Sonic_Groove Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 (edited) 34 minutes ago, Smanth said: My personal view is that basses (Electric ones at least) tend to be large and heavy and are harder generally (Oh shoot me down here) for us gals to hold, fret, carry. Not sure it is that simple S'manth, I been on a few Acoustic Guitar schools & weekends & there are not really many females take part (even though some of the tutors are female). So don't know? Also as a short bottom guy with not very big hands I myself have usually played very big heavy basses including 6 strings didn't ever put me off. It's probably also to do with the fact that playing in a band on the local circuit can be a complete PITA & can be as mentioned sometimes seem very "Blokey" Edited October 12, 2022 by Sonic_Groove 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msb Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 55 minutes ago, Smanth said: My personal view is that basses (Electric ones at least) tend to be large and heavy and are harder generally (Oh shoot me down here) for us gals to hold, fret, carry. I used to be 5"9', since playing the bass I'm now 4"11' (A lie, but hopefully an amusing one!) Exceptions to everything, but statistically are there not more male than female basis players here on BC and in the world of music? And be careful with Occam's Razor, it has a sharp edge lol S'manth xx I’m six feet , with average sized hands , and I prefer short scale basses. I also like modern cabs and amps. My stuff is not terribly large or heavy, but it can slam with absolute authority. My heaviest cab is around twenty five pounds. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky 4000 Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 Err, who hasn't been mentioned... depending on what music you like, there's Nik West: And Ayse Hassan from Savages... Or neither! 😃 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itu Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 Long ago Rhonda Smith was in Bass Player. She told she had a bass made to her, which was exactly like the original, but scaled down to fit her measures. I find this brave, as there are people - even here - who think Leo's ancient instruments are relics that can not be changed. Not at all. There are many classical double bassists, who are not so pop, and not in news all the time. But really hard working professionals. https://www.npr.org/sections/deceptivecadence/2016/05/17/478337126/jane-little-longtime-orchestra-musician-collapses-on-stage-and-dies https://whttps://www.ninaharries.com/bioww.cutcommonmag.com/meet-the-women-in-bass/ https://www.talkbass.com/threads/double-bass-women.247695/ https://m.famousfix.com/list/women-double-bassists https://slippedisc.com/2021/10/vienna-philharmonic-lets-a-woman-into-its-double-basses/ https://iro.uiowa.edu/esploro/outputs/doctoral/An-annotated-catalog-of-works-by/9983776851102771 https://fmq.fi/articles/jazz-bass-player-kaisa-maeensivu-band-leader-and-sidewoman From the popular side I downright love Kate Davis after her version of All about the bass. If anyone loves statistics, please study this: https://www.zippia.com/double-bass-player-jobs/demographics/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meterman Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 7 hours ago, Sonic_Groove said: I would offer that a genre with a reasonable amount of great female Bass players is Punk/New Wave (what ever you want to name it) from 1977 onwards. A few notables for 70's into 80's (there are many more): Gaye Advert (The Adverts), Tessa Pollitt (The Slits), Sara Lee (Gang of Four, PIL, Rob Fripp),Julianne Regan (Gene Loves Jezebel, later Vocals All about Eve), Cait O'Riordan (Pogues), Jackie Fox & Joan Jett {Bass '77}(Runaways) Later notables include: D'arcy Wretzky (Smashing Pumpkins), Annie Holland ( Elastica), Tracy Wormworth (Waitresses, B-52's) Would agree with everyone on your list and add: Gina Birch (The Raincoats) Clare Kenny (Orange Juice, Aztec Camera, Sinéad O’Connor, Brian Eno etc) Rose Simpson (Incredible String Band) Naomi Yang (Galaxie 500) Britta Phillips (Luna, Ben Lee) I’m not really fussed who plays in what band or on what record or tour or online video. But if I like them and they make me want them pick up my bass then I’m a fan. Laura Lee from Khruangbin particularly inspires me at the moment. Don’t give a toss about the nylon wigs or the onstage costume changes but her basslines totally do it for me 👍 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky 4000 Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 I seem to remember that this young lady is on BC: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky 4000 Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 (edited) Correction: It was this young lady I was thinking of: One P bass looks very like another... Edited October 12, 2022 by Ricky 4000 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveXFR Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 There's loads of great female bassists. Paz Lenchantin, Kim Deal and Sean Yseult are some of my favourites. My own offspring is a fairly handy bassist, certainly better than me which isn't particularly impressive. Her school band currently have Hysteria by Muse and Orion by Metallica in their set. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 How could I have forgotten about the Queen of bassface? The marvellous Este Haim. She has great tone and groove and plainly really gets into her playing. 3 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveXFR Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 (edited) I nearly forgot Ayes Hassan of Savages. Nasty bass tone and some of the very best, most creative post punk bass Edited October 12, 2022 by SteveXFR 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 21 minutes ago, ezbass said: How could I have forgotten about the Queen of bassface? The marvellous Este Haim. She has great tone and groove and plainly really gets into her playing. Este was made for the slug-in-place-of-guitar photoshop 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vin Venal Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 4 hours ago, jazzmanb said: Jenny lee linberg warpaint error on upload I came here to say this, really dig her interesting basslines and her tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vin Venal Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 Also, I'm not absolutely certain how I fit into this, as I'm trans-feminine, but I'm also kinda massive. 