No one listens to the bass player

[funkinbottom]

Why is that?
Song suggestions dismissed
Knowledge about chord variations ignored

I've played with a few folks like that. Not many, but a few. How I handled those situations was to make suggestions to the BL or guitarist outside of rehearsal and wait. You know, just plant seeds and wait a few days to let them think it was their idea. Worked most times. It kinda just made me laugh on the inside. Egos are funny.

 

[TheReceder]

My song suggestions may be ignored... but my refusal to play songs I hate aren't. It's all a matter of choosing my battles.

Similar things have happened when people thought that the way the bassist of the original band played something didn't seem to fit. Primarily the bassist was playing the 3rd or fifth instead of the root... I get told that it sounds better on the root, can you play it that way...

A simple response lately worked the best.... "no." If they press... I simply say I don't want to embarrass myself in front of other bassists by doing something so wrong. Since they don't care about what (other) bassists think, it makes for an interesting situation.

 

[MynameisMe]

Because everyone is afraid to acknowledge our superiority

The way to get people to listen to you:

1. Own the PA system
2. Sing all the songs

You Sir are a genius!

 

[Nevada Pete]

We're typing.

I've found no one listens to me whatever the case, just in life in general.
it's maddening!

Well, I read all your posts, and find them interesting.

 

[TheReceder]

I can deal with the “just the bass player” attitude. It’s okay. Keys knows all; guitar, well, superior talent; vox doesn’t know there’s a bass; drummer, well drummer.

But I simply can’t understand why, when there’s this huddle on stage to switch up the set list, no one bothers to communicate the change to me. Happens in two of my bands.

"Bassist" is Latin for psychic.
Same thing happens to me... drives me nuts.

 

[MidnightBottle]

Band #1 - 7-piece reggae (rocksteady, really)/soul/funk band doing half covers half originals written by BL/Drummer. He's been doing this for 15+ years and I've been in the band a year, probably the 4th or 5th full-time bassist he's had, lots of short term guys too. He books the shows, 2 a weekend all summer usually, and pays a flat rate to everyone no matter how much the gig pays. The basslines are super repetitive, same lick over and over and over, and he doesn't really want deviation from it. The guitarists and horns get the same thing - if you've got a melody line to play, play it, otherwise everyone's skanking the whole time. But it's all for a reason. We've had multiple sound guys tell us they were blown away by how much space we leave for being a 7 piece, and it's all super tight. But having the dummer as BL is amazing!! He wants the bass very present in the mix, and he only has ego-free guitarists on board. He even likes when I play my EUB, even if I'm a little out of tune sometimes, since the old rocksteady recordings the upright bass was frequently a little out of tune. Love this band! He's down with my pedal board too, but it's super sparse with these guys.

Band #2 - Rock band doing all original music written by BL/rhythm guitarist. Our drummer is actually the best guitarist in the group, our lead guitarist is amazing and actually has negative ego (we have to talk him up, tell him to turn up, etc), and I'm given the freedom to write my own basslines and do what I want with pedals (yes!!!). BL frequently consults me for arranging and writing bridges to songs he has that he feels need something more. He's also probably the least musically developed (still quite good) but an amazing songwriter, and is beyond stoked to have the rest of us playing his music. Everyone's input is valued and it's one of the most well-balanced dynamics I've been in. At the end of the day BL has veto power, but it's used sparingly.

Band #3 - I feel the pain on this one. Cover band, doing a pretty cool mix of modern music and older songs. Folk and rock mostly. Older, so-so, insecure guitarist sees himself as the BL even though he does nothing to warrant it. Frequently plays songs out of key because he doesn't know what songs he is supposed to capo, so I adjust on the fly or stop the song (really try to avoid that!). Female singer has an amazing voice but can't sing without lyrics in front of her and has pretty limited knowledge of what the rest of the band is doing. Guitarist frequently forgets the arrangements, which throws the singer off and she gets flustered and the song just dies sometimes. Drummer and I have played together in other bands for years, he treats it like a hired gun type thing, and a few times a show he asks me "how does this one go again" and I sing him the rhythm or a vocal line. My song suggestions have never been taken seriously, and my musical knowledge is generally dismissed by the guitarist (notoriously, he insists one of our songs is in 6/8 because the rhythm is eighth note/eighth note/eighth note/eighth rest. He shouts at me when I try to explain it to him. The drummer and I learned to just roll our eyes at each other when he brings it up, say "ok" and then play it in 4/4 anyways and he doesn't know the difference!) Luckily the guitarist quit after our NYE show, we are on hiatus while we find a new player. He was the source of most problems, so hopefully things turn around

 

[beaglesandbass]

Why is that?
Song suggestions dismissed
Knowledge about chord variations ignored

I have no problem with that in my band. It sounds like they don’t respect you, not the position.

