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worst bass line ever

#61
Most of the songs I do with my cover band, and my previous cover band, are boring on bass. So then I usually just focus on the timing or feel or something like that. In my last band, we had a female singer and she insisted we play "Walking On Sunshine" which is just repetitive and boring. So I focused on locking with the drummer and added some real feel to it and it became a favorite to play (still didnt like the song, blech) because it just was so tight sounding with the drums.
 
#64
ga_edwards said:
There's a couple of songs in our set that I dread coming to (in particular 'Love Shack), not because I think they're boring, but because I find them physically demanding. Not challenging mind you, just demanding in that they are so repetitive they uncomfortable to play for the duration of the song and my left hand seizes up.
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Try playing Dazed and Confused by Led Zep. During the guitar solo JPJ plays a simple, fast, repetitive pentatonic thing that leaves my left hand screaming for mercy a few bars into it. I wish I knew how the guy could do that.
 
#66
Let me see, Worst bass line ever... Erm none of them,
Sure some may be more simple than others, But personally so far at practices i love the difference, go from pumping 8th notes to scales a plenty, Don't mind what I do.
When it comes to gigs, Spend more time focused on playing the intricate songs competantly, The simpler songs, Bloody rock it and give the crowd a good show.
 
#67
Spectrum said:
Try playing Dazed and Confused by Led Zep. During the guitar solo JPJ plays a simple, fast, repetitive pentatonic thing that leaves my left hand screaming for mercy a few bars into it. I wish I knew how the guy could do that.
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+1 right there. Thats always a toughie. :help:

+1 again to the "Too Rolling Stoned" 2nd half bit. Although that part is certainly "improv-able" for any groovy bassist.

Maybe the Doors "Roadhouse Blues" since all we have in our band is bass, guitar, and drums unless I hop on the organ and comp with a left hand. The riff is repetitive on bass and quite the challenge for my left hand on organ ...I can't win :p
 
#71
Spectrum said:
Try playing Dazed and Confused by Led Zep. During the guitar solo JPJ plays a simple, fast, repetitive pentatonic thing that leaves my left hand screaming for mercy a few bars into it. I wish I knew how the guy could do that.
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I should have added to my previous comment. Most Iron Maiden kills my right (plucking) hand. Things like '2 minutes to midnight' and 'number of the beast' seem to be that awkward speed between comfortably slow and comfortably fast that my right hand tenses up - using two or three finger technique as well. I don't know how he does it night after night either.
 
#72
Just boring bassists :hiding:

+1 to this:

jgroh said:
Most of the songs I do with my cover band, and my previous cover band, are boring on bass. So then I usually just focus on the timing or feel or something like that. In my last band, we had a female singer and she insisted we play "Walking On Sunshine" which is just repetitive and boring. So I focused on locking with the drummer and added some real feel to it and it became a favorite to play (still didnt like the song, blech) because it just was so tight sounding with the drums.
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Jon
 
#73
Grateful said:
Hey! I got to play Tush just yesterday...:bassist::crying:

But that one is not as bad IMHO as our 8 minute version of Honky Tonk Woman. The first 2 minutes of the song is waiting for the guitars to retune, the next 90 seconds (including extended cowbell solo) is standing there with no bass part to play followed by 2 minutes of bore, followed by another 2.5 minutes for the guitars to retune. I guess they don't make tuners with a 'mute' function for guitars like they do for basses...

Although the one for me that is absolute death is 'Knockin' on Heavens Door'. It seems that vocalists want this to be a 9 minute epic. I just want to play it once into the looper then go to the bar till they're done.
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I agree. We do Honky Tonk Women and Knockin' On Heaven's Door. The thing that I try to do to combat the boredom is back ground vocals and inversions/variations on fill parts.
 
#78
Grateful said:
Hey! I got to play Tush just yesterday...:bassist::crying:

But that one is not as bad IMHO as our 8 minute version of Honky Tonk Woman. The first 2 minutes of the song is waiting for the guitars to retune, the next 90 seconds (including extended cowbell solo) is standing there with no bass part to play followed by 2 minutes of bore, followed by another 2.5 minutes for the guitars to retune. I guess they don't make tuners with a 'mute' function for guitars like they do for basses...

Although the one for me that is absolute death is 'Knockin' on Heavens Door'. It seems that vocalists want this to be a 9 minute epic. I just want to play it once into the looper then go to the bar till they're done.
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I quit a band over Honky Tonk Women and Running With the Devil. Say what you want about serving the music or whatever, I wasn't getting paid and I detest even listening to those tunes.

The looper pedal is a great idea. Set it going and then take a nap.
 
#79
Bored bassists? Why would you ever be bored on a stage? A show is a party, and you're pretty much at the center of it. Well, unless you play music other musicians like. Then it's not much like a party, more like a jury trial...
 

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