😅 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vin Venal Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 28 minutes ago, SteveXFR said: I nearly forgot Ayes Hassan of Savages. Nasty bass tone and some of the very best, most creative post punk bass tones Yeah, her tone is mint. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolo Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 Here's Hagar Ben Ari 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveXFR Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 12 minutes ago, Vin Venal said: Yeah, her tone is mint. I would describe it as beautifully disgusting 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Spiders Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 1 hour ago, meterman said: Would agree with everyone on your list and add: Gina Birch (The Raincoats) Clare Kenny (Orange Juice, Aztec Camera, Sinéad O’Connor, Brian Eno etc) Rose Simpson (Incredible String Band) Naomi Yang (Galaxie 500) Britta Phillips (Luna, Ben Lee) I’m not really fussed who plays in what band or on what record or tour or online video. But if I like them and they make me want them pick up my bass then I’m a fan. Laura Lee from Khruangbin particularly inspires me at the moment. Don’t give a toss about the nylon wigs or the onstage costume changes but her basslines totally do it for me 👍 I give a huge toss about her costumes......kinda. I'm not being facetious but with them being a 3-piece instrumental band where the drummist has a stripped down kit (unlike many 3-pieces e.g. Rush, Police) and there's no fancy stage show like other 3-pieces (e.g. Muse) her outfits are an essential part of the act IMO. If she wore sober coloured gear they actually could be quite dull live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Spiders Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 Here's Sara Lee with a monster sound playing on Damaged Goods by Go4. The recording quality is a bit Shiite but the tone cuts right through Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky 4000 Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 28 minutes ago, Bolo said: Here's Hagar Ben Ari Is that one of those serious Peavey basses that weighs 2 tons? Sorry, 2000kg. 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusoe Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 Kim Deal has been mentioned a couple of times, but no one has mentioned her bandmate from Breeders, Josephine Wiggs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassmidget209 Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 In regards to female bass players, I've always felt that there are oddly more than the proportional equivalent of guitarists and drummers. Again this is probably related to the stuff I grew up on, many have been already mentioned. For the other instruments though? Very very few. For the record I feel there's not nearly enough women in any of these positions regardless of intsrument but I did always feel there was proportionally more bassists that guitarists etc. Physically it doesn't make sense but maybe (please someone loudly correct me if I'm incorrect here) it's more to do with the mentality of a bass player fitting better with stereotypical character traits associated with women? Eg supportive, more of a team player (serve the song etc), not been entirely driven by ego and can therefore stand back and let some other doof in the band take the solos etc. I feel I have worded this badly but I think you can get what I'm rambling about. Also yes I am short and have relatively small hands, I felt for years like I was trying to 'tame' the instrument. I feel I only really just got to grips with it the past few years in a more consistent way so I can simpathise with the size issue! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 (edited) 12 hours ago, Smanth said: I recently attended the most excellent Big Fat South West Bass Bash, a most excellent event! When you consider female bassist, for instance this very short list: Carole Kaye Esperanza Emily Spalding Gail Ann Dorsey Gail Greenwood Johnette Napolitano Julia Hoffer Kim Deal Kim Gordon Paz Lenchatin Suzi Quattro Tina Weymouth And SO many more!!! There are a lot of us about! I was shocked to find I was the only gal bash basher at the event! Now given basses tend to be heavy as f*ck and with frets that are miles apart it may be a challenge, but. .. I'd love to hear who you consider great female bass players ... and I would especially love to hear from any female bass player here on BC? It's not about dissing the gents (Who here on BC are amongst the most lovely folks in existence), it's about discussing the approaches to how best to manage these huge instruments for those of use with lighter frames in a way that makes people sit up and beg for more!!!!! S'manth xxx You forgot Kathy valentine of the gogos and also Michael Steele of the bangles plus also tal wilkenfeld kate Davis plays double bass whilst also singing Edited October 12, 2022 by Geek99 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky 4000 Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 Omg, I forgot Bridget Kearney from Lake Street Dive. Great band, and she's a monster player! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msb Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 Smanth , if you’re concerned about instrument size and weight have a look at smaller , lighter instruments. I’m mostly a short scale user now , and don’t miss playing the old classics at all. My Longhorn weighs next to nothing , sounds great , and is fun to play. I have around a dozen short scales. None of them are all that heavy. And they’re all easy to play. Same with amps and cabs. You can easily find modern gear that is not all that heavy , and has some serious slam. Heck , I used to haul an Ampeg fridge around. No more. I’m just a blue collar musician , I load the car , drive it downtown , unload , set it up , and take it home when the gig is over. I smile every time I pick up one of my cabs. They also sound a lot better than the old heavy stuff used to. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msb Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 3 minutes ago, Ricky 4000 said: Omg, I forgot Bridget Kearney from Lake Street Dive. Great band, and she's a monster player! Bridget Kearney is one of my heroes. I just love her playing. She’s not that big a girl , but she gets around on that upright. And those things are a misery to lug around. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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