What, in DrumChat's opinion, would be the Top 3 Attributes of a Bassist?

[TimR]

Had a bit more of thought. 

 

Extension lead for the fan.

No cowbell.

Pass lager across from the shelf during break in songs. 

[cheddatom]

On 24/10/2022 at 21:55, Boodang said:

1. Turns up with a set of spare strings as opposed to the statement 'I've never broken a string yet!'...

 

I hope that's not a reference to my bassist!! 🤣

 

I play a lot of drums. I like a bassist who doesn't have too much low end in his sound. It's really quite common for bassists to think they need a big booming load of bass that fills the room and it's impossible to play with

[cheddatom]

I see a few bassists suggesting they're helping the drummer keep time. If you start trying to push or drag me I just play louder and stare at you

[Ralf1e]

4 minutes ago, cheddatom said:

I see a few bassists suggesting they're helping the drummer keep time. If you start trying to push or drag me I just play louder and stare at you

I've seen guitarist worship leaders who have accused more than one drummer of not keeping time when they themselves were the ones trying to speed up. They were not even aware of their own bad timing. It's called being a control freak in those circumstances.

[Dad3353]

2 hours ago, Ralf1e said:

.... Then cuts it for him anyway...

 

... and loses his/her left hand in doing so. Loses right hand if recidivist.

 

No, seriously..! 

[TimR]

1 hour ago, cheddatom said:

I see a few bassists suggesting they're helping the drummer keep time. If you start trying to push or drag me I just play louder and stare at you

 

Everyone should be keeping time. It's not the drummers job to keep time for the band. 

 

Knowing when a bass player (or drummer) is pushing or pulling the beat (not speeding up or slowing down the time) is a good skill to learn.

 

 

Edited October 26, 2022 by TimR

[Ralf1e]

21 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

 

... and loses his/her left hand in doing so. Loses right hand if recidivist.

 

No, seriously..! 

They are great drummers we have but they didn't know how to cut the port on a new drum kit the church bought. I own the tool that does the job so cut it for them and we refitted it before the service.

I am spoiled really as they are African drummers and would be very difficult to fault.

Their rhythms are fantastic and stretched me when I was first invited to become their bassist but they are fantastic guys and get on and get things done. Sorting out lighting rigs, Putting P A stuff out including sharing time on the digital mixer as well as mic up their own drums and setting up mics for singers etc

Come to think of it 🤔 are they really drummers at all 🤨

[Dad3353]

3 minutes ago, Ralf1e said:

They are great drummers we have but they didn't know how to cut the port on a new drum kit the church bought. I own the tool that does the job so cut it for them and we refitted it before the service.

I am spoiled really as they are African drummers and would be very difficult to fault.

Their rhythms are fantastic and stretched me when I was first invited to become their bassist but they are fantastic guys and get on and get things done. Sorting out lighting rigs, Putting P A stuff out including sharing time on the digital mixer as well as mic up their own drums and setting up mics for singers etc

Come to think of it 🤔 are they really drummers at all 🤨

 

Does the drum need a port at all, though..? For a 'concert' kit (no resonant heads...), mics inside the shell had its place (if close-micing is the effect wanted...), but a well-placed bass-drum mic, or a boundary mic, give a splendid signal for the desk, retaining the character of the bass drum. If it's the batter head dynamic that's wanted, mic the batter side.
On the other hand if the drummer really wanted the sound of a ported drum, there are excellent heads with tuned ports on the market. To each their own, though. Does the floor tom get cut, too..? Why not..? 

[Ralf1e]

14 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

 

Does the drum need a port at all, though..? For a 'concert' kit (no resonant heads...), mics inside the shell had its place (if close-micing is the effect wanted...), but a well-placed bass-drum mic, or a boundary mic, give a splendid signal for the desk, retaining the character of the bass drum. If it's the batter head dynamic that's wanted, mic the batter side.
On the other hand if the drummer really wanted the sound of a ported drum, there are excellent heads with tuned ports on the market. To each their own, though. Does the floor tom get cut, too..? Why not..? 

The bass drum having been cut has a clip on plastic port ( I think a Gibraltar one) put into it and has a bass drum specific mic into it recommended by the PMT tech guys. The floor tom is not cut and has a mic on the batter head as do all the other drums and the Congas and talking drum.

At this time they don't have their own separate inline mixer but with the amount of mics involved I think they will have to go there sooner or later. Its all still a learning curve for us all and I suppose it always will be.

Edited October 26, 2022 by Ralf1e

[cheddatom]

1 hour ago, TimR said:

 

Everyone should be keeping time. It's not the drummers job to keep time for the band. 

 

Knowing when a bass player (or drummer) is pushing or pulling the beat (not speeding up or slowing down the time) is a good skill to learn.

 

 

 

I'm not talking about playing infront or behind the beat, I'm talking about other musicians trying to speed up (or slow down) the song against the drummers steady beat. I absolutely hate it when people do this. It sounds terrible, and it's patronising to the drummer. The worst is when they start stamping their foot on stage trying to indicate to the drummer that they should speed up. F OFF!!!!

[TimR]

34 minutes ago, cheddatom said:

 

I'm not talking about playing infront or behind the beat, I'm talking about other musicians trying to speed up (or slow down) the song against the drummers steady beat. I absolutely hate it when people do this. It sounds terrible, and it's patronising to the drummer. The worst is when they start stamping their foot on stage trying to indicate to the drummer that they should speed up. F OFF!!!!

 

Are you playing music with musicians or trying to run a factory production line? 

[tauzero]

I would guess at

 

Being willing to help carry kit in and out

Doing homework - not coming to rehearsals unprepared

Sociable

 

which don't just apply to bassists.

[nilorius]

In my 23 years bass career, i have played at least in 15 bands. If there where some inside problems with songs or not, they where 85% according to drums.