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#188867 by aiki_mcr
Tue Oct 09, 2012 10:42 pm
It's interesting to me that I provide a list of songs that I already know (http://www.allnightmusic.com if you're interested) with some pretty clear trends in genres. I think I'm pretty eclectic in what I want to play. I'm even more eclectic in my listening habits.

But what I find is mostly bands looking for a bass player want to do the one genre I am specifically not interested in playing: metal. I'm not crazy about blues, either, but that's at least partly because if I ever find myself in a band with another Stevie Ray Vaughn wannabe it will require that I do something senseless and violent (smashing guitars comes to mind). I don't mind blues in principal, I'm just used to blues bands being subpar.

So, why are so many metal bands looking for bass players? It seems like every band in the area looking for a bass player is playing heavy metal.

#188870 by JCP61
Tue Oct 09, 2012 11:28 pm
for the composer
music is a terrible, terrible prospect.

#188883 by gbheil
Wed Oct 10, 2012 1:05 am
"New Metal" as I call, it is the up and coming thing with the younger guys despite the fact that it's not really new ( nor up and coming ) IMO

A lot of it has to do with the fact that as people first learn to play an instrument they often spend a lot of time alone emulating their "heroes".

So we get a bunch of galloping bass lines and super fast deedle deedle deedle "lead" players looking for others to gallop and deedle dee with.

Nothing new, I feel as for each generation of players there is a set pattern based on some popular genre' or another.

Some of the musician progress out of it some don't.

I thing the preference in "tone" for guitar players is based on the same previous exposure.

For example . . . I really love the classic over driven Marshall sound.
Where as a lot of the guys half my age prefer what to me is shrill and over processed.

Not that one is right and the other wrong, it just preference.

#188893 by Slacker G
Wed Oct 10, 2012 2:29 am
So, why are so many metal bands looking for bass players? It seems like every band in the area looking for a bass player is playing heavy metal.


Because bass players have good taste in music?

#188919 by Kramerguy
Wed Oct 10, 2012 2:19 pm
yeah, I would think metal is one of the least desirable genres for a bass player. Most of it is 4/4 single note melodies with little to keep the backline interested.

#189017 by aiki_mcr
Wed Oct 10, 2012 8:57 pm
Slacker G wrote:Because bass players have good taste in music?


:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

#189018 by aiki_mcr
Wed Oct 10, 2012 9:04 pm
Kramerguy wrote:yeah, I would think metal is one of the least desirable genres for a bass player. Most of it is 4/4 single note melodies with little to keep the backline interested.


I mean, yes, that's part of it. Pedal notes on the quarternote get old after a while (shuggadah, shuggadah, shuggadah, shuggadah). But for me at least, it's also a general dislike of the genre. It's grating. It's hard for me to listen to, let alone play. Also, there's my experience in metal bands in the past: the bass player is kind of an afterthought and generally regarded as the non-musician in the band.

But mostly I just don't like the music. Personal preference, really.

And I wouldn't care at all if I weren't looking for a band and getting frustrated by the fact that the bands who need bass players are mostly metal bands.

#189021 by DainNobody
Wed Oct 10, 2012 9:08 pm
I love Billy Sheehan and his bass playing ability...

#189022 by DainNobody
Wed Oct 10, 2012 9:11 pm
I always thought the bass player in Iron Maiden was the dominant force..???
#189032 by PaperDog
Wed Oct 10, 2012 10:07 pm
aiki_mcr wrote:It's interesting to me that I provide a list of songs that I already know (http://www.allnightmusic.com if you're interested) with some pretty clear trends in genres. I think I'm pretty eclectic in what I want to play. I'm even more eclectic in my listening habits.

But what I find is mostly bands looking for a bass player want to do the one genre I am specifically not interested in playing: metal. I'm not crazy about blues, either, but that's at least partly because if I ever find myself in a band with another Stevie Ray Vaughn wannabe it will require that I do something senseless and violent (smashing guitars comes to mind). I don't mind blues in principal, I'm just used to blues bands being subpar.

