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

[dave64o]

VERY highly ranked. His playing is melodic, creative, musical, and influential. He might have played fewer notes in his career than guys like Claypool, Lee, Wooten, Pastorius, (just to be clear, I'm big fans of all of those guys) and others like them play in a single concert, but speed and technical complexity aren't the measure of a great musician. They can certainly be a part of a player's greatness, but they aren't the only measures.

 

[keith1r]

Top 10 in rock bassists

 

[klokker]

I guess I don't really see Paul McCartney primarily as a bass player. Obviously he plays bass, but he is just as competent on guitar, piano, and vocals. He's "just" a song writing and recording genius and musician.

Comparing him to others known primarily for bass isn't really a straight up comparison, IMO.

 

[twangchief]

I guess I don't really see Paul McCartney primarily as a bass player. Obviously he plays bass, but he is just as competent on guitar, piano, and vocals. He's "just" a song writing and recording genius and musician.

Comparing him to others known primarily for bass isn't really a straight up comparison, IMO.

What klokker said.

 

[bassstrangler]

I think he's great. Just wondered what everyone else thought. Thanks!

Be prepared....

 

[Doctor Intrepid]

Guitar World has a list of the top 100 assists (I think the list was originally by Bassplayer). The top three are Jamerson, Jaco and Macca. Good top three.

 

[Mannyinnewyork]

I think he's an incredibly talented all around rock musician and very impressive songwriter.

I don't think his bass lines are technically difficult BUT coming up with the bass lines is his forte. I think he's wonderful

 

[monkeyfinger]

I think you have to evaluate his playing in the context of the time the Beatles emerged. For that period and style of music, he was very innovative. Perhaps not a virtuoso, but with a great sense of melody and harmony that came from his song writing. He may not seem so unique now, but that is because his style found its way into many forms of modern pop/rock.

 

[Pimpernel Smith]

He's the Rembrandt of bass players.

 

[nixdad]

He's the Rembrandt of bass players.

Nicely put.
Paul's inventiveness, song craft, vocals, sense of harmony and writing ability truly put him in his own category. There are several other greats for different reasons that may even share a few similar attributes, but overall it's apples & oranges.

 

[packhowitzer]

Silly Love Songs might have a silly name and perhaps even silly lyrics, but every note of the bass line of that song is great IMO.

 

[Kukulkan61]

Great bass player but I can't get past the ugly violin shaped basses he played...

 

[eddododo]

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 doesn't have blazing chops (that I've seen) but he writes fantastic bass lines, and his chops are as good as anyone's needs to be for most listenable music.

but I obligatorily also have to say that music isn't a competition, and 'ranking' someone in that way is pretty meaningless

 

[The Deep]

Meh......he got the job done.

You'll never hear me rave about Paul or the Beatles for that matter.

Revolutionary, yes, impressive, no.

 

[socialleper]

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!

If you grew up listening to his music, you think he is a god.
If you didn't you think he is OK.
I think he was certainly an influential player, and a more influential song writer. I don't particularly like the Beatles, and find his playing utilitarian at best.

 

[Hues]

Lately I've become really taken by his bassline in Lady Madonna,like never before...Bouncy,walking,just super fun.

 

[JRA]

Paul McCartney: How does he rank as a Bass Player?
as a bass player? not very high, certainly not in the top 100.
but he's second-to-none in so many other categories related to music (and beyond) that his bass playing doesn't matter. he only needed to be good enough to play something the composer(s) approved.

 

[Cycleops]

On things for sure he's kept Hofner in business for many a year.

 

[dcgriggs79]

Hindsight is a funny thing. People of today look back at the innovators of bass guitar through a lens constructed of decades of experimentation and progression since that time, built layer upon layer over years. Now, we have globalization of technique knowledge via YouTube and other places. And we (I'm no different) look back and wonder if these early innovators were *really* that good. Is James Jamerson good .... by Victor Wooten standards? There are amateurs out there you can find online that have wicked fast slap/tap that would have made them famous 30 years ago. Now? They are just traveling down a well-beaten path.

It all kind of reminds me of that line from Jurassic Park: "You read what others had done and you took the next step...you stood on the shoulders of geniuses...."

 

[Stranger Danger]

You can't have a discussion about electric bass in popular music without talking about him. He's way way up there imo