Reggaebass Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 In a reggae band it’s different the bass player and drummer are the main people 😀 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueMoon Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 We know when we get it right....but, sadly, most of the audience is just not savvy about the individual instruments/musicians. I find that if they comment it is mostly on the general sound quality. Too loud is a bad place to be. I recently left a band because they heard but didn't listen when I said overall it was way too loud. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 12 minutes ago, discreet said: There is NO bass guitar on the original recording. I'm currently doing a big band version of that. There's plenty of bass in that arrangement! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazBeen Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 (edited) 19 minutes ago, Al Krow said: Really?! You're clearly playing at different gigs to me. Just start the bass riff to 7 Nation Army unaccompanied and see if anyone notices! Besides the fact the 7 Nation Army does not have any bass on the original recording, my point is (also see the comment about "bass wasn't there they'd notice") crowds think that singers are cool and talented, some crowds will apprecaite the guitarist or even the drummer. The bassist generally is the guy who plays the fat guitar stringy thing. I am not saying the bassist is not the most important in the band (I happen to think we are), but I am saying people don't really notice the individual. If you are in a good band (I am IMO) that gets the crowd's attention, be happy but be aware only the bass players and maybe 2 others notice what you are doing. I get more praise for my vocals than my bass playing, and trust me I am a better bass player than singer. Edited October 5, 2018 by HazBeen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drTStingray Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 It all depends on the band and music but I think you'll find more people care about the bass than you'd realise. There's another thread on here about Vulfpeck and there's a video where you can clearly hear a large part of the audience singing along to the bass part of a song - which goes to prove that in that case many comments about the role and importance of bass on Bass forums are completely wrong. If you go to a gig where the music is groove bassed and you can't hear the bass properly you might as well go home. Which is why it's doubly irritating when the sound people mix the drums higher than anything else. As for image well that has a place dependent on the band - appropriate instruments - well that's a pile of crap - Fender basses were the best you could get in the 60s but ceased to be afterwards. It's all in the fingers of course 😏👍 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntLockyer Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 48 minutes ago, fretmeister said: I hope he's paying you. We get equal split of any fees. Reading between the lines though, the gig and my role in the gig is enjoyable. I know my place, I have a goal and I do whatever I can to make the thing a success. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 (edited) 5 minutes ago, drTStingray said: There's another thread on here about Vulfpeck and there's a video where you can clearly hear a large part of the audience singing along to the bass part of a song - which goes to prove that in that case many comments about the role and importance of bass on Bass forums are completely wrong. That's a case where punters have deliberately gone to see a specific band and know their material intimately beforehand. Not a typical pub gig, which is what the OP is referring to. Edited October 5, 2018 by discreet 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted October 5, 2018 Author Share Posted October 5, 2018 (edited) 10 minutes ago, fretmeister said: I'm currently doing a big band version of that. There's plenty of bass in that arrangement! Exactly! Just 'cos you're in a covers band doesn't mean you have to be clones. We're not a tribute band. But strip out the bass from any decent rock track and the audience will immediately notice. Edited October 5, 2018 by Al Krow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drTStingray Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 13 minutes ago, Reggaebass said: In a reggae band it’s different the bass player and drummer are the main people 😀 And so it should be 👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drTStingray Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 (edited) 5 minutes ago, discreet said: That's a case where punters have deliberately gone to see a specific band and know their material intimately beforehand. I've been to hundreds probably thousands of gigs - with all the famous bass players you can think of and no one has sung the bass parts - even to Jaco or Mark King. It just shows how important the bass can be!! Edited October 5, 2018 by drTStingray Idiotic US English auto correct Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 4 minutes ago, Al Krow said: ...strip out the bass from any decent rock track and the audience immediately notice. Only if they know that track already. And even then they won't be too sure what the issue is... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 (edited) 7 minutes ago, drTStingray said: I've been to hundreds probably thousands of gigs - with all the famous bass players you can think of and no one has sung the bass parts - even to Jaco or Mark King. It just shows how important the bass can be!! You're missing the point - this isn't about name bands or famous bass players - the thread is about what punters want from a bass player at a typical pub gig. My view is they don't want anything, because they're not concerned about individual players, they see the band as a unit. If they see anything at all, that is. Edit: You'd have to be pretty good at yodelling if you wanted to sing along to a Mark King bassline... Edited October 5, 2018 by discreet 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 (edited) Even most other musicians regard the bass as just filling a sonic gap. You could get rid of the bass is loads of bands and most people would be none the wiser. There’s loads of recorded music where the bass is a sludgy mess buried in the mix. Bass isn’t that important for most music or songs Edited October 5, 2018 by Marvin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliasMooseblaster Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 1 hour ago, AntLockyer said: If people notice what I'm doing on my gig I've failed. My job is to provide a pillow for the band leader to lay on. I need to fill gaps he leaves, make him sound great and control the interaction the audience have with him. If they catch me doing it the curtain has been pulled back and that's no good. It's clearly very dependent on the circumstance. My role requires me to lock in with our drummer (of course), fling myself around the stage as a visual foil for our singer, and "busy up" the bassline when our guitarist is soloing. But then I also get a bass solo during the first song in our set, so people definitely know I'm there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntLockyer Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 4 minutes ago, EliasMooseblaster said: It's clearly very dependent on the circumstance. My role requires me to lock in with our drummer (of course), fling myself around the stage as a visual foil for our singer, and "busy up" the bassline when our guitarist is soloing. But then I also get a bass solo during the first song in our set, so people definitely know I'm there! I'm tall and stand at the front of the stage in a 3 piece band, people are aware of me but not my role. