Confession time: I like bass and I cannot lie

fretmeister

Playing bass will always make a person a better guitarist.

Playing piano will make a person a better bassist.

As Marcus Miller noted, the best session bassists are always excellent piano players too.

stickyfiddle

fretmeister said:

Playing bass will always make a person a better guitarist.

Playing piano will make a person a better bassist.

As Marcus Miller noted, the best session bassists are always excellent piano players too.

Yeah. I am a WAY better guitarist as a result of learning bass & drums. It also makes me a massively better bandmate because I can understand where things aren't quite right between the various instruments and communicate effectively about potential changes to make parts & performances better. 

As opposed to singers who usually just make lots of mouth-noises in the hope that the rest of us can possibly interpret...! 

Funkfingers

Bork said:

And finger muscles. 

Wot finger muscles? There is muscle attached to the thumb. Fingers are operated by ligaments, attached to muscles in the palm.

I am currently being made very aware of this anatomical arrangement by a nodule on one of them thar ligaments. (Trigger finger.)

Schnozz

In order of appeal...

1. Peerless Smoked Bass Custom (EB2-D Bass)
2. Carvin SB5000 (Fretless Jazz Bass)
3. Carvin Icon (Modern Soapbar Bass)
4. Dean Paramount (Precision Bass)

I just think the EB2-D is the ultimate in tone and I always enjoy fretless, but unless a Jazz is active, I find them the most uninspiring to play.

I can do everything on the Icon and Paramount alone (80% just on the Paramount), but the Smoked and SB are luxuries that bring a smile to my face.

I've had over 100 basses - only the Marleaux Consat Custom 5 Fretless I had could do it all (vintage, modern, slap, tap etc). It was like a faux Rickenbacker 4001, so it still had that fun factor too.

Heavy British Trace Elliots and lightweight Genz Benz amps are wonderful with everything.

Enjoy!

Teyeplayer

Schnozz said:

I can do everything on the Icon and Paramount alone (80% just on the Paramount), but the Smoked and SB are luxuries that bring a smile to my face.

That is the beauty of a p-bass in any form, it just does the job perfectly. I am in the position of having that covered by a lovely p-bass, with the hofner doing the short scale hollow body thing. Of course what I’ve seen and currently lust after completely duplicates the latter, so I definitely don’t need it, but man it looks great!  Then there’s the factor that I’m not a bassist and won’t be playing bass in a band any time soon, so three basses is overkill… but I want it, and an sg bass and a rick bass… oh and maybe a jazz too. Madness!

hollywoodrox

Bass and drums or percussion are what give most music its sense of movement 
  You’re laughing if you can play either as good ones who are steady and reliable are always in demand it seems . Bass drums & percussion in my opinion are some of the difficult things to get into , it’s that rhythm & ability to express it .

the myth of playing all root 5ths & octaves  isn’t  as simple as people make out  sometimes the bass player is laying out a melody alternately to the the guitar & vocals while keeping time & having a feel for the rhythm & wether to lay back or any other manner of peculiarities of staying in the pocket 

Teyeplayer

Completely agree, I think that’s what makes bass interesting @hollywoodrox, as good bass playing is doing so much more than is immediately noticeable.

Funkfingers

hollywoodrox said:

Bass and drums or percussion are what give most music its sense of movement.

STUCK RECORD TIME AGAIN

Bass is what the audience wiggles its hips to. 

Jfingers

I have multiple guitars plus several other stringed instruments and one bass.

I mainly record alone and play all the parts, Alesis SR16 for drums.

I bought my bass on a whim whilst drunk secondhand from the bay.

I can't remember the brand without going to look at it. It's vaguely 'heavy metal' in headstock shape and it's black.

It's an acoustic fretless four string which plays really nicely. It has a pick up and a three band EQ, I've rarely played it but I enjoy it when I do despite never yet having plugged it in.

I am mainly a guitar player but dabble in multiple other instruments for added dynamics to my recordings. I treat that bass

as if it was being used on 'The Firstborn Is Dead' by Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds and it works for me.

I'm still looking at the recommendations for short scale electric basses that I got from here, just waiting for the right time to pounce.

Teyeplayer

Well, my current gas has just been satiated by a reverb offer I couldn’t refuse! If only I had will power!