Maybe. But some instruments are intrinsically better suited to certain roles within a given music performance than others.
And yes, maybe a double bass can play the same lines as a violin - but why would you want it to when it already has it's own unique voice?
Here's the thing...nowadays it seems like half the players of an instrument (any instrument) want to play everything and be a one-man band. You see this all the time with the "bedroom virtuosos" who wow their friends when playing solo, but can't work within the context a band to save their lives. And we've all run into one or more of those. They're the ones that have played by themselves for so long that they can't get out of the habit of playing every note and filling in every millisecond of space. Put them in with four other musicians and they fall apart.
As far as putting things in "boxes," I don't see it that way at all. We now have an entire generation brought up with the unshakable belief that we're all completely equal in talents and abilities; and that we can do anything we want to - if we really want to.
Unfortunately, reality doesn't work that way. We're all different in the level of talent, ingenuity, and abilities we have. And while dedicated study and practice can improve things immensely, there's no guarantee it will. In some cases all the desire, dedication, and hard work in the world won't produce a superior result.
The same goes for musical instruments. They each have intrinsic roles they're particularly well suited for. That's why there are so many different instruments. So while it may be true that a double bass could play any line a violin could - once again, why would you want it to? Like that guy who could play Bach toccatas and fugues on a harmonica...interesting perhaps. But there are many much better suited and better sounding instruments to play Bach on. And they'll yield superior results with far less effort. So why would anyone bother, other than they're bored - or just decided to 'prove' it could be done?
This isn't to say we shouldn't be open to new things. Or that we shouldn't continue to push the envelope with our instrument. But I always thought it was far more effective use of time to build on an instrument's strengths rather than try to twist it into something it's not. Because all too often, it starts turning into little more than a collection of "party tricks" when you make a habit of it. I used to love Vic Wooten. Nowadays I can barely listen to him. He's an excellent bassist. Or was back when he was still playing bass. I really don't know what he's playing now - even if it is on a Fodera. (Feel free to disagree BTW. This is just my personal opinion about him.)
So no, I don't think it's a case that we musicians "need so much to put everything in little boxes and never ever try to leave them" at all. I think it's more that we understand our instruments well enough to know what roles they're each uniquely suited for. And we then move forward and act accordingly.
YMMV.
I don't beleive we are all equal but it is an instrument, a tool, to make musique. Sure it sounds low but whatever. I think we have so many different instrument because they produce a different "timbre" and so may be inspiring otherwise we would need one percussion, one high pitched instrument, one low pitch instrument and be done with it.
Why a DB player would take a violin part and play it ? Many solo music is played on various instrument in the classical world. Sure some of them make it a lot harder than it is on the original instrument for which it was written but still, it is a valid thing to do. Even Jaco did play stuff not intended to the bass so what ? He should have stuck to ride the root with matching rythm of the bass drum because this is the intended little box our instrument was created to do ?
Belà Fleck did learn a violin sonata and played it on his banjo and it is beautiful. I saw a woman play the Suite 6 from the Suite for Cello on a classical guitar and it sounded amazing. I saw a tuba player do Flight Of The bumblebee. In your line of thinking they wasted their time and talent on something that could be done with another instrument. I know there is a guy on the web that played classical piano music on bass using tapping to get it done, the result is beautiful but he has the sensitivity to put emotion in it. There is also a guy on the net who use his voice to do every instrument to amazing result. Why not ? It add to the instrument library and just prove the point that it is just an instrument, every "roles" can be done with whatever you have in your hand.
I always thought you could play drums on a piano, the melody with the drums, the chords on a bass and the bass line on a trumpet. Hell you can make music with an amplifyied cactus.
anyway I'm done
