What do you want/need in a bassist?

[drew_half_empty]

well, i picked up bass before guitar

reason being, the bass is the part of the song you feel, and a good bassist can make an otherwise terrible song good by giving it a melody/groove

that's the most important thing to remember as a bassist, you ARE the melody, even if the guitars are playing dumb ass stop riffs for an entire song, you still have the ability to groove it out & make those heads nod

another thing is not playing root notes the entire time, but knowing when to play them. I hate those bassists that just follow the guitars for an entire song, that just shows a lack of talent & makes it look like you play bass because you think it's easier than guitar. But if you pull double time the entire song & rarely throw in a root note, that just makes it look like you're a total showoff idiot. Which you are.

so, yeah, that's what i look for in a bassist

unless it's an upright player

[davedvdy]

well, i picked up bass before guitar

reason being, the bass is the part of the song you feel, and a good bassist can make an otherwise terrible song good by giving it a melody/groove

that's the most important thing to remember as a bassist, you ARE the melody, even if the guitars are playing dumb ass stop riffs for an entire song, you still have the ability to groove it out & make those heads nod

another thing is not playing root notes the entire time, but knowing when to play them. I hate those bassists that just follow the guitars for an entire song, that just shows a lack of talent & makes it look like you play bass because you think it's easier than guitar. But if you pull double time the entire song & rarely throw in a root note, that just makes it look like you're a total showoff idiot. Which you are.

so, yeah, that's what i look for in a bassist

unless it's an upright player

I agree, but I really think it depends on the song. There are times where I can't stand it when the bass player isn't playing the root notes, and it gets too sloppy, and then it looses the foundation.

[ratherdashing]

- show up on time
- learn the part and play it right
- stay in the groove
- don't show off
- don't experiment
- don't hit on my girl

[kneadmomunny]

HOW TO BE A BASSIST!!!

1. show up late to half of band practices. miss all of the others.
2. never move your left hand. it must stay in exactly the same 3 dimensional point.
3. without breaking rule 2, headbang like metalica for every song no matter what the music is doing. especially for slow ballads.
4. adjust your amp. you should have b/m/t = 10/5/4, volume 5, gain 2, power off.
5. mess up every tenth note and then ask for more money.
6. hit on the guitarist's girlfriend.
7. hit on the drummer.
8. never have backups for active pups.
9. turn on amp. nobody will notice.
10. hit on guitarist's g/f again.
11. tell the drummer how to do his job.
12. smoke (pot or cigs) and don't offer any to the other band members.
13. drink more beers than anyone else at a gig. don't pay for your beers.
14. sleep with drummer.
15. tell guitarist you are gay.
15. sleep with his girlfriend.
16. tell other band members how his g/f was in bed in earshot of the guitarist.
17. tell nobody that you slept with a drummer!
18. when the guitarist and his g/f break up...sleep with the guitarist.
19. having torn the band apart, find a new band to buy you beer. preferrably a country band so that you can use sheep and keep the band together. a "musician" shouldn't have to pay for beer.



yes, i did just make those up in about 15 minutes. they are all originals. if you have seen them somewhere else...why did you just read them here?

[drew_half_empty]

I agree, but I really think it depends on the song. There are times where I can't stand it when the bass player isn't playing the root notes, and it gets too sloppy, and then it looses the foundation.

well i mean you have to know when to do it & when not to, but there's no reason to play only root notes for an entire song. That is, of course, assuming you're creative enough to branch off & do something that actually improves the song & not just give you your moment in the sun

[drew_half_empty]

HOW TO BE A BASSIST!!!

1. show up late to half of band practices. miss all of the others.
2. never move your left hand. it must stay in exactly the same 3 dimensional point.
3. without breaking rule 2, headbang like metalica for every song no matter what the music is doing. especially for slow ballads.
4. adjust your amp. you should have b/m/t = 10/5/4, volume 5, gain 2, power off.
5. mess up every tenth note and then ask for more money.
6. hit on the guitarist's girlfriend.
7. hit on the drummer.
8. never have backups for active pups.
9. turn on amp. nobody will notice.
10. hit on guitarist's g/f again.
11. tell the drummer how to do his job.
12. smoke (pot or cigs) and don't offer any to the other band members.
13. drink more beers than anyone else at a gig. don't pay for your beers.
14. sleep with drummer.
15. tell guitarist you are gay.
15. sleep with his girlfriend.
16. tell other band members how his g/f was in bed in earshot of the guitarist.
17. tell nobody that you slept with a drummer!
18. when the guitarist and his g/f break up...sleep with the guitarist.
19. having torn the band apart, find a new band to buy you beer. preferrably a country band so that you can use sheep and keep the band together. a "musician" shouldn't have to pay for beer.



yes, i did just make those up in about 15 minutes. they are all originals. if you have seen them somewhere else...why did you just read them here?

since you made them up & are a guitarist, i'm guessing this happened to you

[Rusty Shackelford]

I'm not going to lie my playing isn't anything amazing. I don't play straight root notes I usually add different notes here or there to keep the groove going, alot like Mike Dirnt in his early years. I've been coming up with some nice lines lately though. Nothing overly complicated but they can groove.

