Conference napalm::guitar

    What do I like in a bass player?
    
    	A bass player must have a great feel for rhythm, keep great
        time, and colaborate well with the rest of the rhythm section.
        He/she must have a good ear for what fits the song.
    
    What's the most annoying thing a bassist can do?
    
        Refuse to pay attention to the drummer (play what he/she wants
        without regard to if it works with the drum part). 
    

    <What traits and style do you most like to see in a Bass Player? What do
    <you first notice when playing with a bassist you've never heard before?
    
	Well, the first thing I usually notice is a trait..

	most of the better bass players I've worked with usually stand
	on the side of the drummer where the high hat is..  I've often
	wondered about that...  maybe they get a better eye on the
	kick pedal...

	Style... well, here is where sometimes 'less is more'...
	I like a real solid predictable bass player that locks into
	the drummers foot, sort of like the way a cruise missle locks
	in to it's target.....

    <And, what is the most annoying thing a bass player can do? What is the
    <one thing that the bassist can do that makes you want to run screaming
    <from the rehearsal hall?
    
	
	Lead Bass...  running a close second, is when ANY one, does constantly
	noodling between tunes at practice without cutting the volume back,
	Drives me sh*thouse...

    <Finally, if you could pick any bassist in the world (living or
    <deceased) to be in your rhythm section, who would it be?

	too many good ones to choose from,, 

>    And, what is the most annoying thing a bass player can do? What is the
>    one thing that the bassist can do that makes you want to run screaming
>    from the rehearsal hall?
    
    ... plug in?

   I think it depends on the band or type of music you're doing.  As one who
   plays both guitar and bass I can be really picky.  :-)

   If you're doing Rush type music you need someone who's capable of playing
   lyrically without going into the "lead bass" thing.  For most other types
   of music you need someone who can hold the groove more solidly.  Don't get
   me wrong, Geddy holds a great groove, but he also does a lot of the "all
   over the neck" stuff that wouldn't fit in most other styles.

   I agree with the previous about noodling between songs.  Drives me crazy.
   Guitarists and drummers do this too.  Practice at home, fer chissakes, not
   on my time.

   -- Sam (doing bass work tomorrow night for the first time in a while)

    What do *I* look for in a bass player?
    
    - Ability to move his/her own gear..
    
    
    But seriously, I like a bassist who knows how to find the pocket...and
    one that knows how to jump out of the pocket with some tasteful
    fills-n-slaps...
    
    

      I like aggresive bass players that know when to not step on me. 
    Versatility is the key. I recommend the rhythm/lead approach.
    -ss

    What do I look for in a bass player?
    
    One word:
    
    
    
    
    		GROOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    
    My idea of heaven is playing in a band with a drummer/bass combination
    that absolutely nail the groove.   I have had that experience onstage a
    couple of times and could NOT believe how much better *I* played with
    that going on behind me.  It was magical.
    
    Examples:
    
    	The guys from (don't laugh) "Huey Lewis & the News"
    
    	Victor Wooten and Roy "Futureman" Wooten
    
    I'm going to have to look at my collection.   I'm know there are more
    examples than this.
    	

   Ditto .5.

   

   I just had to load my truck for a rehearsal tonight.  Haven't moved that
   1x18 cab in a while!  Ugh.

   -- Sam

    re: .7 (GROOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
    
    For once Dave and I are in total agreement.

    Also re: .7
    
    Interesting comment Dave! I've noticed over the years that when I'm in
    a situation where the guitarist(s) have become frustrated with a
    particualar piece, or are just having an "off night", I can sometimes
    help them to shake it off with the following:
    
    1. Take a ten minute break. _Evryone_ stops playing and takes ten. Go
    out for a smoke ... shoot the shit for awhile ... go get a beer ...
    whatever. All music must stop for this break period, including the
    stereo.
    
    2. Then I start a goove in Em and get locked in real tight with the
    drummer. The guitarist(s) usually pick up on it and we all just jam for
    5 or 10 minutes. 
    
    3. Finally, we pick up where we left off before the break. Most of the
    time this loosens everyone up, especially the guitarist. Perhaps Dave's
    comment in .7 about playing better with a locked-in-the-groove rythm
    section explains why. I always wondered ....

    1. Take a ten minute break. _Evryone_ stops playing and takes ten. Go
    out for a smoke ..

errrrr,,, ya, this usually loosens me up too,,,,,,,,  then I'm hungry
though...

   Another thing I found I like in bass players:  When they can walk into a
   rehearsal for the first time with an established band and nail 95% of 3
   sets' worth of material the first time through.  Knowing your instrument
   and having a good musical repertoire is a BIG plus.

   -- Sam

>    3. Finally, we pick up where we left off before the break. Most of the
>    time this loosens everyone up, especially the guitarist. Perhaps Dave's
>    comment in .7 about playing better with a locked-in-the-groove rythm
>    section explains why. I always wondered ....
    
    That's probably it.
    
    All I can say is that when it happens, and I mean REALLY REALLY
    locked-in groove, it's absolutely magical.  I think the rest of the
    band can totally suck, but if the drummer and bass player are
    absolutely nailing the groove, the band will sound good.
    
    One of the stories I like to tell is the Saturday afternoon I was
    sitting home vegging-out and my door bell rings.  It's my friend Mike
    Anderson who excitedly tells me that he just happened to be at a party
    right up the street from me and I *HAD* to check out the band.
    
