Bass players: Do we really need them?

[Rain Man]

I'm watching a Springsteen video, and the bass player just hangs out at the back of the stage and I can't hear him on half the songs. Are bass players really needed, or would rock bands be better off saving that money?

Just curious. I am not now, nor have I ever been, affiliated with a rock band.

[rad]

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[FAX]

Excellent question, Mr. Rain Man. You have articulated an interrogatory which many have dared not utter. They are, in fact, completely useless. Just ask the Doors.

Except the ones who have drug connections and/or young, nubile, blonde sisters, of course.

FAX

[Pitt Gorilla]

:shake:

Honestly, a great band needs a very good bass player.

[Phobia]

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[Rain Man]

I'm thinking that the bass player is just there to distract the groupies so the lead guitarists and vocalists can get their rest.

[Mile High Mania]

It depends on the band and the music... Van Halen wouldn't have been the same without Michael Anthony. Great bass and excellent vocals.

[Brock]

Who's going to loiter at stage right if not the bass player?

[Guru]

Are you kidding me!!! U2 without Clayton would be just wrong.

[Bugeater]

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[Pitt Gorilla]

Metal has to have bass.

[Guru]

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[htismaqe]

With no bass player, you wouldn't have anybody to get trapped in the cocoon...

[FAX]

Very true, Mr. htismaqe. You're on a roll of rightnessness.

There also wouldn't be anyone to blow out my windshield when they pull up next to me at the stoplight with Rat Cool Ice Cycle playing on their stupid-ass CD player set to friggin' 11 and a half.

FAX

[Branden Albert's Huge Balls]

Bass players were instrumental in the production and amazing success of the 2006 Larry Johnson Highlight Film.

[Chief Roundup]

Absolutely you have to have a bassist. If you don't have a bass playing the rythym would be off. The bass is the heartbeat of any song.

[KCBOSS1]

Anybody that doesn't understand how a bassist fits in a band should start more threads about football.

[Demonpenz]

I have seen bands pull it off because alot of people don't know shit about music.

[FAX]

Okay. I've changed my mind. What would the Moody Blues sound like without a bass, I ask you?

FAX

[KCBOSS1]

I have seen bands pull it off because alot of people don't know shit about music.

I've PLAYED in bands for 18 years that have pulled it off, but it's not the same. seen......played....hmmmmm.:hmmm:

[KCBOSS1]

You can play bass end with a keyboard.....you can do digital fill (which is crap in my opinion), but as a player, it sure helps to have a bass. I know a little.

[Rain Man]

How long have you been playing bass, kcboss1?

[splatbass]

As a bass player for more than 30 years, I would have to say YES, they are needed.

When I hear the White Stripes, as much as I like their music, I can't help but think how thin it sounds and how much better it would sound with a bass player. In fact, my band plays a couple of their songs, and I play bass on them. It does sound better.

Can you imagine the Who without Entwistle? Cream without Jack Bruce? Rush without Geddy Lee? Led Zeppelin without John Paul Jones? That is not a world I want to live in....

The bass locks in with the drums and creates the groove. Without groove you don't have girls shaking their butts.

From my experience (and I have a lot), you can have the best guitar players around, but if the bass player sucks the song doesn't groove and the people don't like it. And you can have very average guitar players (keyboardists, whatever), and if the bass player is good the band sounds good and the people like it. Bass is what holds the band together.

[Zebedee DuBois]

This touches on a thought that has been wisping in and out of my brain for a while now.

It seems that people hear music in many different ways. The things that appeal to me in music may be very different from the things another person hears in music. I have often enjoyed a song for many months without being able to describe what the lyrics were, because I like chord progressions and rhythms. I know other people who simply cannot abide a purely instrumental song.

This would explain one reason for the many different styles of music in our country. It also may explain the phenomenon in American Idol where people who are horribly unmusical are very passionate about how good they performed. Perhaps when they hear music - they are focused only on the intensity of the vocal delivery, and never paid attention to, or could ascertain, tone intervals. Yet, they had originally enjoyed the same song that a tonally aware person had also enjoyed.

I think that is amazing. Sort of like how the nine blind men all saw the elephant differently.

So...to answer the question...it really comes down to personal taste. I enjoy music with bass notes. Others may never miss it.

[FAX]

Good post, Mr. Zebedee DuBois. It brings to mind something I've often thought about, as well.

Why do people derive a particular emotional response from a particular combination of notes? By that I mean, for example, a minor chord evokes a feeling of melancholy or sadness whereas a major chord does not? Is it an innate reaction? Is it learned?

FAX

[Dave]

As a bass player for more than 30 years, I would have to say YES, they are needed.

When I hear the White Stripes, as much as I like their music, I can't help but think how thin it sounds and how much better it would sound with a bass player. In fact, my band plays a couple of their songs, and I play bass on them. It does sound better.

Can you imagine the Who without Entwistle? Cream without Jack Bruce? Rush without Geddy Lee? Led Zeppelin without John Paul Jones? That is not a world I want to live in....

The bass locks in with the drums and creates the groove. Without groove you don't have girls shaking their butts.

From my experience (and I have a lot), you can have the best guitar players around, but if the bass player sucks the song doesn't groove and the people don't like it. And you can have very average guitar players (keyboardists, whatever), and if the bass player is good the band sounds good and the people like it. Bass is what holds the band together.Funny. I always though your user was BASS=FISH. LMAO

[Zebedee DuBois]

Interesting, Mr. FAX.

