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Why no P-bass in gospel?!?

#141
I'm suspecting the question was geared more toward the urban gospel genre where, it seems, having an upscale 5-6 string bass is the norm, albeit fashionable thing to have. Granted, I have seen cats playing SX/Brice, Ibanez, Schecter and other budget 5-6 strings and killing it (even saw a cat absolutely murdering a Wishbass). A video was posted of a guy playing a stock 4 string P-bass and it sounded fine. So the rumour should have been dismissed right then and there. Some folks just have to have those notes below low E so a 5 string is necessary. So no doubt a 5 string P-Bass can work.
 
#142
This is the genre the majority of my playing is in and I know that a P-bass will work. I just prefer to have a modern sounding bass due to what I play and how I play. To me it comes down to what you as the player prefers. Some people like 34" over 35". Some like 22 frets over 24. If it feels good just do it.

And I certainly don't play for the approval of other players and people's opinion. Let your fingers do the talking!!!:smug::smug::D:D
 
#145
rekesbass said:
if they sneer at a p-bass,what would happen if you brought a Ric??
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Lol my two primary fretted basses are a precision and a 4003. I play them in church all the time.

Music in a church is like music anywhere else. You try to pick the right instrument for each job. Some of the songs need a five string so you use one. But I favour my Ric and P in church for the same reason I favour them in other gigs. They suit what I do.

It might be different if I has a better 5 but I can't justify the cost, whereas the Ric and P have paid for themselves with other gigs.
 
#146
ChrisPbass said:
how intolerant :rollno: :D
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Yeah, my name should be D. Thomas for sure. If the church could see my thoughts, they might not let me in! I do have a habit of intellectually sparing with preachermen to see if they're truly beacons for the Lord ( who cant be only a man, logically, btw) and Spirit, or just another ego-laden human tool.

Ex-interrogator here, so maybe the stuff dont wash off.

And it WAY dont matter what bass you play! :cool:

BTW, in the year since last Easter we've been attending the "rock and roll" church as I call it, only ONE five string so far, a Washburn. THat low C is a dream. I like 5's in church! Its hard to find them out in suburbia. These folks need to get The Word! ;)
 
#147
I had my Warwick at church when I was asked to play bass for a visiting southern gospel singer. The visiting singer gave out all his sheet music and we (piano, drums, guitar, bass) had no trouble playing along. I was playing through a Fender Rumble 150 (1 X 15"). When church was over and he was collecting the music he said to me "Hey, what is that you're playing? It sounded great!" So even an old timer (and he was old!) might appreciate a different sound on any given Sunday. But back to the original question, in my former church praise band, we swapped out six different basses on any Sunday, and no one probably noticed. But some female soloist would request the fretless JB a lot. They did notice the difference there.
 
#148
I played this p-bass in church for christian music.

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#149
IotaNet said:
Bottom line, the sonic mix has gotten a whole lot more dense than it used to be.

Whenever I ask this question (P-Bass in Gospel), it's simply about tone. I
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You know I respect your opinion, but I have to disagree here a bit. I know a few cats playing instruments that have a particularly popular set of pickups that are known for having a compressed tonal quality (not mentioning the brand, because I don't want the focus to shift), with nickel strings, and compression coming off of their heads, yet they will still tell me that a pbass wont cut. That's just not so! This is coming from players that sound like they have wet foam seat cushions placed in front of their cabinets! Not only will they do that, but they scoop the hell out of the eq, thereby removing the "cutting" quality of the mids! While I admit that the b-bass may not have a tone that one would qualify as being brite, with a good set of Stainless strings, you can get some brightness in there. Not Sadowsky range, as far as modern tone, but you can get some brite tones in there. Not only that, but as stated before, alot of the "praise and worship" stuff doesn't require much of a hi-mid presence anyway.

While I will agree that it may not be a preference for some, I, in no way can agree with the argument that they don't cut, or don't deliver the goods in the tone department.
 
#151
Robear22 said:
This is the genre the majority of my playing is in and I know that a P-bass will work. I just prefer to have a modern sounding bass due to what I play and how I play. To me it comes down to what you as the player prefers...

