Bass Players!!!!

[AnthonyD]

A few thoughts...

I agree, Bass Players appear to be more comfortable with one-another and don't feel the need to "show-up" one another. Also, Bass Players appear genuinely interested in sharing knowledge and technique.

This is very apparent here on a regular basis and was also apparent for me at Bass Player Live late last year. Folks are impressed with other players abilities, but in a very positive, inspiring way. Meeting with, talking to and seeing a better bass player is encouraging, not discouraging. And that "better bass player" is always humbled and encouraging of us, willing to share experience and knowledge.

I also agree we're solid Team players, but I think we're also strong leaders - some quite obviously, some in a silent kind of way, but most all leaders. There is a level of confidence that goes hand-in-hand with being a Bass player that transends the Band.

I play guitar and drums quite well - always have. But I AM a Bass Player.

 

[Slim]

I play both guitar and bass and I had never had problems with other guitarists or bassists but keyboard players are problems because they like to play their own bass line idea or never happy with guitarist getting more lead parts

 

[DJBenzBass]

A few thoughts...

I agree, Bass Players appear to be more comfortable with one-another and don't feel the need to "show-up" one another. Also, Bass Players appear genuinely interested in sharing knowledge and technique.

This is very apparent here on a regular basis and was also apparent for me at Bass Player Live late last year. Folks are impressed with other players abilities, but in a very positive, inspiring way. Meeting with, talking to and seeing a better bass player is encouraging, not discouraging. And that "better bass player" is always humbled and encouraging of us, willing to share experience and knowledge.

I also agree we're solid Team players, but I think we're also strong leaders - some quite obviously, some in a silent kind of way, but most all leaders. There is a level of confidence that goes hand-in-hand with being a Bass player that transends the Band.

I play guitar and drums quite well - always have. But I AM a Bass Player.

I couldn't agree more. When bass players get together, it seems that they usually want to share and learn from each other. Guitarists seem to want to outdo each other. This is a general statement, of course.
It's always so obvious in big guitar stores such at Guitar Center. Go in on a Saturday and you'll usually see a couple of bass players close together trying out gear and sharing riffs. The guitarists are always seperate from the others, blasting away while trying to show off to the other guitarists nearby.

I have a very open mind about bass. I have always been a hard rock/metal bassist, but will play anything. If I see some bass player jamming anything that sounds cool, I want to learn it and also share.

A big change for me was learning 3 DISCO songs to play at my own wedding. Yes, my wife LOVES Disco! The bass player in the wedding band was the coolest guy around. He was so helpful and supportive, and not just because he was getting paid to sit down for 3 songs either. I don't believe that if it was guitar I wanted to play at my wedding, the guitarist would have been as cool.

Again, no offense to guitarists, just my observations.

 

[stretch80]

This is a fun thread. I'm feeling better about myself by the minute!

I think you have to have a subtle personality to dig the bass -- it's beauty doesn't jump out at you -- you have to listen, and you have to like "playing with others"

Some bands I've had to be the "glue".

Related subject: Bass players make great producers. You see that a lot -- because 1. We listen to the whole band 2. We think about how it all goes together and .....3. We can work with people!

Also, we don't have to feel cut-throat competition with each other because....we're always in demand!

I myself am a tall thin laid back guy, and I played guitar for 4 years, and decided to try bass out of interest and INSTANTLY knew this was the instrument I should be playing.

peace!

Bert

 

[RitchieDarling]

Bassists! Avoid Prescott, Arizona!

I am in a very bad area for music, I'm afraid. There seems to be an attitude of "You're JUST the bass player" which does NOT fly with me. My usual reply is something along the lines of "Not anymore, I'm not". The guitarists here seem to want you to stand in the back, turn WAY down, play only root notes, and wear drab clothing if possible. They all want you to join the band. But then are afraid you will steal their thunder. A very junior high school attitude. Then they fight to see which one can play louder. I once turn my bass amp OFF and just mimed through a song. They STILL complained I was too loud!

Ritchie

 

[guitarafondio]

Last year, "Jongitarz" and I went to the "Jass Festival" here on the central coast. After the concert, He and I went to a lacal watering hole to listen to the band. After talking to the bass player, (who was super cool!) He said that Jon and I coud jam a few. The drummer was willing to stay and the bass player handed me his bass. But the guitar player threw a FITwhen Jon asked to use his guitar! He grabbed his sh*t, packed it and left! He was like a little kid that didn't get chosen to play ball with the rest of the kids. "It's my ball, and you can't play with it!"
At least that one guitar player was a jack-ass!

 

[RitchieDarling]

Last year, "Jongitarz" and I went to the "Jass Festival" here on the central coast. After the concert, He and I went to a lacal watering hole to listen to the band. After talking to the bass player, (who was super cool!) He said that Jon and I coud jam a few. The drummer was willing to stay and the bass player handed me his bass. But the guitar player threw a FITwhen Jon asked to use his guitar! He grabbed his sh*t, packed it and left! He was like a little kid that didn't get chosen to play ball with the rest of the kids. "It's my ball, and you can't play with it!"
At least that one guitar player was a jack-ass!

Yeah, I think he packed it in and moved here!

R

 

[Narcosynthesis]

I think it is more to do with the attitudes of the types of people to go for bass or guitar as an instrument.