Take something like the flute music of the American Southwest. It always seems melancholy to me. Surely the people there had joyous and celebratory music as well. But to me, they all seem sad. I can't discern the difference.

[splatbass]

This touches on a thought that has been wisping in and out of my brain for a while now.

It seems that people hear music in many different ways. The things that appeal to me in music may be very different from the things another person hears in music. I have often enjoyed a song for many months without being able to describe what the lyrics were, because I like chord progressions and rhythms. I know other people who simply cannot abide a purely instrumental song.

This would explain one reason for the many different styles of music in our country. It also may explain the phenomenon in American Idol where people who are horribly unmusical are very passionate about how good they performed. Perhaps when they hear music - they are focused only on the intensity of the vocal delivery, and never paid attention to, or could ascertain, tone intervals. Yet, they had originally enjoyed the same song that a tonally aware person had also enjoyed.

I think that is amazing. Sort of like how the nine blind men all saw the elephant differently.

So...to answer the question...it really comes down to personal taste. I enjoy music with bass notes. Others may never miss it.

There is a lot of truth in that, but also a lot of people don't know why they like or dislike some music. In the scenario I mentioned in my earlier post, a band with a bad bass player sounds sloppy and people won't like it, but they may not know it is because of the bass player. The same with a band that is really tight sounding because of a good bass player. And a lot of people don't know that when they go out to dance they are mainly dancing to the bass line....

I always tell guitar players when they brag about the girls dancing to their guitar that it isn't the guitar, it's the bass they are dancing to.

[splatbass]

Funny. I always though your user was BASS=FISH. LMAO

Nope, I used to play bass in a band called "Splat".

[FAX]

Interesting, Mr. FAX.

Take something like the flute music of the American Southwest. It always seems melancholy to me. Surely the people there had joyous and celebratory music as well. But to me, they all seem sad. I can't discern the difference.

It's something that's always interested me. As a writer, one knows that a particular melody, harmony, or progression will cause a specific reaction in the majority of people listening. The result is clear and obvious. The cause, however, is another matter entirely.

Some people say that the repeated, and therefore, traditional correlation between lyrics and music are the cause and it's, therefore, learned. I'm not so sure, though.

FAX

[Bob Dole]

Bob Dole would have to agree with splat. The bass line provides the groove and drive that makes rock rock.

[splatbass]

Bob Dole would have to agree with splat. The bass line provides the groove and drive that makes rock rock.

:thumb: You are a wise man, Senator.

[Rain Man]

The bass locks in with the drums and creates the groove. Without groove you don't have girls shaking their butts.



This theory is worthy of further investigation.

[ZepSinger]

I'm thinking that the bass player is just there to distract the groupies so the lead guitarists and vocalists can get their rest.

Speaking from past experience, that is the gospel truth.

Z

[CosmicPal]

The Doors didn't have a bass player.

I like the sound of a bass, particularly in funk bands. I also like the heavy bass in Primus.

I think there are some minor percussion instruments that are unnecessary in most songs- they are supposed to be "fillers" but they really don't have a place. For instance, the guy who plays the cowbell. :p

[KCBOSS1]

How long have you been playing bass, kcboss1?

Sorry, I was out with the Fam for a little while. I've been playing different instruments including bass for about 20 years. Started as a teen.

[KCBOSS1]

My primary instrument was guitar. It was a very good way to get female attention.


One of the cool things about music is it is a total taste deal. You can judge complication, but you can't judge music. So everything is an opinion deal. Music without a bass just feels thin to me.

[el borracho]

I'm not sure if this is an argument for or against: http://ventnorblog.com/copy_images/sid-vicious.jpg

[KCBOSS1]

Like I absolutely despise the Rolling Stones. I have never seen a more talent lapsed group. Yet, I'm sitting here typing on my computer and Mick Jagger is like 80 and has had probably 50 huge hits and is a multi-millionaire.

[splatbass]

The Doors didn't have a bass player.



Most of their recordings had a studio bass player. Live, the keyboard player played the bass parts. There was bass, if not a bass player. Listen to their music, you will hear it.

The bass player the Doors used in the studio was Jerry Scheff on later albums:

http://www.jerryscheff.com/

And Carol Kaye on earlier ones.

http://www.carolkaye.com/

[stevieray]

there is a reason it's called a rythym section.

[Mr. Kotter]

Rain Man -- I use to love your schtick. This is damn....well, there is no other way to say it....Un-FRIGGIN'-called for, you nerd bi-atch. THIS is so OVER the DAMN top. I'll pray to Allah that the FLEAS of 1,000 camels will infest your pubic regions. How do you feel now, scuz bucket? HUH? :cuss:

Bass players? BASS PLAYERS are the undisputed SOUL (I mean, as in HEART and mutha-friggin' SOUL....of the good and great bands.)

Without bass...everything would be like the damn, well....there is no better way to say it....the damn SPICE Girls....or the George I-suk-coks-in-dirty-public-bathrooms-Michael-so-I-gave-up-my-bass-player-and-my-career-tanked-so-now-I-have-rediscovered-my-bass-player-and-hope-to-live-in-the-past-for-a-year-or-two-so-I-can-afford-my-AZT-cocktail-meds?

