Why Do Bass Players Feel Inferior?

[karl_em_all]

The only inferiority complex I have is with other bassists. It's the guys that have asked to use my bass and played it like I never have and the guys I've seen on stage that carried a groove that could hypnotize you that drove me an continue to inspire me to be a better player/musician. A little bit of inferiority complex is good, because most people mature past seeing it as something negative and transform their feelings into something productive. If it wasn't for the cheese ball showing up to campfires trying to woo the ladies with a guitar when I was younger, I might not be playing bass today.

I think most of what is said here is good natured in intent. People get to say things to a community of like minded folks here that they probably never get to say in real life. It's an outlet. As much as I poke fun at guitarists and limp wristed drummers, I still appreciate their presence and would be nowhere (wherever that may be) without them.

I drive myself nuts every week with two different bands. Both couldn't be more different and both live up to every stereotype that's ever been muttered. There really is something to those stereotypes, or they wouldn't exist. I've had the arrogant lead singers, arrogant guitarists, dueling guitarists (ego, tone, etc), "dumb" drummers, gear whores, players of complete garbage gear, mouth breathers, junkies, drunks and crazy wives charging into rehearsals and gigs with insanity in their eyes. Eventually we grow to accept our situations or move on.

That's one thing I've noticed about bassists in general: they grow fast and bail when they do.

Is your real name Duff McKagan?

 

[mancefine]

Lets be honest. ..of the drums, electric guitar, and electric bass, the bass takes the least amount of time to be proficient enough to be in a band setting. So it erroneously gets labeled the easiest instrument of the three to play and a long time ago the stigma of "worst guitar player" gets to play bass. And when you dont have many miles of seasoned practice under your belt, it was hard to sit down and impress non musicians when you didnt know much more than bom..bom..bom...ryt?? But then think how many hundreds to thousands of hours you have spent to get to the point of playing some stuff that blows your average joe away...ryt? So I look at it like this...it takes alot of work to make the electric bass an instrument that sounds good to john q public unaccompanied.

I agree. I've always thought where guitar is a gradual progression as far as getting better, bass is a bit different. With bass, it's pretty easy to learn and grow for a bit. Then BAM. You hit a wall, and it takes some practice and commitment to get over that wall. By that I mean it's pretty easy to learn how to play basslines, but there are way more techniques to be learned and applied on a bass than guitar (slapping, tapping, fingerstyle, picking, popping etc.-and yes I know you can use these techniques on guitar but they are much more useful for bass) Once you are over, you are usually a pretty good musician and bassist because of what you learned. I never wanted to play anything other than bass, and once I got OK at bass I wanted to be the best damn bassist out there, and I am happy to say I'm getting there. I get excited when I play shows because I know that I can make people love and respect the bass through my playing. Basically I use the stereotype to my advantage and surprise people by showing them the bass can be just as important, if not more, than any other instrument.

 

[fhm555]

Other than my lack of certain bass skills due to not putting in the work to correct that problem, there is nothing inferior about me.

Well trained and more technically adept bassists can play circles around me, but I keep getting calls to play.

 

[GK Growl]

I'm quite confident in my bass playing abilities and my abilities in life in general.

Best regards,

Adam Clayton

 

[bassbully]

I've never ever ever felt inferior playing the greatest instrument ever invented.

Whew!! Don't you think saying that is a bit of a stretch pal?

 

[ImNotJoel]

It's really just rock were the bass has a stereotype of not being heard.

Even in rock bass is essential bass is what makes everyone move.

If bass was inferior why do people invest thousands in sound systems that enhance the bass.

I don't see anyone cranking the treble to feel and hear the guitar.

Someone mentioned being replaced by keys. Better keys replacing us here and there than guitar being sampled in a lot of music and left out bass is always needed.

 

[Howlin' Hanson]

I don't feel inferior. I do recognize that I can always improve.

 

[Caustic Crunch]

I'm too pretty to feel like that.

 

[Caustic Crunch]

*chokes*

 

[SunnBass]

Besides knowing that I will always have room to grow technically.
I've never felt inferior.
In fact, my band mates always say that we wouldn't exist musically if not me.
And honestly, most of the bands we're friends with, in and out of town are very reliant on their bass players to create the overall sound of the band, not just carry the song along from point A to point B.

 

[devntran]

All you have to do is slap out some badass solos and bam youre not "inferior"

 

[devntran]

lol we aren't inferior, guitarists are just ********

 

[Not yet]

Not hardly

 

[Kirk Bryant]

HUH ...don't get that...so no not me.

 

[sound of bass]

Inferior? HA! No. I chose to play bass a verrry long time ago. My semi-pro neighbor at the time, who had an opportunity to travel with the Pat Benetar band, told me that bass players are always in demand, you'll always find work. And to this day....it still holds true, at least in my neck of the woods. I see more ads and searches for bass players more than any other players. I mean, theres a drummer and guitarist on every corner, not so for a good bass player. I do admit to being the "unsung heros" of bands tho, but thats just how I like it, nothing to do with feeling inferior. Rock on!