What "Keep It Simple" Really Means

[DaDrew2112]

The important part of your post is the statement that it's only YOUR OPINION. Some of us have other opinions. The difference is that no one is saying you can't play the support role, but a bunch of you seem to think that you can determine the one and only role for bass players.

And this crap about "There's another instrument that fills that role - the guitar" no one seems to be bothered by a sax solo, keyboard solo, guitar solo, horn solo - seems that more than one instrument is filling the same role.

Play whatever you want, but you don't have the right to tell other people what to play, or tell them that they are not playing bass just because YOU don't like it. If you don't like what I'm playing, feel free to plug your ears!

Me and 98% of people guitar is the same thing as a bass just an octave above it, that's the difference. I love sax solos, key solos, trombone solos. But you still need a bass....this is pointless. Why reinvent the wheel? Just play one of those instruments. Bass goes back centuries as a support role. Believe it or not, few people really care how much fancy crap you can pull on the bass, they simply need that groove to get into music. Bass is EXTREMELY important but there's a reason average people can't pick it out of the mix

 

[lfmn16]

Me and 98% of people guitar is the same thing as a bass just an octave above it, that's the difference. I love sax solos, key solos, trombone solos. But you still need a bass....this is pointless. Why reinvent the wheel? Just play one of those instruments. Bass goes back centuries as a support role. Believe it or not, few people really care how much fancy crap you can pull on the bass, they simply need that groove to get into music. Bass is EXTREMELY important but there's a reason average people can't pick it out of the mix

What is really pointless is arguing with people who think that they have the right to force thier opinions on other people. It's sad when people want to limit themselves, it's pathetic when they try to limit others. Play your roots and 5ths and tell everyone that it's the only role for a real bass player; I'm sure some people will believe you.

 

[more coffee]

.this is pointless. Why reinvent the wheel?

Why not?

Why be shackled by what has come before?

Why be afraid of innovation, of pushing boundaries?

Why cling to the past and the false comfort of "that's the way it's supposed to be done"

Why keep the blinders on your ears and your mind?

 

[fdeck]

In the jazz world, a bassist who was renowned for keeping it simple was Ray Brown. Here's Ray Brown talking:

Bass geniuses: Victor Wooten, Edgar Meyer, and Ray Brown Part 3 of 6 - YouTube

"The role of bass has changed... it's much more of an up-front instrument now."

 

[more coffee]

Ok ... so is this too much even for the bass player ?
Tosin Abasi with the EMG 808X - YouTube
or this ?
Liquid Tension Experiment - Acid Rain Live In L.A. 2008 - YouTube
Bass a rythm instrument ... every instrument is rythm ... and thus every instrument have melodic capabilities ...
'She Danced' - Solo Bass - Zander Zon - YouTube
and I guess Mr Ibragninov who his the principal DB in the London Symphony Orchestra didn't get the memo he shoud only play rythm and have a percussive sound ...
Giovanni Bottesini Concerto for Double Bass No 2 in B Minor - YouTube

They are obviously all heretics!

How dare they not be relegated to what other, significantly more musically proper people have decided their exact role should be.

The arrogance! The utter gall! Cheeky, the lot of them!

 

[DaDrew2112]

Why not?

Why be shackled by what has come before?

Why be afraid of innovation, of pushing boundaries?

Why cling to the past and the false comfort of "that's the way it's supposed to be done"

Why keep the blinders on your ears and your mind?

because 99% of the time it doesn't sound good why not just play chromatic scales while screaming into a coffee can? 99% of people who hear that aren't going to like it, that's why.

 

[RBrownBass]

We may be playing very different music to very different audiences, but I think it really comes down to the same thing... play as many notes as will get the best audience reaction. Doesn't it?

Agreed 100%.

Me and 98% of people

When your mind starts to close , repeat these truths:

1. The earth is NOT flat
2. The moon is NOT made out of green cheese
3. There is NOT a single role that all bass players have to follow

But... but... but DaDrew and 98% of the people thought this at some point!

 

[DaDrew2112]

lol good discussion, and good luck. you're trying to make me appear to be an idiot when i just try to do what's best to make great music.

 

[hernameisrio]

....when i just try to do what's best to make great music.

I think that's what we're ALL trying to do! I value everyone's opinion on this forum whether or not I agree, so don't sweat it!

 

[RBrownBass]

I think that's what we're ALL trying to do! I value everyone's opinion on this forum whether or not I agree, so don't sweat it!

Really.

I don't think anyone here wants to make crap music, regardless of genre.

DaDrew, just having a laugh at you for the moment. Not personal. You'll hear some stuff that isn't like you've been hearing and it'll change for you as far as imposing your ideals on everyone else.

Until then, stay cool. Peace. I'm outa here.

 

[more coffee]

because 99% of the time it doesn't sound good why not just play chromatic scales while screaming into a coffee can? 99% of people who hear that aren't going to like it, that's why.

Overarching generalization like this just show that you've got the blinders on. You're hidebound, man. So caught up in your "orthodoxy" that you're actually equating an expanded bass role with screaming into a coffee can.