Do you REALLY want to be remembered this way? HUH, damn it??? :cuss:

[KcMizzou]

Settle down there, Kotter.

:p

[Mr. Kotter]

Settle down there, Kotter.

:p

Are you Phil's LEFT nut, or RIGHT nut. I only listen to one of them.... :hmmm:

[stevieray]

. I'll pray to Allah that the FLEAS of 1,000 camels will infest your pubic regions. How do you :

speaking of bass players

[KcMizzou]

Are you Phil's LEFT nut, or RIGHT nut. I only listen to one of them.... :hmmm:I'm not entirely sure. I'm not even sure why I'm Phob's nut, to be honest.

[stevieray]

I'm not entirely sure. I'm not even sure why I'm Phob's nut, to be honest.

maybe they'll change it to teabag... :)

[KcMizzou]

maybe they'll change it to teabag... :)Heh... don't give them any ideas.

[Mr. Kotter]

speaking of bass players

RHCP, would be NOTHING without the little feller...nothing, man.

Yeah, yeah....my unrequited love and dream of becoming the white Stanley Clarke, has made me, well.....there is no other way of saying this....damn, bitter....BITTER, I say. :deevee:

[Rain Man]

Rain Man -- I use to love your schtick. This is damn....well, there is no other way to say it....Un-FRIGGIN'-called for, you nerd bi-atch. THIS is so OVER the DAMN top. I'll pray to Allah that the FLEAS of 1,000 camels will infest your pubic regions. How do you feel now, scuz bucket? HUH? :cuss:

Bass players? BASS PLAYERS are the undisputed SOUL (I mean, as in HEART and mutha-friggin' SOUL....of the good and great bands.)

Without bass...everything would be like the damn, well....there is no better way to say it....the damn SPICE Girls....or the George I-suk-coks-in-dirty-public-bathrooms-Michael-so-I-gave-up-my-bass-player-and-my-career-tanked-so-now-I-have-rediscovered-my-bass-player-and-hope-to-live-in-the-past-for-a-year-or-two-so-I-can-afford-my-AZT-cocktail-meds?

Do you REALLY want to be remembered this way? HUH, damn it??? :cuss:


The nice thing about having Chiefsplanet tenure is that I can ask the awkward questions without fear of being fired from Chiefsplanet.

[KcMizzou]

RHCP, would be NOTHING without the little feller...nothing, man.
Now I've gotta play some Chilli Peppers. Damn you.

[Terribilis]

look guitarists are too egotistical, and drummers are too stupid to ever get anything accomplished without a smart bassist. the fact is few songs would ever be written without the patience, perseverance, and mediating ability of a good bassist. they are the glue that holds everything together.

[Mr. Kotter]

The nice thing about having Chiefsplanet tenure is that I can ask the awkward questions without fear of being fired from Chiefsplanet.

You gettin' cocky, bi-atch? I just may have to start a poll about banning you, man. Don't MAKE me do it. :cuss:

[Pitt Gorilla]

speaking of bass playersGood catch.

[Mr Luzcious]

Professional bass player has to be the easiest job ever. That said, they really are needed in some bands.

[Demonpenz]

311, incubus, RHCP, Primus, I kind of laughed whoever said U2's bassist...ever listen to the riff in found what i be looking for it is like 2 different notes. My dad was like wow this guy is a zillionare for playing those notes.

[ClevelandBronco]

If you have this guy, everybody else gets to get their Goose on for a few minutes while he plays.

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[splatbass]

Professional bass player has to be the easiest job ever. That said, they really are needed in some bands.

That is a common belief, but wrong. I play bass, guitar, mandolin, lap steel and ukulele, and bass is as hard as any of them to play well. It is easier to start, but just as hard to master.

And making a living as a musician of any kind is not easy, unless you like starving. I've played for 30 years, toured, opened for name acts, recorded, and done about everything in the business, but I make my living working in IT. An average gig for a working musician pays about the same as it did 25 years ago. Only a very few make a good living, even fewer get rich.

[RJ]

If you have the CD or DVD of Standing in the Shadows of Motown....

Play the instrumental version of Bernadette.

You would never need to ask the question again.

[Mr Luzcious]

That is a common belief, but wrong. I play bass, guitar, mandolin, lap steel and ukulele, and bass is as hard as any of them to play well. It is easier to start, but just as hard to master.

And making a living as a musician of any kind is not easy, unless you like starving. I've played for 30 years, toured, opened for name acts, recorded, and done about everything in the business, but I make my living working in IT. An average gig for a working musician pays about the same as it did 25 years ago. Only a very few make a good living, even fewer get rich.

It can certainly be as difficult as any other instrument.. but it usually isn't utilized in such a fashion.

[splatbass]

If you have the CD or DVD of Standing in the Shadows of Motown....

Play the instrumental version of Bernadette.

You would never need to ask the question again.

Excellent movie. Without James Jamerson music would not be the same. So many rock and funk bass players were influenced by him, from McCartney and John Paul Jones on, that you could say he invented rock bass playing.

Bernadette is a great bass line. Some other great Jamerson bass lines:

Heard It Through the Grapevine
Ain't Too Proud To Beg
For Once In My Life
My Girl
Reach Out, I'll Be There
What's Going On

And many others.

