What kind of bass player are you?

[bass]

This thread is cool theres so many different types of bassists using loads of different styles :p

Im 15 and ive been playing a 4 string fender standard precision for about....2 years i guess
im in an band that plays heavy rock with a bit of punk
i play punk,rock and some funk

im influenced by stuff like: rage against the machine, red hot chili peppers, the clash, blink-182, billy talent etc.
i know everyone on here is in love with wooten, claypool or burton but i find them really boring :p really talented but boring

[andy67]

must admit - I am staggered at the life this thread has had.....

[EOS650]

Well I wasn't going to reply because I've only been playing for a short period of time. But as far as playing and "styles" I like/want eventually to sound like or pick to for my own sound is.. Les Claypool, (whammy bar stuff like in My Bloody Valentine) and it seems like everything I write ends up sounding like one of Mogwai's new tracks. So....yeah, Mogwai?

Does anyone know of any basses with a decent trem system? Does the jazz bass have the floating trem and such like the guitar does?

Don't mean to hijack the thread.

[EdwardHimself]

^no, you can however go to warmoth and buy a bass tremolo yourself. You would however have to rout out a cavity in an existing bass (preferably a bass that you own ) for the bridge block and springs.

[mr gig]

Been playing for 30+ years, mainly original rock. I play bass like a drum kit with notes. Emphasis on timing. The idea being that I'm as tight as the drummer (or tighter in some cases!). That's where the power of a rhythm section comes from - timing. Having written a lotta basslines, I play what the song needs. If it needs 100 notes, it gets it. If it needs 3000 notes, it gets it. Point being you're there to play music and entertain an audience, not show what a smartass you are! Do a bass solo if you wanna show off. Having said all this sensible stuff, I forget all that and throw in some weird fast stuff sometimes in a live show, just to see if I can trip the drummer up - a bassman gotta have some fun!
Mr Gig.

[Tait]

[quote name='bass' post='53372' date='Aug 31 2007, 02:19 PM']This thread is cool theres so many different types of bassists using loads of different styles :p

Im 15 and ive been playing a 4 string fender standard precision for about....2 years i guess
im in an band that plays heavy rock with a bit of punk
i play punk,rock and some funk

im influenced by stuff like: rage against the machine, red hot chili peppers, the clash, blink-182, billy talent etc.
i know everyone on here is in love with wooten, claypool or burton but i find them really boring :p really talented but boring [/quote]

I like your taste. (apart from rage against the machine)

[gilmour]

Hmmm, here goes.

I'm a semi Pro musician, you've heard of the first call bass player, well I guess I'm the Second Call! I'd describe myself as a funk/soul player, that said they're my preferences, but play any style for the gig I'm doing.

I started playing when I was 14 or 15 and I'm 30 in a month.

I almost exclusivley play 5 strings, although I do own 1 four string, and I can't see the point in a 6 string (for me it's all about the low notes - so maybe if you tuned it G D A E B F# ? hmmm I'd be interestd to know if anyones tried that)

Typically I obbsess over a style or player until I get bored of it (anytinhg form a month or two to a year or two), and then I can never understand what attracted me to it in the first place.

I'm currently undergoing a crisis in confidence with my playing and wondering that, despite all the hardowrk, am I actually rubbish?

I think I need a new challenge ... and I've just been given a brazillian rare groove CD ...

[u]as a little footnote[/u] - I'm quite rubbish with my equipment and gear, I'm sure you'll have seen posts from me asking for loads of equipment advice. I tend to use a piece of kit until it falls apart, and then panic, thinking "I really should have kept up to date with equipment" I've been using the same Trace Elliot amp since 1994 or '95 and It's just blown.. so I'm currently panicking about that. From Time to time I got out and buy an random bit of kit because someone told me I'd like it, and then it sits and gathers dust, hence a cupboard full of unused pedals.

Edited September 4, 2007 by gilmour

[Russ]

Me. Male, 35. Overplaying rock monster. Been playing 18 years. Penchant for heavy metal, very loud amps, OTT custom basses, esoteric techniques, melodic bass parts, crazy effects, and a desire to tone all this down and be more like Tony Levin.

I'd say I'm alright. Not brilliant by any means, but I can hold my own. I've got a decent groove, a good ear, can play with fingers, pick, thumb, and do all the other tricks, can perform in an animated fashion, and am reasonably good with most styles of music. Still got a lot to learn though - my theory is strictly average, my reading sucks and I wish I could improvise better. There's always more to learn and I'm applying myself to all that at the moment.

