Basschat Top Trumps

[StingRayBoy42]

2 minutes ago, Piers_Williamson said:

Wot about reading rythm?  That to me is the hard bit of sight reading

Oh don't worry about that, you can just make it up

😃

[Chiliwailer]

1 hour ago, HeadlessBassist said:

 

If you had no reading ability whatsoever, music theory would be utterly meaningless.

I doubt you’d say that to a blind or visually impaired student, or musician or virtuoso, so I’m genuinely a bit lost on that statement.

 

(though in 32 years of playing bass I’ve never considered myself a musician  ) 

Edited Friday at 20:42 by Chiliwailer

[StingRayBoy42]

Just now, Chiliwailer said:

(though in 32 years of playing bass I’ve never considered myself a musician  ) 

If ever I'm asked "Are you a musician?" my answer is always "Good God, no - I'm a Bass player"

[StingRayBoy42]

Apologies for the hijack... as you were.

[Mrbigstuff]

It’s okay, someone has started a new top trumps list now anyway 🤷‍♂️

Edited Friday at 22:59 by Mrbigstuff

[StingRayBoy42]

1 hour ago, Mrbigstuff said:

It’s okay, someone has started a new too trumps list now anyway 🤷‍♂️

Oh, Thank God!

[bassbiscuits]

Year started playing: 1986

Number of basses: 3

Music theory: 2/10

Technique: 8/10

Groove: 9/10

[silverfoxnik]

Year started playing: 1975

Number of basses: 11

Music theory: 4/10

Technique: 5/10

Groove: 6/10

 

Great topic btw @Chiliwailer...

 

To add some context to the numbers above ..

 

I started playing regularly and with some purpose in my first band in 1976.

 

Playing bass in a band was also my introduction to songwriting; it seemed pointless to do one without the other..

 

Doing O-Level Music at school was a great help actually, but I'd say my understanding of proper, classically based music theory is pretty low.

 

I played in a lot of different bands and musical projects trying to 'make it' in the music biz over the next 20 years and then took 11 years out.

 

Joined my first ever covers band in 2006 and haven't looked back since. Other than matters of the heart, kids and some extra-special career highlights, I've had more joy, fun and pleasure from playing music/ making music than just about anything else... 

 

I have six 4-string basses that I use regularly, depending on the musical situation and my mood. Plus two 5-string basses that I use less often.

 

Upstairs in the loft is a mid '70s Hondo Ricky copy my mum bought me, and a short scale Encore bass I bought for my son when he was you which I just can't seem to part with (sentimental fool that I am!). 

 

Oh, and there's a lovely Maya Fretless that I cant play that still needs to find a new home. 🤷

 

Trying to be as objective as possible, based on 50 years of seeing some truly gifted bass players and some truly awful ones over that time...

 

.. I know my technique is fairly average and my ability to really 'groove' or 'rock out' is passable for a grey-haired old duffer playing in covers bands.  But my thinking is that there's still plenty of time to improve and get better.

 

So that - plus realising most audiences I play in front of have absolutely no f@#king idea what the bass is doing most of the time - means I can keep getting away with it for a while longer yet.

 

😁

[prowla]

Year started playing: 1976

Number of basses: Quite a few, but I don't know how many

Music theory: Clueless

Technique: Either 10 or 0, or somewhere in-between

Groove: Dunno what that is - does having a Status Groove bass count?

Edited 1 hour ago by prowla

[SimonK]

Year started playing: 1987

Number of basses: 3 (+1 I bought for the kids to learn on)

Music theory: 4

Technique: 5

Groove: 8

[Eric_Wombat]

Year started playing: 2024

Number of basses: 8

Music theory: 2

Technique: 2

Groove: 4

[TimR]

Year started playing: 1986

Number of basses: 1 (3 if you count the spare bass and the one in the loft, neither of which I ever play)

Music theory: 8 (What's all that mode stuff about?)

Technique: 5 (No slap, no pick)

Groove: 7 (I spent too much time fighting against a bad drummer.)