SiOfBass Posted August 4, 2007 Share Posted August 4, 2007 (edited) seriously- what is it with guitarists thinking and being thought of as superior to bassists? if my guitarist makes any comment like "why i lowered myself to playing bass?" i have the old faithful putdown of "its cos im more used to handling big instruments". any one got any other quips please post i dont get it- no ones thats not a bassist of some kind will agree that bass is superior- im all for each to their own but come on- alot of "guitarists" knocking around just mastered a powerchord and its enough to make them sound a competant rhythm at best. no disrespect to the uber players like satch and vai but the uber bassists are just as good if not better. [b]cant help it if ya gots to have the bassline[/b] get yer rant on si Edited August 5, 2007 by SiOfBass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARGH Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 simple,dont respond...and start playing about with timing with the drummer. Does help if you have a drummer thats good,but do it on a gig,and REALLY dick about under a the guitar solo,(Its freeform right) its hard and takes practise,but if you two fire off each other really well,then the guitarists frustration will be a picture. Remember guitar players demand and need orchestrated interplay,take structure away from them and they flounder in their own ego. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiOfBass Posted August 5, 2007 Author Share Posted August 5, 2007 haha im gonna have to try that one next practice. does it all have to be in the same key ect? normally when i improv' some bassness it winds up me just messing about in a pentatonic. but the drummer's pretty good for putting a beat and a few fills to anything. and i spose a rhythm guitar part would keep the timing too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 It sounds like the guitarist is just trying to push your buttons - don't bother going down to his level. If it winds you up tell him he's an idiot and find another guitarist - there are ten a penny after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha-Dave Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 To be honest when I was at school/uni, I saw a lot of bassist who do just play the root note of whatever chord the guitarist is chugging, and they are deservedly less talented than their guitarists. Once a bass player moves into playing bass-lines, then it requires as much skill as playing lead-lines. Most importantly of all thought IMHO is the entire band playing as a single unit: that includes the rhythm section (bass guitar & drums) as one and the melody instruments (bass guitar, guitar, keys, vocals). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alun Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 Laugh at his tiny puny strings and the fact he can't hit one string at a time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-bitch Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 'cos I'm not a w***er. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1 Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 MB1. WTF? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alibabu Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 [quote name='ARGH' post='41509' date='Aug 5 2007, 11:47 AM']simple,dont respond...and start playing about with timing with the drummer. Does help if you have a drummer thats good,but do it on a gig,and REALLY dick about under a the guitar solo,(Its freeform right) its hard and takes practise,but if you two fire off each other really well,then the guitarists frustration will be a picture. Remember guitar players demand and need orchestrated interplay,take structure away from them and they flounder in their own ego.[/quote] I hope you are not serious about this, because in that case, I'm afraid your band will be out of jobs pretty soon. The idea of playing together with other people in a band should always be trying to create good music, not to try to make each other look bad on stage. If the guitarist is suddenly left without a clue of where the 1 in the beat is, do you think that will make people think "at least the bass player knows his stuff"? Probably not. To tell you the truth, a surprisingly large part of the audience would normally not be able to tell which sounds come from the guitar, and which comes from the bass. If the guitar sounds cr*p, the band sounds cr*p. To the original poster: I understand your frustration over not getting enough recognition for your skills, and your guitarist's obvious lack of understanding on the equal importance of each of the instruments in the band. How about suggesting that you practice some unison lines for some of the songs? The guitarist might still not be impressed, but at least it shows the audience that you have actually rehearsed:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARGH Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 [quote name='alibabu' post='41613' date='Aug 5 2007, 02:48 PM']I hope you are not serious about this, because in that case, I'm afraid your band will be out of jobs pretty soon. The idea of playing together with other people in a band should always be trying to create good music, not to try to make each other look bad on stage. If the guitarist is suddenly left without a clue of where the 1 in the beat is, do you think that will make people think "at least the bass player knows his stuff"? Probably not. To tell you the truth, a surprisingly large part of the audience would normally not be able to tell which sounds come from the guitar, and which comes from the bass. If the guitar sounds cr*p, the band sounds cr*p. To the original poster: I understand your frustration over not getting enough recognition for your skills, and your guitarist's obvious lack of understanding on the equal importance of each of the instruments in the band. How about suggesting that you practice some unison lines for some of the songs? The guitarist might still not be impressed, but at least it shows the audience that you have actually rehearsed:)[/quote] Absolutely serious.... A few bars in a little point in a set,just to give the message,not saying to do it in a big payday job,but just a bit of push/pull on a pub gig or rehearsal will suffice. And if you get fired I think its more to do with ego bruising rather than talent (hense I say Good drummer is essential) and If the part of the audience cant tell the difference between a guitar/bass,do you think they will be able to tell a blatant cock up compared to a ryth section play around... Its kind of playing as a musician...do it well and you will be applauded. Guitar sounds cr@p=Band sounds cr@p is rubbish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarnbass Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 I don't agree either, things like that are what splits bands up. Talk about your differences, and if you can't continue without criticizing, picking holes, and trying to out do each other, call it a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBunny Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 (edited) Interesting debate and as an "ex-guitarist", I have no desire to go back. Bass is the best job in the house and coupled with a good drummer, is a dynamite combination. I had an comment from a punter at a gig last week about just that. The guitarists had both turned the volume up and the Drummer and I carried on with our job of providing a really solid groove throughout. This guy noticed it and said it kept everything together. That is what the audience starts tapping their feet to, not a Steve Vai solo. Try imagining virtually any song without the Bass line and it falls flat. Yep, best job in the house. Edited August 5, 2007 by BassBunny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardHimself Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 [quote name='ARGH' post='41509' date='Aug 5 2007, 10:47 AM']simple,dont respond...and start playing about with timing with the drummer. Does help if you have a drummer thats good,but do it on a gig,and REALLY dick about under a the guitar solo,(Its freeform right) its hard and takes practise,but if you two fire off each other really well,then the guitarists frustration will be a picture. Remember guitar players demand and need orchestrated interplay,take structure away from them and they flounder in their own ego.