Showing Off. Why Can't Bassists Do It??

[Groove Master]

It seems from what i read so far that "showing off" may mean different things.

1) Posing and making a lot of "stage moves" OR

2) Playing busy and showing off some chops that might be musical and may be not so much that musical.

3) Get really involve in the music by making the bassine or the bassist an integral part of the music.

I'm aiming for #3 all time either with simple part or complex part. It seems to work for me

 

[Johnny Crab]

Go for it if you can DO IT correctly.
Having a GOOD drummer is a must. Without a drummer, your BAND gives you a solo spot.
Examples:

 

[wooheehaa]

fine line between showing off and seeking attention

 

[Kmonk]

Guitarists ALWAYS show off what they can do. QUOTE]

REALLY? ALWAYS! I have never been in a band where a guitarist showed off what they can really do. Everyone I have ever played with understands that showing off and long solos are nothing more than self indulgent crap.

 

[Mystic Michael]

I read a lot of threads and hear a lot in person that bassists don't do a lot of slapping or showing off on stage. Like it's not the thing to do? Guitarists ALWAYS show off what they can do. What makes this even worse is when bassists say they don't like to do it on stage. I have even heard stories of a bassists just getting the bad eye or even getting yelled at for showing off or slapping at jams. What the hell?? How come guitarists can get all the attention and show off all they want but when a bassist does it, it's like it is just not allowed or something? My theory, because it's harder to show off on a bass than a guitar, so people get extremely jealous

The very best way to "show off" - for any real musician - is to nail your part with such intelligence, nuance, sensitivity, skill and genuine musicality - that its excellence simply cannot go unnoticed or be ignored...even by the musically unknowledgeable & unsophisticated.

Anyone who doesn't get that is likely playing some kind of competitive sport - that just happens to include the use of musical instruments. Whatever it is, it isn't music.

MM

 

[JimmyM]

??? Think I did say it was OK to show off if you don't suck. Sorry I didn't give a shout out to your heroes. To your first 'point,' do you believe that bass was invented to be a lead instrument?

Bass was invented to be whatever the player wanted it to be as far as I'm concerned. And every instrument is a support instrument till it's not

 

[nicopiano]

Simple. Because unless you're really, really good it sounds like crap.

That is true!!!

 

[JimmyM]

Bah, it's true of any instrument, not just bass.

 

[David Jayne]

Bah, it's true of any instrument, not just bass.

Meh, it's a bigger problem for bass than most.

 

[bezbass]

I think the key is doing it tastefully! That's the only rule in my head!

Saw a solo singer guitarist the other day billed as someone taught by randy Rhodes . Technically very good but the songs didn't make sense. It was a bit of song and then some random flash bits at the end to make people go wow! Didn't quite work for me.

A solo can be a simple melodic set of phrases too though don't forget!
Imo Do it but always ask yourself if its enhancing to the tune and making sense!

 

[bezbass]

Because most people are "Sheeple" and anything other than the norm is unacceptable.

People thing that bass is the instrument you pick up because you fail at guitar.

I play both and although different, I believe almost anyone can play a few chords on guitar and sound good, with bass you have to be nasty to "Show Off".

Don't worry though, I just got 2 6 string acoutic basses! Time to "show off" unplugged!-lmfao!!!

It's the other way around IMO. For example running an arpeggio or two (three if you are starting low) on a guitar is easy, frets close together extra strings so you don't have to jump . Lighter gauge strings. On a bass extended arpeggios are hard as are so many other things.

 

[lfmn16]

Bass was invented to be whatever the player wanted it to be as far as I'm concerned. And every instrument is a support instrument till it's not

Every bass player should put this on their wall and look at it before they start to practice. Don't use other people's lack of vision as an excuse to hold you back.

 

[Lowbrow]

Bass was invented to be whatever the player wanted it to be as far as I'm concerned. And every instrument is a support instrument till it's not

Well that settles it in select universes.

 

[JimmyM]

Meh, it's a bigger problem for bass than most.

I don't see why. If you solo badly on any instrument, it's going to sound bad.

 

[Ric5]

 

[Lowbrow]

This is pretty awesome. I freely admit that whenever I brought a problem bass that I couldn't fix myself in for a setup I'd tell the luthier that I'd be satisfied as long as it could be made buzz-free up to the 9th fret.

 

[mcblahflooper94]

It seems from what i read so far that "showing off" may mean different things.

1) Posing and making a lot of "stage moves" OR

2) Playing busy and showing off some chops that might be musical and may be not so much that musical.

3) Get really involve in the music by making the bassine or the bassist an integral part of the music.

I'm aiming for #3 all time either with simple part or complex part. It seems to work for me

Good post.

 

[JimmyM]

I'm all for #1, too. If you're not entertaining, you're not entertaining.

 

[AngelCrusher]

You can do anything you want if you know how to make it feel good. That is the secret. A lot of players skip that step.

 

[Lowbrow]

I'm all for #1, too. If you're not entertaining, you're not entertaining.

I'm a Gene fan, too!