grumpyguts Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Guitarists it seems can get away with a bit of slop. Bass players can't, timing and note length are critical to getting a tight sound - if that is what you are after. So that makes Bass a more exact science than flapping around playing chords. Am I wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Spot on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 [quote name='grumpyguts' timestamp='1450359643' post='2932009'] Guitarists it seems can get away with a bit of slop. Bass players can't, timing and note length are critical to getting a tight sound - if that is what you are after. So that makes Bass a more exact science than flapping around playing chords. Am I wrong? [/quote] Yes you are. If you flap around playing chords you'll just sound like a sloppy guitarist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 When I hit a wrong 'un, everyone scowls but guitarist faux pas seem to mostly go unnoticed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twincam Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 I've always thought of it like this having tried guitar in the past. The very nature of a guitar can (not always) hide a lot of mistakes, due to harmonics etc. Especially as guitars often don't go for a fully clean sound. Where as bass generally playing a single note, on one string will require more attention and accuracy. Especially if going for a relative clean tone. The strings being larger and more difficult to tame, mute etc. You can get away with mistakes on bass I've found using (masking) a lot of effects. I've always liked the saying Guitars hard to pick up easy to master Bass easy to pick up hard to master It's a very general saying but it's true guitar you put a lot of effort into just mastering the chords but once mastered you can sound really good. (I'm not saying guitar isn't hard to master, but picking it up initially is way harder, but after mastering a few chords you can sound great) Bass you could possibly be playing very simple stuff in a band very early. After the easy stuff the learning curve goes up very sharp. You will not sound amazing for a long time, again not saying you can't sound good but from good to amazing on bass is a bigger leap than guitar imo. Oh this doesn't apply to those little wonder kids on YouTube who are abnormal haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 On a guitar the right note is just a bend away from the wrong one. On a bass it's already too late Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Ideally, everyone should be good. Ideally... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 A wrong not on a guitar can be worked on to sound like the right one. A wrong note on bass is like an extra b*ll*ck on a tom-cat - it stands out rather more than would be hoped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuNkShUi Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 The bass is the glue. No glue or the wrong glue, it all falls apart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Music really isn't a competition between the bassist and the guitarist, or any other instrument. If it is then you are in the wrong band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Any note however bad, on any instrument, is never more than one semi-tone away from a good note. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 [quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1450361354' post='2932034'] I've always liked the saying Guitars hard to pick up easy to master Bass easy to pick up hard to master [/quote] Liking that. I might steal that paragraph for future use Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borntohang Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1450363503' post='2932065'] Music really isn't a competition between the bassist and the guitarist, or any other instrument. If it is then you are in the wrong band. [/quote] [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1450363596' post='2932067'] Any note however bad, on any instrument, is never more than one semi-tone away from a good note. [/quote] If you're going to insist on saying sensible, measured things like this then I'm afraid I'll have to report you to the admin for conduct unbecoming to a musicians forum. Please try to be less reasonable in the future, thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1450363596' post='2932067'] Any note however bad, on any instrument, is never more than one semi-tone away from a good note. [/quote] Unless you've knocked your tuner off 440 hertz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naetharu Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 (edited) I think that with bass carrying the groove in a lot of music, a faux-pa results in a break with the music that is easily noticeable. Guitar players more often than not are playing lead fills and such over the top, and so a dud note can be covered up much easier. From my days of simply going to see lots of live music before ever playing I came to the conclusion that the bass player, more than anyone else, can really transform a band. I think back to the acts that really blew me away when I saw them and each time it was because the bass player was top notch and brought the music to life. Not always complicated playing, but just really great solid lines and a feel that carried the music with it. I guess it was that which made me take up bass playing myself rather than guitar. That, and that I find bass interesting in a wider range of music than guitar. Edited December 18, 2015 by Naetharu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 [quote name='borntohang' timestamp='1450367876' post='2932109'] If you're going to insist on saying sensible, measured things like this then I'm afraid I'll have to report you to the admin for conduct unbecoming to a musicians forum. Please try to be less reasonable in the future, thanks. [/quote] Sorry, but sometimes I can't help myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 [quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1450368077' post='2932113'] Unless you've knocked your tuner off 440 hertz [/quote] I have known that problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicko Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 [quote name='grumpyguts' timestamp='1450359643' post='2932009'] Guitarists it seems can get away with a bit of slop. Bass players can't, timing and note length are critical to getting a tight sound - if that is what you are after. So that makes Bass a more exact science than flapping around playing chords. Am I wrong? [/quote] I think you are half right but it largely depends on what you are playing. Timing is not so critical on the guitar but the feel of the song will suffer if its wrong. If you think you can get away with duff notes you have obviously never been in a band where the guitarist has cocked up the intro to Sweet Child. As a very bad guitarist myself I have to say I find playing bass much easier but that might just be the way I'm made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agwin Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 When I was working as a full time driving instructor the fact that I played bass would come out in general conversation every now and again. Here’s an example of one such conversation. Client, “Oh! You’re in a band. What do you play?” Me, “Bass.” Client, “That’s the easiest one isn’t it?” Me, “Get out me car!!” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 [quote name='grumpyguts' timestamp='1450359643' post='2932009'] Guitarists it seems can get away with a bit of slop. Bass players can't, timing and note length are critical to getting a tight sound - if that is what you are after. So that makes Bass a more exact science than flapping around playing chords. Am I wrong? [/quote] I have on more than one occasion got away with a bit of slop on bass in a live situation. Despite that I wouldn't want to play with a guitarist whose chords flapped. I'd say 'learn all your inversions and play them crisply'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drTStingray Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 (edited) [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1450363596' post='2932067'] Any note however bad, on any instrument, is never more than one semi-tone away from a good note. [/quote] It can always be a deliberate passing tone......... especially if you play the same pattern twice over (a jazz saxophonist gave me that little piece of insight) - however it doesn't work if for instance you play a flat 7 note over a major 7 chord.......but there again someone might say what the f*** are you doing playing such colourful non root notes on a bass!! Now how about a really duff note - the keyboard player selects the wrong transpose and plays Adele 'someone like you' in F rather than Bb......... as happened to me last weekend - pity the poor singer. i don't think even a bass player playing the wrong root note would be as bad!!! I've never experienced a keyboard player doing this sort of thing before but it's a recipe for f***ing up an otherwise great song if the singers up to it. Edited December 17, 2015 by drTStingray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1450363503' post='2932065'] Music really isn't a competition between the bassist and the guitarist, or any other instrument. If it is then you are in the wrong band. [/quote] I agree with that , but in the spirit of the thread, playing bass is like being a centre back, you don't have to do anything flashy but you have to be solid and consistent, a guitarist can like a forward , blow hot and cold, take risks and still come out on top Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colgraff Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 I'm not sure that any one instrument is easier than any other assuming one aspires to master it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 [quote name='lojo' timestamp='1450386036' post='2932364'] I agree with that , but in the spirit of the thread, playing bass is like being a centre back, you don't have to do anything flashy but you have to be solid and consistent, a guitarist can like a forward , blow hot and cold, take risks and still come out on top [/quote] I understood the spirit of the thread to be that guitarists have it easy and aren't really as good as bassists - bass is a more exact science while guitarists can flap. I don't agree with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 I try to keep my chords tight & in time when I play guitar, pretty much exactly how I approach bass, but I've never been much of lead player & that's where I think, within certain styles and genres, a bit of 'sloppiness' can actually enhance a song. Although does it count as 'sloppiness' if you do it deliberately? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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