EliasMooseblaster Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 On 15/09/2019 at 11:21, Stub Mandrel said: The defining feature of the guitar is that it's a chordal instrument and its tunings reflect this. The bass is primarily designed to be played monophonically (notwithstanding guitar solos and bass chords!) and perhaps the thing that distinguishes it most from the guitar is that it is (almost) always tuned in fourths, whatever the number of strings. I'd still argue that it's a member of the guitar family. I feel like the fact that we typically play it monophonically has less to do with its design, and more to do with the dense intervals of a full triad sounding - to put technically - utterly gash at those low frequencies. Try the same on a piano - play a simple major or minor triad of your choosing in a standard guitar's register, then try it an octave down. Open fifths and octaves, by contrast, can be quite acceptable when used judiciously (which is to say, not over the drummer's solo). The consistent fourths tuning likely has more to do with the fact that the rulebook hadn't been written when ERBs were being invented, so people just made up their own rules. It's worth noting that a Bass VI follows standard guitar tuning, and I have heard of some oddballs tuning their six-string basses B-B (however, such revolutionaries may have been taken out back and shot by now). Not to mention the fact that, of any Western musical instrument, members of the guitar family are the most likely to be found in some strange and deviant tuning at any given time and for any given piece: please spare a thought at this moment for Sonic Youth's guitar tech. Where I'm going with this, in my usual clear and concise manner, is that not only am I equally comfortable being referred to as the bass player or the bassist, but that I am also content for observers to group me in with the lead and rhythm guitarists and refer to us, collectively as, the guitarists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Steve Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 have to say, that while I like my five string tuned to a low B, my instinct for a higher string would be to set that to a high B rather than a C. i suspect purely because I play a lot of guitar (including a seven string) so it would feel natural. Completely understand why a bass player/ist would favour a high C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliasMooseblaster Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 9 minutes ago, Monkey Steve said: have to say, that while I like my five string tuned to a low B, my instinct for a higher string would be to set that to a high B rather than a C. i suspect purely because I play a lot of guitar (including a seven string) so it would feel natural. Completely understand why a bass player/ist would favour a high C Yeah, I can definitely see the sense in both approaches. I guess if you extend your range upwards then tuning your higher strings to C and F (and Bb?) opens up the instrument's range slightly more than tuning to B and E, plus you're not going to be playing huge chords across all 5/6/7 strings. On the other hand, having the major third in among the fourths might give you more scope for transferring certain guitar chord shapes onto the top strings more easily than if you were working solely in fourths...although I've never tried it myself, so I can't reliably comment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted September 17, 2019 Author Share Posted September 17, 2019 Selection of double bass tunings: EADG ADG CADG (with fingerboard extension) CEADG BEADG CGDA CGDAE GDAE F#BEA EG#DG FADE FAFE ADGC EADGC Any questions? (Thanks to Wikipedia) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Spiders Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 As most people I know can't even tell a bass guitar apart from a uke I don't even go there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Steve Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 24 minutes ago, EliasMooseblaster said: Yeah, I can definitely see the sense in both approaches. I guess if you extend your range upwards then tuning your higher strings to C and F (and Bb?) opens up the instrument's range slightly more than tuning to B and E, plus you're not going to be playing huge chords across all 5/6/7 strings. On the other hand, having the major third in among the fourths might give you more scope for transferring certain guitar chord shapes onto the top strings more easily than if you were working solely in fourths...although I've never tried it myself, so I can't reliably comment! I did tune my low B up to a C for one band, but not for any clever alternate tuning reason, purely because the guitars were tuned down to a C, and the rest of my strings were also tuned up a semi tone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 I don't care what they call me, so long as they call me! 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 I'm a low note wrangler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky 4000 Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 (edited) Bassist - Formally trained to play anything straight from looking at the score, look and act completely disinterested in anything they can play (which is everything), and argue about anything and everything related to music in an aggressively boring fashion. Bass player - Monkey see, monkey do. 