No one listens to the bass player

[fishdreams]

Yeah sometimes people take the idea "as a bass player you are supposed to support the others" as "so we don't have to." What may help is to point out that everybody is supposed to be supporting each other. There is a difference between supporting the music, and and supporting someone else's egotrip.

 

[fishdreams]

It took several months, but after enough times being right about how a song is structured, my band now all looks at me when they have a question along those lines. What I have noticed is that if I'm wrong just once at rehearsal, which certainly happens, I've lost a lot of credibility and people stop listening for the rest of the night. I am the bass player after all.

That looks like the definition of leadership right there. Enjoy being a leader.

 

[nilorius]

Freaks STAY freaks, nothing to add.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

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

#1 is actually a running joke with my bandmates. I defend the decision by saying if I have to run it I want to pick it out and be comfortable with it.

That and I tend to be outspoken enough that ignoring me is just not possible.

 

[Eddie LeBlanc]

Yep... I was going to reply to this, but no one listens to me any way. After all I am a Bass Player..... LOL

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Could be your delivery rather than the instrument you play.

 

[FugaziBomb]

I'm sorry, we're you talking???

You all are me talking? Also, how many of you share that account?

 

[MJ_Sotti]

I like when you're playing with some rock guitar player and ya say "where you at there?" and they'll for example say "A" and I'll say "A what?" and they have to look at their left hand.

 

[kevindahl]

I am actually surprised that so many bass players are feeling that they are not respected. I have never been the best musician in any of the bands I have played in. I have always felt that my opinions mattered. I guess I can say that I have been lucky.

 

[Biggbass]

what?

 

[George Dennis]

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

...said John to Paul
(~April 1970)

 

[mstillman]

My experiences have been the opposite. I'm often the de facto BL and am asked things like:

• How should we end a song that fades out on the original hit?
• What are these chords?
• Can you cue us here?

Plus in rehearsals, I seem to do 90% of the "stop & fixes" rather than running through.

I also sing leads on maybe 20% and harmonies on most of the remainder.

If you can show you have a lot to contribute, most people generally listen.

This may read as me thinking I'm God's gift to music. Hardly, but I've been playing a ton of classic rock covers since they were released. Classical piano lessons from age 7 through freshman college. Gigging fairly steadily as a weekend warrior the past 15 or so years. You'd pick up a lot of valuable skills by osmosis!

Plus it helps if you can play and sing....

 

[FunkHead]

My experiences have been the opposite. I'm often the de facto BL and am asked things like:

• How should we end a song that fades out on the original hit?
• What are these chords?
• Can you cue us here?

Plus in rehearsals, I seen to do 90% of the "stop & fix its" rather than running through.

I also sing leads on maybe 20% and harmonies on most of the remainder.

My gf was very surprised when I

When you what?

 

[mstillman]

When you what?

...When I mistakenly hit "Post reply" and then have to write most of my post in Edit mode.

 

[Samatza]

Don't know how true that is, in my band I write all the charts, supply the PA and have plenty of input so I can't say I'm not listened to.
Last night I was sound checking the Stingray and a guy came up and said I sounded like Flea, skk OK someone's listening.

 

[lfmn16]

You all are me talking? Also, how many of you share that account?

 

[Pilgrim]

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."

I have no idea what that means. But I'm just playing an E, and I don't play chords, so there's no problem. And if I said something like that to a guitarist, he would be justified in thinking that I'm a complete ass.

 

[Bassdirty]

…. .. He keeps leaving out 1 measure before the second verse.

I hate this kinda stuff. But it SHOULD be able to be solved by playing the song no?

T$

 

[FunkHead]

I hate this kinda stuff. But it SHOULD be able to be solved by playing the song no?

T$

Yes. It's obvious if you're playing along to the song but I don't think he's done that.
60 other songs he gets right. Go figure.

 

[Ekulati]

I have no idea what that means. But I'm just playing an E, and I don't play chords, so there's no problem. And if I said something like that to a guitarist, he would be justified in thinking that I'm a complete ass.

Wow. So you're another bassist who knows no theory. Ok. Good.