# Why don't bassists get as much credit as 'guitarists' **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 14, 2015, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-bassists-get-as-much-credit-as-guitarists/740431 "2015-12-14T18:08:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mixolydian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Mixolydian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mixolydian)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-bassists-get-as-much-credit-as-guitarists/740431/21 "2015-12-15T14:52:09Z")
Was beaten to the punch by both kayaker and silenus, so… A boy came home from his first bass lesson. His dad asked him how it went. “Today we learned the E string.” The boy came home from his second lesson and dad asked him how it went. “Today we learned the A string.” The boy came home from his third lesson. Dad asked, “So did you learn the D string today?” “Nope. Today I had a gig.” * * * Bass players get a bad rap, but even the most casual listener knows instantly that something’s seriously wrong with the sound if the bass drops out. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-bassists-get-as-much-credit-as-guitarists/740431/22 "2015-12-15T14:55:41Z")
In much (nearly all?) of the music most of us hear, the melody is considered the essence of a piece, and it’s almost always higher pitched than the accompanying tones. A choir singing four-part harmony sounds much richer than the sopranos singing alone, but the song is recognized by the melody the sopranos sing. Altos, tenors, and basses certainly add something but it doesn’t stand out in most folks’ perception like the melody does. It seems to be the way we’re accustomed to make music and to hear music. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-bassists-get-as-much-credit-as-guitarists/740431/23 "2015-12-15T15:44:40Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > A band’s bassist is, for whatever reason, less likely to be a lead singer, songwriter, or founding member than is their guitarist. True, although there have been some pretty notable exceptions regarding lead vocals (e.g., the Beatles, Cream, and the 1969-1975 King Crimson), and songwriting (the Beatles and Cream again, plus Pink Floyd). I think the essential answer to the OP is: The same reason rhythm guitarists don’t get as much credit as lead guitarists. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-bassists-get-as-much-credit-as-guitarists/740431/24 "2015-12-15T15:58:22Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > True, although there have been some pretty notable exceptions regarding lead vocals (e.g., the Beatles, Cream, and the 1969-1975 King Crimson), and songwriting (the Beatles and Cream again, plus Pink Floyd). As you say, there are notable exceptions. But I wonder if it’s significant that McCartney started out as a guitarist and only switched to bass when Stu Sutcliffe left the band. Is there a significant difference between those who played bass because it was their chosen instrument vs. those who played it because somebody had to fulfill that role? ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-bassists-get-as-much-credit-as-guitarists/740431/25 "2015-12-15T16:07:11Z")
Can someone please tell Charlie Hunter to please hire a bass player? ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-bassists-get-as-much-credit-as-guitarists/740431/26 "2015-12-15T16:38:25Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Pretty much sums it up. When I hear Tina Weymouth play her 3-note riff for **Talking Heads’** cover of _Take Me to the River_, I always think about how simple it is, but how hard it grooves. I appreciate bassists who focus on that. Tina Weymouth IMO is the most under appreciated bass player. Her stuff makes the first two TH LPs happen. It just goes by unconsciously, 30 years later i realize “Hey…” I don’t even care for the funk stuff, and I prefer Al Greens TMTTR ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-bassists-get-as-much-credit-as-guitarists/740431/27 "2015-12-15T17:10:48Z")
> [@BubbaDog](#): > > Just my opinion but I think that was a whoosh. > > I play both Bass and guitar - quite poorly. But I’m in it just for the fun of relaxing. I did notice though that when accompanying others it was a lot easier to “fake it” with a Bass through a song than with either lead or rhythm guitar. Possibly because the bass can be used to carry the fundamental flow; my fat fingers don’t have to re-position as fast. Yep, bass is much easier to fake a song at. Especially if the bass part isn’t expected to do any intros or fills. If you already know the key, and can hear where the song’s going: just playing the root along with the kick drum if often completely acceptable. With my current rock band, sometimes I’m grinning too much the first time we play a song that I find far too easy to play, and I get asked: “What, is the song stupid or something?”. I usually reply with something like: “Nah, nothing wrong with it at all. It just demands that I play a completely standard bass part.” And there’s nothing wrong with that, really. It’s part of the job. If we didn’t do songs that screamed for a completely standard bass part\*, we’d pass up some good songs. Plus, even if you phone it in and are sloppy on one of them, it’s not gonna work as well. It still demands some attention and skill. > [@BubbaDog](#): > > Basically the Bass player is like an offensive linesman in football. He needs to do his job well or everything goes to hell. But him doing his job well lets the running backs and receivers get all the glory. And that’s probably the best analogy I can think of. I played offensive tackle. It’s a hard job, but you just have to master a few basic principles of physics, be able to mentally take the idea that this guy is going to get a running start at you, and be tenacious enough to stay on someone to be an effective one. You don’t really have to be a large person to play bass or offensive line (I’m a small guy), but it does help. And it’s rare that you’ll be anyone’s hero unless you’re exceptional at it. You might run a tackle eligible every once in a while. But if you can’t hack it, they’ll start looking for someone else to hoe your row, no matter how thankless it is. 🙂 \*Completely standard bass part in my world: Root, with leading notes into the next root, a root-fifth country-style part, or a walking part with no oddball chords. Even then, they can be challenging. One of the songs my band plays is fast, and requires me to make a 10 fret jump in the span of an eighth note. Landing that one is a lot of fun, even if it is root-lead note-root the rest of the way. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-bassists-get-as-much-credit-as-guitarists/740431/28 "2015-12-15T20:09:23Z")
