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What makes a great Blues bass player.?
- Thread starter IamGroot
- Start date
Ha! The guitar player I eventually formed a band with is a huge Rory fan. It was my first exposure to him,many as a result, MacAvoy. And yes, I agree.
Say him with Bamd of Friends or whatever that celebration of Rory thing he had going on was called, about a year or so ago. Show was fantastic, and I was locked into MacAvoy and the drummer the whole time. The drummer passed away recently.....name is escaping me right now.
This thread has found the perfect balance between insight and snide humor!
Here’s my take: Blues is one of those deep genres that’s too easy to caricature. And the old catalog has quite a few rough edges and quirks that have been smoothed out over the years, so there’s new stuff to discover and try in the s material. But drawing inspiration from the old stuff is different than recreating it or freezing it in amber (I knew a guy who refused to use a pickup on his acoustic guitar because Robert Johnson didn’t use a pickup!); there’s room to say something new, to reflect one’s own experience. It’s disingenuous (and potentially culturally appropriative) for me to pretend I’m someone different than I am...which puts me back at risk of performing a caricature.
Here’s my take: Blues is one of those deep genres that’s too easy to caricature. And the old catalog has quite a few rough edges and quirks that have been smoothed out over the years, so there’s new stuff to discover and try in the s material. But drawing inspiration from the old stuff is different than recreating it or freezing it in amber (I knew a guy who refused to use a pickup on his acoustic guitar because Robert Johnson didn’t use a pickup!); there’s room to say something new, to reflect one’s own experience. It’s disingenuous (and potentially culturally appropriative) for me to pretend I’m someone different than I am...which puts me back at risk of performing a caricature.
SRV - Tommy Shannon
just listen ... there's your answer
just listen ... there's your answer
devnulljp
Supporting Member
I always associate him with Rod de'Ath but saw him a bunch of times with Ted McKenna and Brendan O'Neill on drums too.
Especially in a trio format, knowing how to fill in all that space between him and the drummer, but not getting in the way. Ya got to be the mortar in the home build between the foundation and the bricks.
I was tempted to say this earlier. The two guys who I think of (personal opinion) in relation to blues bass are Duck Dunn (especially the Stax recordings) and Tommy Shannon's work with SRV. Those two played a lot in are rock-oriented settings, and there are many other fantastic blues bassists who played in different blues styles, but those two resonate with me.
Being able to keep it in the pocket is a good START but "blues" is a somewhat generic term.
There's Tommy Shannon...then there's Roscoe Beck...and so on and so on...
There's Tommy Shannon...then there's Roscoe Beck...and so on and so on...
Almost every answer is correct, especially Willie Dixon, Tommy Shannon and Duck Dunn. The truth is that it doesn't matter much what genre you're playing. Know your role! You are there for the heartbeat. Listen all the time. Stay in the groove. Lock in with the drummer. Support the singer. Support the soloists. Don't get in anyone's way, make everyone else better than they would have been without you.
What does it take to be a great blues bass player?
Probably above all, not being driven to be seen as a great blues bass player.
It'll also help to be able to play a lot of other genres—funk, pop, jazz, country, Latin—and then not play any of that on your blues gig.
There it is, the bass player's dilemma!
This is a master class.
It is in my truck for steady rotation on every road trip.
It is in my truck for steady rotation on every road trip.
You've clearly never owned an old Volvo...
My current ride is a 1993 Volvo wagon. My daughter's college car was a 142 Volvo, and between those two I've owned two other Volvos. I know old Volvos quite well.
Patience to hold back all those fancy licks the guitarist is trying to get you to do along with him and a phenomenal drummer that understands dynamics. And use a Gibson SG bass. That's great bass no matter what genre.....enjoy. My one professional bass playing buddy seems to feel being jobless and depending on his playing abilities to get food on the table is great for playing blues with true authority. He plays a Stingray of all things. Says same bass since new in 1977...that alone would give me the blues.
Yup, best answer. It's not just three chords. So much more than that.
My only comment here, re: Clapton, is, he did "From the Cradle" in what, 91, 92? So even though he was "covering," that disc represents, for me anyway, a virtual clinic in monster blues guitar playing. Perfect balance of tribute to the original and his own stamp.