Guitar has the ego bit, standing out front playing solo's where everybody focus' on you, and only you, other guitarists tend to be a bit of a threat to that, hence the competition.
Bass playing is more a supporting role in music, we are content to sit back a bit, holding up the song as a whole, without the need to be centre stage and the centre of attention, to generalise a lot, probably a bit more mellow of a person

From that you can kinda see how bass playing will tend towards a friendly group atmosphere, helping out each other and doing what we love

David

 

[Mobay45]

Being both a bass player and a trumpet player, I would suggest that there is usually more pressure to playing the lead instrument in a group such as guitar or trumpet among others. I've been in both positions and that's something that comes to my mind as a difference.

For some reason, it seems that a lot of trumpet players are drawn to the bass guitar. Even Chuck Rainey started out playing trumpet.

 

[MickeyMouse]

Being both a bass player and a trumpet player, I would suggest that there is usually more pressure to playing the lead instrument in a group such as guitar or trumpet among others. I've been in both positions and that's something that comes to my mind as a difference.

For some reason, it seems that a lot of trumpet players are drawn to the bass guitar. Even Chuck Rainey started out playing trumpet.

I find that a lot of trumpet players are drawn to the bass too I was once a trumpet player also and know many people who have converted

 

[Rano Bass]

Flea himself is also a converted trumpet player.
Playing guitar is more like a sport where they are always competing with each other, playing bass is like being a coach to those guiter players; you have to give them support and watch over for them so they won't make a fool of themselves
Of course that's not always the norm but it happens most of the time IMO.
I hope our guitar partners don't get offended by this comments

 

[DKWilkins]

+1

Plus most bassists I know tend to take more on in the band like promotions & such so you really have to be a good team player.

I've seen this a lot too... In one of my previous groups I did the promotion, the website, copyright paperwork- you name it.

 

[RockinRayDuke]

Those of you at SOBII in October may have noticed how wonderfully all of us got along, no fistfights or the like.

 

[bovinehost]

I take my good-natured shots at guitarists and drummers, but the truth is that I have mostly been blessed during my musical endeavors.

I had the distinct pleasure of being the bassist for a certain Mister Fred Drake, drummer extraordinaire, for many years in Houston and around the area.

Fred's legacy goes on here: Welcome to Rancho de la Luna

I couldn't be happier about playing with Brian, the tallest person in coWpilot, although he'll claim to not be a guitarist at all. He thinks of it as something he does because he doesn't want to be thought of as a "lead singer", which I completely support, but he knows an awful lot of cool chords and, under pressure, can play some nifty little leads here and there. And Chris, our fly-in lead player, is completely without ego or attitude and has been known to thank us for letting him be in the band. Now how cool is THAT?

So while Ray and I can share stories of super-talented guitarists who used to show up at the blues jams....some of whom were subsequently threatened with bodily harm....for the most part, I really can't complain.

 

[SteveB]

I am in a very bad area for music, I'm afraid. There seems to be an attitude of "You're JUST the bass player" which does NOT fly with me. My usual reply is something along the lines of "Not anymore, I'm not". The guitarists here seem to want you to stand in the back, turn WAY down, play only root notes, and wear drab clothing if possible. They all want you to join the band. But then are afraid you will steal their thunder. A very junior high school attitude. Then they fight to see which one can play louder. I once turn my bass amp OFF and just mimed through a song. They STILL complained I was too loud!

Ritchie

That's a shame, Ritchie. I'm a guitar player, and for me nothing makes a song better than a great bass line. I like to write 'em with lots of movement and melody and then I make the guitar work around the bass.

 

[shamus63]

Since I love my job of bass player so much, I can never feel bad when someone gives me the "You're just the bass player" attitude...

...I just stop playing for a few minutes until they get tired of the White Stripes sound, and that shuts 'em up pretty quick.

 

[RockinRayDuke]

some of whom were subsequently
threatened with bodily harm

True story.

 

[bovinehost]

Well, some people just beg to be punched.

Good to see you here, Ray!

 

[RitchieDarling]

A VERY VERY VERY strange place..........

That's a shame, Ritchie. I'm a guitar player, and for me nothing makes a song better than a great bass line. I like to write 'em with lots of movement and melody and then I make the guitar work around the bass.

That's great! I have had the pleasure of doing loads of studio work here. And also playing with the former guitarist from the band Grass Roots. Even now I am in discussions to start playing with a guy who toured backing The Beach Boys for 23 years! But it has been a hard way to go. I was in a steady group for a while. But we ended up not liking each other all that much. Mostly due to the drummer. The guitarist and I wanted to play, maybe, 2 weekends a month. Maybe even just one. We made it quite clear. But this drummer was insane! He would go book us three weekends into a bar 200 miles away for $50 a man. And then get pissed off when we complained. He once drove to Flagstaff on New Years Eve to sit in with a band for $40. Mental! His hotel for the night cost $60!

Another guy was this funny Swede who thought he was Robert Johnson reincarnated! He wasn't a happy man when I showed up for rehearsals with a Stienberger bass!

There was this guy called Chris Barry. He had a band called the Custom V's. Then it was The Custom V's (Featuring Chris Barry), then Chris Barry & the Custom V's, then one night the band shows up and the sign just says Chris Barry. So, they said, SEE YA! And he ended up doing an acoustic set all by himself. It's a funny place!

LOADS of middle aged white guys with long grey hair, a fedora, and a harmonica! And it seems that no one really wants to learn anything new. So, my hat (not a fedora) is off to you for your healthy inclusive attitude.

Ritchie

 

[RitchieDarling]

Since I love my job of bass player so much, I can never feel bad when someone gives me the "You're just the bass player" attitude...

You're made of stronger stuff than me, my friend. I must admit that it makes my blood boil to hear those words.

R