JohnnyG Posted December 31, 2003 Report Share Posted December 31, 2003 i have to say that im suprised only one person has said Jaco Pastorius. my friend who plays bass (upright and guitar) got me to listen to some of his stuff and franklly alot of it is just plain silly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekraft Posted January 2, 2004 Report Share Posted January 2, 2004 Obviously you haven't listened to enough Jaco - he was a sad, tortured man, but he was absolutely unique. Try some Weather Report, Jaco did his best work with them, maybe it'll be easier to digest. I'm not saying you have to like it, lots of people don't, but calling his work silly trivializes his influence on everybody who followed. He's like Eddie Van Halen, we may not play anything like him, but we've all at least subconsciously taken something from his playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyG Posted January 2, 2004 Report Share Posted January 2, 2004 sry slight misunderstanding, by silly i meant silly as in far far too good. not silly as in stupid. anybody who can cover a Bach concerto for harpsichord (cant remmber the exact name of this piece) using a bass guitar is far beyond talented i think lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeB Posted January 2, 2004 Report Share Posted January 2, 2004 id say john myung is my fav. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted January 5, 2004 Report Share Posted January 5, 2004 and you cant forget pino palladino ......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulNeeds Posted January 5, 2004 Report Share Posted January 5, 2004 and you cant forget pino palladino ......... I can. I wanted his gig with The Who... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarMaestro Posted January 24, 2004 Report Share Posted January 24, 2004 John Myung is an amazing good bass player. His sound is incredible and his technique simply amazing. Still he supports the band with his playing instead of destroying it in the style of Billy Sheehan. I bet Myung could play what Sheehan plays, but he is wise enough to play in a way which enhances the song and the band's sound instead of going on an ego trip and simply make the band as a whole sound worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekraft Posted January 24, 2004 Report Share Posted January 24, 2004 ...going on an ego trip and simply make the band as a whole sound worse. Hmm, don't care much for Mr. Sheehan, do ya? Did you ever notice how many guitarists don't like any competition from the bottom line? Seriously, I don't think Billy's style would be appropriate in a blues band, but how is what he's doing any different than Jack Bruce's playing in Cream, or Entwistle, or Stanley Clark, or Tony Levin's work with Steve Stevens and Terry Bozzio? Lighten up, dude, "destroy" is a pretty strong word - if you don't like it, don't listen, but don't try to trivialize a technically gifted player just because you don't think he's doing it right. Myung is a great ensemble player, Billy shreds. Apples and oranges, no need for a competition, it's all good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithHowell Posted January 28, 2004 Report Share Posted January 28, 2004 Always loved Entwhistle's playing and Jack Bruce's in Cream. I read in the local newspaper a while back that Ginger Baker now lives in South Africa and breeds horses and plays polo for petes sake! Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gobbo Posted January 28, 2004 Report Share Posted January 28, 2004 bass can really stir up a song. i dont know how many times the band im in starts one song, then the guitar solo comes in, then mrbass comes in and steals it, then i steal it, then he steals it.. then the song turns into a battle with a drum beat lol. i think i have a bass solo complex, no matter how hard i try to let it go that mr.bass stole my solo, i have to steal it back. well, it always turns out awesome for everybody, because we find ourselves doing so many new things, and we can make some pretty cool sounding songs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www Posted January 28, 2004 Report Share Posted January 28, 2004 Now is all I gotta do is get my lead guitarist to read this thread! He feels bass is for rythem only! He grew up playing bluegrass. Damned hillbilly doesn't like rock or jazz! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gobbo Posted January 28, 2004 Report Share Posted January 28, 2004 you can have a band without guitar and still sound awesome, but you cant have a band without a bass. ok, heres how i see importance in its order: drums is by far the most important part of a band bass is just slightly less important than the drums guitar is pretty low. its about as usefull as keyboards or synth. bottom of the list is vocals. true its the only reason for most songs, but in my opinion it comes last. no drums means no beat means terrible music no bass means no soul means hollow and heartless music no guitar means no spotlight... some songs do well without a spotlight. no vocals... well, we did well without vocals in all those symphonys back in the day. all my opinion of course. and what i said doesnt say it hasnt been done before. white stripes has no bassist and they are popoular (though they sound hollow, and their guitar riffs are mocharys) supertramp has extereemly little guitar and they are one of my fave bands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted January 29, 2004 Report Share Posted January 29, 2004 you can have a band without guitar and still sound awesome, but you cant have a band without a bass. no drums means no beat means terrible music . i think it is reversed...guitar is what you hear...bass is just a part(important though) of the whole. the doors...great band with no bassist..replaced by keyboards jewel...great musician...very few songs with a drummer...all guitar and vocals successful bands with bass as the primary instrument?primus and who else? there are truly no instruments which are more important in a band..it all depends on the music..,, listen to blues traveler.......harmonica is more a focal point than the bass. alot of bands just use a bass to double up the guitar lines...if you do that then you really won't miss the bass so much....i prefer the bass as a rythm section instrument... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEdwardJones Posted January 29, 2004 Report Share Posted January 29, 2004 you can have a band without guitar and still sound awesome, but you cant have a band without a bass. Kinda depends on the type of music dunnit? I mean, if you're doing drum & bass obviously the most important instruments are drum & bass. If you're doing classical pieces for, I don't know, violin, the drum and bass are worthless. Personally when I listen to the music I listen to the rhythm section. If all the bass is doing is doubling guitars it bores me to tears, but to make a blanket statement that any instrument is more important than the other is silly (you also repeat the troubling statement that I hear instrumentalists make all the time, that vocals are the least important part of a band. Well, if it's a vocal band and vocals are the least important part you might want to change your band). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gobbo Posted January 29, 2004 Report Share Posted January 29, 2004 my statements were aimed at rock in general. no instrument is worth more than another, i agree to that of course, but i made an assumption... and it made an ass out of me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekraft Posted January 29, 2004 Report Share Posted January 29, 2004 the doors...great band with no bassist..replaced by keyboards Only when they played live - they had a bass player on every studio album they ever recorded. A competent bass player complements the drum line and adds a harmonic pulse to the rhythm. Some play simple rhythmic patterns that define the sound of the band, like Michael Anthony or Eddie Jackson. Some are more melodic, and play a counterpoint to the song's structure, like Myung, Pete Trevawas, and John Paul Jones. And then there's the equal-time players, who share the spotlight, and propel the song, like Entwistle, Doug Pinnick, Cliff Burton, Geddy Lee, et al. All these approaches work - pick your poison. Relative importance comes from the context. It's all good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angus Podgorny Posted January 29, 2004 Report Share Posted January 29, 2004 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 He 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. Amen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted January 29, 2004 Report Share Posted January 29, 2004 i thought it was a very lovely story...and you tell it so well.....with such enthusiasm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giant Baba Posted February 2, 2004 Report Share Posted February 2, 2004 In every conversation, on the internet or face to face, if the words "bass guitars" are mentioned, it is my duty as a music fan to simply say.... MICK KARN!! There are bassists more technically skilled, sure. But none are cooler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diehardcrew Posted February 9, 2004 Report Share Posted February 9, 2004 For one, no one has mentioned Bill "The Buddha" Dickens. One of the best bass players ever. Secondly, that story was just plain wack. Opinionated yes, understood. The first basses HAD NO FRETS, they added them later. So it wasn't some new invention to pull them off. The Precision bass was called that because it added frets, to get more precise notes. Also, the bass has been around way before guitars, at least the stand-up has been. And they were doing solos on basses long before a guitar was even invented. Also, there are myriad instruments that are higher-pitched than the ones you've mentioned, and they also existed long before the guitar. And the same lame things you've said about bass could be said about guitar. So most of all I hope you were just kidding, because if you really feel that way, then I'm sure you must think that all music MUST sound the same because if it strays in any way shape or form (aren't musician's supposed to be creative??) then it just isn't good, right? But to give you some credit, I must agree that there are some types of music that the bass should try to provide more bottom end & support, but the bassist just goes off and tries to show off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SprocketBoy Posted February 9, 2004 Report Share Posted February 9, 2004 1st: John Myung & Geddy Lee...the best bassist.....Why? Because I believe 1st and foremost what makes a band sound good is everyone in the band to gel together and feed off each other as a whole rather then having one particular instrument stand out and the bands these two bassist play in personifies that. Both Lee and Myung display outta this world bass playing and yet they keep it within there bands main interest...to play good music for the people lol....again just my 0.02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The REAL Nordic God Posted February 9, 2004 Report Share Posted February 9, 2004 Sam youre a dude. im this luke kid and i modle most of my slaps on les {avatar} and im the real nordic god Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapbarstrat Posted February 11, 2004 Report Share Posted February 11, 2004 The bassist in Spacehog holds his own too. Their hit "In the Meantime" has a cool bassline and the bassist is also singing while playing. Spacehog is another great band I recommend if you want something a little less Tenacious D and more rock. Yep, that's the kind of bass playing I like. I think he often uses a Rickenbacker too, like Chris Squire who's been a long time favorite of mine. I remember being a little kid and hearing 'roundabout' and thinking how interesting the "one sound" was (which was the bass). I like the one bass part of Rush's 'free will ' ?? I leaned how to play that . I'm actually a pretty good bass player and have had a few bands beg me to be their bass player. I took the offers a couple times, but then I'd get bored and ask the guitarist if I could just "play around" with his guitar for a few minutes. I would totally wipe them out, then there was trouble. I even did the same thing with singers all the time, when I'd say, " let me try it" Its damn hard when you can't find band members who are as good as you. Sounds like I have an ego problem, but you all know how bad most musicians suck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapbarstrat Posted February 11, 2004 Report Share Posted February 11, 2004 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. That is the best post I've ever seen on this forum. My sides hurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angus Podgorny Posted February 11, 2004 Report Share Posted February 11, 2004 ...that story was just plain wack. Opinionated yes, understood. The first basses HAD NO FRETS, they added them later. So it wasn't some new invention to pull them off. The Precision bass was called that because it added frets, to get more precise notes. Also, the bass has been around way before guitars, at least the stand-up has been. And they were doing solos on basses long before a guitar was even invented. Also, there are myriad instruments that are higher-pitched than the ones you've mentioned, and they also existed long before the guitar. Oh my goodness. It's A JOKE, man. IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE FACTUAL. I found it particularly amusing that you take issue with the idea of the electric bass coming before the upright, and yet find nothing odd about the idea of God being the inventor of a "pre-CBS" instrument, of saying "Go Man, Go!" for that matter. Oi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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