[pip]

Male 21 years

My style is mainly instrumental rock and leans towards progressive rock aswell. Been playing for nearly 4 years and I'm quite a technical player. And also my style includes soloing which I'm trying to develop still.
The main things I'm working are:
my ear (songs and solos)
chord playing
understanding the basics of sight reading
Aswell as many other things besides. Alot of my bass influcences come from: stu hamm, jaco pastorious, david larue, stanley clarke, john myung & victor wooten.
Music wise influcences are: steve vai (big fan), joe satriani (recently becoming a fast favourite), Symphony X, etc and the list keeps growing!

Phil

[lemoley]

One word - Entwistle

...or at least try to be

[spider]

42 years old.
Picked up my first bass in 1981.
Have also played guitar on and off during that time (gave that up because I couldn't be arsed to play note-for-note solos - far too lazy).
Play Rock of the classic variety (nothing after 1979).
Doing rather nicely - no need for a 'proper' job.

[Huge Hands]

Male, 30, been playing for around 16 years, regular gigging for the last four, mainly blues, soul, funk and easy jazz.

I am obsessed with James Jamerson, but when I try and play like him I usually get lost and f**k things up, so I have developed my own "Basic Jamerson" style (poor man's easier version that isn't as busy but has a couple of his moves in it!)

I started on drums, so for me, locking in with the drummer and "keeping the pocket" is key rather than showing off. Thats what singers and guitarists are for (I'm too shy!) I only started on bass because when I was a drummer, I could never find a decent bass player to jam with!

I prefer 5 strings for the following reasons: I like the rumbly low notes (into Nu-Soul type slow groove stuff) and also it means I can play standard scale shapes in E and Eb without having to use open strings or go up the neck. I used to have a bass teacher for a few years when I first started who advised (I'm sure others will disagree) to always try and play fretted notes rather than open strings and try and stay as low down the neck as much as possible. It kinda stuck with me and I subconsciously always follow those rules, whether right or wrong (plus my brain is lazy!)

Finally, always fingered, never picked (oo-er!). Just my preference, (and lack of ability!)

[Mr Fudge]

I just bang the fingers in to the strings. Some nights are good and I go for things I probably shouldn't. Some gigs can be hard work. I think I hear the lines in my head before I play them. Apart from obvious stuff I never play the same lines twice. I am far too busy and try to play too many notes. Probably a hang up of being a guitar player first. I love playing bass and that's good enough for me.

[jakenewmanbass]

[quote name='Huge Hands' post='159139' date='Mar 17 2008, 07:46 PM']I am obsessed with James Jamerson, but when I try and play like him I usually get lost and f**k things up, so I have developed my own "Basic Jamerson" style (poor man's easier version that isn't as busy but has a couple of his moves in it!)

I used to have a bass teacher for a few years when I first started who advised (I'm sure others will disagree) to always try and play fretted notes rather than open strings[/quote]

Disagree!!!! thats not the half of it.
I answered this question regarding open strings in one of the earliest threads in which I posted.
I'm going to say it again.
Who the f*** are this idiot bastard no excuse f*** wits who give out such sh*t advice. As you can tell I'm seriously pissed off about this, For f***s Sake, Jamerson made the use of open strings an art form in its own right, they are sonically a variant to stopped notes and they give a rhyhmic articulation that is simply not available when playing two notes on the same string eg 9ths.
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!

Right I've composed myself now.
Huge Hands please don't take my vitriol personally I just can't contain my rage when people attempt to limit the freedom that should be available to all players.


To answer the thread question:
at the moment, an angry one

Edited March 17, 2008 by jakesbass

[barneythedog]

open strings - u gotta love 'em.

[onehappybunny]

Finger-style, 15" speaker and no tweaters (I like BASS!!!)

Started off Jamerson-styley playing with one finger, but have recently been practicing more to get the hang of two fingers to help my limited technique. No knowledge of the technical stuff (I have to struggle to name some of the notes!) but can get by, just about, playing by ear.

Recently progressed to 5 string to make life easier to follow the same patterns without venturing too far up the dusty end of the neck

[Scoop]

Me: 47 years old with 33 years playing behind me, gigging since I was 17 (sh*t... am I really that old?) It doesn't feel possible because I'm still about 19 on the inside.

Very eclectic musical tastes ranging from Tom Petty to James Brown but if anyone mentions Miles Davis, Jon Gomm, Led Zeppelin, Frank Zappa, Primus, The Who, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell or King's X then they have my undivided attention. Just about the only thing I don't listen to much these days is metal, which is weird (or perhaps not so) as I used to be a journalist writing for Kerrang about a billion years ago. The aforementioned King's X being the one notable exception.

As a player I'd describe myself as meat and potatoes. I do the job with as little fuss and fluster as I can manage. I CANNOT slap. While I enjoy listening to slap players it's simply not something that I have ever wanted to attempt. I mainly play 4 strings although I do have one five and one 12. Fingerstyle mainly although it wasn't always that way and I played with a pick for years, reverting back to mainly fingerstyle only about three years ago. I also sing reasonably well but cannot play bass competantly and sing at the same time. I need to USB an outboard brain to achieve that. Backing vox, yes. But I simplify my basslines quite a bit to manage it.