👍 Example of a room-full of 'ists'. Yes, they are pretty good... Edited September 17, 2019 by Ricky 4000 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low End Bee Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 (edited) On 15/09/2019 at 17:11, Bluewine said: I'm an an electric bass guitarist. I always felt bassist and bass players were guys that play double or stand up bass. Blue I've always thought of myself as a bass guitarist too. It confirms the type of low register instrument played. Bassist sounds like a political affiliation. Bass player is OK. Not too serious. When asked I what I play I will often reply. "In time unlike my band mates". Edited September 17, 2019 by Low End Bee 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krysbass Posted September 18, 2019 Share Posted September 18, 2019 Always "bassist" or "bass guitarist". Sadly, the term "bass player" is too often used or said with more than a hint of derision or sarcasm - though (as far as I'm aware); not yet in relation to myself. 😏 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted September 18, 2019 Share Posted September 18, 2019 It's all the same to me. I'm okay with bass man or low ender too, when the reviewer is trying to look all fancy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted September 18, 2019 Share Posted September 18, 2019 My gracious patron Although I am resigned to being described as - variously - a bass player, bassist or bass guitarist please be aware that my official title is Throbmonger by Royal Appointment to HM Queen Silvia of Sweden. She was a canny lass in her day, too, I can tell you. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted September 18, 2019 Share Posted September 18, 2019 What with Sweden's nobility having a Royally Appointed Throbmonger, and Norway's knighting penguins*, I'm agog to find out what the crowned heads of the rest of the Nordic countries are doing to redress the balance... * Sir Nils Olav - see below for possibly my all-time favourite Wikipedia picture/title combination... Oh, and it's bassist...like anybody really gives a flyer... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted September 18, 2019 Share Posted September 18, 2019 14 minutes ago, Muzz said: What with... Thanks for that pic. I love the idea of a penguin with a knighthood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted September 18, 2019 Share Posted September 18, 2019 I'm entranced with the idea of the Norwegian King's Guard getting the stinkeye from a flightless waterfowl who outranks every single one of them... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baceface Posted September 18, 2019 Share Posted September 18, 2019 (edited) I think I heard Dave Pegg once describe himself thus... Edited September 18, 2019 by Baceface Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted September 18, 2019 Author Share Posted September 18, 2019 10 minutes ago, Baceface said: I think I heard Dave Pegg once describe himself thus.. Bottoms being something of a hazard in Jethro Toe. Ian Anderson described his predecessor John Glascock as "a kinky bastard who likes to be thrashed severely across the bum" 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baceface Posted September 18, 2019 Share Posted September 18, 2019 2 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said: Bottoms being something of a hazard in Jethro Toe. Ian Anderson described his predecessor John Glascock as "a kinky bastard who likes to be thrashed severely across the bum" 🙂 Yes. I've seen poor Dave also get the riding crop across the jacksie during "Hunting Girl". If that was the end of his derrière-based-bass-activities, he'd probably be happy. Unfortunately, this also happened... Quote excerpt from an interview with Dave Pegg on Folking.com.... Folkmaster - If you could be remembered for one thing what would it be - What's your legacy? If I could be remembered for one thing - Well I did have a nasty accident at the Krumlin Festival in the 70's when I was wearing a pair of white trousers. I had rather too much to drink and when I got on stage I actually plopped myself which was very embarrassing as the back of my white trousers changed colour very quickly. Behind me were all the other acts that were on, including Elton John who wasn't very famous at the time and The Move who were people that we knew from Birmingham. I was a laughing stock. It was incredibly embarrassing and I couldn’t turn around to adjust the volume on my amp because the audience would have seen the brown mass that was attached to my derrière and would have know for sure what had happened. Folkmaster - So they never knew? The audience never knew. In fact the Festival was a complete disaster, it all went terribly wrong for us. Dave Swarbrick didn't actually stinky poo himself on stage but was desperate for a tiddle and there was this hole in the canvas on the stage. He went over to the side of the stage, stuck his chopper through the hole and had a waz. Unfortunately the press area was on the other side of the hole and consequently we’ve never been popular with the Melody Maker since 1970, which I think was the last time they gave us a review. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted September 18, 2019 Author Share Posted September 18, 2019 26 minutes ago, Baceface said: which I think was the last time they gave us a review. 🤣🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MoJo Posted September 19, 2019 Share Posted September 19, 2019 I prefer 'failed guitarist' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted September 19, 2019 Author Share Posted September 19, 2019 36 minutes ago, MoJo said: I prefer 'failed guitarist' I say "A drummer has to keep in time, a guitarist has to stay in key. A bass player has to do both." 🙂 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliasMooseblaster Posted September 19, 2019 Share Posted September 19, 2019 37 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said: I say "A drummer has to keep in time, a guitarist has to stay in key. A bass player has to do both." 🙂 "...because the drummer and guitarist usually can't be trusted to do either!" 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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