What kind of bass player are you?

[andy67]

this is great reading all the replies - thanks folks!

glad to see this thread taking on life of its own and evolving.....

andy

Edited August 15, 2007 by andy67

[parker_muse]

4 strings, been playing about 18 months now.


I neeed to use a variety of techniques, i play the synth bass lines for my industrial band, which are fast catchy but dark and deep aswell. And there ontop of odd drum beats, so its hard to keep in time for an inexperienced player!


My other band is ska, in which i use lots of fifths and little fills up and down the neck. I play relatively quickly to keep it going and keep the hapy shine on it while the guitarist just upstrokes like a bitch!

[nash]

male. 4 strings.

i'm a balls out rock n roll/metal bassist. i sling my bass low. i play for the song, not me. if some i play doesnt work in the song no matter how much i like it i won't use it. i play in a melodic death metal band and a more 90's influenced melodic band in the styles of jimmy eat world, far, kerbdog etc.

i will only buy basses by fender, fender, fender, musicman, g+l and lakland. valves and an 8x10 are the way for me.


\m/

[Machines]

I went through a 6 string phase, then realised I had no real need for it. I get on just fine with a 4.

[Dood]

Dood, 31, loves ERB (6's and7's)

Jack of all trades and a master of.. ahh.. ehem!

I think underneath I am still very much interested in 'lead guitar' that I used to play years back. I loved the things that guitarists could do, but bass players seemed to shy away from in this area when I was first learning. My heart and passion is 'in da low end' and there's nothing like driving a song with a good drummer, standing back watching the other guys wailing and making people happy. I like to have my 'little moment', but am not the sort to try to endulge in a yawn-some solo. I'd actually love to play a harmony solo with say a keyboard player or guitar, in the middle of a song. That sounds just awesome!!

I do write solo 'bits', but not really as much as I should. I am much more of an honest team player!!

hmm do I ever overplay? well, live maybe.. it's a show after all! Bells and Whistles thrown in! Speaking of which, I do love modern prog. Exciting interludes and challenging time sigs keep me interested on stage and hopefully doesnt bore the audience.

Thats me. (today anyway)

[BigBassBob]

Rock bass player who plays 4 and 5 strings and a tiny bit of fretless on the side. Played for about 6 years, my tone is pretty rock (very slightly overdriven scooped EQ). Use fingers over a pick but I can play with a pick if required (I was forced into using a pick for a recording recently ¬_¬`). I use effects lightly (only use chorus once per set for a few parts and overdrive for a few songs). I can slap, but I only like to when there's a place for it.

Main influences: Les Claypool, Geddy Lee, Mike Todd... I like to put in chords and bass lines that complement the main melody of the song and lines that sometimes play off the guitar parts.

My tone does get mixed up a bit because I sometimes go for a completely clean scooped eq when using my 5 string and sometimes a more mid heavy eq with overdrive when using my Rickenbacker...all depends on my mood really lol.

[barneythedog]

41 years old, started life as a sax player but got frustrated with the odd solo here and there - I wanted to be a REAL member of the band, so took up bass (as no one else seemed to want to play such a glamourous instrument!)

Played in a variety of bands, from original material (when I was younger) to the classic covers/function group.

Currently I play in a Celtic folk-rock band, and on occasions with a funk/rock collection of misfits.

Playing exclusively 4 strings finger style, although I do own a BB615 but as already mentioned, that B string just makes an expensive thumb rest.

My playing style is pretty basic - I see my role as partnering a good drummer to create a solid and interesting groove. I have a wide experience of playing many instruments and many styles, and I can show off when required, but generally I like to leave the flash to others. It's a team thing.

[mr pablo]

Male 28 rock/metal player, I play 4 string basses slung low at the mo, but have dabbled in 5 and 6 string basses. I'm not in a band at the mo but recording some tunes with the aim of getting a band together and get some gigs in, I can play both fingerstyle and with a pick to the same degree but I prefer the tone I get from using a pick. I love playing riffs and doing melodic fills although the song comes first and foremost I only show some skills when there is space. Slap and tapping need work on as I'm cack at both

[andy67]

important and potent incorporating a good partnership with a drummer!

nothing I like better than sitting in with the drummer and grooving/driving the song....

[ARGH]

Name:ARGH
Age:29
Been playing:16 years(?)
Style:Musician (Limitless)
Likes:Playing an instrument that is labelled Bass
Hates:People who think that is all it should do
Thinks:Pidgeon
Believes:If you feel it,do it,Staying still makes you a target,There are no excuses for limitation,build on it,try harder,Dont worry...its just sound.

I play an instrument.
I like to sing too.
I put on a show.
People like it.