The best advice I give young bass players is to learn as many Motown songs as possible. Not just what notes he played, but the theory behind it.

If you think bass players aren't important, listen to some Motown and try to imagine it without the bass.

[kcfanintitanhell]

I'm surprised that Mr Siberian Khatru hasn't responded with what make Yes tick...Chris Squire's bass lines in songs like Roundabout and Heart of the Sunrise would be completely different songs without the bass line.
And yes, I am a bass player, and damn proud of it, have toured with several Grammy winners (please don't hold that against me) and am ready and willing to lay a solid groove to anything, even an after dinner conversation.

[L.A. Chieffan]

Yes. Rainman.

[splatbass]

It can certainly be as difficult as any other instrument.. but it usually isn't utilized in such a fashion.

I wouldn't say usually, but sometimes. The great bass players play for the song, which means that if a simple bass line works best that is what they play. The bass in some great bands is simple "stay on the root" playing. AC/DC and U2 are two that come to mind. Their bass lines are simple, but make the songs work. A good bass player knows that. Judge the bass by the way the song grooves, not by the bass line itself. Take "With or Without You" for example. Four notes, D A B and G, played in 1/8 notes over and over is all it is, but the whole song is built around that simple line.

[kcfanintitanhell]

I wouldn't say usually, but sometimes. The great bass players play for the song, which means that if a simple bass line works best that is what they play. The bass in some great bands is simple "stay on the root" playing. AC/DC and U2 are two that come to mind. Their bass lines are simple, but make the songs work. A good bass player knows that. Judge the bass by the way the song grooves, not by the bass line itself. Take "With or Without You" for example. Four notes, D A B and G, played in 1/8 notes over and over is all it is, but the whole song is built around that simple line.

Any bass line that James Jamerson played in any of the old Motown recordings are another testament to importance of Basses Loaded.

[RJ]

I've pimped this song more than once here. Since we're talking bass lines I'll do it again.


Sly & the Family Stone.....If You Want Me To Stay.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAsiKoeqN6E&mode=related&search=

[ClevelandBronco]

I'm surprised that Mr Siberian Khatru hasn't responded with what make Yes tick...Chris Squire's bass lines in songs like Roundabout and Heart of the Sunrise would be completely different songs without the bass line.
And yes, I am a bass player, and damn proud of it, have toured with several Grammy winners (please don't hold that against me) and am ready and willing to lay a solid groove to anything, even an after dinner conversation.

Squire is essential listening for anyone who has any questions.

[splatbass]

Any bass line that James Jamerson played in any of the old Motown recordings are another testament to importance of Basses Loaded.


Jamerson is the king, as I said in my earlier post. I've learned more from him than anyone else.

[ClevelandBronco]

I've pimped this song more than once here. Since we're talking bass lines I'll do it again.


Sly & the Family Stone.....If You Want Me To Stay.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAsiKoeqN6E&mode=related&search=

"When I see you again I hope that have been the kind of person you really are now."

Funk is defined in that song.

How did great stuff like this devolve into disco?

[ClevelandBronco]

How did great stuff like this devolve into disco?

Not that I hate all disco. I'm up for "Disco Inferno" on occassion.

[stevieray]

I know alot of people here don't like Rush, but Geddy Lee is another great player.

john mcvie played deeep grooves.

[KcMizzou]

I know alot of people here don't like Rush, but Geddy Lee is another great player.Eh... most of us are just giving Halfcan crap.

[RJ]

"When I see you again I hope that have been the kind of person you really are now."

Funk is defined in that song.

How did great stuff like this devolve into disco?


Hah, that's the lead up to my favorite line.

"You got to get it straight
How could I ever be late
When you're my woman takin' up my time"


How, indeed, did funk become disco?

Though, in fairness, I've come to appreciate the disco arrangements much more in recent years.

[Reaper16]

I love your polls, usually. This one, however, may actually be a worse question than "Would we be better off without tastebuds?"

The bass is of vital importance. It's absolutely crucial.

[splatbass]

Any bass line that James Jamerson played in any of the old Motown recordings are another testament to importance of Basses Loaded.

Here is one of my favorite Jamerson lines.


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[stevieray]

Hah, that's the lead up to my favorite line.

"You got to get it straight
How could I ever be late
When you're my woman takin' up my time"


How, indeed, did funk become disco?

Though, in fairness, I've come to appreciate the disco arrangements much more in recent years.

i remember singing along with the radio to "hot fun in the summertime" as a kid..

[ClevelandBronco]

I know alot of people here don't like Rush, but Geddy Lee is another great player.

I'm impressed by three-piece bands, perhaps because they are so rare. Geddy and Rush are great stuff IMO. Very tight with complicated compositions.

The Police (with Sting, a better songwriter than a bass player in their heyday) were a very tight three-piece combo as well, but their genius was based on what Stewart Copeland was doing at the time musically inside what Sting was writing, IMO. Sting was actually a bit annoying from the moment he put on a fake Jamaican accent in "Roxanne," and he doesn't deserve mention in a thread about bass players.

Unfortunately, I mentioned him, and now you'll have to deal with another one that isn't famous for his bass playing: Paul McCartney. Not a great player by any stretch of the imagination, but an essential member of the band.

[ClevelandBronco]

Here is one of my favorite Jamerson lines.


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Oh, man. That is so good.

[ClevelandBronco]

Hah, that's the lead up to my favorite line.

