What, in your opinion, is the minimum 'gold standard' BPM a bassist needs to sustain in order to be acceptable/respectable?

[TJ1]

I've got my own ideas on this but it would be interesting to see other people's opinions on this momentous,foundation subject.

That is the minimum finger/plectrum string strikes per minute across all/any notes on the fretboard.

[Maude]

I don't think how many notes you can play in a given time is any kind of indication of ability at all. 

Is a badly timed busy bassist playing a hundred miles an hour all over the fretboard better than one who puts in that perfectly timed single note per bar, whilst locked in with a great drummer to create the heaviest funk groove in town?

Sometimes busy is good, sometimes sparse is good. The bassist who knows when to do what will be the most respected. 

🙂👍

[Teebs]

'Respectable' BPM is whatever is required by the piece of music.

So anything from 1 BPM.*

*Or 0

Edited March 8, 2021 by Teebs

[fleabag]

250 bpm

[TJ1]

7 minutes ago, Maude said:

I don't think how many notes you can play in a given time is any kind of indication of ability at all. 

Is a badly timed busy bassist playing a hundred miles an hour all over the fretboard better than one who puts in that perfectly timed single note per bar, whilst locked in with a great drummer to create the heaviest funk groove in town?

Sometimes busy is good, sometimes sparse is good. The bassist who knows when to do what will be the most respected. 

🙂👍

This is true, but I believe the ability to be competently busy, to a realistic standard, is key to all round versatility

[Raymondo]

28 minutes ago, TJ1 said:

I've got my own ideas on this but it would be interesting to see other people's opinions on this momentous,foundation subject.

That is the minimum finger/plectrum string strikes per minute across all/any notes on the fretboard.

You don't half come up with some rubbish.

There isn't one .

 

Either you are the most judgemental person I have ever heard of or you are the most boring Troll.

Yes ...I am aware that that last bit is judgemental but, in my defence, I've never used Broccoli to play bass with.

[Maude]

4 minutes ago, fleabag said:

250 bpm

Is that just playing 16th notes or more? 

 

[Maude]

Which actually leads to the next question. 

How many notes per beat are you talking about? 

Playing 16ths at 10bpm would require the same dexterity as single notes at 160bpm. 

Bpm is irrelevant. 

[Dad3353]

Less is more. 

[upside downer]

I thought it was about 'serving the song', not a note/speed ratio contest.

[toneknob]

Adrian Davison used to advertise in the back pages of the popular music mags where he promoted himself as "the worlds fastest bass player .... often exceeds 32 notes per second". He then went on to achieve global fame and fortune, but probably not as a bass player

 

[Maude]

2 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

Less is more. 

I'm certainly doing less at the moment, and I think those that have heard me would agree with you. 

😁

[Rich]

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited March 12, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Teebs]

16 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

Less is more. 

Not for a scuba diver...

[bubinga5]

I would say you at least need 312 BPM playing 16th notes for an hour to even be considered to be anything near gold standard imo. Platinum standard, is ridiculous, were talking like in the 1000 BPM.

[redbandit599]

Ask Billy....

[Paul S]

1 minute ago, redbandit599 said:

Ask Billy....

To be able to do that is not just practice, it is a drill.

[Dad3353]

9 minutes ago, Teebs said:

Not for a scuba diver...

Huh, now you're just being silly..! 

[Teebs]

2 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

Huh, now you're just being silly..! 

Yep!

 

 

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited March 12, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Reggaebass]

[bubinga5]

The OP should listen to this. Its Pino Palladino on this Dangelo record. His slide note placement just behind the beat is just..  😎 

 

Edited March 8, 2021 by bubinga5

[MacDaddy]

6 minutes ago, Jus Lukin said:

Let Yngwie appeal to your logic on the matter...

 

 

what gets missed from this interview is shortly afterwards when he says "I like it because it's fun".

Fair enough IMO. I don't want to do it - albeit play bass - if it's not fun.

[WinterMute]

11 minutes ago, Jus Lukin said:

Let Yngwie appeal to your logic on the matter...

 

Particularly then it comes to pies, it seems...