...And I certainly don't play for the approval of other players and people's opinion. Let your fingers do the talking!!!:smug::smug::D:D
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Well said! I appreciate your input.
 
#152
Well, so much for playing the Reverend at church yesterday. Spent the entire day at the hospital with my girlfriend helping her welcome her first grandchild into the world! The miracle of birth is a humbling experience. It has been noted that this child too, shall play bass! :D
 
#153
What I'm seeing in the responses on this thread is that the Gospel bass players that are getting the gigs often 'have' boutique basses...

Using Music Fuzzy Logic (MFL), this means that in Christian philosophy-everyone is welcome and equal in the eyes of our maker-unless you're performing on an instrument up front. In that case, you'd better fit-in with a highly priced instrument which either demonstrates an image of greatness, or that you are blessed financially. Huh?

You might get to play, if you show up with the right bass...What happenned to I'm going to treat everyone decent no matter what they wear in church, or what instrument is in the bass case? :D Obviously, there's winners & losers in some churches, too. Depending on the which location you choose to attend (or perform) and how fashionable you are walking in the door.
 
#154
Stacatto said:
What I'm seeing in the responses on this thread is that the Gospel bass players that are getting the gigs often 'have' boutique basses...

Using Music Fuzzy Logic (MFL), this means that in Christian philosophy-everyone is welcome and equal in the eyes of our maker-unless you're performing on an instrument up front. In that case, you'd better fit-in with a highly priced instrument which either demonstrates an image of greatness, or that you are blessed financially. Huh?

You might get to play, if you show up with the right bass...What happenned to I'm going to treat everyone decent no matter what they wear in church, or what instrument is in the bass case? :D Obviously, there's winners & losers in some churches, too. Depending on the which location you choose to attend (or perform) and how fashionable you are walking in the door.
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This is way off base. Tonally, Urban Gospel bassists prefer a modern tone. Many UG bassists use pretty inexpensive instruments like Ibanezes and Peaveys to get that tone.
Those who use more expensive basses tend to be working musicians, and church is often one of several gigs for them.
The pros could easily afford a highend P-bass with five strings if they wanted to use one.

This is not about dumping on someone with a Squier P-bass, so save the church hate for some other place.
 
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#156
Dr. Cheese said:
This is way off base. Tonally, Urban Gospel bassists prefer a modern tone. Many UG bassists use pretty inexpensive instruments like Ibanezes and Peaveys to get that tone.
Those who use more expensive basses tend to be working musicians, and church is often one of several gigs for them.
The pros could easily afford a highend P-bass with five strings if they wanted to use one.

This is not about dumping on someone with a Squier P-bass, so save the church hate for some other place.
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MASSIVE +1. There's this cat here in Cape who is a phenomenal gospel player and his instrument of choice is an Ibanez BTB 5er. I let him demo my J bass one night when we at an open mic night and he said it sounded great but wouldn't work for him.

OP probably just got those looks because a P bass is just so unorthodox tonally in that situation.
 
#158
I have not read all the replies on this thread, but if you are talking gospel (african american gospel) then the music itself has many stylistic similarities to urban smooth jazz, and for smooth jazz you want a very high tech tone with access to the low notes, and you want those low notes to be clear. Clarity, transparent highs, that's the tone that fits this music the best, INMHO.
 
#159
lucas vigor said:
I have not read all the replies on this thread, but if you are talking gospel (african american gospel) then the music itself has many stylistic similarities to urban smooth jazz, and for smooth jazz you want a very high tech tone with access to the low notes, and you want those low notes to be clear. Clarity, transparent highs, that's the tone that fits this music the best, INMHO.
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Not always the case. Did you see the link posted a few replies above?
 
#160
Dr. Cheese said:
This is way off base. Tonally, Urban Gospel bassists prefer a modern tone. Many UG bassists use pretty inexpensive instruments like Ibanezes and Peaveys to get that tone.
Those who use more expensive basses tend to be working musicians, and church is often one of several gigs for them.
The pros could easily afford a highend P-bass with five strings if they wanted to use one.

This is not about dumping on someone with a Squier P-bass, so save the church hate for some other place.
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Dr., I stand corrected, thank you. That post was not intended as hate for anyone. I wish it had not come across that way. :hmm:
 

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