"You got to get it straight
How could I ever be late
When you're my woman takin' up my time"

Strangely, lyrics have gotten even more coarse since those days.

[splatbass]

Unfortunately, I mentioned him, and now you'll have to deal with another one that isn't famous for his bass playing: Paul McCartney. Not a great player by any stretch of the imagination, but an essential member of the band.

McCartney was a great, and very influential, bass player. Listen to "Something" sometime. Amazing bass line. And he may not be famous for his bass playing among average people, but he is among bass players.

[frazod]

One of my favorite songs is Golden Earring's Twilight Zone. The bass really defines that song.

[splatbass]

One of my favorite songs is Golden Earring's Twilight Zone. The bass really defines that song.


I agree. Simple, but very effective, it drives the whole song.

[splatbass]

If you want to hear a bass line I wrote and played go to the Tube Blasters site in my signature and listen to One and All. I'm no Jamerson, but I think it is pretty good. I didn't play on the other three songs.

[splatbass]

Actually it is me on "You" also, I forgot about that one.

[frazod]

If you want to hear a bass line I wrote and played go to the Tube Blasters site in my signature and listen to One and All. I'm no Jamerson, but I think it is pretty good. I didn't play on the other three songs.

I'm listening to it right now (I had to turn my signatures back on). I like that song a lot - very catchy. Nice work on the bass as well. :thumb:

[splatbass]

I'm listening to it right now (I had to turn my signatures back on). I like that song a lot - very catchy. Nice work on the bass as well. :thumb:

Thanks.

[ClevelandBronco]

McCartney was a great, and very influential, bass player. Listen to "Something" sometime. Amazing bass line. And he may not be famous for his bass playing among average people, but he is among bass players.

I can run it through my mind note by note, and I agree that "Something" is a triumph. That's great stuff. I wonder if that's because he came at the instrument from a melodic composer's point of view. I mean, by that time he wasn't just filling in or supporting anything with his bass.

In light of your post, I'll rethink and rehear what McCartney is doing. I'll enjoy that.

[BiStateNo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9a4ThBNacY



'Nuff said

[ClevelandBronco]

One of my favorite songs is Golden Earring's Twilight Zone. The bass really defines that song.

I always liked "Radar Love." I was actually surprised to hear them resurface with "Twilight Zone."

[KcMizzou]

That episode with the creature on the wing of the plane was crazy.

[ClevelandBronco]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9a4ThBNacY



'Nuff said

Wow.

[splatbass]

I can run it through my mind note by note, and I agree that "Something" is a triumph. That's great stuff. I wonder if that's because he came at the instrument from a melodic composer's point of view. I mean, by that time he wasn't just filling in or supporting anything with his bass.

In light of your post, I'll rethink and rehear what McCartney is doing. I'll enjoy that.


I think you are right about him coming at the bass with a more melodic appraoch because of his guitar and piano playing. That bass line really makes the song. I played that line warming up at a band rehearsal one night, and the guitar player knew what song it was just from the bass line, it isthat distinctive.

Some of my other favorites of his are I Saw Her Standing There, Taxman, Come Together, and Oh Darling.

[ClevelandBronco]

I think you are right about him coming at the bass with a more melodic appraoch because of his guitar and piano playing. That bass line really makes the song. I played that line warming up at a band rehearsal one night, and the guitar player knew what song it was just from the bass line, it isthat distinctive.

Some of my other favorites of his are I Saw Her Standing There, Taxman, Come Together, and Oh Darling.

I wouldn't have even thought of the first two (even though I've been listening since my aunt turned me on to "Please Please Me" when I was five). I'll give them a new listen immediately. "Come Together" is another classic, and "Oh, Darling" is just raw, great stuff.

Thanks for making me reexamine some of the details that I missed along the way, splatbass.

[ClevelandBronco]

BTW: It appears that Golden Earring can still play their butts off, even if they are old and sagging:

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Check out that double necked bass. He plays the other neck here:

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[ChiefJustice]

I'm not sure if this is an argument for or against: http://ventnorblog.com/copy_images/sid-vicious.jpg


That's a hell yeah!
If you don't know how to play your guitar,make sure you at least look cool while doing it.

[andoman]

I think you are right about him coming at the bass with a more melodic appraoch because of his guitar and piano playing. That bass line really makes the song. I played that line warming up at a band rehearsal one night, and the guitar player knew what song it was just from the bass line, it isthat distinctive.

Some of my other favorites of his are I Saw Her Standing There, Taxman, Come Together, and Oh Darling.

The song may not be his most memorable work as a whole, but the bass on Goodnight Tonight pretty much defines the song.

[BucEyedPea]

They may be or may not be necessary to rock bands ( I seem to think they are) but they aren't necessary as husbands. :harumph:

[FAX]

Were I a bass player, I would use those little finger hammers that lanky, bald guy uses who occasionally plays with Peter Gabriel.

Those are super cool.

FAX

[Chris Meck]

It always amazes me, the perceptions of people who don't play music, or just sort of dabble a bit.

Are bass players neccessary? Of course. Absolutely. It can and sometimes is done with keys, and that can work fine in some genres of music.

Adam Clayton is a zillionaire because he plays remarkably smart parts. Edge couldn't do what Edge does if Clayton didn't do what Clayton does. See? Same with Michael Anthony.

