Bassists pt II

[Psychicpet]

no, it's usually Rays, at least in studio and vid's I've seen, as for them being "good" ... all I've heard is what's on the radio and besides, I liked it all better when it was Faith No More and Fishbone but new is good too...... somewhere I guess....

 

[hands 5]

It's all about "Staying In The Pocket"However if the bass player gets the green light to do his or her thing then by all means do so.
I try to respect any,and everybodys playing regardless of the genre of music that there're doing

 

[LeftyLB]

It's all about "Staying In The Pocket"However if the bass player gets the green light to do his or her thing then by all means do so.
I try to respect any,and everybodys playing regardless of the genre of music that there're doing

Amen to that - Tolerance of all musical tastes. just because you don't like it, doesn't mean it is sh*t!

It took me a few years to realise that I don't do a gig to hear myself playing my bass, I can do that at home. I want to hear a great band.

Therefore I always ask for kick and snare in my foldback monitors, and a bit of keyboards and guitar if needs be. There are often moments when you glance back and catch the drummers eye and you both realise you just nailed something really cool by working off of each other.

I'm 36 now though, I doubt I thought the same at 18.

 

[GRIMLOCK]

This may sound off the subject, but I'm a music major at the University of South Florida & I'm majoring in voice. I've heard MANY different soloists, but I haven't been crazy about many of them. I try to learn what I can and then move on. Ripping them apart, albeit amusing, isn't terribly productive. After all, whether or not they have good technique and whether or not they deserve their fame, at the end of the day, one fact remains. They have made a career doing what they love... and I don't have that kind of career. (yet!) I'm a keyboard player, originally started playing bass when my boss (at church) made me sing in the church choir and go to rehearsals instead of working on the tech crew. I got a bass for christmas three years ago & started playing in the orchestra shortly afterward. (thank you, music theory.) I'm still young in my bass development, and my playing probably tends to be too busy. Overall, the drummer & I lock in on the groove & hold things together. That's my top priority. Anybody in any band that can do that consistantly is doing his job well, imho. I have great respect for guys with killer chops who are perfectly willing to sit back & (as was stated earlier) serve the song. I have WAY too much left to learn before I can throw rocks at anybody. That being said... detuning a bass and having sloppy, loose strings is idiotic! Nor did God intend for us to use picks...

 

[midopa]

I don't hold "serving the song" as my top priority - I favor whatever's possible to get people roused up.

Haha. I have a similar bass origin to you. I also was a techie for my church's praise team. The praise leader told me to pick up the bass because the official bassist never came to practice. (he thought my four years of cello would suffice to play a bass. he was kinda right )

But if you've noticed, a lot of people aren't ecstatic about church or even relgion for that matter these days. In my first half year of playing, I noticed how there's no spirit and energy in the way people sing. Thus, I decided to pick up more styles like slap and tapping to liven the songs up.

Hence, my playing, though it does "lock" with the drummer (at least minimally), is often busy. But I'm alright with that. A lot of you guys are in favor of "serving the song," but my top priority is doing what needs to be done to get people roused up, even if it includes dancing like a fool. Hahaha

 

[Psychicpet]

Andre Gouche and Fred Hammond are some amazing Christian players that "liven" up their Sunday mornings, now it is Gospel they're playing so it's a bit more up tempo than the Vineyard stuff I play but it's all about the song fellas! Busy is good if it suits what's happening, look at some great Be-Bop bass lines, you slow down and you're out! but if it's a ballad and very contemplative.... I wouldn't really pull out any of the Marcus thumb riffs. But it's all relative, some of the hardest environments to play though have got to be bars, that's where people have been working like dogs all week and they're there to hear something that's gonna make them get their groove on, that's when it's all about the song!.... and getting the drunkest people up dancing so you can have a bit of a laugh yourself!

 

[bovinehost]

A lot of you guys are in favor of "serving the song," but my top priority is doing what needs to be done to get people roused up...

You could try pepper-spraying them.

 

[hands 5]

I don't hold "serving the song" as my top priority - I favor whatever's possible to get people roused up.

Haha. I have a similar bass origin to you. I also was a techie for my church's praise team. The praise leader told me to pick up the bass because the official bassist never came to practice. (he thought my four years of cello would suffice to play a bass. he was kinda right )

But if you've noticed, a lot of people aren't ecstatic about church or even relgion for that matter these days. In my first half year of playing, I noticed how there's no spirit and energy in the way people sing. Thus, I decided to pick up more styles like slap and tapping to liven the songs up.

