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

#142
I think he's a great musician ... In terms of how low-voiced are his basslines I think he is in the middle spectrum of bass ... Not so deep or basic, not so high either, right in the middle ... Not my favorite style in bass ... but that give him the oportunity of play a more dynamic arrengement & that make him the most mainstream bass player of his era.
 
#144
1st he played Piano, then guitar, then Bass as a means to keep the band going. It's as if he didn't care what instrument he was playing, as long as he was writing and performing. Being involved in music, in the manner that he was, lead to some very musical bass lines. Beatles & Wings get the most air time for me.
 
#145
dragonflyrock said:
How do you rank Paul McCartney as a bassist? Quite simply, you don't. Having been exposed to the swing of big bands, the blues, and early rock and roll as a kid, he absorbed it all and wove something completely new. People talk about those melodic bass lines as though they were completely normal—they weren't. Those lines not only completely transformed good songs into great songs with the Beatles, but they transformed music as we know it today. What do you consider musical chops or being technical? His phrasing, attack, and ability to weave unassuming lines that actually define songs is unparalleled. The idea of the bass being the heartbeat of a song, the pulse, comes from his ingenuity and consistent ability to evolve. His influence is so far reaching that it is nearly impossible not to find some thread of him in music today. For all the successes he has had in his career, people overlook the incredible versatility and beauty of his bass lines.
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Not only the above, but he was a pretty good eye for talent. He was instrumental in getting James Taylor signed to Apple Records as it's first artist.
 
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#150
A phenomenal bass player. Top 10 in pop. Even Quincy Jones who derogatorily said when he first met him he only brought straight eights.... learned by the time he produced Billie Jean that straight eights in the bass make for a pop hit.
 
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#151
IMO. While his lines aren't super complex, he falls into that category of bassists that play bass very well and sing at the same time, ala Macca (himself), Sting, Geddy Lee, Mark King, Les Claypool, etc... So you get these bass parts that are hard to mimic sometimes because, it seems to me, they build their bass lines around what they are trying to do vocally. And singing and playing bass at the same time can be hard to do well.
 
#153
No doubt a great bassist. His mind thinks bass, and that proves he is a real bassist. All that while not being able to read music...which makes his talents all the more amazing.
 
#154
Nothing left to be said about McCartney. In my meaningless opinion, I would find it quite difficult to be a technique innovator on a Hofner violin or a Rickie. I always render credit first, to any individual who can successfully interact his musical expressions with someone elses ideas. I'd like to think few do it better on bass guitar than Sir Paul.
 
#155
I just retired out of a Midwest Beatles tribute band (that made it into the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame before I joined and ruined everything, LOL). It was really my first foray into McCartney's bass playing; I went and got a Hofner violin and LaBella flatwounds and learned to play with a pick to try and do it some justice. The learning curve for 70-80 Beatles classics is pretty steep on the bass side. I think Paul's musicality and melodic talent in the writing is right on up there with anyone. it was a real challenge and a labor of love to assimilate all that material into the repertoire and pull it off, and sing to boot. New respect for the whole Beatles era.
 
#157
Here come the haters but I don't care...
Not that great honestly. Walking be bop lines simple enough so he could sing at the same time. The skill is singing while playing, but the bass lines on their own are mostly all down beat kind of simple grooves that start at the root of each chord. Considered great by anyone learning bass and feeling accomplished when they played their first song that was a Beatles tune. A bass player who inspired the beginner. Let those with their out of pitchforks come to the door with their torches to roast me as I'm sure this is going to be taken so personally offensive.
 
#160
The deeper you listen the better he sounds. His tone is unobtrusive while always being clear in the mix. that in itself is amazing. note choice? absolutely! Rhythmic interest. when I get down into the fine details of his lines I find little things that he throws in that require amazing subtlety to pull off. I give him an A++
 
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