[davedvdy]

well i mean you have to know when to do it & when not to, but there's no reason to play only root notes for an entire song. That is, of course, assuming you're creative enough to branch off & do something that actually improves the song & not just give you your moment in the sun

Yeah, there has to be a balance. I used to alternate with this other bass player when I was in a Highschool Jazz Band, he played the root notes of the chord for every chord change, which is fine, but then you are supposed to swing chromatically, and he ignored that, and it was pretty horrid doubling up on the same note.

Depending on the style, I would personally prefer to hear someone play root notes, instead of some joker that moves all over the neck and can't keep the foundation. Some of the best bass players in the world stick with root notes on certain songs. Staying too simple in styles like Funk, Jazz or Ska, especially, and it will be wrong for the music style.

[kneadmomunny]

since you made them up & are a guitarist, i'm guessing this happened to you

well... some of it happened to me, some to my friends, a few of them are just some of the more popular things people say about bassists, and a few of them i just made up.

we can make a game of which ones are real and which ones are just jokes.

a hint... i have never had a bassist sleep with my g/f. though i did know a drummer who slept with a horse.

[Young Angus]

Someone to serve the song...and not HIMSELF!

[viewaskew2k5]

Talent? The ability to NOT drool? Concentration?? Passed some kind of schooling? His Own Gear? Knows Notes? Tuning? More then one Bass line?
Although the Schooling thing can be counter productive, we dont want them counting to 11 now do we!

[SnakeAces]

Rhythm and groove. Dedication. When you lay down a line, take it to the next level on your own time. Don't try crazy slapping or scale runs during practice where you risk messing everybody else up. (I learned that the hard way) Show up to practice early and be the last to leave.

Build great chemistry with the drummer, find your heart beat. For me a good drummer to play with is very creative and on time with his kick drum. For others it's the snare. The bottom line is you should practice with the drummer away from the band if he's willing.

Find your sound and stick with it. If you are not a solo guy, don't try to be. I am personally a not a solos guy (nothing crazy, just groovy, creative and melodic) that loves to groove. Everybody I've played with has liked that.

Don't be stubborn. Remember your job is to be the heartbeat (pumping blood to link the backbone to the soul), the drummer is the backbone and the guitars/vocals are the soul. Don't overstep your boundaries, but be creative with your ideas.

ACCEPT CRITICS OPENLY. They will only help drive you to be better.

A final note, if you are playing music BECAUSE of money, find a new career. Do it with passion or don't do it at all. Money can come, but it should not be the reason. (in response to everybody talking about money, haha)

[WORSHIPTEAM]

One who can get in the "rocking chair" and groove. And HAS to be one with the drummer. After all it is a percussion instrument that you just happen to be able to play notes on.

[B2D]

I saw Dave Larue play bass for Joe Satriani last May, and having seen Satch with 4 different bassists, I'd have to say that Dave covered the most ground and played the most tastefully. He really filled out the sound and led the band well when Satch was off in outer space.

[markzuck61]

I might hit on the guitarist's girl if his name was John Cusimano.
LOL

[Jake]

For me, playing bass is all about grooving in the pocket. Yeah, flashy bass lines can be sweet, when used in the proper situation.

Some songs just call for root notes. Case in point: "Smells like teen spirit" is probably the easiest song ever to play on bass, but no other bass line would fit during those verses.

[Markk]

Someone to serve the song...and not HIMSELF!

Ditto

[ElUnoAstuto]

Stage antics! The bassist has to be the guy playing with one hand and pointing and throwing horns at the audience with the other! Mine likes to take his bass and pretend it's a machine gun when it's time for a breakdown. : /

[nepalnt21]

i remember saying the same thing in another bassist thread...

i need a bassist that plays what i (or the other writer) tells them to play.

[Mr Wolf]

Some one who can lock with the drummer in a song, and not simply noodle away being "interesting". Someone who will learn their parts like any other member. Also someone who wont mess about between songs doing slap bass at full volume between songs as the other members discuss a part.