What do you like about bass guitar?

[JMacBass65]

I can play it reasonably well without trying too hard.

 

[Gaolee]

Without bass, nobody would ever get laid. Not even the lead guitarist. Without bass, the entire human species would die out. Without bass, the world would cease to be inhabited by humans who can create the Sistine Chapel, breed beautiful roses, or look really good on the beach. It would be tragedy. The future depends upon us alone.

Plus, if you get loud enough, you can crack concrete and make people puke a block away.

What's not to love about bass?

 

[orange joe]

Everything in the Universe moves and vibrates - everything is vibrating at one speed or another. Nothing rests. Everything you see around you is vibrating at one frequency or another and so are you.The bass guitar is my way of having a personal connection with those frequencies.

 

[HiEnd Basses]

Touching them, playing them, restringing them, looking at them, talking about them, showing them off, and being a part of the TB Community!

 

[JesseVMT]

As long as I'm locked in with the drummer the skinny stringed player has to follow me! Lol

 

[someguyfromNC]

Everything in the Universe moves and vibrates - everything is vibrating at one speed or another. Nothing rests. Everything you see around you is vibrating at one frequency or another and so are you.The bass guitar is my way of having a personal connection with those frequencies.

Fact: Bass guitar thwarted the coup in turkey.

 

[csc2048b]

i like the millions and millions of currency, the yachts, the limos, the lear jets, the cocaine, the porn starlets, the gold chains and other bling... wait up, i'm bassist, not kanye. bass is beautiful and i feel it in my bones, gonads and guts and i'm sure the audience does too when i play out of two 4x10 and two 2x15... wait, i'm not michael anthony - doesn't matter, you all know what i mean. locking in with the drummer while pumping out a creatively melodic bass line can't be beat.

 

[someguyfromNC]

I'm very insecure about my size so I like playing a bigger instrument than the guitarists I R MAN

 

[lbbc]

I like playing and practicing bass. I also enjoy playing bass and singing (not too many singing bassists in my area). The fact that the bass holds the bottom end and the beat makes it the best instrument IMHO.

 

[gumbynotpokey]

What I like about playing bass?
*standing out from the other instruments
*the crowd really following what I'm playing
*the after-gig comments of appreciation compared to how few the guitar, lead voice and drummer get
*the audience love of the role of the instrument overall, and their delight with the chance to hear it

OK, NOT ANY OF THAT.

What I like about playing bass? Simple. I like how bass sounds.

 

[RickyWoo]

Having played guitar 5 years prior to picking a bass for the first time, 20 years ago, I was of the mind that the guitar was the "be all, end all" to musical instruments and that it's what made the song. Then a few buddies and I got together and goofed around with a new project idea. I was on bass. I can't say exactly how I felt, but I realized that night what instrument really makes the music move. I love everything about it. The feel, the looks, the sound.. Haven't looked back on switching to bass since that night.

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

I like being in my practice space working out a piece and trying to get the timing just right. I like letting go and playing whatever crazy way I like.
I like practicing with the band and jamming. Just being ourselves and having fun. Yes, there is some drama with any band but when we are locked in and grooving on a song all that is forgotten for the moment and we are joined together through the music.
I like playing with the band before an audience, locking in with the drummer and keeping things chugging along at a solid pace. I like being in the background with my bass, feeling the dynamics of the band and going where that leads us. Sometimes I lead and sometimes I follow. I like it when our singer turns around with a big grin and we all know that we are nailing the song.
I like watching people shaking it in time with my bass.
I also like being alone in my work space with my instruments and my tools. Tweaking my bass to get it just perfect. I am a bit of a compulsive tweaker when it comes to my bass. I look forward to getting out my tools and upgrading my 50's Precision. I am in a quite space with no human interaction just focused on my work.
I also enjoy the hunt for inexpensive salvaged and unwanted bass parts as I work to put together my own personal frankenbass from cast off parts. It may take a long time to get just what I want but I enjoy the hunt. I enjoy the challenge of putting together a nice bass without spending too much money. When I get the parts I will enjoy putting them all together and trying to get things just how I like them. That gives me something to look forward to.
Life is good when you are a bassist.
What about you? Any thoughts on the joys of bassism?*







*Yup, I just made that word up.

I can't hear anything for squat above 8k. And that's my good ear!
So of all instruments, bass is what talks to me. (Or at least it is what I can hear talking to me.)

"He's not weird, he's the bass player."

 

[Wolfenstein666]

I like that it's so overlooked and often underappreciated. When people ask what I play I say 'bass' with a certain level of pride.

I also like the physical act of playing the instrument. Playing finger style makes it almost a more intimate experience (for lack of a better word).

Bass just kicks ass really.

 

[P. Aaron]

I like (occasionally) bending the modes and sticking the landing.

These days, I like bass playing because everyone else in the band is also solid at their musical jobs.

 

[bassballs27]

I personally love the feel of bass strings over guitar strings.
I also think power chords on a bass sounds so much better than on a guitar.

There is also a lot to like about bass players in general (as people). We are playing a supportive role......and are generally pretty supportive and great people.
Can't necessarily say that about other band members. Not pointing fingers!

I think bass is the most misunderstood instruments of the standard band configuration (guitar, drums, singer, and bass).
Non-musicians don't necessarily understand what a bass player does......but realize what we add to the band once we're not playing.
I've heard the line "any band is only as good as it's bass player" and I think that rings true for many bands.

 

[easyj]

I like that you don't have to pose and make faces like the guitar players. I also like that I don't have to compete in the same sound space with them.

 

[City]

I like how it gives me more responsibility and time, you know, so I can run the PA, fix that 2K ringing......note the sarcasm please.

 

[gregmon79]

I love the tone of the bass. It makes me want to pick it up and play every day. Then I like the fact that the bass is sorta like the glue that holds the song/music together. Its melodic and rhythmic all at the same time. It plays a role all it's own. I love the way it looks from the headstock to the 4 strings (Ive always and will most likely always preferred 4 strings) going up and down the neck. I love the weight of it, the feel of it when I'm playing it, the largeness of it. I love its simplicity yet its complexity at the same time. I like how no one usually wants to play it too haha always leaves demand for a bassist. I love the way a new set of strings sound on a bass. Maple boards are super sexy too!! haha. I pretty love everything there is to about bass. Its a godsend to me.

 

[brianrost]

Chicks.

I dig chicks.

 

[rtslinger]

I love the growling low end, welcome to the jungle baby!