Members mooktank Posted December 7, 2007 Members Share Posted December 7, 2007 I am having such a hard time finding a good bass player for the band I'm in. I'm actually contemplating just not using a bass player and turning up the bass frequencies of the guitar because it's so hard to find a bass player into the "styles" of music we play. I had one come try out who was really good at jazz improv and stuff and liked that aspect of what we played but didn't like how we had some elements of metal. Am I {censored}in crazy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PaulyWally Posted December 7, 2007 Members Share Posted December 7, 2007 I guess it depends on what you want out of your band. There are a lot of bands that don't have a bass player. But they generally do not have the exposure of bands that do. Also consider that the fewer members in the band, the less potential energy you'll have on stage. I've seen great acts without bass. And while I enjoyed them, the rest of the audience didn't. Maybe you want to consider continuing without a bassist while casually looking for one. Sooner or later, you'll probably find one that fits. And in the mean time, you're not putting your band on hold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members #6 Posted December 7, 2007 Members Share Posted December 7, 2007 I'd sooner see a band sans guitarist than one sans bassist...and even if people disagreed, they would probably agree when they heard the two acts, you FEEL bass... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jackcheez Posted December 7, 2007 Members Share Posted December 7, 2007 Is bass really that important? I don't think I could live without it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members joelFG Posted December 7, 2007 Members Share Posted December 7, 2007 keep trying to find someone suitable.. in the meantime, just live without a bass player. compensate where you can. i know a band locally to me played shows without a bass player for a while but asked the audience, 'if any of you play bass and would like to play for us, give us a call' worked out pretty well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members seraphim7s Posted December 7, 2007 Members Share Posted December 7, 2007 I left my old band because I felt they didn't need a bassist. It was garage / blues rock, and my bass playing style is distorted P-bass (think John Wetton). The guitarist was playing a LP into a Marshall stack with heavy strings, and I was just lost in the mix. His sound was so bassy that I was really constrained in how I could play. They're now continuing on with a POG to help fill up the bass freq. Some styles NEED bass. I can't imagine, say, Motown, funk, trad jazz, soul, or prog without a bass ... but some styles can totally do without. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rpsands Posted December 7, 2007 Members Share Posted December 7, 2007 Compensation ideas: 1) Rhythm plays with an octaver a lot 2) Synthesized programmed bass through the PA IMHo though, yes. Even root eighth notes behind your chords will add so much to the fullness of your sound it's ridiculous, in almost any rock / country type context. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Emprov Posted December 7, 2007 Members Share Posted December 7, 2007 Unless you have keys to cover the low end, think of a band without a bass player like a piece of classical music being played only using the treble clef. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Kindness Posted December 7, 2007 Moderators Share Posted December 7, 2007 Some of my favorite bands don't have bassists. Thinking that any element of the stereotypical band is essential ignores the fact that the very concept of creative expression is to not do exactly what has been done before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hotblack Posted December 7, 2007 Members Share Posted December 7, 2007 Not if you're in an ...And Justice For All cover band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members joelFG Posted December 7, 2007 Members Share Posted December 7, 2007 Some of my favorite bands don't have bassists. Thinking that any element of the stereotypical band is essential ignores the fact that the very concept of creative expression is to not do exactly what has been done before. that is a GOOD point.. and i agree totally.but ive seen a few bassless bands play and typically, theyre all underwhelming. even with adusted, bassy guitars.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members seraphim7s Posted December 7, 2007 Members Share Posted December 7, 2007 What I would add is that a guitar goes very far into the bass' range - a low E is, after all, at the bottom of the bass clef. Keyboard instruments can often go lower than a bass guitar. To be fair, I'm not sure if you're asking "is bass (the frequency) really important?" or "is bass guitar really important?