[/quote] haha well my guitarrist struggles to play anything which requires any sort of special rhythm at all. He can't even do the verse bit to all my life, which he obsesses over! The drummer and i on the other hand are very tight, so that could be a very fun idea to do sometime... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geddys nose Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 The best guitarist I've ever played with did'nt play all the time he turned down for verses and added texture when required and played with such a great feel for the Whole band (I always said he would make a great bass player). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alibabu Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 [quote name='ARGH' post='41620' date='Aug 5 2007, 04:06 PM']If the part of the audience cant tell the difference between a guitar/bass,do you think they will be able to tell a blatant cock up compared to a ryth section play around[/quote] Sure. Just take a look at the faces of the musicians on stage. If at least one of them look confused or annoyed, that tells them off right away. I've been on both sides of the stage when this happens, and in both cases it ruins the concert experience, at least for me it does. On the other hand, playing around with rhythms and melodies when everyone is prepared, can be great fun for the band as well as the audience. Like this, for instance: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78PhdqAdAvo"]Medley[/url] [quote]Guitar sounds cr@p=Band sounds cr@p is rubbish.[/quote] Let me rephrase that a bit. If one of the band members is playing out of time, or hitting the wrong chords at the wrong time, that makes the band sound worse than it else would have done. My point is, to play in a band is not an internal competition between the participants, but an effort to sound as good as possible together, creating good music. To take a football analogy: Would you make an agreement with a fellow player to deliberately try to make one of your other team mates look bad on the field, even if this could cause you to lose the match? In that case, good luck building your ego! a. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 [quote name='BassBunny' post='41632' date='Aug 5 2007, 03:46 PM']Try imagining virtually any song without the Bass line and it falls flat. Yep, best job in the house.[/quote] tell that to The White Stripes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1 Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 MB1. A HATFULL OF BOLLO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 [quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='41563' date='Aug 5 2007, 12:45 PM']It sounds like the guitarist is just trying to push your buttons - don't bother going down to his level. If it winds you up tell him he's an idiot and find another guitarist - there are ten a penny after all.[/quote] I agree. Without intellectualising, the guitarist sounds a bit of a dickhead. Create an inter-band coup, & oust the tosser! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
setekh Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 [quote name='MacDaddy' post='41648' date='Aug 5 2007, 04:23 PM']tell that to The White Stripes [/quote] tell that to his octaver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiOfBass Posted August 5, 2007 Author Share Posted August 5, 2007 lol, il try the razzing some snazz on in practice on tuesday just see how it goes. plus i like putting quite prominant bassline in stuff we come up with- doesnt suit everything but i love it when i get it right besides what the guitarist reckons though, alot of general people percieve bass is inferior- i dont get it 'cos to pick up and make some kind of regular noise- guitar is easier than bass i used to play electric and i play it occasionally still, and i love my acoustic 6string (hopefully soon get an electro bass)- but i totally agree with bassbunny; we got the better job. just bugs me how poeple generally reckon any guitarist is more skilled than any bassist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1 Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 [quote name='setekh' post='41663' date='Aug 5 2007, 05:49 PM']tell that to his octaver [/quote] MB1. Eggy Trump! Strange name for a girl drummer that........ OCTAVER? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P-T-P Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 My thoughts would be, if it puts your nose out of joint that much and there's not loads of wonga coming in, either find another guitarist or find another band. However be aware that most bass playing gigs require us bass players to let our ego take a bit of a back seat, it kinda goes with the territory. I'm fortunate that the guitarist in my band is a total egomaniac in a performing sense but a self-confessed musical luddite in another. If he gets to big for his boots he's a pretty easy target and will take a gentle put down squarely on the chin and shut up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golchen Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 This isn't a guitarist problem, it's an asshole problem. They come in all shapes and sizes and play all manner of instruments. In a great band everyone has equal value. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 [quote name='P-T-P' post='41758' date='Aug 6 2007, 12:56 AM']a self-confessed musical luddite[/quote] i'm using that one at our next practice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkysimon Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 [quote name='Dillsfretless' post='41803' date='Aug 6 2007, 09:02 AM']This isn't a guitarist problem, it's an asshole problem. They come in all shapes and sizes and play all manner of instruments. In a great band everyone has equal value.[/quote] Definitely this; your guitarist just sounds like he's being a dick. I play guitar and bass in a couple of different bands, and years of playing funk (where the guitar does little more than add a bit of syncopation, and is very much secondary to the bass) have taught me to know when to STFU and just keep the song grooving and when you can get away with dicking around. That said, playing in an eight-piece band there isn't much musical space, I usually just let the horn players wave their musical cocks around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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