Uber bassists- I don't get it.

[Bass Jones]

...If you search a particular bass player on Youtube, the first several hundred videos are of said player soloing. Youtube does not give a well rounded view of a players body of work. The most viewed videos are of their 'wow me' chops...

I made that mistake trying to introduce another bass player to Louis Johnson a while back. Instead of playing any number of classic grooves from hit songs everybody knows I had his Star Licks video (this was way before the interwebs came to your house) and to show him off I fast forwarded to the most insane slap part of the video.
It was probably something like this:


They weren't that impressed and I probably I wouldn't have been either if that was the first thing I heard. I found out about him by listening to bass lines in songs and going, "who is that guy?"

 

[glocke1]

Am I the only one who finds the quote "virtuosos" boring and just plain wanking? Michael Manring, Les Claypool, Stanley Clark, Alain Caron, Just about anybody who endorses Fodera, including Victor Wooten and many others.
I admire their proficiency, and technique, but then say to myself 'Now play a song'.
There are highly adept players I love- Phil Lesh, Chris Squire, etc. that CAN play that stuff, but somehow always keep the music first. I NEVER thought that John Entwhistle was wanking, no matter how fast he was playing. Mark King is about the only guy who ever slapped a bass that I could listen to a whole song.
I'm not saying everyone should play bass like Chris Hillman, or Timothy Schmitt, there's lots of room for advancing the art, but most hi-tech players sound like they are only playing to impress, not drive the song.
Discuss.

I find MANY technical/chops players to be absolutely soulless in their playing.

I've seen/heard people with great technical skill, but their music did nothing for me.

Really the only chops players I "get" are Jaco and Marcus..I can hear the emotion in their music so much more than in other chops players.

Stanley I can listen to sometimes, but honestly he doesnt do that much for me.

I find it incredibly sad that so many people identify great chops with great musicianship.

 

[Raw N Low]

Those guys have found an audience and I think it's important for players to keep in mind what kind of audience they want to reach. However, I think it's important to remember that it's all relative and bass playing as a whole (players, songs, and gear) have a big influence on each other.

 

[Dynacord]

. Mark King is about the only guy who ever slapped a bass that I could listen to a whole song.

It's funny, Mark King typifies what I don't like about slap. Mechanical, overplayed, zero swing and strikes me as more athletics than music. Not a big slap fan but appreciate Larry Graham, Louis Johnson and Marcus Miller for doing it as musically as they could/do.

Manring can really play a song - like here, beautifully taking the melody on fretless and is entirely musical and not chops for chops sake or showboating IMO:

 

[johnson79]

I admire all of the talents those folks have, and I'm in awe of their skills, but I agree with your sentiment. I'm just not, in general, into the genre of music they play.

 

[40Hz]

I was calling out a post I felt was intrinsically combative. Would you think it was combative if I started a thread saying how much I hated some genre of music (or maybe all players who play flats and don’t play fills)? Asking who else hates something you hate is not a neutral thing. Unfortunately I’m seeing more and more of this on talkbass, and yes, it bothers me.

Maybe a better way to phrase it would be to ask for examples of that genre that showcase musicality or whatever you feel is lacking in that style.

Well I suspect we see what we want to see sometimes.

For openers you’re overstating your case a bit. The original OP said nothing about “hating” anything. That’s entirely your characterization. Her words were “boring” and “wanking” - and she immediately qualified it by stating her admiration for the technical abilities being displayed while questioning their merits in a purely musical context. So I’d read the post as her asking if she was missing something, after which she stated her openness to being convinced otherwise, followed by an invitation to discuss. Something you chose not to do.

So next time you see a topic that bothers you, try doing what I do when I tun into something I consider done to death ir pointless: either (a) join in offer your own arguments for or against; or (b) simply walk away and go join in on a thread whose topic you find more congenial.

I’ve found option-b is usually the best thing to do.

 

[Yango]

I get where you’re coming from. I’m not a big fan of the endless solo bass wank thing either.

But having seen Victor Wooten with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, there’s absolutely no question that he can lay back and support the band in a very tasteful manner, it just so happens that he can solo like a monster as well.

Ditto for Alain Caron. His playing with UZEB is phenomenal.

 

[IamBF]

I prefer Lyft bassists.

I know! I was really hoping this was a thread about how Uber drivers offer free rides to gigs for bassists or incorporate bass playing into their service.. bass solos at stoplights?

 

[Koshchei]

Am I the only one who finds the quote "virtuosos" boring and just plain wanking? Michael Manring, Les Claypool, Stanley Clark, Alain Caron, Just about anybody who endorses Fodera, including Victor Wooten and many others.
I admire their proficiency, and technique, but then say to myself 'Now play a song'.
There are highly adept players I love- Phil Lesh, Chris Squire, etc. that CAN play that stuff, but somehow always keep the music first. I NEVER thought that John Entwhistle was wanking, no matter how fast he was playing. Mark King is about the only guy who ever slapped a bass that I could listen to a whole song.
I'm not saying everyone should play bass like Chris Hillman, or Timothy Schmitt, there's lots of room for advancing the art, but most hi-tech players sound like they are only playing to impress, not drive the song.
Discuss.