Garry Talent is the E-Street band's bass player. He's not flashy, but he's a damned fine player. just because he's not jumping around and playing a bunch of whacky notes doesn't mean he's not good or unneccessary.

People that don't play music often are only amazed by flash and miss substance entirely.

And anyone who doesn't think Paul McCartney is a great bass player is a dummy. That's like saying Peyton Manning can't play quarterback. It's really that absurd. Manning may not be your FAVORITE QB, but it's pretty clear that he's good. Right?

I'm a musician. I tour the country and europe. I've had more bass players in my bands over the years than I can count. It's the hardest seat to adequately fill in a band, hands down. It takes a certain kind of person, which isn't usually found in musical personality types. It takes an unselfish team player that gets off on making the BAND sound great while knowing that they're not going to get the credit they deserve.

I'm a lead guitar player. I get plenty of spotlight. My wife is a great singer and songwriter. She gets most of the spotlight although she'd rather not. Drummers get plenty, they're back there beating the crap out of stuff. Bass players are like the offensive linemen of music. People often only notice them when they screw up.

But you can't do much without 'em.

Chris

[splatbass]

It always amazes me, the perceptions of people who don't play music, or just sort of dabble a bit.

Are bass players neccessary? Of course. Absolutely. It can and sometimes is done with keys, and that can work fine in some genres of music.

Adam Clayton is a zillionaire because he plays remarkably smart parts. Edge couldn't do what Edge does if Clayton didn't do what Clayton does. See? Same with Michael Anthony.

Garry Talent is the E-Street band's bass player. He's not flashy, but he's a damned fine player. just because he's not jumping around and playing a bunch of whacky notes doesn't mean he's not good or unneccessary.

People that don't play music often are only amazed by flash and miss substance entirely.

And anyone who doesn't think Paul McCartney is a great bass player is a dummy. That's like saying Peyton Manning can't play quarterback. It's really that absurd. Manning may not be your FAVORITE QB, but it's pretty clear that he's good. Right?

I'm a musician. I tour the country and europe. I've had more bass players in my bands over the years than I can count. It's the hardest seat to adequately fill in a band, hands down. It takes a certain kind of person, which isn't usually found in musical personality types. It takes an unselfish team player that gets off on making the BAND sound great while knowing that they're not going to get the credit they deserve.

I'm a lead guitar player. I get plenty of spotlight. My wife is a great singer and songwriter. She gets most of the spotlight although she'd rather not. Drummers get plenty, they're back there beating the crap out of stuff. Bass players are like the offensive linemen of music. People often only notice them when they screw up.

But you can't do much without 'em.

Chris

Well said, Chris.

[splatbass]

They may be or may not be necessary to rock bands ( I seem to think they are) but they aren't necessary as husbands. :harumph:

My wife would disagree.....

[splatbass]

Were I a bass player, I would use those little finger hammers that lanky, bald guy uses who occasionally plays with Peter Gabriel.

Those are super cool.

FAX

That's Tony Levin. A great bass player, and he calls those "funk fingers". They are basically short drumsticks that attach to your fingers with velcro.

[FAX]

That's Tony Levin. A great bass player, and he calls those "funk fingers". They are basically short drumsticks that attach to your fingers with velcro.

Thanks, Mr. splatbass. That guy is 100% awesome. I get the feeling that Gabriel records the bass parts on a lot of his stuff with some kind of MIDI or something, so the lines are occasionally unusual and not "fret friendly". Tony nails it with his funk fingers, though. That guy is a monster.

By the way, have you ever seen the full-length documentary about bass players? I can't recall the name of it, but it featured a ton of awesome players doing session work and discussing their approach and reasons for taking up the instrument. If memory serves, it was centered around sessions for a Government Mule recording. Did they lose their bass player, or something? I can't remember the specifics.

FAX

[Rain Man]

Oh. Wait a minute. Bass players are the low-sounding ones, aren't they? I meant lead guitar players.

[BucEyedPea]

My wife would disagree.....
Good for her....I got rid of mine. :harumph:

[RJ]

I'm impressed by three-piece bands, perhaps because they are so rare. Geddy and Rush are great stuff IMO. Very tight with complicated compositions.

The Police (with Sting, a better songwriter than a bass player in their heyday) were a very tight three-piece combo as well, but their genius was based on what Stewart Copeland was doing at the time musically inside what Sting was writing, IMO. Sting was actually a bit annoying from the moment he put on a fake Jamaican accent in "Roxanne," and he doesn't deserve mention in a thread about bass players.

Unfortunately, I mentioned him, and now you'll have to deal with another one that isn't famous for his bass playing: Paul McCartney. Not a great player by any stretch of the imagination, but an essential member of the band.



Great 3 piece, Cream, with a great bass player, Jack Bruce.

[FAX]

Oh. Wait a minute. Bass players are the low-sounding ones, aren't they? I meant lead guitar players.

Holy Woofers, Mr. Rain Man!!!

Without a lead guitar player, who would spill beer on the singer?

FAX

[splatbass]

Thanks, Mr. splatbass. That guy is 100% awesome. I get the feeling that Gabriel records the bass parts on a lot of his stuff with some kind of MIDI or something, so the lines are occasionally unusual and not "fret friendly". Tony nails it with his funk fingers, though. That guy is a monster.

