bass players: how do guitarists play bass wrong?

[warwick.hoy]

I dislike slap because I can't do it. If other people can execute it tastefully,...I'm fine with that.

I was pretty sprung on Wooten when I first heard him. He is actually a really gifted bass player if you can get past the wanking,...he has a great sense of groove and timing. I don't really enjoy his solo work that much,....but Bela Fleck and the Flecktones rule my asshole.

Les is the man,...but not in the sense that he can slap his ass off. His technique is actually quite sloppy in my opinion (not that I can do any better) but he makes it work and he is one of the most creative, imaginative and goofy mother fuckers this side of mother fuckerdom,...but if he ever attempts a solo (like with Frog Brigade of CCBBB) it's usually 4 bars of shit.

You want a good groove oriented bassist,...Rocco THE MOTHA FUCKING MAN Prestia!!!!! (Tow of Power bitches).

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAfi3MilfUg[/youtube]

[theavondon]

Slap bass is lame. Funk lies within timing, and the best funk has almost zero slap.

[mauerkraut]

SUBJECTIVE ARGUMENTS GO NOWHERE... THESE ARE YOUR OPINIONS, NOT FACTS




[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppAd3stS85w[/youtube]

Particularly around 3:00 minutes, but the whole thing is worth watching.

[theavondon]

SUBJECTIVE ARGUMENTS GO NOWHERE... THESE ARE YOUR OPINIONS, NOT FACTS




[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppAd3stS85w[/youtube]

Particularly around 3:00 minutes, but the whole thing is worth watching.

You're wrong.

[warwick.hoy]

I stated all my opinions as opinions.

[snipelfritz]

Now that I know what you all have against slap bass, let me say:
If you think slap bass is about popping out quick, showy little riffs, you're not listening to the right stuff. Slap bass transcends the one-and-two-and monotony of generic rock music into the heavenly 16th-note world of wonder that is The Funk. It's something that pushes the music to an overall eurphoro-rhythmic consciousness, not something that necessarily forms the basis of the song. Just add fuzzy wah'd out guitar, tight yet driving drums, and some mad bouncing clav and you've got real music.

Y'all need to sit down and listen to Larry Graham and Bootsy Collins until your anuses bleed. Put down that Victor Wooten and Les Claypool. Those boys don't know what music is all about. Not trying to diss Mr.'s Wooten and Claypool. I just think they aren't good examples of the fundamental rhythmic nature of slap bass and may lead people to think it's something that demands to be either loved despised. It's something that should gel with the groove and almost go unnoticed by the listener. Both of those dudes are great bassists however. Their playing just shouldn't be indicative of an entire style.

I'm not trying to say Les Claypool or anything for that matter is bad. I'm just saying that compared to more classic funk bassists he takes a much more forefront position in the overall mix of his music. That's completely appropriate considering Claypool tends to play in small 3-4 person combo whereas Graham is usually in a larger funk band setting. Two sides of the same coin. My point was that many people only see one of those sides and fail to recognize the flexibility of that style of playing.

My point: Y'all are predictable. That last paragraph is specifically meant to address that attitude, but I guess the whole thing really was.

[theavondon]

To say that I disagree does not mean that I have not listened to Larry Graham or Bootsy Collins. I have. I just disagree.

Also, Bootsy's best stuff was in Parliament, and it sure wasn't slap. The funkiest thing I've heard in a long time was played on a fretless bass, fingerstyle.

Also, subjective argument is subjective.

[snipelfritz]

Also, subjective argument is subjective.

True that. I've thought about giving this up multiple times now, but every time I do, I remember that I have a Sly & the Family Stone avatar. I must defend the honor of Larry Graham's baby!!!

Yeah, I guess my point is that people can be show-offy dicks no matter what techniques they're using. Saying that one technique is inherently so brash just seems wrong especially when it was invented to do the things most bassists value.

[Mudfuzz]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QujqXIsZ2yI[/youtube]

[snipelfritz]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxKBnR_8LIM[/youtube]

[Gearmond]

ironically i like Squarepusher when he's slapping in a song.

I listened to his solo electric bass album and its was just tonally atrocious knobbery.

slap isn't necessarily the most percussive either. there was a really good doug johns demo video has the most percussive line i've ever heard, and its just him digging in like crazy. but basically any james jamerson tony levin or percy jones video will show you that you can be percussive without slap

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxocyLjXUFM[/youtube]

[SPACERITUAL]

I'm not trying to say Les Claypool or anything for that matter is bad. I'm just saying that compared to more classic funk bassists he takes a much more forefront position in the overall mix of his music.

You know thats a great point and i think is a huge factor in pinpointing why exactly his band sounds like professional musicians playing a score composed by the retarded.

[snipelfritz]

I'm not trying to say Les Claypool or anything for that matter is bad. I'm just saying that compared to more classic funk bassists he takes a much more forefront position in the overall mix of his music.

You know thats a great point and i think is a huge factor in pinpointing why exactly his band sounds like professional musicians playing a score composed by the retarded.

I've never been able to pin-point why I've never been able to take Primus seriously, but you totally just helped my figure it out. You're like my Summer Sanders except I don't want to rock the shit out of you.


...or don't I?

[The4455]

End all answer:

Guitarists play bass wrong by trying to play bass.

[Derelict78]

the king
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNa551dR6Rc[/youtube]
IMO Waters has the perfect mix of simplicity and complex bass lines.