I also play riddum guitar and have about 200 gigs under my belt as a guitarist though I have never attempted to play a solo in my life, not even in home practice. I can read music, but slowly, and get very confused when there are lots of sharps and flats and my theory is rudimentary to say the least.

Yeah, sums me up just about.

[Huge Hands]

[quote name='jakesbass' post='159290' date='Mar 17 2008, 10:57 PM']Disagree!!!! thats not the half of it.

Who the f*** are this idiot bastard no excuse f*** wits who give out such sh*t advice. As you can tell I'm seriously pissed off about this, For f***s Sake, Jamerson made the use of open strings an art form in its own right, they are sonically a variant to stopped notes and they give a rhyhmic articulation that is simply not available when playing two notes on the same string eg 9ths.
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!

Huge Hands please don't take my vitriol personally I just can't contain my rage when people attempt to limit the freedom that should be available to all players[/quote]

Whoa, well and truly flamed

None taken! I agree that Jamerson used open strings for good effect especially due to his upright experience, and as I fumble on with my badly made cheapy upright, I am starting to use them more and more while I try and find the next position!

The thread was about how we all play, and that's what has made me comfortable (and probably lazy) over the years. The guy who taught me was a gigging muso doing it as a bit of side cash (probably not the most legit teacher), but I admired the way he played and the consistent tone he always seemed to get. If you asked him, he'd probably say that he didn't mean it like that? It's how I interpreted it at the time, anyway!

Note: I only went t him for a couple of years, and have been playing small gigs/in the bedroom for about 16. I have had many other influences since then!

Cheers,

[teen t-shirt]

Hi there.......

16 year old male......

been playing for coming on a year and half now....
and after a year and a half have now found my official bass face!
<<<<

favourite bassists are: Flea, Tye Zamora, Mike Dirnt and John Entwhistle...

i would say i have thoroughly established my self as a rock/punk bassist and on occasion will do the odd song which requires a lower tempo and harmonies... mostly use my fingers but if a song needs it or sounds better will resort to using a pick (will have to buy loads though as my sofa tends to eat them)

Personally i prefer to stick to main riffs with perhaps a little bit of experimentation but not to much from the horses mouth... structure and holding the song together is what i aim for..... and keeping a guitarist my vocals and a lazy drummer in time.....

so thats me..... oh and i play 4 string (fender p copy but am mothing away very quickly from the stereotype punk bassist who always plays bludey Precisions and am in the process of buying a Ibanez GSR200) have dabbled with a 5 string as well....

Edited March 18, 2008 by teen t-shirt

[sticker]

I'm 35 , been playing Bass on and off for about 15yrs , only really dabbling as I've primarily been a guitarist since I was 18 until about 5 weeks ago .

Got an audtion with a power pop band and have been playing my fingers off since and really enjoying it !
I play 4 string (Squier VM Jazz) and also have a 5 string Hohner and an electro acoustic Aria.

Style wise I'm playing solid but melodic lines (McCartneyesque) with fingers mostly but wouldn't rule out using a pick should the song dictate it .

I've only got a 10w practice amp at the moment but hope to get a nice Mark Bass rig if I pass the audition and get the gig (the band have gigs booked at places like The Cavern Club !).

So In summary I'm an enthusiatic novice/chancer !

[gafbass02]

My names Gaf, i'm 31 years old been playing and indeed gigging for 17, mainly on four string jazz basses stingrays and warwicks, always modded someway or another!
As a child of grunge my favourite players were Flea, Bill Gould and Cass Lewis, and i do get compared to the first two, but then i have also been compared to Boosty too? (its prob the wah pedal! ) Im also a huge Neds fan! so love high melodic bass lines.

Although I am primarily a fingerstyle player who likes to be the centre of attention with showy technique i will use a pick if the song needs one and sometimes a thumb if it dosnt! :blush:
Im guilty of being a bit of a show-off and know i should stop!

My quest for new gear and 'the tone' is painfully never ending and as i get older im slowing down, getting groovier and the bass is getting higher!, im also starting to wish id just bought a p bass and an ampeg! and am going off active electronics!

Edited March 18, 2008 by gafbass02

[Adrenochrome]

I've been playing for almost 10 years, although it seems longer as my first experience was to join a band and start gigging shortly after, so I've played plenty of gigs in many bands. I play 4-string electric bass 99% of the time. I play fretless on 1 or 2 songs at most of my gigs. My 5-string is gathering dust in my attic - just don't need it for my covers band.
I've never had a lesson on bass or guitar and I suspect my technique is poor.
I started just playing fingerstyle but now happily play 50:50 pickstyle to generally match the recordings of the songs that we're covering.
My band hasn't rehearsed properly since autumn and we're playing a motorbike rally on Sunday to a crowd of up to 2000 people
[we're trying to get something sorted during this week...]