By the way, have you ever seen the full-length documentary about bass players? I can't recall the name of it, but it featured a ton of awesome players doing session work and discussing their approach and reasons for taking up the instrument. If memory serves, it was centered around sessions for a Government Mule recording. Did they lose their bass player, or something? I can't remember the specifics.

FAX

I have that DVD, it's called "Rising Low". It was done as a tribute to the late Allen Woody, Government Mule's original bass player who died. He was a great bass player, who played with Mule and the Allman Brothers. The number of big name bass players they got for that was amazing. Some truly great work on that and the two albums that came from it. They were only going to do one album, but so many bass players wanted to get involved they had to do two.

[FAX]

I have that DVD, it's called "Rising Low". It was done as a tribute to the late Allen Woody, Government Mule's original bass player who died. He was a great bass player, who played with Mule and the Allman Brothers. The number of big name bass players they got for that was amazing. Some truly great work on that and the two albums that came from it. They were only going to do one album, but so many bass players wanted to get involved they had to do two.

Well, I'm glad I didn't just make it up. I got a huge kick out of one of the bass players (can't recall his name) who was talking about bass notes being like the sound made at the occasion of the "big bang". Totally wonderful film.

Now that I know the film really exists, I recommend it to all music lovers.

FAX

[splatbass]

Holy Woofers, Mr. Rain Man!!!

Without a lead guitar player, who would spill beer on the singer?

FAX

For fun, some guitarist jokes.....

Q:How Many Lead Guitarists does it take to change a
lightbulb?

A:Four. One to change it and three to stand back and
say "Not bad, but I could have done it way better"

Q:How Many Lead Guitarists does it take to change a
lightbulb?

A:None. They steal someone elses light.

Q. How many guitarists does it take to screw in a
lightbulb?

A. One. They just stand there and the whole world
revolves around them.

How do you make a guitarist play quietly?
Put sheet music in front of him

How do you make him put his guitar away?
Put notes on the sheet music


What's the definition of a semitone?
Two guitarists playing in unison

How do you make a guitarist leave?
Pay him for the pizza

What do you call a guitarist without a girlfriend?
Homeless

How can you tell if a stage is level?
The guitarist drools evenly from both sides of his mouth.

Q: How many bass players does it take to change a
lightbulb?

A: Thirteen. One to change the bulb and the other
twelve to keep the guitarists out of the spotlight.

How do you make a guitarists car go faster?
Take that pizza sign off the top of it.

So, what does a lead guitarist use for birth control?

Their personality!

What's the difference between a guitarist and a large
pizza?

The pizza can feed a family of four.

What is the difference between a guitarist and a
couch? A couch can support a whole family.


How do you drown a guitarist?
Press the "flush" button while he's drinking.

What's the difference between a guitarist and an
endowment policy?

Eventually, the endowment matures and makes money.




:) No offense to any guitar players out there, I play guitar too. It is all in fun. Maybe I can see if I can dig up some bass jokes for fairness.

[booger]

Are you Phil's LEFT nut, or RIGHT nut. I only listen to one of them.... :hmmm:
The middle one

[bringbackmarty]

Rainman, perhaps in order to make an informed decision you need to learn your history. By the way we bass players are like the jockeys from the episode of the simpsons with duncan the diving horse. You messed with the wrong dudes this time.

THE CURSE OF THE BASS PLAYER

In the beginning there was a bass.

It was a Fender, probably a Precision, but it could have been a Jazz -
nobody knows. Anyway, it was very old ...definitely pre- C.B.S.

And God looked down upon it and saw that it was good. He saw that it was
very good in fact, and couldn't be improved on at all (though men
would later try.)

And so He let it be and He created a man to play the bass. and lo
the man looked upon the bass, which was a beautiful 'sunburst' red,
and he loved it. He played upon the open E string and the note
rang through the earth and reverberated throughout the firmaments
(thus reverb came to be.)

And it was good. And God heard that it was good and He smiled at his
handiwork.

Then in the course of time, the man came to slap upon the bass. And lo
it was funky. And God heard this funkiness and He said, "Go man, go."
And it was good. And more time passed, and, having little else to
do, the man came to practice upon the bass.

And lo, the man came to have upon him a great set of chops. And he
did play faster and faster until the notes rippled like a breeze
through the heavens.

And God heard this sound which sounded something like the wind, which
had created earlier. It also sounded something like the movement
of furniture, which He hadn't even created yet, and He was not so
pleased.

And He spoke to the man, saying "Don't do that!" Now the man heard the
voice of God, but he was so excited about his new ability that he
slapped upon the bass a blizzard of funky notes. And the heavens
shook with the sound, and the Angels ran about in confusion. (Some of
the Angels started to dance, but that's another story.)

And God heard this - how could He miss it - and lo He became
Bugged. And He spoke to the man, and He said, "Listen man, if I
wanted Jimi Hendrix I would have created the guitar. Stick to the
bass parts."

And the man heard the voice of God, and he knew not to mess with it.
But now he had upon him a passion for playing fast and high.
The man took the frets off of the bass which God had created.
And the man did slide his fingers upon the fretless fingerboard and play
melodies high upon' the neck.

And, in his excitement, the man did forget the commandment of the
Lord, and he played a frenzy of high melodies and blindingly fast licks.
And the heavens rocked with the assault and the earth shook, rattled
and rolled.