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wades_keys Posted December 7, 2007 Members Share Posted December 7, 2007 Not if you're in an ...And Justice For All cover band. LMAO. Might as well replace the drums with old suitcases while you're at it, to get the full effect. And don't forget the coffe-can in place of the snare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members joelFG Posted December 7, 2007 Members Share Posted December 7, 2007 LMAO. Might as well replace the drums with old suitcases while you're at it, to get the full effect. And don't forget the coffe-can in place of the snare hahaha. excellent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Kindness Posted December 7, 2007 Moderators Share Posted December 7, 2007 that is a GOOD point.. and i agree totally.but ive seen a few bassless bands play and typically, theyre all underwhelming. even with adusted, bassy guitars.. One of the main reasons they are underwhelming is because they are trying to play like a band that has a bassist. If you are going to break convention, the music will need to adapt accordingly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Givati Posted December 7, 2007 Members Share Posted December 7, 2007 To be fair, I'm not sure if you're asking "is bass (the frequency) really important?" or "is bass guitar really important?" That right there is a frigin great question. There are so many more things the bassist adds to a group besides low end freq. Theres rhythm/syncapation, dynamics, tone, harmony, melody, etc. etc. If you are assigning these things to another instrument in the band (provided they can even do them as well as a bassist can) what are you taking them away from that they do best? I don't think I have an over enflated sence of self worth in my band, but I'd like to think what I offer, no one else can provide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Kindness Posted December 7, 2007 Moderators Share Posted December 7, 2007 I don't think I have an over enflated sence of self worth in my band, but I'd like to think what I offer, no one else can provide. Rhythm/syncopation, dynamics, tone, harmony, melody, etc. etc. can all be provided by any number of instruments. I can do all of the above whistling through my nose if desired. The only thing a bass is essential for is playing bass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Givati Posted December 7, 2007 Members Share Posted December 7, 2007 Rhythm/syncopation, dynamics, tone, harmony, melody, etc. etc. can all be provided by any number of instruments. I can do all of the above whistling through my nose if desired. The only thing a bass is essential for is playing bass. So in your opinion what does a bassist lend to a given band? Oh, and I'm not sure I have ever seen a nose whistler in a band before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitargod0dmw Posted December 7, 2007 Members Share Posted December 7, 2007 You do realize you're asking a bunch of bassists if bass is important...right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Givati Posted December 7, 2007 Members Share Posted December 7, 2007 You do realize you're asking a bunch of bassists if bass is important...right? What do you think would happen to me if I went over to guitar jam and asked if a guitarist was necessary? :poke: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JesperT Posted December 7, 2007 Members Share Posted December 7, 2007 IMO If you play with no bassist, your guitarists should be able to intertwine basslines in their playing, or the music will lack a pulse and emphasis on the chord skeleton. The bass really helps tie the pure rythm of the drumkit together with the harmonies of the other instruments. I hope that made sense. If you have a keyboard player, then np. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GRANKOR Posted December 7, 2007 Members Share Posted December 7, 2007 no bass is not necessary at all, infact I hate music with it in. I turn the bass down on my stereo to get rid of it on any records with it on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Kindness Posted December 7, 2007 Moderators Share Posted December 7, 2007 Oh, and I'm not sure I have ever seen a nose whistler in a band before. Neither have I and the thought of me trying to pull that off is making me laugh harder than it should. Just to give perspective for those that don't know me, I'm a musician that primarily plays bass, but I also play a decent number of other instruments fairly well. Nearly all of my gigging is on the bass though because it is my preferred medium of expression. In fact, in every gigging band I have ever been a part of, I have performed the vast majority of the time as a bassist. I don't find use for electric bass in every song I play, but the songs without bass are few and far between. For me and my musical expression and for those that play with me, it is nearly an indispensable instrument. However, it is simply nonsensical to assert that there are musical concepts that can only be expressed on a particular instrument. Do solo piano pieces lack the ability to incorporate rhythm/syncopation, dynamics, tone, harmony, melody, etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Givati Posted December 7, 2007 Members Share Posted December 7, 2007 However, it is simply nonsensical to assert that there are musical concepts that can only be expressed on a particular instrument. . Do solo piano pieces lack the ability to incorporate rhythm/syncopation, dynamics, tone, harmony, melody, etc? I totally agree with you on this that was my point exactly. the bass can and should express all the musical concepts nessary to a given piece of music in the freq that its design lends itself too. My point was that using other instruments to do that instead of bass takes away from that instruments intended purpose. Except piano that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Kindness Posted December 7, 2007 Moderators Share Posted December 7, 2007 My point was that using other instruments to do that instead of bass takes away from that instruments intended purpose. My argument (and it is obviously only my opinion) is that there is no such thing as an instrument's intended purpose. That's much too closed minded for me. I used to play duets with a violinist. I played the melody and she played the rhythm/harmony. It was gorgeous to us. There was never a single moment that my bass objected that it wasn't being used for it's intended purpose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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