Paul McCartney: How does he rank as a Bass Player?

[FRoss6788]

Exactly!

Might be my favorite bass player. Love so many of his lines. Come together? Come on, that's spectacular. Not hard, but spectacular.

 

[Mushroo]

I just want to get everyone's opinion about Paul McCartney. In my opinion he's an all around fine musician, songwriter, singer, band leader, etc., but, for this thread, and I hope this isn't considered a dumb question, but, how do you rank him as a bass player?

Thanks!

Top 10.

 

[Pings Bass]

He was pretty good but he was no Sid Vicious

 

[Hevy T]

One of the best that ever lived. Very melodic and years ahead of his time

 

[BassBeginer64]

He made a buck or two playing bass.

 

[wraub]

 

[BazzaBass]

McCartney's rank as bass player? Really, really high and he can sing at the same time.

Paul McCartney's net worth is estimated at $1.2 billion, according to Celebrity Net Worth. He is the richest musician in the U.K. as of May 2018, The Sunday Times reported, and in 2017, McCartney landed the No. 13 spot on Forbes' list of the world's highest-paid musicians, earning $54 million for the year.Jun 16, 2018 - Not bad for a 75 year old Bass player who wrote and sang his own songs.

 

[Stuart Hmm]

I remember Billy Sheehan speaking very positively about him in one of his videos.

 

[5StringBlues]

I'm fairly certain he gets high with a little help from his friends as well.

 

[Samatza]

Might be my favorite bass player. Love so many of his lines. Come together? Come on, that's spectacular. Not hard, but spectacular.

He seems to have a knack of playing exactly the right line to support the song. Not flashy but very tasteful.

 

[Jazz Ad]

He invented the role of bass in rock. What he built still stands today as the foundation of most bass in rock music.

 

[whero]

I rate him very highly. I mean, sure, there are many bass players with better skills than Sir Paul, but I don't think his technical chops are what make him one of the best bass players of all time.

Back when The Beatles were together there was nobody pushing the bass to make it such a critical part of the sound of a song, and for that alone he influenced generations of bass players. Then, in later Beatles-through-Wings-through-early solo McCartney material there was nobody writing more melodic bass lines. I remember how much I hated the lightweight poppiness of Silly Love Songs when I first heard it in the mid-70s, and also the huge smile it put on my face when I learnt how to play it.

 

[FranF]

Back in the Beatle era, their records were recorded on 4 channel tape recorders. Overdubs were minimal or nonexistent. Stacking tracks was a studio trick to add depth with sound layers. McCartney not only invented melodic bass lines with his original song, but often he would sing while playing crafted bass lines. I realize that is not impossible, but it does require an extra load of talent. Combining vocals with clever bass lines was Paul's strength. A classic example is Oh Darling (Abbey Road LP). At first glance it's a simple blues song, but note Paul's fresh bass line, then add the fact he is singing over his bass line. Now, learn that bass part, note for note, then add your voice over it...live. No loops or overdubs. How easy was that?

This may blow your mind, but it's Harrison on bass for Oh Darling.

 

[thabassmon]

He is really good. Interesting lines, good counter melodies, good use of ornamentation.

Even though there are many that can outdo him technnique wise, he is lot better than many other of the "bass legends", I think that really comes from him being a musician not just a bass player.

 

[Ric5]

I just want to get everyone's opinion about Paul McCartney. In my opinion he's an all around fine musician, songwriter, singer, band leader, etc., but, for this thread, and I hope this isn't considered a dumb question, but, how do you rank him as a bass player?

Thanks!

He is really good

 

[NoSlapForYou]

My favorite bassist of all time. I don't really care how technically good he is. That doesn't matter to me. I value writing over technique (as long as the technique is good enough that it doesn't get in the way).

I defy anyone to learn the bass line to "Something" and not reach the same conclusion. There are about 20 variations that he plays around the same theme, just like something a classical composer might write.

 

[biguglyman]

There are about 20 variations that he plays around the same theme,

This. And he does it A LOT! I've been playing bass in a Beatles-centric band on and off for 30 years. You can't just memorize the verse and chorus parts. He changes them. Constantly. Listen to "A Little Help From My Friends". No two verses or choruses have exactly the same line. Challenging? You bet, especially when singing too. Nailing the bass AND vocal part assigned? priceless

 

[RogerTheAlien]

 

[Humbled]

IMO, Paul McCartney has an intuitive sophistication regarding how bass guitar can serve popular music that seldom can be taught or learned. To me that's more impressive and more satisfying to experience than demonstrations of extraordinary technical mastery of a bass guitar. Both impressive, but for different reasons.

 

[Leonid Nidis]

My favorite bassist of all time. I don't really care how technically good he is. That doesn't matter to me. I value writing over technique (as long as the technique is good enough that it doesn't get in the way).

I defy anyone to learn the bass line to "Something" and not reach the same conclusion. There are about 20 variations that he plays around the same theme, just like something a classical composer might write.

I learned it(something) when I just started playing bass for a band 2 years ago,Its amazing but I was angry at him at the time for all the variations at some point I thought Ill just take one virsion of each part but the band leader was a hard ass that knew all the parts so he insisted and I am glad he did.

IMO a great player is one who writes good lines that work in a band.
I know many super technical amazing players but only a few of them can listen to a song and produce a killer line on the spot.