, but if anything, having to adjust my technique here and there seems to help my overall skill and make me a more versatile bassist.
IMO, if you practice a lot, you're going to be good regardless of the number of basses you play on.
I am used to playing a 32" four string almost all the time. But, every time I finish a new instrument I've got to test it out extensively and many times the new instruments have different scales, more strings, different neck profiles, etc. For example, I just finished a 36" six string, which is a vastly different beast from my 32" four string.
After test-playing the 6er for a few hours I went back to the four-string and man, I could fly on that bass! When I picked up the 6er again later for a little bit it felt more comfortable in my hands than the first time too.
Playing these other basses seems to have improved my skill, rather than being detrimental or inert. Sure, I'm better at the 4 string than other kinds of basses, but if anything, having to adjust my technique here and there seems to help my overall skill and make me a more versatile bassist.
IMO, if you practice a lot, you're going to be good regardless of the number of basses you play on.
No, you should have as many basses as you can afford. What makes you good is how often you practice, practice, practice the basics!!! Everyday = good. once a week? well you know the answer.
Z.
Z.
While I have 10 basses now, that number was at a mere 4 until a few years ago when I started to become a "collector". From 2002-2010 my main bass was my SR5 H. I've just now started playing my Euro 5LX in a new band.
The other basses I have are more for tonal variety when recording, but when it comes to live, the SR5 still gets the call almost all the time.
The other basses I have are more for tonal variety when recording, but when it comes to live, the SR5 still gets the call almost all the time.
This is a very interesting topic. I was thinking about this a couple of days ago.
When you think of Jaco what bass do you see in his hands? Fender Jazz
James Jamerson? Fender Precision
Paul McCartney? Hofner Violin Bass
Geddy Lee? Fender Jazz
Chris Kent? Nathan East Yamaha BBN5A
Nathan East? Yamaha
Aston Barret? Fender Jazz with flats
Bobby Vega? Fender Jazz
Victor Wooten? Fodera 4 (especially the ying yang)
A lot of these players own(ed) other basses, but 75% of them you'd see them in pictures, live etc... playing these specific models. I think it's no accident either. They usually have a tone and feel in their minds that is best to them, and while others basses can be played on, nothing stands up to the main go to bass.
I have had this happen to me in recent years after playing the same bass touring for 6 years. My Modulus FBJ5 feels and sounds unlike any other brand of 5 I have played. It has always felt like home so much that when I pick up my Fender Jazz American Standard, it feels totally different and actually effects my playing to a degree. So much that I usually play the Jazz with a pick rather than fingerstyle which brings out an entirely different character, feel, and tone in my playing. Could I play fingerstyle lines on it? of course! but the tighter spacing, feel, and B string on the Modulus brings out better fingerstyle grooves in my playing IMO.
So I suppose my Modulus will continue to be my "main bass", but I don't mind playing and adapting to other basses. I'd love to own a MMSR5 again because it was the closest thing I have been able to get that feels like the Modulus.
When you think of Jaco what bass do you see in his hands? Fender Jazz
James Jamerson? Fender Precision
Paul McCartney? Hofner Violin Bass
Geddy Lee? Fender Jazz
Chris Kent? Nathan East Yamaha BBN5A
Nathan East? Yamaha
Aston Barret? Fender Jazz with flats
Bobby Vega? Fender Jazz
Victor Wooten? Fodera 4 (especially the ying yang)
A lot of these players own(ed) other basses, but 75% of them you'd see them in pictures, live etc... playing these specific models. I think it's no accident either. They usually have a tone and feel in their minds that is best to them, and while others basses can be played on, nothing stands up to the main go to bass.
I have had this happen to me in recent years after playing the same bass touring for 6 years. My Modulus FBJ5 feels and sounds unlike any other brand of 5 I have played. It has always felt like home so much that when I pick up my Fender Jazz American Standard, it feels totally different and actually effects my playing to a degree. So much that I usually play the Jazz with a pick rather than fingerstyle which brings out an entirely different character, feel, and tone in my playing. Could I play fingerstyle lines on it? of course! but the tighter spacing, feel, and B string on the Modulus brings out better fingerstyle grooves in my playing IMO.
So I suppose my Modulus will continue to be my "main bass", but I don't mind playing and adapting to other basses. I'd love to own a MMSR5 again because it was the closest thing I have been able to get that feels like the Modulus.
