my view for a bassist

M

Magekim

New member
the industry in singapore for bassist really sucks
juz look at music store all also.. they only display guitar and bass is like "aiya anyhow la got sell bass can liao"
drum dont need say la got their own workshop
and if you do find bass that you want, it comes in with unreasonable price..
like they say in singapore "pay pay pay so much but for ?"
i love music but does it need to cost me thousand of dollar?? i'm not loaded ok...(lol i'm juz depress cuz i cant get my fender am dlx p.bass)
and bassist in singapore hardly get a band.. and usually a performing band on the local scene 90% of the bassist doesnt even knoe what the hell he is playing, they join cuz the band is their friend... they rather ask their friend to anyhow play den use someone who knows their roots well...
and bassist around the world is always the less attention, juz look at music video they dont usual shoot the bassit or even talk about the bassist.... bass is the magic of all music, itz the backbone, juz because u over distort ur guitar and go JENG JENG and cover up the bass sound doesnt mean we are useless....
i'm playing bass for years now... once i even spent my life to contribute to bass.. i aint that good as i am a self learner... i usual get kick around by musician becuz i am a bassist.. i once play for a local band but got into trouble with the guitarist becuz i think he think that i am seeking all the attention and i am juz a fcukin bassist.. now i'm stuck with no band for every long already... sad.... sometimes i juz feel like giving up...
 
Sorry la.. :(

Ever since i started playing...somehow i felt the need for bass players to stick together. Maybe its just because we are meant to be abused@!!##@ For me I always have bass playing friends in constant contact, to gain fresh perspectives in all thing bass, and it also keeps things interesting la! If its a journey (music), why walk alone?

Make friends who play bass. Hang out with them, exchange ideas with them, steal their basses if u can! :p
 
Hmm.

I play guitar (and a little bit of bass) but I personally feel that if the bassist can't hold his own in a song then he's pretty much done with me.

I was looking for a bassist (like 8 mths back) and it was tiring just to look for a proper bassist who could play in time and groove right.

Call me a perfectionist but honestly being in a band takes the following:

1. technical ability (timing etc)
2. good character/reliability (nice person, gets to jams on time)
3. ability to improvise where necessary

Now I'm in a band I'm pretty happy with, compared to some bassists whom I had played with/auditioned:

1. superstar attitude: if you don't play what I like then I quit
2. cannot play in time: obvious
3. not reliable (always late for jams)
4. try to act cool: hang bass low low and in the end cannot reach higher frets.

But one of my good pals is a bassist and he has none of the above faults. Hence he's still in his band despite the fact he's in NS. Once you have the right qualities I'm sure people will take you in and want to grow with you man.
 
Hmm.

Yes. But I had so much more trouble finding bassists.

Guitarists are plenty here in SG, but as I mentioned it's kinda like a needle in a haystack sometimes when you are looking for that certain someone.
 
I'd say the same of guitarists who play with me :) But politics aside, being in a band, as many of you may know, isn't all 'fun'. Crawldaddy, I agree with what you said about musicians having to hold their own in a band aka. know their shit, do their homework, being sensible (and considerate to others). Blowing them off is best done at the audition stages :). It just sucks when we wanna achieve something but theres a non-conforming slacker who impedes progress, but lets not go there la :)

One of the most valuable lessons i learnt from playing music is that musicians MUST be open to feedback and criticism. If one isnt getting any, ask for it! Sometimes we may think we're doing the right thing by trying our best, but its best to know what your bandmates are thinking!
 
3notesAbar said:
It just sucks when we wanna achieve something but theres a non-conforming slacker who impedes progress, but lets not go there la :)
Click to expand...

Hmm.

I wouldn't go there either.

You're right.. the whole bad-protocol which a certain number of local players (I won't label them as musicians but let's not go there :? ) adopt gets pretty irritating. I won't blow them off, but rather (and as much as it's easier said than done) I would want to talk to them and reason out why they do not suit the band.

I always try and ask my fellow jammers to pin-point out my weaknesses after each jam. If they're happy then I try to keep it up and improve.

I mean that's what jamming is for sometimes, eh? To become better players/ performers.
 
Crawldaddy said:
Hmm.

Yes. But I had so much more trouble finding bassists.

Guitarists are plenty here in SG, but as I mentioned it's kinda like a needle in a haystack sometimes when you are looking for that certain someone.
Click to expand...

guitarists grow on trees.
 
ahkiatt said:
Crawldaddy said:
Hmm.

Yes. But I had so much more trouble finding bassists.

Guitarists are plenty here in SG, but as I mentioned it's kinda like a needle in a haystack sometimes when you are looking for that certain someone.
Click to expand...

guitarists grow on trees.
Click to expand...

bassists are like bird's nest .. you have to climb and crawl to get them ... :p
 
if the majority of people think that bassists are relegated guitar players then we have a problem two ways.

number 1: the band doesn't start respecting the responsibilities of the bass player.

number 2: this is even more severe, but the bass player doesn't even respect his own responsibilities to the band.

learning the bass was probably the best thing to happen to me musically. y'see, i was one of those 'relegated guitarists'. but when i was told about this new instrument, and my mentor was an ace on the bass (pun totally not intended) and actually took the time to show me (the noob) all the ropes to get started.. it expanded my learning curve.

and when one looks out for star-good quality bassists, im sure most of the bassplayers out there will agree with me, you start being exposed to GOOD MUSIC. and more styles, from there i learnt to appreciate jazz, funk, soul, pop, electronica, folk, blues.. you name it, ive made an effort to listen to it.. because.. bass playing thought me an important lesson in

- being open minded to music -

so yes.. with my two points, bass playing is a responsibility just like any role in the band. one is not a great bass player based on his technical ability alone, but rather his musicmanship.

if i were a guitarist, or any other member in the band, i'd rather play with a bassplayer who can lock down a solid 4/4 with the drummer than some psycho bassist who shreds all over the neck but can't play ONE SINGLE USEABLE LINE.
 
i've a feeling this is gonna drag on and on.

but i totally agree to what all of you say. i'm glad so far all the bands i'm in appreciate what i do.
 
Frankly the bassist is more important than the guitarist in most bands... A guitarist who plays the wrong note can still get away with it occasionally, but a bassist who plays the wrong note usually can't, cause wrong bass notes are really jarring... Same goes for timing. So don't believe anything they say that bassists are not important.. :lol:
 
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