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what defines a good bassist

#41
A good bassist is the one that plays what the song asks for. If the song asks for a groove, then groove it. If it asks for a simple bass line, play it. Sometimes , less is more.

Groove is always important (it includes pauses !). Tone is much more a personal taste.
 
#42
20db pad said:
The big thing is just being able to lay it down and play good, solid, dependable basslines. In more specific terms, time, taste, tone, and sensitivity in regard to note choice and duration are true requirements. Musical maturity, being okay with making everybody else sound better, the ability to hear the "big picture", and the necessary technique to make that all happen round out the definition of a good bassist, for me at least.
Click to expand...

DITTO +++++++++++++
 
#53
Being in a cover band like myself, the number one thing is to hit the correct notes, not lose the feel of the song for one second, and to stay right on the beat. Too many cover band bass players - from what I have seen - take shortcuts in the music, don't play the right fills, change the beat, and look bored out of their minds on stage.

I may be a metal guy at heart, but it doesn't matter what soft or hard song we are playing, I put everything I have into it. People want to hear a live action IPOD when they see a cover band, why deny that?

IMHO, a good bassist in a cover band will learn how to slap for a song that calls for it, use a pick when needed, use his fingers to groove, and use these techniques only when called for. Next time I hear a bass player slap out Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song, I WILL kill him on the spot...
__________

Did anyone catch Fall Out Boy on NYE? I watched Pete Wentz play and I swear you could have turned his bass off and no one would have noticed. He barely played anything and throughout the song he went way high on the strings to copy the guitar riffs. And eventually played along to the choruses. I don't like Fall Out Boy at all, but wouldn't that music sound a little better if Pete actually added something to it?
 
#56
it's not "what" defines a good player...it's simply "who" defines a good player...

music is about the experience. hence, if you hear someone and say to yourself, "man, he's good"...then he's good...

if someone else doesn't agree with you, that doesn't change things...at least not for you...

perhaps this is to philisophical an answer...but, IMO, it is the only correct one
 

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