 

[jamro217]

I can't believe this thread even exists. The blatant audacity! It's a known fact the bassists are the catalysts of all musical projects and control how they operate. Test this theory. Next rehearsal play a song too fast or slow, see what happens. Try a little syncopation. Turn the tone knob down on the ol' EB-O and see what happens. Next, slap through that ballad. Now, when a new song is introduced that you don't wish to perform, slightly modify any or all of the techniques cited above. See how quickly the tune is abandoned. Do this sparingly or else you'll be identified as the culprit. Bands that have experienced this form of censorship are easily spotted by their inability to retain a permanent bassist. This is one of the tricks of the trade, so to speak, as to how to lead a band without saying (or singing) a word.

 

[Ekulati]

If your knowledge about chord variations is dismissed, play it the way you think best. You're the bass player.

As the bassist, your knowledge of chords and theory is (should be) better than anyone else in the band. If not, get to work on it.

What these idiots don't realize is that you control the tonality at any given moment. "Hey Mr. Guitarist, you playing E minor? Guess what, I just made your Em into Cmaj7 by laying down a big fat low C. Deal with it."

 

[john akers]

When no one in the audience listens to the bass player, why should anyone in the band ?

If you are a good player people can't help but hear you. they might not know it but they cant help it.You are as important as any other member of the band. Just remember(and remind other band members) ,you see bands (groups) without guitars, horns ,drums,pianos,organs, when was the last time you saw a group without a bass? Not very often. we are in Jazz bands,bluegrass,blues,country,rock,folk and other types of music. the other members can't say this, why is that? it's because of the important part you add to any music you contribute to, you add the bottom and more often than not you are the glue that hold Things together. If you play in a dance band everyone can drop out but you and the drummer dancers won't miss a step. if you drop out they will become disoriented and will lose there step (due to the loss of timing) if you play in a rock band remind the other members that without the driving bass lines you deliver. they would just be loud guitars and drums that no would really want to hear .Never sell your place as a bass player short! I have been playing a long time I am not a great player but I am adequative. I have never been without a gig because I am a Bass player.Stand up and demand the respect you deserve. If you are good at your craft work will come to you. best wishes.

 

[klejst]

Classic stereotype...sorry, I'll get back to my spot in the back.

 

[sacahill42]

"Bassist" is Latin for psychic.

Hmmm. I thought "bass" (or "b'ass") was the contraction of "badass" .

I have no problem with that in my band...

Same, so I'm sticking by my version of the etymology.

 

[LowActionHero]

I learned years ago to always be ready, no one EVER looks over to see if the bass player is tuning or getting his music out or whatever.

I had a band start a show without me once while I was helping the client put up lights, right next to the stage.

 

[lfmn16]

We're typing.

Type slower, my hearing isn't as good as it used to be!

 

[john akers]

When no one in the audience listens to the bass player, why should anyone in the band ?

Because bass is subliminal, and hands down the most powerful instrument on the stage. While audiences may consciously "listen" to other instruments, they respond to bass physically and emotionally. Depending on how the instrument is played, that is. There's an art, and a science to it.

this is so true. it gives us bass players a lot of power and with that goes a lot of responsibility.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Why is that?
Song suggestions dismissed
Knowledge about chord variations ignored

If I’m doing my job, I’m not distracting the audience from the melody, unless I am the melody, then I let it rip. I want my parts to be as logical as possible. This outlook has kept me working as a bassist for well over 50 years.

As for nobody listening, my band mates listen. My sound engineers, and producers sure listen. Frankly, everybody hears it. They may not focus on it, but it is indeed heard.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

I played with a friend guitarist for a bit under two decades in the 70's and 80's. We bounced from band to band until he and I decided to be joint band leaders. He had no interest with the business part so I did that. He planned the songlist and we would divide the songs between whose suited who's voice. He had a nice faux Brit accent so he did the English stuff, I had a higher voice and did Brian Adams, Rod Stewart, etc. I eventually bought the light system, a one ton Econoline, and the PA. At that point we were able to truly pick and choose our bandmates which meant we controlled the image and songlist of the band. Moral of the story: If you own the PA lights and sound you call your own shots. Worked for me.

 

[pigpen1]

When no one in the audience listens to the bass player, why should anyone in the band ?

Because no one ever moved their feet because of a guitar.

 

[pigpen1]

I'm actually amazed at how many songs my current band let me pick. But I keep telling my one singer/guitarist what's going on in Jet City Woman and he doesn't change it. He keeps leaving out 1 measure before the second verse.

Same. I quit playing in bands because of it. When a good friend asked me to start playing again in a cover band part of the deal was song selection input. I told him I was not going to do 100% guitar hero crap and we had to have enough pop/funk for a whole set.

 

[bassinplace]