A Journey to the Dark Side

[whatever4]

On Talkbass I read what bass players think about gear, sound, guitarists, etc., but was curious to see what guitarists think of us. Do they hate P-basses with flats and tort? Do we do things that annoy them? Do "gui****s" call us "basstards" when were not around? I went to a guitar chat room to find out and was pleasantly surprised to find the following thread:

Gig saved by amazing bassist last night - Guitar Forums

 

[njones89]

Guitarists think bassists are stupid, failed guitarists. I am not joking. Anything that sounds off is the bass. They think bassists are too lazy to learn their parts and too lazy to change their strings. If they could get away without needing a bassist, they would. If you are at all audible, you're too loud. If you're not standing in the back of the stage, you're in the way of them entertaining the crowd.

 

[bolophonic]

I get nothing but respect from every single musician I play with. Some might offer me suggestions or ask me to consider other ideas, but nobody has ever treated me as less than an equal in over 30 years, even if I am not the finest musician in the room.

 

[Joedog]

Guitarists think bassists are stupid, failed guitarists. I am not joking. Anything that sounds off is the bass. They think bassists are too lazy to learn their parts and too lazy to change their strings. If they could get away without needing a bassist, they would. If you are at all audible, you're too loud. If you're not standing in the back of the stage, you're in the way of them entertaining the crowd.

Wow...generalize much? I've never found that to be the case, in 50 years of gigging.. FAKE NEWS...LOL. I agree 100% w/bolophonic. If that is your personal experience, perhaps a look in the mirror is in order? Being in a successful band is a TEAM effort. Most really good bands get that.

 

[saabfender]

Nice thread.

Yep, saving the world is just part of the job.

 

[Kro]

I get nothing but respect from every single musician I play with. Some might offer me suggestions or ask me to consider other ideas, but nobody has ever treated me as less than an equal in over 30 years, even if I am not the finest musician in the room.

+1

I find that I'm at least as valued as the other musicians I play with... and given how hard it seems to be for bands to find decent reliable bassists, often more so.

 

[hrodbert696]

I get nothing but respect from every single musician I play with. Some might offer me suggestions or ask me to consider other ideas, but nobody has ever treated me as less than an equal in over 30 years, even if I am not the finest musician in the room.

This has been my experience as well. Anyone worth playing with has always respected all the musicians in the group.

 

[Kro]

Guitarists think bassists are stupid, failed guitarists. I am not joking. Anything that sounds off is the bass. They think bassists are too lazy to learn their parts and too lazy to change their strings. If they could get away without needing a bassist, they would. If you are at all audible, you're too loud. If you're not standing in the back of the stage, you're in the way of them entertaining the crowd.

Sounds like you may need to adjust the circles you run with or change your scene.

Just trying to say something constructive as a response.

 

[njones89]

Wow...generalize much? I've never found that to be the case, in 50 years of gigging.. FAKE NEWS...LOL. I agree 100% w/bolophonic. If that is your personal experience, perhaps a look in the mirror is in order? Being in a successful band is a TEAM effort. Most good bands get that.

lolololloo!!!!1111 Uh this whole thread is about generalization. I have been respected by all of the musicians I have worked with, too. But guitarists generally don't care about bass and don't respect bassists in general, especially in certain genres like rock or metal. You don't have to explain it to me, though. Watch some Glenn Fricker to get an idea of where I'm coming from.

Bass lives matter.

 

[two fingers]

I get nothing but respect from every single musician I play with. Some might offer me suggestions or ask me to consider other ideas, but nobody has ever treated me as less than an equal in over 30 years, even if I am not the finest musician in the room.

You might know some of the people haviing the conversation in that forum. They move on to talk about the Durham Arts Walk coming up and some of them are playing it.

OP, that's nice to see. But I have rarely come up against anything but respect for me and from me in my 30+ years of doing this. Maybe not praise of the level thay guitarist showed.... Based on her username she a likely a lady..... which also likely means she is both kinder and more mature than most musicians.

