Bass players who take their hand off the neck

[peteb]

13 minutes ago, stewblack said:

I suspect the mistake a lot of you more, ahem, sedentary bassists are making is assuming we're 'showing off' or 'trying to be cool' rather than just having fun or getting carried away. I don't quite know why what someone else chooses to do while playing bass should upset you in any way, or affect you at all really, but each to their own.

The point is if you are putting on a rock show there needs to be an element of ‘show’. Therefore, you should try to develop some degree of stagecraft. This may include the singer being able to engage with the audience, the band making eye contact with punters, the guitar (or bass) player throwing a few shapes, the drummer twirling the odd drum stick, or even, the bass player taking his hand off the neck when it doesn’t need to be there. 

I think that the pretext of the OP is that he doesn’t like anyone who is a better player than him or has a better command of stagecraft. I suspect this goes far beyond bass playing and he also probably hates anyone who has a bigger car or eats olives, etc.

[T-Bay]

I have never done this, well until tonight that is after reading this thread and it feels good! 

[Maude]

3 minutes ago, peteb said:

I think that the pretext of the OP is that he doesn’t like anyone who is a better player than him or has a better command of stagecraft. I suspect this goes far beyond bass playing and he also probably hates anyone who has a bigger car or eats olives, etc.

Oh my, have you been saving that post in your handbag for the right time? 

😂

[peteb]

3 minutes ago, Maude said:

Oh my, have you been saving that post in your handbag for the right time? 

😂

Nah, it just occurred to me he may be that sort of person. Really, why would anyone start a post beaching about bass players to take their hands off the neck? 

[stewblack]

15 minutes ago, peteb said:

The point is if you are putting on a rock show there needs to be an element of ‘show’. Therefore, you should try to develop some degree of stagecraft. This may include the singer being able to engage with the audience, the band making eye contact with punters, the guitar (or bass) player throwing a few shapes, the drummer twirling the odd drum stick, or even, the bass player taking his hand off the neck when it doesn’t need to be there. 

I think that the pretext of the OP is that he doesn’t like anyone who is a better player than him or has a better command of stagecraft. I suspect this goes far beyond bass playing and he also probably hates anyone who has a bigger car or eats olives, etc.

OLIVES?? Why that makes me mad. Evil devil's food.

[Maude]

I took the OP as tongue in cheek but maybe I was wrong. 

I do it as I'm a particularly showy tw@t, our audiences are there for the whole show, not just the music. 

[josie]

I only ever wanted to play bass partly because I understood and wanted that almost-backstage, inconspicuous, unrespected, but utterly essential role. The same in other lives - I've been secretary for several local community organisations for many years. When I do get respect, I know it's real. 

That's probably part of why I love black basses. Nobody is going to notice them unless they know and care. 

That said I do make eye contact with the punters - and I'm not a total statue when I'm playing - but I'd never "make moves" to attract attention. That's for our excellent lead singer and she's very good at it. 

[EMG456]

Feel free to be irritated then- I do it most gigs and occasionally it’s really useful- how else might you change a broken string out mid-song??!

[Newfoundfreedom]

If there's one lesson I've learned in life it's never take your hands off the neck until the job is finished. 

 

[Norris]

Can I suggest that we split the "arm danglers" into two camps: those relieving strains & cramps, and posers. 

Now for the posers, rather than dangle the spare arm, grip the top horn of your bass firmly and thrust it aloft while plugging away at the open string of doom. That's proper posing. 

Having separated out the posers, the remaining arm danglers can now receive our fullest sympathies rather than ire.

 

Next week I'll be solving the middle east crisis and making a suggestion to avoid a hard border in Ireland, that is so obvious that politicians around the world will facepalm in unison. I thank you

[stewblack]

1 minute ago, Norris said:

Can I suggest that we split the "arm danglers" into two camps: those relieving strains & cramps, and posers. 

Now for the posers, rather than dangle the spare arm, grip the top horn of your bass firmly and thrust it aloft while plugging away at the open string of doom. That's proper posing. 

Having separated out the posers, the remaining arm danglers can now receive our fullest sympathies rather than ire.

 

Next week I'll be solving the middle east crisis and making a suggestion to avoid a hard border in Ireland, that is so obvious that politicians around the world will facepalm in unison. I thank you

There is the third camp. Neither cramp nor poseur. Those of us who don't take ourselves too seriously and are just having fun.

[chrismuzz]

Every gig I do this, and I pull a bird every time.

 

Might be a slight exaggeration...

[Teebs]

2 minutes ago, Norris said:

Can I suggest that we split the "arm danglers" into two camps: those relieving strains & cramps, and posers. 

Now for the posers, rather than dangle the spare arm, grip the top horn of your bass firmly and thrust it aloft while plugging away at the open string of doom. That's proper posing. 

Having separated out the posers, the remaining arm danglers can now receive our fullest sympathies rather than ire.