Cup of Tea?

xxx

[BigRedX]

Multi-instrumentalist/sound sculpter who currently plays bass.

I'm a pretty good bass player within my preferred styles, a passable guitarist, and can bash the keys well enough to get my ideas into the sequencer.

Have been playing in bands since I was 15, currently heading towards 47...

These days I'm mostly playing fretless (inflenced by Mick Karn) with occsional chord/lead bass in the style of Peter Hook.

I like wierd looking instruments - if everybody else hates it, I'm probably GASing for it!

[Faithless]

I'm 17, I play bass only for 10 months.

I prefer fingerstyle playing ( somehow, i hate picks... doubtless, it's regular ).

I've now switched from 4 to 5 string bass, and, I think, I'm going to stay on it.

Got a band, play rock music ( Pantericca covers for now, on autumn we'll start creating something proper)

I've graduated music school ( all other 3 bandmates graduated same school), now, I'm having lessons at Jazz-player btw, he's going to UK tommorow, so, If anybody happens to hear jazzband from Lithuania, maybe it's him...).

I also like singing, so I have back-vocals post.

That's all, - work hard, keep it goin', enjoy, what you're doing, and never regret for your actions! bassmania

[Happy Jack]

50-year-old born-again muso, stopped playing (piano & guitar) about 25 years ago, re-started (bass only, from scratch) 18 months ago.

I play mainly blues, I'm more interested in tone and feel than in speed and techno-wizardry, I collect vintage Hofners and play them through vintage valve amps.

I look pretty young but I'm just back-dated.

[dtbass]

- 18
- Metalhead
- Special powers: the ability to take out a front row by head banging

I play mainly finger-style, like playing metal, but also some blues, can't beat the lovely groove of a blues bass line (ahhh The Lemon Song.

Edited August 15, 2007 by dtbass

[3V17C]

..here goes:

37 yrs old, been playing since i was 13.

Had a handful of lessons back then but pretty much self taught. was in a gigging band almost straight away playing covers, then soon got into originals bands.

Over the years have done tons of gigs (although I still get nervous beforehand!), couple of small tours including Europe, reasonable amount of recording and had one or two near misses with success! Had a few years a while back when my playing fizzled out for a bit (not totally, just not in any bands for a while) but these days I'm 110% back into it.

Style wise I grew up on a diet of Maiden, AC/DC, Saxon etc but always explored other genres so nowadays have a very wide range of influences, anything from Hair Metal to Zappa to Indie to Trip Hop to Fusion to ..whatever! Bass influences include: Sheehan, Claypool, Watt-Roy, Clarke, Flea, Wooten etc.

My playing reflects my influences, I consider myself to be reasonably accomplished and I can turn my hand to pretty much any style although I guess I am first and foremost a rock player, although when writing lines for original material I tend to be quite melodic rather than just root note plodding.

I've always played fingerstyle and as someone else mentioned the tone [i]is[/i] all in the fingers!

I like my gear to be as simple as possible! - 4 strings only (although I've had sixers before), ideally passive instruments and a maple fingerboard.

Live, I believe in putting on a show, and always get into it onstage, throwing shapes and chucking in the odd bit of flash playing but (hopefully) all the time making it look easy!

At the moment I'm playing in [url="http://www.myspace.com/livenloudrockband"]LIVE n' LOUD[/url] which is a band I put together and pretty much run. I'm still after some kind of original project though.....

Theres a bit more bumf and pics and songs here: [url="http://www.clivehjones.co.uk"]My Site[/url] and the obligatory [url="http://www.myspace.com/clivehjones"]MySpace[/url]

peace

c

[Johngh]

Names John (big surprise) played Bass for 30yrs, enjoy laying down a grove. Want to learn slap and tap but always to knackered when I get home from work (85 mile drive in total to and from work) to put serious practice in.
Play mainly 5 and 6 string now, I moved onto 6ers and then found the neck on a 4 to fiddly when I tried one again. sh*te on a 6 but like the necks on them (is it only me !!!)
After keeping most of my current gear for the last 5 years, I'm now undergoing major GAS where I seem to be wanting to change everything...Help !!!

Edited August 17, 2007 by Johngh

[MythSte]

16 years old, and completly going where the music takes me.

im playing music that requires throwing yourself around on stage a bit, whilst throwing shapes with some dock off riffage.

But when it comes to it, when the groove takes shape, im a pocket dweller who plays far to many octave fills.

[dangerboy]

I started playing 15 years ago, but have only played for 5 years (I took a decade off in the middle).

Pure rock/punk bass. 4 strings. Passives only. Weird passives built from non-standard materials or parts preferred.

