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Why no P-bass in gospel?!?

#21
I've seen the bass player in our church play his P bass many times.

The beautiful thing about music is there are no "rules". If there were, we'd all still be listening to nothing but classical wearing big white wigs while sipping tea.

Thank GOD people decided to break the "rules"!
 
#22
IotaNet has a very good thread from this last year.

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Everytime I've been called (and tested) a Pbass... there were easier basses to spectrum mix against some hummin tennors... string synth player... b3... and tons of full sound.

Much of it is the mental memory of a different sound in the current rotation.

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A bit also depends on the variant of gospel you're talking.. southern 4 part is not the same as mass choir.. is not the same as R&B flavors.. not the same as Casting Crowns....

Much of the mass choir stuff I gravitate toward has passive 4s in it....

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Bit more is the keys selected... EFlat etc isn't as easy
 
#23
There is a Hatian church next door to the firehouse that I'm stationed at. One day we had an alarm there and the place was empty (middle of the week). After finding that there was no cause for the alarm I decided to check out the band gear since I always hear music coming out of the place every time I work on a Sunday. I found that the Bassist has been rocking out on a Squier Affinity P bass. I jammed out on it for a few minutes. The guys in my crew got a kick out of it. I was playing "Cowboys From Hell" in church. When else would I get the chance to do that????!!!!!!!!!!


But yeah, P basses do get some Gospel lovin...........
 
#28
While you can slap on a Precision, its not always the most ideal tone which I am sure contributes to why P-Basses aren't used more often(of course Freddy Washington gets a great slap tone with his early 70's P). In modern Gospel, I think a more hi-fi tone just works better. Its usually necessary to have a Low B string as well.
 
#30
By-Tor1000RR said:
There is a Hatian church next door to the firehouse that I'm stationed at. One day we had an alarm there and the place was empty (middle of the week). After finding that there was no cause for the alarm I decided to check out the band gear since I always hear music coming out of the place every time I work on a Sunday. I found that the Bassist has been rocking out on a Squier Affinity P bass. I jammed out on it for a few minutes. The guys in my crew got a kick out of it. I was playing "Cowboys From Hell" in church. When else would I get the chance to do that????!!!!!!!!!!


But yeah, P basses do get some Gospel lovin...........
Click to expand...

You picked up somebody elses gear without asking? in turnout gear?
 
#32
VWbug08' said:
You picked up somebody elses gear without asking? in turnout gear?
Click to expand...

Yup, sue me. The parishoners of the church are very friendly with us since we are there on a regular basis and I have had conversations about music with the bassist in the church band. We don't have the same taste in music, but he's great guy. He told me that it's not his bass. The church owns all of the equipment. He has endurance too....... The music starts around 11am and sometimes doesnt stop until 9 or 10 at night!!!!!
 
#34
By-Tor1000RR said:
He has endurance too....... The music starts around 11am and sometimes doesnt stop until 9 or 10 at night!!!!!
Click to expand...

So much for a 4 hour gig!

As far as the OP... It's the player, not the bass.

If Fred Hammond showed up with a Squire P-Bass for a concert,
Squire P bass sales would go through the roof and that would be the new sound of gospel....

Just be you and do what you do, the rest will take care of itself.
 
#38
Dude play what you love. If a P-Bass feels good for you, play a P-Bass! I play a Jazz on EVERYTHING in my wedding band from standards to top 40, because I love the feel. You don't need to go boutique because everyone else in that genre might have one. Stick to what feels comfortable. I think you and that P-Bass should stay strong and hold your ground :bassist:! If you cant get a swoop sound from the bass, adjust your amp. The P-Bass is pretty one dimensional, yet very diverse at the same time. If that makes any sense at all haha. It's straight forward and easy to use, yet you can shape it nicely.

Next time they give you a look, whack them over the head with it :spit:
 
#39
I play with my SQUIER 60's P at church , the other two bassists , one plays a tobias killer-B I think , the other one plays a MIM fender deluxe P .... I also play with a Ray34 , and a defretted Ibanez gsr209
...

they all gave (and still give ) me disapproval looks because I own more than 1 bass , so I figured this thing out pretty quick , just be yourself ;

"If you want to play a P- Bass , play it!!"
-me
 

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