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Favourite female bassists.... Go!


Pixiechick23
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[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1407597532' post='2522191']
What about Annie Clements who plays with Sugarland, among others ? One of the few pro female bass players in Nashville that I am aware of.
[/quote]

Annie is a great player.

So is Constance Redgrave of Spikedrivers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGk3gIyhqd8

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[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1407170267' post='2518021']
Why is that a good thing? Why should I celebrate or be thankful for that? Why do you see that as some kind of vindication for Kim Deal's lack of ability? Does the world really need more inept bass players? I want [i]less [/i]players inspired by Kim Deal and her ilk, not more.
[/quote]

What then is 'ability' in the world of pop and rock musicians? What is 'inept'?

If you wish to focus on technical ability that's your affair. For me, ability is interpreting the needs of the music and fulfilling those needs with taste, nuance and passion, that could be Kim Deal, could be Scott Thunes. It's all relative to the demands of the music. Sounds to me like you need musicians to demonstrate a high level of technical ability for you to be able to believe in them and to enjoy the simpler aspects of the music they're involved in. Without wanting to sound patronising, I used to be the same - when I was a teenager and in my early twenties.

There is absolutely NO NEED to have a high level of technical ability to be a great musician, it's all about the musical environment the musician is impassioned by, for them to connect to it on a visceral level and express what they are feeling. It's all totally subjective.

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[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1407599310' post='2522213']
What then is 'ability' in the world of pop and rock musicians? What is 'inept'?

If you wish to focus on technical ability that's your affair. For me, ability is interpreting the needs of the music and fulfilling those needs with taste, nuance and passion, that could be Kim Deal, could be Scott Thunes. It's all relative to the demands of the music. Sounds to me like you need musicians to demonstrate a high level of technical ability for you to be able to believe in them and to enjoy the simpler aspects of the music they're involved in. Without wanting to sound patronising, I used to be the same - when I was a teenager and in my early twenties.

There is absolutely NO NEED to have a high level of technical ability to be a great musician, it's all about the musical environment the musician is impassioned by, for them to connect to it on a visceral level and express what they are feeling. It's all totally subjective.
[/quote]

Who mentioned technical ability ? Certainly not me. I am referring to overall musical ability and musicality , and my assessment of what constitutes musical ability and effective music would, on the whole, tally with your own. .

Some people have neither technical ability or musical ability. Kim deal and all too many of her ilk have some kind of innate musical savvy attributed to them [i]because[/i] they lack technical facility, when the reality is they have none . It is a classic case of the emperor's new clothes. All too often such musicians are neither skillful, tasteful, original or indeed particularly interesting in what they create, just like the "technical" players they are supposedly the antithesis of . There are many( too many) technical brilliant musicians who make awful music, but there are just as many unskillful ones who churn out dreary self-indulgent twaddle too. What I take exception to is the popular misconception that unskilled musicians are innately more creative, original and "refreshing" than ones that play well. Music is primarily a craft that you learn , not an art form that is the product of moments of transcendent inspiration, despite popular romantic myths to the contrary.

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[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1407602235' post='2522246']
Music is primarily a craft that you learn, not an art form that is the product of moments of transcendent inspiration, despite popular romantic myths to the contrary.
[/quote]

But it can be either, or both. In my humble opinion. :)

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[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1407602235' post='2522246']
What I take exception to is the popular misconception that unskilled musicians are innately more creative, original and "refreshing" than ones that play well. Music is primarily a craft that you learn , not an art form that is the product of moments of transcendent inspiration, despite popular romantic myths to the contrary.
[/quote]

See loads of bands like the Arctic Monkeys are sh*t players but they speak to a generation, just as the Beatles did, just as the pistols did, just as Oasis did (gigsy on bass man, I mean he was total horse sh*t on bass!) Then over time they often become good players too (not Gigsy), maybe like Macca the natural skill for song writing was already in him who knows? What I do know for certain is that no matter how good Uxia Martinez is 10'000 people paying to see The Arctic Monkeys would not sit and watch her if they had been sold tickets for the Monkeys at MEN arena no matter how good she is, and she is good.

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[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1407602235' post='2522246']


Who mentioned technical ability ? Certainly not me. I am referring to overall musical ability and musicality , and my assessment of what constitutes musical ability and effective music would, on the whole, tally with your own. .

Some people have neither technical ability or musical ability. Kim deal and all too many of her ilk have some kind of innate musical savvy attributed to them [i]because[/i] they lack technical facility, when the reality is they have none . It is a classic case of the emperor's new clothes. All too often such musicians are neither skillful, tasteful, original or indeed particularly interesting in what they create, just like the "technical" players they are supposedly the antithesis of . There are many( too many) technical brilliant musicians who make awful music, but there are just as many unskillful ones who churn out dreary self-indulgent twaddle too. What I take exception to is the popular misconception that unskilled musicians are innately more creative, original and "refreshing" than ones that play well. Music is primarily a craft that you learn , not an art form that is the product of moments of transcendent inspiration, despite popular romantic myths to the contrary.
[/quote]

Just out of interest Dingus, why do you think Kim Deal is not a good bass player?
Is it simply because you don't like the band she played with? She could play in time, serve the songs well (very simply ok, but that's all they needed) and could take playing professionally to large crowds in her stride.

I mean it's not like she used to mess up with loads of bum notes, forget where she is in a song or rush the tempo.
Also the Pixies songs usually sound simple but the changes could come in unusual places that would throw some people.
Plus she could sing and play bass at the same time, which isn't the easiest thing in the world to do.