The sound is Bob Weston.
The bassline is Kim Gordon.
The stance is Peter Hook.
The attitude is Sid Vicious.
The pedalboard is Brian Gibson.

[m0reilly]

after playing for 10 (fretted), i took 20 off. then i saw a 'wick fretless, by complete accident, whilst rummaging the web last year. after wasting years as a closet frettless/upright lover, i'm lovin' the naked fingerboard! i love the physical of "slab", and the sound of the urb. that's me

Edited August 16, 2007 by m0reilly

[ShergoldSnickers]

Melodic riff based, with walking bass lines that feature as many weird intervals as I can get away with. Highly jazz influenced. The guitarist I do the music with (music? ) knows my playing inside out and is very good at anticipating where I'm going to go next, just as well, as a lot of it is improvisational. Hah-ha, a guitarist that follows a bass player. Just as it should be.
He's the one with all the theory and perfect pitch etc, but I'm getting better at following him. When I want to. Someone once compared me to Eberhard Weber. I wish.

Self-assessment? Understated, subtle but could learn quicker. Should practice more.

Old git. 50. Been playing on and off since I was 17. Fingers only, but the use of finger nails to pluck and scrape the stings is chucked in sometimes. I sometimes tap the strings, not to sound notes on the fingerboard, but instead of plucking, rather like piano hammers. If you pick the right places you get some lovely overtones creeping in. 4 string Shergold Marathon fretless. It's become part of me.

[warwickhunt]

I don't play bass... I play music in the song, for the song! What I do happens to be done best (for me) on the bass guitar but never at the expense of 'the song'... so what kind of bassist, sympathetic.

Ooooh sound like I'm coming over all arty and/or Zen. Think I'll go and bang out 'My Generation' on the 4 string plank

[Paul Cooke]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='46070' date='Aug 15 2007, 09:07 PM']50-year-old born-again muso, stopped playing (piano & guitar) about 25 years ago, re-started (bass only, from scratch) 18 months ago.

I play mainly blues, I'm more interested in tone and feel than in speed and techno-wizardry, I collect vintage Hofners and play them through vintage valve amps.

I look pretty young but I'm just back-dated.[/quote]

that would be me as well... played back in the seventies in a punk band... didn't know what I was doing... just played roots hard and fast trying to keep up with with the drummer... sold my Fender to buy a motorbike when I joined the RAF.

took it up again last year. Play Blues, Reggae, old Cream and Zepp numbers (the blues ones)

Can't afford to buy vintage now... miss my old Fender P, was a pawn shop special... think it was a sixties model... have no photos, so can't check back.

Put down a reserve on a Squier Vintage Modified Jazz last weekend, should have the money to complete by end of this month... early Christmas present...

Now I want to jam with a band of like minded people... I think I'm ready to jam, need the experience & pressure, bedroom noodling isn't going to advance me much.

So any other blues musos in Gloucester area need a Bassist?

ps, perhaps I should get a bigger combo amp before jamming? 60Watts enough?

Edited August 16, 2007 by Paul Cooke

[peanut]

Been playing - or at least trying to for about a year.

Decided at the age of 42 that I'm fed up sitting in a room with a computer and a couple of synth's (although I still do of course) and that I really should learn to play an instrument properly.

As to what, that was never in question had to be bass My main pleasure with synths is creating pumping bass lines.

So stumbled on for 6 months then got an excellent tutor - Paul Geary is a top bloke - and if I actually practiced everyday would be starting to become reasonably competent player .

Obvious 4 string at present although I have recently aquired a 5 string version of my 4 - cheap yet great instruments these Status Grooves.

[CPBass]

4 String Fanatic of 20 yrs gigging experience I also teach quite regularly.

Ive tried a few 5 stringers and didnt enjoy the low B string, although now I do have a hipshot for E-D drop tuning.

I approach the bassist role as the link between drums and harmony. Currently have a 4 piece band with 1 geetar. I get plenty of space to run around should the song call for it but mainly concentrate on making the song groovy and sound awesome.

Ive been lucky enough to be given a couple of songs that highlight my playing. For these I pull out a few tricks n slaps and taps but only for short periods. Im not onr for too much limelight (let the geetarist have that stuff)

Overall I play to enjoy and keep to my groove job pretty solidly whilst having tons of fun.

My fave practice routines include fast runs and grooves (Claypool / Entwistle) just coz they are challenging and great for hand fitness.

Just love plucking the fatstring!!!!

[Bassmonster]

Been playing bass for about 7 years, style mainly rock, the odd bit of basic slapping and tapping here and there, play pick and fingerstyle...i should be better than i am.