The logic behind it is if you play more than one bass you'll never be amazing at playing one of them. You should get to be "best friends" per say with your main bass and the better you know it the better you'll play.
I think this is a crock of crap......If these guys have students, I feel sorry for students. Its not the instrument that makes the player good, its the devotion to the art of playing bass....its the willingness to try new things and to expand our knowledge. I play mostly 4 string,, but own many different types of 4's 5's 6's 8's(single& double string) 10's (single and double string)each different bass gives me a fresh look at how I'm playing, what I need to improve on.
I have seen big advances in some of my students when I hand them a 4 or 5 strings with different types of necks ,Jazz 1.5s Pbass 1&11/16th, 1.75s. Baseball bat thick , nice flat L1000 types....string spaceing,and so on and so on. if anyone is truly serious about being the best they can be as a bass player...then they shouldn't limit themselves to one type of bass....but by the same token I don't expect people to go broke by trying to buy as many as they can. If you have the chance to borrow a different bass then what you have do it.
I think this is a crock of crap......If these guys have students, I feel sorry for students. Its not the instrument that makes the player good, its the devotion to the art of playing bass....its the willingness to try new things and to expand our knowledge. I play mostly 4 string,, but own many different types of 4's 5's 6's 8's(single& double string) 10's (single and double string)each different bass gives me a fresh look at how I'm playing, what I need to improve on.
I have seen big advances in some of my students when I hand them a 4 or 5 strings with different types of necks ,Jazz 1.5s Pbass 1&11/16th, 1.75s. Baseball bat thick , nice flat L1000 types....string spaceing,and so on and so on. if anyone is truly serious about being the best they can be as a bass player...then they shouldn't limit themselves to one type of bass....but by the same token I don't expect people to go broke by trying to buy as many as they can. If you have the chance to borrow a different bass then what you have do it.
funk generator said:
Whenever someone tells you to limit yourself artistically, run the other way!
I think there's a big difference between
"you should only have one bass"
and
"many people find it helpful to have a main squeeze"
I think first is BS, second... I'm inclined to think is true!
"you should only have one bass"
and
"many people find it helpful to have a main squeeze"
I think first is BS, second... I'm inclined to think is true!
I was a much better bass-player some years ago, and then I owned 9 basses at som point.. Now, I own 2 basses and I'm nowhere near what I used to be.
- Aug 14, 2008
- 698
- 12
- Disclosures
- Owner and Operator, Xylem Handmade Basses and Guitars
audiomitch, you are a gentleman and a scholar...
Do you have your own radio station or some other way to broadcast your elegant wisdom? If not, you should
Given that music has no real rules or laws, I am continually surprised at the degree to which musicians are conservative-minded.
I disagree.
The majority of people with only one bass are beginners and they usually suck.
Nonsense. I played only one bass for the first 30 years of my musical life and I don't suck.
Strongly agree. I'll go one step further and state that a good musician will play ANY instrument well once he learns the techniques specific to that instrument.
Interesting topic and interesting responses...but sadly, those mentioned in the OP had it wrong...the more STRINGS, the better player!!!!
;-)
;-)
Some of the best players that I've met have 1 bass.
Some of the best players that I've met have more than 1 bass.
The number of basses is irrelevant. Some players can play on ANY bass and it doesn't bother them. String spacing, string number, etc...
Ex: Robert Trujillo
Other bassist prefer to get to know a bass and only use it.
Ex: Billy Sheehan (The Wife)
The problem comes in when you focus less on practicing and more on your GAS and buying what you want.
Some of the best players that I've met have more than 1 bass.
The number of basses is irrelevant. Some players can play on ANY bass and it doesn't bother them. String spacing, string number, etc...
Ex: Robert Trujillo
Other bassist prefer to get to know a bass and only use it.
Ex: Billy Sheehan (The Wife)
The problem comes in when you focus less on practicing and more on your GAS and buying what you want.
Good point - I want to be able to answer those "Is there a bass player in the house?" calls of duty... (who cares if they only happen in my dreams)
We aren't robots...we can adapt to more than one bass. With that said, I couldn't even whittle my collection down to one. There is no way I'd give up my Modulus Q5 It is the best bass for recording and was the first high end bass I could afford. There is no way I'd give up my Peavey Foundation; the neck is outstanding and the thing nearly plays itself.