[bigjohn]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='48067' date='Aug 20 2007, 10:22 PM']LOUD.

Alex[/quote]

Good man.

I'm a Rocker. (I'm roller too honey!)

[Funkmaster]

[quote name='Dr.Dave' post='50852' date='Aug 26 2007, 11:08 AM']I've been playing bass in local bands since I was 17. I'm now 45. Although I've tried 5 strings and fretless I'm essentially at home on a fretted 4. I sing too so playing being second nature is important and it never happens with a 5.
These days I play fingerstyle almost 100%. In earlier rock band years I used a pick. I've done a little slapping on demos and home recordings but it just doesn't excite me. I have huge admiration for those who took the trouble to become competent slappers but I didn't.

I'm in 2 bands , featuring the same 3 people. A blues band that tries not to be just another pub blues band , and a ZZ Top trib band. I'm a huge fan of the music we play - or I wouldn't be involved - but my musical taste is usually more towards intelligent , adult pop.

My technique isn't brilliant - I'm right hand heavy and my left hand isn't open enough (I play right handed). I've been around a long time though and , like anyone who's done anything for a long time , I'm pretty good at what I do. I do not have a 'gift' for it. I worked and practised hard esp in the early years and if I have a lay off of a few weeks my playing suffers.

I'm an advocate of first and foremost supporting the song I'm playing. I left being flash behind in my toy box years ago but I'm glad I learned enough to be flash - I still show off an odd trick when my mates are in though!

if I have a problem it's with concentration. I tend to get carried away being an entertainer and often drop a howler because of it.
I've never been one to stand still at the back of the stage and never will be.

My influences tend to be musicians , entertainers and songwriters - it's that that got me interested in playing myself - so I'm not one for bass playing heros. I did however learn much from watching and listening to Jim Lea of Slade , Geddy Lee and certainly not least steady old John McVie.

The fact that other musicians that I admire rate my playing enough to want to make music with me has been one of the best ongoing experiences in my life , and the fact that my hobby/interest/life choice , whatever you want to call it , has made me money over the years is a wonderful bonus for which I consider myself blessed. It feels like a tangible reward for the efforts I've made and a 'thankyou' from the people I've entertained.

My advice to young players would be - if you're being paid (even is it's just a tenner and a free pint) , that makes you a professional ..so act like one.

And , if you stay fit and well . don't stop. Ever.[/quote]


+ 1 for everything Dave says. (Hello Dave!)

Dave once called me the 2nd best bass player in Wakefield and it's a good call.

I'm perhaps a bit more of a 'back row' player than Dave but agree absolutely on the 'supporting the song ethic'.

I'm in three bands regularly and take anything else that comes along. I'm busy enough - I've got 20 gigs this month.

I'm a 4 stringer - fretted or fretless. I do have a 5 string but haven't really had the time or inclination to get with it yet. They are all Warwick Thumbs and I've got a Warwick Triumph DB too.

I played for 25 years with a pick - due to a need for a quick start to my playing ability - I did a gig on the first day I got a bass (I was 15 and stupid - I'm 50 not and probably still nearly as stupid.)

Didn't really get stuck into technique until I'd been playing about 25 years when a college course tempted me. Now 100% finger style. Still can't keep the blisters away though on my plucking hand.

After this months run of gigs is finished I will have pretty bomb proof fingers - but as soon as I get a few days off the fingers will be soft again - and the blisters will be back!

Still I've been playing with a harp player over the last week - (concert harp rather than harmonica!) and her hands are covered in blisters all the time! Made me feel much better!

Cheers

Dave

[elom]

I play 4 string fretted, almost exclusively finger-style. Played from the age of 15 to 20 then left the fellowship until picking it up again 18 months ago after a mere 17 year absence.

I love being in a band, the live performance and the buzz when an audience gets into what you're doing. I'm not a natural musician but I make sure that I know our songs inside out. I'm not good enough to be flash or overplay but I think that I deliver a solid performance that fits in with the overall band. Recently we've been learning some new songs that call for some slap and fancy finger work (damn you Mr Flea!) and I've surprised myself (and my bandmates) by being able to manage it, albeit with tons and tons of practice.

I like to enjoy myself when I play live so I'm more likely to be jumping around like a moron than stood at the back staring at my fingers. We play the kind of music that I like to listen to (rock and indie), to a generally appreciative audience, plus we get paid too. So what kind of bassist am I? A happy one!