Now God's wrath was great. And His voice was thunder as He spoke to the
man. And He said, "O.K. for you, pal. You have not heeded My word. Lo, I
shall create a soprano saxophone and it shall play higher than you
can even think of." "And from out of the chaos I shall bring forth
the drums. And they shall play so many notes thine head shall ache,
and I shall make you to always stand next to the drummer."

"You think you're loud? I shall create a stack of Marshall guitar amps
to make thine ears bleed. And I shall send down upon the earth other
instruments, and lo, they shall all be able to play higher and faster
than the bass." "And for all the days of man, your curse shall be
this: that all the other musicians shall look to you, the bass player,
for the low notes.

And if you play too high or fast all the other musicians shall say "Wow"
but really they shall hate it. And they shall tell you you're
ready for your solo career, and find other bass players for their
bands.

And for all your days if you want to play your fancy licks you
shall have to sneak them in like a thief in the night." "And if you
finally do get to play a solo, everyone shall leave the bandstand and go
to the bar for a drink."

And it was so.

[Saggysack]

Of course bass players are essential to a band.

Ever heard Red Hot Chili Peppers without Flea?

Neither have I. And there is very good reason for that.

[KC Kings]

Playing bass is easy? I've got 2 words for you. Victor Wooten.

[stevieray]

Roger Waters... Money
John Deacon..Under Pressure

[Bob Dole]

Discussion over.

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[StcChief]

Gotta have the bad bass line. shore up the drumming.

[splatbass]

Lyrics to a song by Dave Pomeroy:

The Day the Bass Players Took Over the World

The day was very subtle, everything was low-key,
The sky it was so overcast that you could barely see,
And everything slowed down to a slower frequency,
The day the bass players took over the world.
Well, they came pouring out of symphonies, orchestras and bands,
And every other kind of combo that was ever known to man,
And although it was spontaneous, you'd think it was quite planned,
The day the bass players took over the world.
Now one day the bass players, they decided to uprise,
They were tired of being sidemen to all those other guys.
So they kidnapped the horn section,
They put drugs in the drummer's drink,
And they tied up all the guitar players
With their big ol' flat-wound strings.
And on that day the world it was finally set free,
All the creatures they hung out together and interacted fretlessly,
And the air began to vibrate with such a deep tonality,
The day the bass players took over the world.

[ZepSinger]

An average gig for a working musician pays about the same as it did 25 years ago.

That is the sad, pathetic truth. I made pretty much the same coin in '79 as I did when I quit gigging fulltime in '93. What the ^&%#%^ happened to adjusting for the cost of inflation?? What other job pays virtually the same now as it did 30 years ago???

In fact, I did a cover band gig just a couple of years ago, and that band barely did $350/night. Nice. :shake:

Z

[BucEyedPea]

That is the sad, pathetic truth. I made pretty much the same coin in '79 as I did when I quit gigging fulltime in '93. What the ^&%#%^ happened to adjusting for the cost of inflation?? What other job pays virtually the same now as it did 30 years ago???

In fact, I did a cover band gig just a couple of years ago, and that band barely did $350/night. Nice. :shake:

Z
That's actually true for a number of professions. One is photographers.

[splatbass]

That is the sad, pathetic truth. I made pretty much the same coin in '79 as I did when I quit gigging fulltime in '93. What the ^&%#%^ happened to adjusting for the cost of inflation?? What other job pays virtually the same now as it did 30 years ago???

In fact, I did a cover band gig just a couple of years ago, and that band barely did $350/night. Nice. :shake:

Z

Yup, we usually get $400 a gig, but sometimes have to settle for $300. That is pretty much the same as 25 years ago when I started gigging. And the gigs are harder to get now, since a lot of bars would rather have a DJ, since it costs them less.

[kcfanintitanhell]

How many country bass players does it take to change a light bulb?
One...Five...One...Five...One...Five

[BiStateNo]

Yup, we usually get $400 a gig, but sometimes have to settle for $300. That is pretty much the same as 25 years ago when I started gigging. And the gigs are harder to get now, since a lot of bars would rather have a DJ, since it costs them less.

Brother I couldn't agree more!

I don't play in a group anymore (shoot for the last 10 or so years) but even back then, it was pretty easy to see the "live music scene" sort of dying a slow death. Damn shame.

While it's true that most clubs would rather employ some side-ways hat wearing gangster wannabe (who claims to be a "musician" because he spins records) due to the costs, there was a time when that would have never happened.....funny how times change....

[splatbass]

How many country bass players does it take to change a light bulb?
One...Five...One...Five...One...Five

OK, that is funny. :)

I played in a country band for years, so I can relate.

[rad]

Metallica fans:

Check out this cover I found- I think it's the best cover I've seen yet (except for the drummer). You should know what song it will be..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQeLqMhA49k

[Demonpenz]

I would rather hear the real people sing than some hacks hacking it out. Other people feel the same way. There is a bad ass 90's cover band over at jerry's bait shop on tuesdays though. They palyes pumpkins, pj harvey, incubus, crash test dummies, megadeath ratm all the songs sounded bad ass.

[kcfanintitanhell]

Lyrics to a song by Dave Pomeroy:

The Day the Bass Players Took Over the World



I love Pomeroy-that's why I used the "Basses Loaded" in a previous post. That's another song of his.
:)