bassist stereotype - which one are you?

[lowdowner]

So, my 'muso' friends all seem to play the 'instrument player stereotype game' where they try to identify stereotypes based on the instruments we play.

So, french horn players are all heavy smokers (go figure!) who are always late because they're too cool to be on time. Violinists are all prima-donnas who blame the position of the stars, or the shade of the lighting, for any mistakes or problems in playing. Flute players are all highly strung and excitable.

Bass guitar players are (according to the stereotype) intelligent, introverted, deep thinkers, that don't make eye contact and prefer the dark to the light (night to the day).

What do you reckon - do you fit this stereotype. Do you think there *are* any common behaviours/character-traits for bass players or is it all bunkum?

[chrismuzz]

I fit into that stereotype pretty well, except i'm NOT that intelligent

[lowdowner]

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1348691255' post='1817067']
I fit into that stereotype pretty well, except i'm NOT that intelligent
[/quote]
You may have an alternative intelligence (such as 'emotional intelligence' or what not)

[Lord Sausage]

If incredibly good looking was part of the stereotype then that would describe me!

[KingBollock]

In the summer I was in a Guitar shop somewhere on the Welsh coast. I looked around and commented to my wife (quite quietly but there was only her, me and the shop owner in there) that there was only one Bass in the whole place. The shop owner nodded and said "Bass player, I knew it! I thought when you came in that you looked like a Bass player.". I took it as a complement.

[lowdowner]

[quote name='KingBollock' timestamp='1348691852' post='1817082']
In the summer I was in a Guitar shop somewhere on the Welsh coast. I looked around and commented to my wife (quite quietly but there was only her, me and the shop owner in there) that there was only one Bass in the whole place. The shop owner nodded and said "Bass player, I knew it! I thought when you came in that you looked like a Bass player.". I took it as a complement.
[/quote]
Surely, *SURELY* you asked him how he knew i.e. what he recognised in you? Go on, spill the beans....

[KingBollock]

[quote name='lowdowner' timestamp='1348691913' post='1817084']
Surely, *SURELY* you asked him how he knew i.e. what he recognised in you? Go on, spill the beans....
[/quote]
I didn't, sorry!

I was dressed like this, but without the sweatbands:



Perhaps it was the Bass I was carrying that gave it away? Oh no, I'd left that at home...

[lowdowner]

nice tatts! Perhaps tattoos are part of the stereotype? I have them too... dunno...

Having looked at the photo I think you look like a bassist too, but I can't put my finger on it....

[seashell]

I am definitely the most intelligent one in our band! Ha ha.
Also I am usually a massive show off. But much less so when bass playing as I am so new to it I am still rather inhibited. But give it another year or so and I'll come out in my true colours! :-)

[chrismuzz]

It's the long hair and the beard. Guitar players never have beards

[seashell]

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1348692570' post='1817101']
Guitar players never have beards
[/quote]

Or hats. Except Slash.

[chrismuzz]

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1348692784' post='1817108']
Or hats. Except Slash.
[/quote]

Hence why it's such an iconic part of his image!

[uncle psychosis]

My wife tells me I have a "bass face". I find this especially amusing because she tells me its different to my "guitar face" :-D

[BassTractor]

I may have told this before, but the doorkeeper/concierge at my music college used to tell what instrument people played when he'd never seen them before, i.e. during spring auditions. I didn't believe him, so he proved it to me in an utterly convincing way.

Of his descriptions of how he did it, I only remember a few right now:
Pianists are the Grands Artistes who come through a door with flapping long coats and an air like: "Here I am! Start worshipping me!"
Organists are nervous and nerdy, and use badly styled clothes.

The bassist stereotype I was taught in Holland was sth. about honest, serving, hard-working people with modesty and a philosophical outlook on life. They could however both be geniuses and simpletons.

best,
bert

[Big_Stu]

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1348696062' post='1817187']They could however both be geniuses and simpletons.[/quote]

Well I was going to write my phd in quantum physics, but I couldn't get my pencil sharpener to work.

[chrismuzz]

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1348696062' post='1817187']
The bassist stereotype I was taught in Holland was sth. about honest, serving, hard-working people with modesty and a philosophical outlook on life. They could however both be geniuses and simpletons.
[/quote]

I can be cocky when I'm in a very good mood... And with regards to work of any kind, if it's not something that genuinely interests me I like to scrape by with the bare minmum

[Cat Burrito]

I've spent the last 25yrs thinking it was the cocky poser who occasionally does better with the ladies than he probably ought to and then thinking just how well I fit the role - hadn't considered time of day or intellect!

[mart]

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1348696378' post='1817195']


Well I was going to write my phd in quantum physics, but I couldn't get my pencil sharpener to work.
[/quote]
Ah now, you see, your mistake was to try to use the pencil sharpener. Before you did that, it was both working and not working. But then you went and stuck a pencil in and collapsed the wave function ....

Er, sorry, wrong topic. Right, er, stereotypes, eh? Isn't there something about lukewarm water?

[Lozz196]

Apart from the making eye-contact - as i try to do this a lot on stage, the below fits me perfectly. Well, I`m fairly intelligent, but no genius:

Bass guitar players are (according to the stereotype) intelligent, introverted, deep thinkers, that don't make eye contact and prefer the dark to the light (night to the day).

[TheGreek]

A drummer I knew said that all bassists are moody bastards...pretty much describes me!!

[thepurpleblob]

By day I'm a quiet IT geek who sits in his office and doesn't speak to anyone.

By night I'm a quiet Bass geek who stands at the back and doesn't speak to anyone.

[Silvia Bluejay]

I think those who should actually reply to this topic are our friends, loved ones and perhaps bandmates - they would probably give a more accurate description of us...

[norvegicusbass]

[quote name='KingBollock' timestamp='1348692142' post='1817091']
I didn't, sorry!

I was dressed like this, but without the sweatbands:



Perhaps it was the Bass I was carrying that gave it away? Oh no, I'd left that at home...
[/quote]
That shopkeeper needs his eyes tested you are obviously a harp player or at a stretch a lute

[steve-soar]

[quote name='KingBollock' timestamp='1348692142' post='1817091']
I didn't, sorry!

I was dressed like this, but without the sweatbands:



Perhaps it was the Bass I was carrying that gave it away? Oh no, I'd left that at home...
[/quote]Bin those shades and get some large Ray Ban Aviators. Cool tats.

[norvegicusbass]

[quote name='mart' timestamp='1348731162' post='1817348']
Ah now, you see, your mistake was to try to use the pencil sharpener. Before you did that, it was both working and not working. But then you went and stuck a pencil in and collapsed the wave function ....

Er, sorry, wrong topic. Right, er, stereotypes, eh? Isn't there something about lukewarm water?
[/quote]
Very clever response truly fitting the stereotype of a bassist