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 (edited) This thread is hilarious. We seem to have quite a high opinion of ourselves! I like to think I'm a good bass player, but as far as pub gigs go (I don't do many) I'm not expecting adulation from teeming hordes of admirers! You can even be in a successful band in which other band members don't understand what a good rhythm section is, or how it works! Truth be told, they do what they do well enough, but for whatever reason, they are just not that focussed! Edited October 5, 2018 by discreet 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 They want to hear a good band. If you're doing your job right, they will. That's all they want from a bass player, tho you'll very very rarely hear it expressed as such. If you want to be noticed individually, buy a Bootsy star bass, but brace for everyone calling it a guitar... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 (edited) Average pub audience will notice a band being too loud or a bass being to boomy. They'll notice levels between members isn't quite right ie gtr too loud or couldn't hear the singer. Not usually bass or drum levels tho as they are the reference point for everyone else. They will notice a band that is enjoying themselves compared to a band that is all serious and no interaction with the audience. As a bass player they probably have no idea what bass or gear i'm using and as long it sound ok they will be happy. If i'm in the audience i will be specifically looking at bass gear and his ability and tone first of all and then looking at the other members gear and how they play. Thats assuming they have a good overall sound. If they sound crap i leave. Majority of venues i've played have a fair collection of other musicians for some reason but that's more on the heavy rock side of music. Dave Edited October 5, 2018 by dmccombe7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osiris Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 I've been gigging pubs and such like for more than 30 years now and in my opinion the average pub band audience just want to dance and sing along. That's it. You'll get the odd muso and other bassists paying more attention than Sharon and Dave as they drunkenly sing and dance along, but other than that the punters see the band as a live disco and couldn't care less about your gear, your sound or anything else that we obsess about on Basschat. They just want to hear something that they know and enjoy themselves in their own way - which usually means tripping over the monitors while emptying half a pint of beer over themselves or whichever member of the band they are trying to request a song from. 5 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliasMooseblaster Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 4 minutes ago, discreet said: This thread is hilarious. We seem to have quite a high opinion of ourselves! I like to think I'm a good bass player, but as far as pub gigs go (I don't do many) I'm not expecting adulation from teeming hordes of admirers! What do you mean, "a high opinion"? I am a GOD, and great shall be the wrath that I do vent upon those who do not fall, yea, even unto my feet, in fealty and worship. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 5 minutes ago, discreet said: This thread is hilarious. We seem to have quite a high opinion of ourselves! I like to think I'm a good bass player, but as far as pub gigs go (I don't do many) I'm not expecting adulation from teeming hordes of admirers! You can even be in a successful band in which other band members don't understand what a good rhythm section is, or how it works! Truth be told, they do what they do well enough, but for whatever reason, they are just not that focussed! I love not getting noticed. While the singer and guitarist are getting bloked I quietly load up and sod off home. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 I like people to compliment the band, I like to see people enjoying themselves and having a dance. If I get buttonholed by someone talking bass, it makes me squirm a bit, although the last time it happened, it was a p*ssed punter complaining that I had the wrong neck on my Shukerbird. He came up to me three times: "That's neck's all wrong." "I like it." "But who would do that?" "John Entwistle. Leon Wilkeson*" "Who?" "Yep." "What?" * OK, OK, technically the same bass, but hey... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osiris Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 55 minutes ago, Al Krow said: Really?! You're clearly playing at different gigs to me. Just start the bass riff to 7 Nation Army unaccompanied and see if anyone notices! Get your guitarist to start it at the next gig. I bet the number of people who notice can be counted on one hand. And fewer still will care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikel Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 (edited) 2 hours ago, Al Krow said: v) there is a lot of dead air time between numbers or does the set flow? [Actually a decent multi-fx pedal where each song can be set up as a patch and you can just sequentially scroll through your 30-song, 2 hour set can make a difference here. Massive difference between our main guitarist who only uses dedicated pedals ('cos they're 'better') but can easily spend a full minute between songs dancing over his pedal board, and our dep who has a full-fat Helix and just "flows". Perhaps less of an issue at the dog n duck but certainly a BIG point if you're playing a party or function where folk are up and dancing] At the Dog and Duck the bassist will usually set the bass and amp to a tone they like, and not touch it all night. As long as the rhythm secion is tight the audience dont care one little bit. Edited October 5, 2018 by mikel Spelling. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliasMooseblaster Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 10 minutes ago, AntLockyer said: I'm tall and stand at the front of the stage in a 3 piece band, people are aware of me but not my role. You're right, and I've missed the subtle but important distinction, that people are aware of our presence, but not what we're doing musically to hold everything together. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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