Anyone play rock and pop on DB?

[CrackerJackLee]

I have to play both instruments because each contributes a different sound and, depending on musical genre, a recognisable authority. And I want to play everything from Calypso to Hendrix (Yellow Haze, Purple Bird...).

We all know that nothing beats string bass for playing doo-wop, old rock n' roll, swing jazz, jump blues, bluegrass, Willie Dixon style blues, and jazz standards from the American Songbook. But we all play them on bass guitar, anyway. But to convince a audience, is another matter. Elvis' Little Sister needs a Fender Jazz or Precision Bass (probably with a plectrum). Ye Good Ol' Bass Viol was ne'er made for most R&B, Jamerson's Motown Soul bass lines, James Brown's funk, Cream's Blues-Rock, the New Country and Sixties Rock or Classic Rock.

Little Richard's Lucille screams for electric bass; it just doesn't work on stand-up. Some pop tunes like Downtown or It's Not Unusual can be played on both successfully, and with pleasantly different results.

It all depends on how seriously one takes music. Recently, I started with a traditional New Orleans Jazz band which has prompted me to buy an old tuba for some of the tunes, because strings swing - but tuba sways. I could play them on string bass, but they really shine with tuba. Hearing "Tuba Skinny" on YouTube proved that to me. We can play anything on any instrument, but authenticity is truly appreciated by an audience. It's like building in quality. It pays off. And when you switch from Fender, to stand-up, to tuba... you get called back!

Edited April 3, 2014 by CrackerJackLee

[bassace]

I've said before, and [i]ad nauseam[/i], that I had a DB before BGs were in wide circulation so when the five piece I was in started to play pops (wasn't covers then) I continued on upright. I had an 18" in those days, in contrast to the 8" that I use most of the time now - how things have changed. Most of the stuff we did translated to DB alright and I remember playing the bass riff to Keep on Running without too much bother.

One day I sneaked up to a shop in Piccadilly to buy a s/h Jazz and came away with an EBO - fool! I brought it out on our next gig and I remember one of the saxes turning round in surprise and saying 'you cowboy!, you bloody cowboy!

But yes, the DB still holds its own doing rock and pop, especially in tight little trios.

[Happy Jack]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1o9KKdstFQ