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The Truth About Being a "Good" Bass Player

#41
Bass is part of the rhythm section so I guess you should be a full time guitar player. It may suit your need for attention.

+1 on becoming a bass soloist so you don't have to worry about the musical needs of the other musicians.

essentially trying to be like all my bass heroes.
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Maybe putting your own project together to play all the bass hero stuff would suit you as well.

How about producing a new video game called "Bass Hero" where you can showcase your talents? :D

Or how about producing youtube videos so we can all listen to your bass hero music. I think that might satisfy your need for attention. What say you?
 
#43
There is one thing that the bass player must do (left-hand technique-wise) that a guitarist doesn't need to do: Mute. Our strings are twice as thick as guitarists' strings. We need to mute out all that fret noise. So those who say bass is "easier" than guitar because "you can play faster on a guitar", etc., are dead wrong.
 
#46
haha ...you're absolutely right ....i am a guitarist of 25 years and i've been playing bass seriously for 6 months....it seems bassdom has the craziest, coolest tricks and techniques that you may never ever get to use in common band type gigs. guitarists usually get to display their wares in almost any type of gig ..

the busiest i get doing the classic rock/ new country gig is walking bass to blues tunes......and the bass solo for "All Right Now" LOL

so i guess i keep my priorities locked at mostly developing my 2 plucking fingers and some basic slap ....\

i truly love ever bit of double thumb, tap, slap a guy like Victor has in the bag though ....completely amazing!
 
#47
kindofblue10 said:
There is one thing that the bass player must do (left-hand technique-wise) that a guitarist doesn't need to do: Mute. Our strings are twice as thick as guitarists' strings. We need to mute out all that fret noise. So those who say bass is "easier" than guitar because "you can play faster on a guitar", etc., are dead wrong.
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there's actually tons of left hand chokes and mutes on guitar you have to do ....funky clean rhythm, metal rhythm etc ....lot's ...
 
#48
SC Bassboy said:
In whole spectrum of life, nothing really matters. We are all on a giant rock flying through space and being a bad ass on bass is fairly insignificant.... if you let it be. My point is, we have nothing but that which we put forth into the world. If you can play the hell out of the bass then do it. Join a prog or funk band. And if you're playing with a guitar player who is "resentful" of your spot-light stealing talent then he's an a##hole and what he thinks really doesn't matter. Play on brother.
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Best post of this thread....IMO :)
 
#49
theroan said:
In fact, if you're paired with a prideful guitar player, they'll will actually resent your skill, taking the spotlight where it doesn't belong.
.
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I think that's a blanket statement without merit.

My guitar player is prideful and he recently said to me "turn up a little bit, you're 1/3 of this band and we need to hear you".

Ask any guitar player and drummer without a bass player if they agree with you and guess what their answer will be.
 
#50
well now!,where would they be without you?,,,myself i keep buying guitars(an SG this last week in fact),i just can't get over how much i'd much rather`just play my bass',hey!=i find myself with that instrument every time i strap one on,and ya can't find that everywhere you look(get what i mean?),play what blows your skirt WAY up(somthing about laying down the thunder does it for me,what can i say?(more?)=peace bro find yer space and enjoy the he!! out of it nomatta where it is life's to short not toooooo=done
 
#52
I have been a lead guitarist for well over 20 years. I've played in many bands with many really great musicians. From this guitarist's perspective, I would not want to have a band or be in a band that had no bassist. They are the foundation of the band, not just of the music. The band will stand or fall depending on how solid a bassist it has(notice I did not say how technically great he is). Yes, a lot of the bassist's job seems to be simple roots, fifths and fills, but without that everything else simply does not matter. Period.
Also, at least in my view, the bassist should be the loudest member of the band. Above the lead guitarist or any other musician. He is the driving force (along with the drums) of the band.
One of the reasons it seems like most musicians want the bass to be kind of simple is simply that we need it to be.
Like I said before, the bass is the foundation of the band. It must be solid. There is no substitute.
Being that solid foundation, playing what's needed, and holding down the groove is not easy. As a beginner on bass, i hope one day to be able to do that well. Whether or not I can do anything fancy or not, if I can do that I'll be a great bass player. MHO.
 
#53
The way I see it, in a traditional rock setting, bass is the bridge between rhythm and melody. You have to interpret what the drums are pulling and put a melody to that. You have to take the guitar parts and add a beat. I'm not saying that's not always the case or that guitar or drums can't do both too (I've heard some pretty good melodies with a big set of toms before); but generally, bass is the glue between drums and guitar.
 
#55
You should look into Fusion Jazz and Prog. In those genre the bass sometimes take the lead and it is nice. Not always to the guitar to have all the fun.

In jazz Fusion there is a lot of ridiculously good player.
 
#56
I have said the same thing for years...no one really cares about the bass..so what. It is important in all music for the most part and with out it people would maybe then think something was missing. Bass players think more about bass than Joe and Jane public ever will. The recording industry and musicians know its important and that is all I care about.
 
#57
CapnSev said:
This is my personal opinion and experience, but there's a big difference between tasty bass playing and wanking. Usually, players that are realizing that they have chops are into the wank phase, and they want to show it off. Then they get bitter when the crap that they want to bust out on their bass pisses off the other musicians around them, but they really want more and more time in the spotlight.

The tasty players know what fits where and when to step up, or step off. They understand that its not "look at me" time all the time. Sometimes less is more, and dead space (or less fills) can be musical too. They contribute to the collective sound while still satisfying their own artistic needs. And yes, they actually can create a sweet line or groove in almost any genre that the average joe will appreciate.

No offense man, but it sounds like you might be struggling in that transition between the wank and tasty phases. I've been playing or 14 years solid, and I remember going through the same feelings as you, until I truly learned that I really can satisfy my own artistic ego, wow the crowd when I need to, and make the the overall band sound great.
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As someone who has finally reached that stage of being a "tasty" player (after too many years of wanking), this post really rings true. Unfortunately, it took me more than 14 years to get there....:(

Now that I've reached that stage, lots of other musicians want me to play with them and it has really opened things up in a very big way.
 
#59
A "good" bass player is not defined by fancy licks, flashy slapping and popping, or chops. In my opinion, a good bass player is one that gets your toe tapping, your head bobbing, and your feet dancing.

Some of the best bass lines in music are dead simple to play. Think of songs like "Dock of the Bay", "Another One Bites The Dust", "With or Without You", and the list goes on. All simple to play, but the bass line defines the song.

I've loved music all my life. I've always dreamed of being able to play in a band. When I finally decided to pull the trigger and learn to play at 38 years old, I chose the bass because I love it. It speaks to me.

I can't slap or pop. I can't play fusion, funk, or do much more than stay in the pocket and keep time. But the whole time I'm playing I'm smiling and loving it. I'll never make a dime playing bass, and that's just fine with me. I'll keep putting on killer concerts in my basement playing along with MP3's. :)
 

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