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Overrated Bass Players

#201
A lot of the guys on that list either created their own tone/sound or were great songwriters. A bass player can slap as fast as they want, but if they can't write a song or find the right fit in the band they are just playing in their bedroom which is pointless. Don't worry about what people think of others, just concentrate on yourself. Anyone on here would kill to be on that list.
 
#202
phillybass101 said:
Bass players are not overrated. Our opinions of what a great bassist is, is overrated. Folks are just confused by the plethora of super bassists that are now out there and think if you don't or can't play like them while other people still love what you do, you're considerd overated by the folks who idolize cats with all the chops and techniques. Many of us forget the function of the bass in a group setting and suscribe to a "ME" mentality about bass playing.
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+1
 
#206
Cliff Burton - Most people tend to associate him passing with "old Metallica" disappearing, so they glorify him. His bass playing was really wicked on Anesthesia, Kthulu, and Orion, but if you listen to the isolated tracks he is really sloppy, making me wonder why he didn't play with a pick.

I don't really like most of the really choppy guys. Guys like Billy Sheehan. They are okay, I guess, but why are you playing the bass if you're just going to tap and use harmonics. It sounds awful on bass.
 
#207
Rockmusician said:
I has been a few years since this topic was discussed so I am curious to see if perceptions have changed. Which bass players to think are overrated? Here is my list.

Flea – Red Hot Chili Peppers
Tony Kanal – No Doubt
Mike Dirnt – Green Day
Duff McKagan – Guns ‘n’ Roses
Nikki Sixx – Motley Crue
Krist Novoselic – Nirvana
Jason Newstead – Metalica, Ozzy Osbourne
Lemmy Kilmster - Motorhead
Click to expand...

Duff McKagan's bassline for sweet child o mine can't be paralleled.

Tal Wilkenfeld = overated bassist.
 
#208
Really great players are not necessarily clean players, look at hendrix, every 9th or 10th note was a bum note, but he didn't care.

McCartney was not a clean player either, listen to isolated beatle tracks.

I suppose the question we should all ask ourselves, is are we overrated?

It's easy to criticize someone else's playing, for my part, I am not sure, no has ever said, man that was awesome! but at the same time no one has ever said that I sucked! So I suppose I serve my purpose as a bassplayer adequately, I embrace mediocrity!

how about you guys?
 
#211
These threads should just be called bassists a lot of people like that i don't like.

My list would be endless, but in the end, it's not about over or under rated, its about whether you like their style and/or the music they've put out. Which is just...taste.

Theres a lot of bassist i consider underrated which a lot of people who laugh at if they ever heard their music. Mainly because its not hard to play or complex. Which, to some, means it must suck.

You know how i rate music? On what it makes me feel, and you can feel a lot from just two well placed notes or a lot from two dozens well placed ones too.

****, they don't even have to be well placed.... im pretty sure most bassists i like are or have been at time sloppy. who gives a ****. I don't listen to music with a metronome or tuner in my head. And if you do, i think, but that's just me, i think you're doing it wrong.
 
#214
"...but this is all my opinion.

I also don't think I would ever classify someone as overrated...unless it was let's say...Sid Vicious..."

Here I quote the punchline to my entire post....

And I will still not classify any bass player as overrated.....
 

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