There's no real difference between what you're saying and those souls who dismissed jazz as "not music at all"'; who jeered at the first rock & roll bands as out of tune noise;

 

[scottfeldstein]

It seems to me that there are some here who think that either a) the electric bass guitar is a "background instrument," perpetually in a "support role" to its six-string brethren because that's what makes for the best music and b) crazy, avant gard music with lots of bass solos that isn't very popular and nobody can really relate to.

This is a totally false choice.

There's lots of music that fits the description in "A" above. What I call "guitar rock." I don't think it's as boring as all that. Some of the greatest bass players of all time have done it. Think John Paul Jones or John Entwhistle. Tons of those guys.

But "B" isn't weird music that nobody can relate to. It can be totally standard pop music. Or rock music. Or dance music. Or funk music. Or whatever. If you don't' realize these songs are out there, your musical world is a bit narrow. I mean, listen to this

Butter of 69

which I posted way back in comment 92. Or track 2 on this Butterfly Boucher album

For the Love of Love

These are hardly examples of upside-down music that "doesn't work." And both of them have the bass guitar right out front, the main attraction--not a "background instrument"--unless you mean subservient to the vocals, in which case all instrumentalists are "background" in popular music.

EDIT: I forgot to add: I myself recently recorded just such a song. The original was an "A" song, my band's cover is definitely a "B" song.

I Wanna Be Sedated

 

[DaDrew2112]

It seems to me that there are some here who think that either a) the electric bass guitar is a "background instrument," perpetually in a "support role" to its six-string brethren because that's what makes for the best music and b) crazy, avant gard music with lots of bass solos that isn't very popular and nobody can really relate to.

This is a totally false choice.

There's lots of music that fits the description in "A" above. What I call "guitar rock." I don't think it's as boring as all that. Some of the greatest bass players of all time have done it. Think John Paul Jones or John Entwhistle. Tons of those guys.

But "B" isn't weird music that nobody can relate to. It can be totally standard pop music. Or rock music. Or dance music. Or funk music. Or whatever. If you don't' realize these songs are out there, your musical world is a bit narrow. I mean, listen to this

Butter of 69

which I posted way back in comment 92. Or track 2 on this Butterfly Boucher album

For the Love of Love

These are hardly examples of upside-down music that "doesn't work." And both of them have the bass guitar right out front, the main attraction--not a "background instrument"--unless you mean subservient to the vocals, in which case all instrumentalists are "background" in popular music.

EDIT: I forgot to add: I myself recently recorded just such a song. The original was an "A" song, my band's cover is definitely a "B" song.

I Wanna Be Sedated

alright im back in this. i'm glad you posted this honestly it gives me a true idea of what you're talking about. I'm not going to lie, i thought what you were talking about was avant-garde type stuff, and that only works to some extent. (I love primus though) But if you're talking about things like Butter of 69 i think i get it, and i agree. Bass can add so much more than just root 8th notes all the time. I just think the bass is still primarily an instrument tying rhythm and melody together however there are creative ways to do that that can augment the song.

 

[scottfeldstein]

I just think the bass is still primarily an instrument tying rhythm and melody together

I totally agree. At least that's the way I play and that's the way most of the music I listen to works.

 

[scottfeldstein]

I should also add, though, that bass being "up front" or "in the background" has little to do with how complex its music is. Either way can be simplistic or complicated.

 

[rtslinger]

I read some of the most important notes are the ones you don't play let the music breath you do not have to fill every gap you will leave more of an impact. I like to drop out like during Keyboard solo's even through my keyboard player rarely drops his left hand in my range I like to give him some room to shine maybe I will not play the first 4 measures and come in last 4. The only problem I have doing this is sometimes the sound man thinks something went wrong so I make it obvious by placing my plucking hand on the neck to mute the strings when I do come it lends to the dramatics of the song

 

[Kolsti]

I've never understood all this talk of "giving other players space to be creative and shine". To me at least, bass playing (and any instrument I play) is about making the song sound as great as possible, not about playing something fun to play. "Respecting everyone else's musical space" just doesn't sound right. It's all about what sounds best. If playing an incredibly simple root note bass line sounds better than something more complex, then use it! My goal has always been to play things that are fun to listen to, not fun to play. Otherwise, the only people who will enjoy it are those who play your instrument. Then it's not a song. Then it's some sort of inside joke between musicians.

 

[lfmn16]

I've never understood all this talk of "giving other players space to be creative and shine." ... "Respecting everyone else's musical space" just doesn't sound right.

Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow - Funkadelic

To me at least, bass playing (and any instrument I play) is about making the song sound as great as possible, not about playing something fun to play.

I don't know why it has to be one or the other. We are all striving to make the song sound as great as possible. We just differ on how to do that.

 

[jakelly]

I play in a cover band. Classic rock, pop, country, and current stuff as well.

On many of the songs we do, the original recordings have bass lines that cover a significant part of the melody, or have really cool parts that add a lot to the song.

So I'm not going to simply sit back and thump root notes on songs like that. That would be root robotery.

 

[jd-ns]

the old keep it simple talk... been there done that more than once!