3 elements of music: rhythm, melody & harmony - what's most important to you as a bassist?

[visog]

I ask 'cause I've been listening to various musics where each is the most important:

- Melody: Squire playing a line through Yes' chord changes
- Harmony: Jeff Berlin/Gary Willis playing off chord tones
- Rhythm: Rocco rippin' up the 16ths

What's the best? You decide!

[visog]

Forgot to mention - you can only really have one primary then the two secondarys - and why?

[discreet]

You can't generally have one without the other two... they are symbiotic in varying degrees.
EDIT: I think you are introducing too many restrictions on choice, here!

Edited July 18, 2014 by discreet

[winterfire666]

all three for me, it may be against the rules but its the only way, i use all 3 styles in equal measures.

[JTUK]

If you haven't got decent rhythm, you'll have no groove, IMO
so that is primary as far as I am concerned...

And not sure Rocco is the example to hold up, btw...

but it's only a game..........

[visog]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1405705800' post='2504574']
If you haven't got decent rhythm, you'll have no groove, IMO

[/quote]

Right so here's the thing: Yes and Holdsworth don't groove... but they're both great music... (I know Ernest Tibbs and Jimmy Haslip have introduced some groove to AH.. I'd say Jimmy Johnson whilst awesome, was primarily harmonic...)

Edited July 18, 2014 by visog

[Lozz196]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1405705800' post='2504574']
If you haven't got decent rhythm, you'll have no groove, IMO
so that is primary as far as I am concerned...
[/quote]

Gotta start here, rhythm the most important for me.

[bassace]

Without harmony we'd be redundant as bassists.

[JapanAxe]

Rhythm.

You can play really low and fudge the pitch, but if you haven't nailed the rhythm, you ain't doing your job!

[visog]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1405708122' post='2504634']
Gotta start here, rhythm the most important for me.
[/quote]

Enya anyone? No rhythm...

Just sayin'... (I'm not disagreeing...)

Edited July 18, 2014 by visog

[EddyGlee]

to quote Jaco..

Jaco: "Rhythm is the whole deal"

Jerry Jemmott: " Thankyou"

[Marvin]

All 3. No point in just having rhythm if you don't know what to do with it...may as well become a drummer

[essexbasscat]

Those three elements are probably all important to musicians of all stripes, but as an instrumentalist I also include;

- Groove
- Articulation
- Technique
- Emotion/feel
- Tone
- Phrasing
- Space/rest
- Listening

Whenever I think of them, which isn't all the time !

[Dad3353]

If one is playing melodically, melody is king.
If one plays to the chord changes, harmony wins.
If one plays rhythmically, rhythm is top.
I'd say it depends on context. I can imagine (but don't wish to..!) a 'slap' player using simply rhythmic expression.
I can conceive a melody weaving all around the 'beat'.
It's possible to have very fine harmony with no or little rhythm, nor melody as such.
Which is essential..? Whatever serves best the piece, I'd say.