Hence, my playing, though it does "lock" with the drummer (at least minimally), is often busy. But I'm alright with that. A lot of you guys are in favor of "serving the song," but my top priority is doing what needs to be done to get people roused up, even if it includes dancing like a fool. Hahaha

Well if that's the way you look at it then cool but I will say this. Playing what you feel like playing and dancing around to get the "CROWD"up can and most times backfire on you.
Hey man here's the deal if you plan on making this your career as a musician,then you might would like to be known as a good player that can stay within the context of the song but I will also say this. I know far too many musicians who play with the "Self Serving attitude and are wondering why can't they get a gig.

In short my fellow bass player friend.
"Check Ya self Before You Wreck Ya Self."

As Jim Rome would say.......Late.

 

[midopa]

You could try pepper-spraying them.

I have. I've also whipped out the ol' cat-o-nine-tails on 'em, too. If I feel really pissed, I'll go off and crucify somebody.

Hey man here's the deal if you plan on making this your career as a musician,then you might would like to be known as a good player that can stay within the context of the song ...

Yes, yes. All very true, though I have a hard time coming to terms with it myself. Haha

 

[Psychicpet]

You could try pepper-spraying them.

LOL!!!!




Hahahahahahahahahaha.....ahahahahahahahahahahahha.....Hahahahah.. uhh... great, and I gotta gig tonite in these pants!

 

[jubjub721]

yeah
im in a band they think the bass is the back ground
and i did peperspray him right after i kicked him out o the band
dumb guitarists

 

[fifthorange]

HELL YEAH!

 

[skabassist13]

hey, im pretty new here, but i like to serve the song. of course if i get a solo thats my time and youd have to kill me to take it away from me. i think the green day day is pretty good, catchy lines that arent so complicated that they destroy the songs vibe. however, fieldy sucks so much its not even funny. my bro listnes to korn, and i have to share a room with him. i want to rip off my ears when he turns that **** on. ill give them credit for being musicians, as i do to all musicians wether i like them or not, but his tone hurts my ears. thats my two cents.

 

[silly]

3. any pick playing, alternative rock bass player. they all suc and must stop "trying" to make music.

have you ever heard of a "pick playing" bassist named Matt Freeman? i bet he kicks your ass at bass go listen to rancid and you'll hear wut im talkin about.

besides whats wrong with playing with a pick? it sounds awesome especially with a stingray.
oh and anti flag's bassist plays a ray with a pick and he kills.

 

[skabassist13]

word. i play with a pick as well and i get a seriously killer tone. not with a stingray. . i dotn have enough cahs to buy one. but its definatly on my list. but i can get killer tone out of my p-bass.

 

[maxschrek]

to pick or not to pick

I don't normally play with a pick, but occasionally
it fits the tune.
When one critisizes "picking" bassists one must
remember Anthony Jackson, Chris Squire and
Sir Paul use them to great effect and are all three
very important players, whether
you like them or not , as they are each responsible
for pushing the bass envelope.
Yes?

 

[fifthorange]

um.., i think you took the "pick playing alternative rock playing basterd" thing a little to personal. it was funny though to arose hate toward me. i also use a pick, SOMETIMES. i just dont like the fact that bass players are using a pick to PLAY. i bass was and still is meant to be played with fingers. i pick is more like an effect, a tonal advantage which could either be good or bad. i have heard very horrible pick players. the tone is ugly.

but no offense. just little frustrated with natural born pick players.

 

[maxschrek]

Picks

I agree, I have heard some extremely horrible "pick" players too.
In fact, the absolute worst players i've heard use them.
But the afore mentioned MASTERS use picks almost exclusively
and they never sound "ugly". Just my opinion.
Certainly no offense taken.

 

[BradBassMan]

I have to agree anti-pick crew here. I rarely use a pick, the only times i use one and that is when i have to do the dreaded 'cover' in a band if im called in to play bass for a gig or a studio producer asks for the particular 'pick' sound(which i personally hate with a passion). When i first started playing bass i listened to the greats of bass playing(jaco, Flea, Mark King, Pino Pallidino etc) and they didnt use a pick....so i didnt. And im very pleased i went this way. Using your fingers in my opinion creates a warmer, smoother sound and allows mroe diverse playing...unlike the tinny scraping noise of a pick.



Oh and Fieldy......How Crap does he want to be? Is there any freaking variation in his bass lines?......idiot...**** hair too

 

[Rhys]

Although on the latest chilli pepper albulm Flea played a hell of alot of the songs with a pick.
im deffentley no advocate of pick playing, but does prove that it does have its purposes in the world of bass playing