 

Next week I'll be solving the middle east crisis and making a suggestion to avoid a hard border in Ireland, that is so obvious that politicians around the world will facepalm in unison. I thank you

Succinctly put that man!

[PaulWarning]

10 hours ago, peteb said:

 

I think that the pretext of the OP is that he doesn’t like anyone who is a better player than him or has a better command of stagecraft. I suspect this goes far beyond bass playing and he also probably hates anyone who has a bigger car or eats olives, etc.

thankfully, you don't know me at all

[cetera]

On 02/02/2019 at 19:33, PaulWarning said:

is it just me or does anybody else find it irritating when bassists take their hand off the neck when playing an open string, usually with a 'look at me aren't I clever' look on their faces? when it's exactly the opposite to being clever.

Luckily for me I've never given a sh*t what other people thought about my playing style/stagecraft - after all it's never stopped me getting a gig. Those who matter have chosen me for my reliability, musical dexterity, groove and personality . You know, things that matter....
Probably why I'm the one on the stage and people who judge are in the audience (if they've actually left their bedroom)....

Edited February 4, 2019 by cetera

[Unknown_User]

On 03/02/2019 at 08:49, PaulWarning said:

not many share my opinion then, us bass players are the most underrated members in the band, guitarist's think it's easier and the public don't really know what we do, not helped by being low in the mix a lot of the time, and only last night someone said to me " I've tried guitar and couldn't do it, might try bass it looks easier".

So standing there playing an open string with the freting hand dangling by your side sort of disrespects us IMO YMMV

When I take my fretting hand away on an open string I'm usually shaking it to get the blood flowing back into it because it's starting to cramp up.  I don't see the problem with doing it just to pose though. 

You could argue that getting annoyed with it because it might make people think you aren't doing something sufficiently complicated is equally being a poser by trying to con people into thinking you're doing something more exciting than you actually are.

Then again that's not a problem for me, as people often compliment me on my bass playing by telling me how difficult I made it look!

[PaulWarning]

I do seem to have ruffled a few feathers, not my intention,  I fully expected not everyone to agree with me, but not the hostility from a few, the slightest form of criticism does seem to bring the worst out in some doesn't it? in my OP I did allude standing there with a smug look as well as removing the hand from the neck, the comment came after watching a Bass player doing it while pouting like Victoria Beckham (he had a strange sound as well, rather like someone knocking on a front door,  that didn't help)

[dmccombe7]

1 hour ago, PaulWarning said:

I do seem to have ruffled a few feathers, not my intention,  I fully expected not everyone to agree with me, but not the hostility from a few, the slightest form of criticism does seem to bring the worst out in some doesn't it? in my OP I did allude standing there with a smug look as well as removing the hand from the neck, the comment came after watching a Bass player doing it while pouting like Victoria Beckham (he had a strange sound as well, rather like someone knocking on a front door,  that didn't help)

I'm with you on this one Paul and i know exactly what you mean with the smug face as if to say "hey look at me i can play bass with one hand".

Dave

 

Edited February 4, 2019 by dmccombe7

[spectoremg]

11 hours ago, josie said:

I only ever wanted to play bass partly because I understood and wanted that almost-backstage, inconspicuous, unrespected, but utterly essential role. The same in other lives - I've been secretary for several local community organisations for many years. When I do get respect, I know it's real. 

That's probably part of why I love black basses. Nobody is going to notice them unless they know and care. 

That said I do make eye contact with the punters - and I'm not a total statue when I'm playing - but I'd never "make moves" to attract attention. That's for our excellent lead singer and she's very good at it. 

A regular pillar of the community. 

[spectoremg]

1 hour ago, cetera said:

Luckily for me I've never given a sh*t what other people thought about my playing style/stagecraft - after all it's never stopped me getting a gig. Those who matter have chosen me for my reliability, musical dexterity, groove and personality . You know, things that matter....
Probably why I'm the one on the stage and people who judge are in the audience (if they've actually left their bedroom)....

Where would music be without you. 

[Paul S]

Gosh, this all went rather well, didn't it.  

[Newfoundfreedom]

I still don't get it.

How are you supposed to take a selfie without letting go of the neck? 

My Instagram would be crap if I played bass with two hands. 

Edited February 4, 2019 by Newfoundfreedom

[Newfoundfreedom]

Careful @Teebs 

You're gonna run out of little likey men again. 😂

Edited February 5, 2019 by Newfoundfreedom

[bassbiscuits]

On 02/02/2019 at 21:23, stingrayPete1977 said:

When playing Snow Patrol I play open A,  open D and get a member of the audience to press the Ab down on the E string! I've also played it left handed all the way through just to make it slightly more exciting. 

It's gotta be worth a try to make Snow Patrol more interesting....

[Teebs]

11 minutes ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

I still don't get it.

How are you supposed to take a selfie without letting go of the neck? 

My Instagram would be crap if I played bass with two hands. 

Specially for NFF!