Taste is a personal thing but she wasn't/isn't a bad player.

Edited by miles'tone
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I was on the BIMM Summer School in Bristol this week as the only bass player and I was lucky enough to have a two hour one to one with Yolanda who helped me learn a song for the afternoon, suggested some learning techniques for 16ths and dead notes and writing out song structures , got her Dimension out to demonstrate, watched me play in 3 Bands in the afternoon , jumped on stage to play with the others and said she liked my attitude to Bass and learning. She even bit off some of her nails so she could demonstrate on her bass. A lovely gracious lady with awesome chops.

Edited by Mr Fretbuzz
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[quote name='Mr Fretbuzz' timestamp='1407616700' post='2522413']
I was on the BIMM Summer School in Bristol this week as the only bass player and I was lucky enough to have a two hour one to one with Yolanda who helped me learn a song for the afternoon, suggested some learning techniques for 16ths and dead notes and writing out song structures , got her Dimension out to demonstrate, watched me play in a Band in the afternoon , jumped on stage to play with the others and said she liked my attitude to Bass and learning. She even bit off some of her nails so she could demonstrate on her bass. A lovely gracious lady with awesome chops.
[/quote]That must have been awesome. I imagine it is always a dream to play with someone famous, so it must have been a dream come true :)

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[quote name='Mr Fretbuzz' timestamp='1407616700' post='2522413']
I was on the BIMM Summer School in Bristol this week as the only bass player and I was lucky enough to have a two hour one to one with Yolanda who helped me learn a song for the afternoon, suggested some learning techniques for 16ths and dead notes and writing out song structures , got her Dimension out to demonstrate, watched me play in 3 Bands in the afternoon , jumped on stage to play with the others and said she liked my attitude to Bass and learning. She even bit off some of her nails so she could demonstrate on her bass. A lovely gracious lady with awesome chops.
[/quote]

I'm so jealous What a brilliant experience! :-)

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It's a great course. Played on stage with a guitarist who played for Oasis and Paul Weller; Paul Weller's drummer and a lovely young lady just signed with her band I am a camera. Plus help and advice from Yolanda and Damon Minchella. Help all week from Stuart Clayton. Priceless :-)

Week after next I'm doing a metal, heavy metal and punk course. Doing songs by Skindred, Rage Against the Machine, Jane's Addiction and Korn. Now that's going to be challenging as I've not done anything similar and I'm a finger player. No idea who the industry guests will be.

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Nice to see as has become the Norm for basschat (I can't quite pinpoint when it became talkbass) this thread has descended into a wash of ego battles, sarcasm and vitriol.... Partly why I don't visit the forums as religiously as I used to.

For my 10p worth, Carol Kaye as she was underrated, and D'arcy Wretzky from the Pumpkins.

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[quote name='Mr Fretbuzz' timestamp='1407616700' post='2522413']
I was on the BIMM Summer School in Bristol this week as the only bass player and I was lucky enough to have a two hour one to one with Yolanda who helped me learn a song for the afternoon, suggested some learning techniques for 16ths and dead notes and writing out song structures , got her Dimension out to demonstrate, watched me play in 3 Bands in the afternoon , jumped on stage to play with the others and said she liked my attitude to Bass and learning. She even bit off some of her nails so she could demonstrate on her bass. A lovely gracious lady with awesome chops.
[/quote]

I'm deeply envious. Sounds fantastic

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I was scratching my head on this one. I remembered the girl I saw with Jeff Beck but had to google it to find her name and then somebody mentioned Suzy Quatro. Sadly, I can't name any others without more Googling. That's not right really, is it?

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[quote name='paulears' timestamp='1407658035' post='2522577']
I was scratching my head on this one. I remembered the girl I saw with Jeff Beck but had to google it to find her name and then somebody mentioned Suzy Quatro. Sadly, I can't name any others without more Googling. That's not right really, is it?
[/quote]

That's exactly why I like threads like these! If you ignore all the bickerings you can find some good recommendations of people you hadn't heard of

That's how I got turned on to Constance Redgrave. Someone mentioned her on BC some time ago and I looked her up.

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[quote name='Skinnyman' timestamp='1407664434' post='2522641']
Carrie Melbourne. Played on a couple of Mike Oldfield tours, plays Chapman Stick. Awesome.

Maybe not quite as good a sense of musicality as whatshername from the Pixies but she manages okay.

Better than me any road
[/quote]

And Babylon Zoo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB5zXlwte9M

Edited by toneknob
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[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1407179000' post='2518126']
The Pixies are bloody awful in their own right, regardless of my superiority
[/quote]

This is the wrongest thing i have ever seen written on the forum. Also I am sure Kim is perfectly capable of being a 'real' bass player, if the songs required it. She has stated on several occasions that the (Pixies) music never wanted or needed anything other than the simple bass lines she played. Indeed im quite sure Frank Black as the bands founder and song writer would not have allowed it in his songs.

Kim is a favourite because her bass lines just have that certain[i] something [/i]that distinguishes run of the mill from special.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCPy_57z4_w[/media]

Edited by daz
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Just came across this woman on youtube, quite like her!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4PvlIOgYgs

* side note just to add though, the only thing I don't like about these vids [and those of another woman I found] although you can tell they are playing, the track they are playing along to is louder than their bass so you can hear more of that than them. Otherwise, pretty cool player considering she's only 19 [possibly 16/17 in this vid, not sure]

Edited by icastle
Link Fixed.
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