So, why are so many metal bands looking for bass players? It seems like every band in the area looking for a bass player is playing heavy metal.


I dont know of any 'true' blues musicians who would smash up their guitars. RE subpar bands... (And I have said this before on this site) Singing about broken capaccino machines aint really blues , if you get my meaning...
I know a couple of bass players who can basically drive the direction of a band...and then I know some who just follow... Its all good, but if yer looking for a band to lead...ya gotta work the musical putty with them, so to speak.. (IMHO)
#189048 by aiki_mcr
Wed Oct 10, 2012 11:25 pm
PaperDog wrote:I dont know of any 'true' blues musicians who would smash up their guitars.


You misunderstand me. I was engaging in a bit of hyperbole in regards to my feelings about blues musicians. So many of them get stuck on a single artist and expect the band to just go along with the emulation. I picked on SRV, but it happens with Jimi Hendrix, Robert Johnson - heck I knew one guy was a total Garry Moore wannabe.

People who do this drive me nuts. To the point where I've been known to threaten their equipment if we don't do something - anything - else.

PaperDog wrote:RE subpar bands... (And I have said this before on this site) Singing about broken capaccino machines aint really blues , if you get my meaning...


Once again, this is more a comment on a class of people attracted to the genre than the genre itself. People tend to think of blues as the lowest common denominator. This leads to A Lot Of Bad Blues Music.

PaperDog wrote:I know a couple of bass players who can basically drive the direction of a band...and then I know some who just follow... Its all good, but if yer looking for a band to lead...ya gotta work the musical putty with them, so to speak.. (IMHO)


Honestly, I just want a band that's headed in a similar direction to where I want to go. I tried starting a band because I got frustrated with bands that wanted to sit around, drink beer and play songs no one wanted to hear. It would be fair to say I didn't do so well with this. I don't want to be the anal-retentive guy who goes over the same songs 100 times and then wants to go over them one more time when it just isn't needed. I learn songs reasonably quickly. But too many musicians see that as an excuse to be lazy.

So, I'm looking again.

#189049 by aiki_mcr
Wed Oct 10, 2012 11:26 pm
Dane Ellis Allen wrote:I always thought the bass player in Iron Maiden was the dominant force..???


I wouldn't know, really, I can't listen to Iron Maiden.

#189050 by JCP61
Wed Oct 10, 2012 11:30 pm
OMG!! you are a 51 yo amateur bass player,
gimme a break....
take up a lead instrument or do what your told.

#189095 by Kramerguy
Thu Oct 11, 2012 1:35 pm
aiki_mcr wrote:
Kramerguy wrote:yeah, I would think metal is one of the least desirable genres for a bass player. Most of it is 4/4 single note melodies with little to keep the backline interested.


I mean, yes, that's part of it. Pedal notes on the quarternote get old after a while (shuggadah, shuggadah, shuggadah, shuggadah). But for me at least, it's also a general dislike of the genre. It's grating. It's hard for me to listen to, let alone play. Also, there's my experience in metal bands in the past: the bass player is kind of an afterthought and generally regarded as the non-musician in the band.

But mostly I just don't like the music. Personal preference, really.

And I wouldn't care at all if I weren't looking for a band and getting frustrated by the fact that the bands who need bass players are mostly metal bands.


true, there's always the exception to the rule- my fav bass player is steve harris, and he's metal, well.. hair metal.

#189202 by aiki_mcr
Fri Oct 12, 2012 12:07 am
Sure, I've seen the problem with guitarists who assume that all bass players are just frustrated guitarists in bands of all genres. Still, I think it's a little more prevalent in metal. I have a whole list of theories about why this is, but I suspect they're all B.S. and it's just the way things are.

As for metal vs. hair metal: these are related, not same. Hair metal is really just pop music with a hard rock sensibility. Oddly enough, this is something that works. I can't say that I like all hair metal, but there's a lot of it I do. I just can't see doing it as an exclusive thing anymore than I'd want to do exclusively pop, country or disco.

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