 

[3Liter]

Guitarists think bassists are stupid, failed guitarists. I am not joking. Anything that sounds off is the bass. They think bassists are too lazy to learn their parts and too lazy to change their strings. If they could get away without needing a bassist, they would. If you are at all audible, you're too loud. If you're not standing in the back of the stage, you're in the way of them entertaining the crowd.

No we don't. I play guitar (mostly) and don't think that way at all. I wish I could find more guitarists that play like bassists...tastefully, less notes and on time!

 

[Kro]

I think in general other musicians (including guitarists) give bassists a hard time in much the same way that TB is always trying to fire the one band member that we most often have the closest bond with.

IME it's all in good fun and belies an unspoken sense of respect and appreciation.

 

[njones89]

People wanted to take a journey to the "dark side" but don't want to find out about how guitarists are racist toward bassists. A common belief held among guitarists is that the bass's sole purpose is a support role for the guitar. Bassists have been indoctrinated to believe so, and as such, being enslaved to this idea, have come to welcome self-deprecating jokes and self-validating statements about how bass matters. Meanwhile, bassists come here posting stuff like, "Can I do a solo bass act" garnering the typical responses of how bass solos are the time for bathroom breaks and casual conversations.

Okay, now I'm slightly joking; please don't report me. Just a bit of observational humor. Totally worth getting flamed over though.

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

I'm pretty sure they make jokes about us and that's completely fine and entertaining.

At the end, we are bass players because we failed on guitar right??

 

[tedious1]

Sure, I take the Mickey out of my band mates here, but I do it right in front of them too. I have snuck up behind my guitar player watching another and said "Thinking you could play that better?"

He laughed, I laughed, the guy on stage laughed...dismissively...good times.

 

[Joedog]

This thread is about a problem that barely exists. I'm sure there are a few egotistical guitarists in almost every town/city who think that way, but almost all IME do not. Funny how the best ones are the least likely to think that way. Just like there are a few bass players with a poor self image who like to blame others for their shortcomings. Suck it up buttercup. It's all good. Hone your craft, and rock on. And chose your band mates wisely.

 

[B-line]

I really can't imagine playing with ANYONE (Guitar, Keys, Drums, etc.) in a Rhythm section that didn't completely understand the crucial and important role the bass guitar plays in establishing the feel, groove, pocket and bottom of the music being played.

Nothing wrong with good spirited poking fun at each other, but it would have to be one sad musician who really believes that the only reason the bassist chose the instrument is because he/she can't play guitar!

 

[honeyiscool]

I've gigged on guitar, bass, and piano multiple times on each instrument in the three months. Let me tell you that every version of me loves a P bass with flats.

My least favorite type of musician to play with is a guitarist who can't be bothered to watch his levels. Yes, I said his because the women guitarists I have worked with generally don't have that problem. It's a macho, stubborn thing. I also hate a drummer who hits cymbals too hard, but thankfully, I haven't had to play with one in a while.

A bass player with P bass and flats usually reflects a certain "I'm not that important" team player attitude that will ingratiate yourself with other instrumentalists. You show up with a 7-string fanned fret crazy active furniture top single cut bass, then my eyebrows get raised. Now, you can prove to me in the first minute that you are indeed a team player, but I would worry that there is that potential that you're one of those me first players.

 

[Steadfast]

What could be worse: I am lawyer, saxophonist and bassist.

At least I can't get hemmoroids being i a perfect arsehole.

 

[Nephilymbass]

On Talkbass I read what bass players think about gear, sound, guitarists, etc., but was curious to see what guitarists think of us. Do they hate P-basses with flats and tort? Do we do things that annoy them? Do "gui****s" call us "basstards" when were not around? I went to a guitar chat room to find out and was pleasantly surprised to find the following thread:

Gig saved by amazing bassist last night - Guitar Forums

I’ve always gotten a lot of respect from all the people I respect as musicians. Usually the guitar players that talk crap about bass players in my area are in really bad thrash metal bands where the bass just thickens the guitars and never has its own lines, the type of bands that can’t keep a lineup together for a year, play line 6 spider amps, with a drummer with no sense of time that hasnt changed their drum heads in years.