    So I went.  Now, the band was "very good" but the bass player was
    "TOTALLY HAPPENING".  I mean this guy was just spot-on every note.
    Like the very best of the LA studio guys, and it MADE the band.
    
    I've spent much of the 8 years since kicking myself over not
    introducing myself and getting his name and number.
    
    Oh, one other example of a guy who nail the groove:
    
    	- Abe Laboriel (plays on LOTS of jazz and some rock albums)
    
    	- The bass on Paula Abdul's first album is very happenin'.
    	  Don't remember who programmed it.
    
    I'm sure there's at least dozens more examples in my record collection
    but I'm spacing on remembering any of them.
    
    	db

    A good bassist makes everybody else in the band sound good.
    

    >> A good bassist makes everybody else in the band sound good
    
    And a good drummer makes everybody else in the band sound good, too.
    
    A good drummer *AND* a good bassist make everybody else sound great.
    

re: .13

>    	- The bass on Paula Abdul's first album is very happenin'.
>    	  Don't remember who programmed it.

   Small nit.  That has nothing to do with "bass playING" (or "playERS").
   It's pretty easy to "nail a groove" when you're a sequencer.

   -- Sam (not dissing synths, I have one too)

Huey & co. were one of the first rock groups to sync
to midi on record.  They may well be tight live.

Peter

    re .13
    
    A band is as good as their weekest member.

    Re a good bassist making everyone else sound good

    my point is that if you have a really good bass player in a band, most
    of the audience will notice how good the band sounds, or comment how
    good the guitar player is; few if any will notice the bassist or his
    influence on things.  They will usually attribute it to someone or
    something else.  Even if the other players are rather lackluster,
    a good bassist will make everyone else shine.  Now obviously this is
    true to some degree with any member of a band, but there's a
    particularly stealth aspect to the bassists role.  It's like the
    power he/she wields is inversely proportional to the visibility.
    Of course, that's a bass player's view :-)

    Ironically, the time bassists do get noticed is when they step out
    of the support role; and when they do, the music often suffers.  Jaco
    is an interesting example.  His signature fluid fretless tone and wild
    stage antics are what made him famous.  But Jaco was also a supremely
    gifted support player, and that's why he still looms as one of the greats.
    He wouldn't have had nearly the impact that he did if the "solo" stuff
    were all he had going for him.

    /rick
    

   re: .-1

   Hey, maybe my new band has a chance!  :-)

   -- Sam

>>    	- The bass on Paula Abdul's first album is very happenin'.
>>    	  Don't remember who programmed it.

>   Small nit.  That has nothing to do with "bass playING" (or "playERS").
>   It's pretty easy to "nail a groove" when you're a sequencer.

    I disagree.
    
    It sounds like you've equated "nailing a groove" to nailing the beat
    ("quantization" in sequencer-speak),  but that is a totally different
    thing than coming up with a "groove".
    
    I'm always impressed by synth-bass tracks (ala Abdul) that really
    provide a distinctive non-mechanized (quantized) feel.  In fact,
    I really think using a sequencer as anything but a "MIDI tape recorder"
    (no editing) makes it much less likely that you'll end up with
    something that has a real groove to it.
    
    	db

    
    	ala Abdul?
    
    	Sounds like a dessert to me.
    
    	8^)
    

    What is the most annoying thing a bass player can do?
    
    PLAY CHORDS!!!
    
    A nice grove with the drummer doesn't need any chords.
    
    
    kpb

    
    RE: .23
    OK... you're kidding right? Not too many bassists can play chords
    properly, or they just choose not to play them at all. The ones that 
    can and also place them in the right place can make a tune sound 
    SOOOoooOOOOooo cool! My last band had a bassist that played chords 
    on one specific song. I stopped playing guitar in this spot (it was a
    3 piece band FWIW) and it was one of the highlights of the night. Very
    cool. I also agree with getting a groove. Without a groove...  why
    bother play?
    
    If I'm being too serious over NOTE 3222.23 then I apologize...  I'll
    stand in a corner and be very very quiet.   ;^) 
    
    
    	Rock on,
    		Fred
                                      

    re: .23
    
    Jaco is turning over in his grave.
    
    Paul (possibly on my way to a corner Fred isn't already using...)

    Don't mind Kevin, he's just a drummer...
    
    :-)
    

    thanks for giving me away, Rick
    
    OK, OK...
    
    Maybe I shoulda said Bass player that ALWAYS play chords. 
    
    I just seem to atract bass players that want "fill the bottom" with
    chord smashing.
    
    
    Do you think Jaco will forgive my reactionary drummer ways?
    
    
    kpb
    
    

    Go home and play the percussion parts to "Birdland" three 
    times fast!
    
    	Mark

    	Most annoying bass player manuver would defenitly be when he/she is
    a wanna be guitar player....lead bass is just NOT cool!!!!
    
    -kev_ ($0.02)

    
    	Lead bass can be fantastic if it's done right.
    
    	There are some bassists [Billy Sheehan, for 1] who could play
    	circles around their guitarist bandmates ... although in this
    	case it's tough to outplay Paul Gilbert.
    

    The way I see it is that a good bassist is meant to keep a solid rhythm
    in the back, but I believe that a real good bassist knows how to keep
    that solid rhythm and still add chords and fills that aren't
    overwhelming the song. One thing is for sure, and that's nobody wants
    to play with a bassist who acts like a musical god and totally over
    plays and ends up losing the solid rhythm. Getty Lee is a good example
    of this and so is Geeza Butler, both add flair to thier playing, but
    the also create a strong rhythm.