This horse was beaten into dust before you were born. Can we please just agree that musical preference is subjective and move on?

 

[Stranger Danger]

Smeet- You are correct, and if this turns into a bashing post I will delete it.

You can’t delete it unless you’re an admin. FYI

 

[Passinwind]

Am I the only one who finds the quote "virtuosos" boring and just plain wanking? Michael Manring, Les Claypool, Stanley Clark, Alain Caron, Just about anybody who endorses Fodera, including Victor Wooten and many others.
I admire their proficiency, and technique, but then say to myself 'Now play a song'.
There are highly adept players I love- Phil Lesh, Chris Squire, etc. that CAN play that stuff, but somehow always keep the music first. I NEVER thought that John Entwhistle was wanking, no matter how fast he was playing. Mark King is about the only guy who ever slapped a bass that I could listen to a whole song.
I'm not saying everyone should play bass like Chris Hillman, or Timothy Schmitt, there's lots of room for advancing the art, but most hi-tech players sound like they are only playing to impress, not drive the song.
Discuss.

Let's start with Phil Lesh's solo album, Seastones. Always keeping the music first...really?

As far as Manring, Wooten, etc.: have you actually seen them play live? YouTube is often all about promoting me me me, mine mine mine.

 

[aprod]

Am I the only one who finds the quote "virtuosos" boring and just plain wanking? Michael Manring, Les Claypool, Stanley Clark, Alain Caron, Just about anybody who endorses Fodera, including Victor Wooten and many others.
I admire their proficiency, and technique, but then say to myself 'Now play a song'.
There are highly adept players I love- Phil Lesh, Chris Squire, etc. that CAN play that stuff, but somehow always keep the music first. I NEVER thought that John Entwhistle was wanking, no matter how fast he was playing. Mark King is about the only guy who ever slapped a bass that I could listen to a whole song.
I'm not saying everyone should play bass like Chris Hillman, or Timothy Schmitt, there's lots of room for advancing the art, but most hi-tech players sound like they are only playing to impress, not drive the song.
Discuss.

I would strongly disagree. Have you seen Stanley or Wooten, Marcus Miller in concert? They are killing the groove along with amazing technique. They are not mutually exclusive. Phil Lesh is one of the worst bass players to become famous. Its laughable that he would even be mentioned in the same sentence as the other players you mentioned.

 

[Thumpin6string]

Even though there are examples of their musical skills for pretty much all that were mentioned, 2 examples that come to mind are:
Victor Wooten playing in Bela Fleck and the Flecktones
Alain Caron when he was with Uzeb

 

[JimmyM]

If those players couldn't play like they do, you'd have never heard of them. So whatever they're doing is working for them, they have enough of an audience to make a good living, and people who don't like it are free to go elsewhere. Not seeing the problem

 

[TheDominoKid]

I thought this thread was going to be about Uber drivers who also play the bass.

 

[eddododo]

Am I the only one who finds the quote "virtuosos" boring and just plain wanking? Michael Manring, Les Claypool, Stanley Clark, Alain Caron, Just about anybody who endorses Fodera, including Victor Wooten and many others.
I admire their proficiency, and technique, but then say to myself 'Now play a song'.
There are highly adept players I love- Phil Lesh, Chris Squire, etc. that CAN play that stuff, but somehow always keep the music first. I NEVER thought that John Entwhistle was wanking, no matter how fast he was playing. Mark King is about the only guy who ever slapped a bass that I could listen to a whole song.
I'm not saying everyone should play bass like Chris Hillman, or Timothy Schmitt, there's lots of room for advancing the art, but most hi-tech players sound like they are only playing to impress, not drive the song.
Discuss.

Les claypool plays extremely simple and repetitive most of the time, Vic Wooten is a true treasure in a backing role.
Maybe you don’t like certain styles of music.. I certainly don’t listen to Alain Caron while I’m on a road trip or anything, but to assert that just because someone doesn’t play a classic bassline means that they aren’t moving forward a valid piece of art beyond self indulgence is itself an indulgence of your own taste.

 

[GlenParks]

I appreciate a lyrical bass player.

 

[bearhart74]

Couple of simple rules:
Listen to what you like.
Don't listen to what you don't like.
Let everyone else listen to whatever they want.
Debate factual arguments not opinion statements.
Drink heavily and watch where your peeing.

 

[JRA]

Discuss.

what's to discuss? = different strokes...

 

[bassrique]

Victor Wooten ruined thumping.