“Minding the Store” is what I’ve heard bass players call it. this one paragraph from a book sums it up. > **[Performers' Voices Across Centuries And Cultures - Selected Proceedings Of...](https://books.google.com/books?id=U0-7CgAAQBAJ&pg=PA170&lpg=PA170&dq=bass%2BMinding%2Bthe%2BStore&source=bl&ots=Z-4CgIeo2L&sig=94YBNjZoo4O6gMI6G7ToiXrfMZA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi23aSM1t7JAhVB7yYKHZPWCNUQ6AEIJjAC#v=onepage&q=bass%20Minding%20the%20Store&f=false)** > > This book and its accompanying website present the selected proceedings of the inaugural, ‘The Performer's Voice: An International Forum for Music Performance and Scholarship’, directed by Dr Anne Marshman (editor) and hosted by the Yong Siew Toh... playing the root and fifth can get mind numbing. thump, thump, rest, thump, thump, rest thump thump rest but the rhythm they establish is vital to the entire band’s performance. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-bassists-get-as-much-credit-as-guitarists/740431/29 "2015-12-15T20:29:12Z")
Heres an example. I hired a transcription service to create a lead sheet for Sweet Dream Woman, a Waylon Jennings hit. I also asked for the bass guitar part. I plan to play all parts and record on my multi track recorder. bass starts with a three step walk up. then plays root/5th (D and A notes in the D chord) with a rest in between. chord changes to A and the bass plays A, E root/fifth. slight rhythm change in the next measure. thats pretty much the bass part. I’ve listened to Waylon’s cut and thats whats there. > **[ImageBam](https://www.imagebam.com/image/9b3b15452784570)** > > Image Hosting, Image Upload, Picture Hosting ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-bassists-get-as-much-credit-as-guitarists/740431/30 "2015-12-15T20:35:56Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Lead guitars get the spotlight. Reminds me of an anecdote from the DVD commentary on Dream Theater’s _Five Years in a Livetime_ concert video: While editing footage for the song “Metropolis”, the band discovered that no footage had been shot of [John Myung’s bass solo.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErTTQ2tw_Ng) They had to locate footage from a completely different concert and patch it in, which you can see @1:27-1:32 in the linked video. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-bassists-get-as-much-credit-as-guitarists/740431/31 "2015-12-15T20:46:42Z")
Anyway, my hats off to the guys that can play bass night after night. Its a thankless job. I can get through a bass part to record a track for a cover song. But I wouldn’t want to play the bass part night after night in a band. My mind starts to wander and I lose the count or where I’m at in the song. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2015, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-bassists-get-as-much-credit-as-guitarists/740431/32 "2015-12-16T00:40:20Z")
Is there a reason you have air quotes around guitarist but not bassist? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2015, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-bassists-get-as-much-credit-as-guitarists/740431/33 "2015-12-16T00:58:27Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Is there a reason you have air quotes around guitarist but not bassist? Good question, but, “air quotes”? Speaking of which, does this thread explain why you see way more people playing air guitar than air bass? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2015, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-bassists-get-as-much-credit-as-guitarists/740431/34 "2015-12-16T01:24:32Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Is there a reason you have air quotes around guitarist but not bassist? I assume it’s because the bass is also a guitar. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2015, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-bassists-get-as-much-credit-as-guitarists/740431/35 "2015-12-16T01:29:00Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > I assume it’s because the bass is also a guitar. Mmkay. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2015, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-bassists-get-as-much-credit-as-guitarists/740431/36 "2015-12-16T07:37:29Z")
I play basic punk rock guitar but would like to take up the bass as it seems like the bass offers the chance to be really really creative without the wankiness too often associated with lead guitar. That and it’s my opinion that bass and drums are the two most important instruments in most bands. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2015, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-bassists-get-as-much-credit-as-guitarists/740431/37 "2015-12-16T12:39:30Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Speaking of which, does this thread explain why you see way more people playing air guitar than air bass? [Air guitars are more readily available.](https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/7a/db/d1/7adbd11d601546d18b5015680a235aae.jpg&imgrefurl=https://www.pinterest.com/pin/303781937335274152/&h=247&w=236&tbnid=sXbAtDece9Q8iM:&docid=ZrmbYzzcaGuobM&hl=en-us&ei=wlpxVv3gCcKTmQHt9b-YBQ&tbm=isch&client=safari&ved=0ahUKEwj9yfS4suDJAhXCSSYKHe36D1MQMwgcKAAwAA) ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2015, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-bassists-get-as-much-credit-as-guitarists/740431/38 "2015-12-16T13:28:34Z")
When I wanted to join a band in college, I chose the bass, simply because there were too many guys who had been strumming guitars since they were little kids, and wanting to be in bands. I’d never get good enough to compete with them. Get a bass and an amp, have a decent sense of rhythm, and show up reasonably on time, and you’ll be welcome in any number of rock bands. 🆒 (Of course, being more than an adequate bassist takes far more.) Now if you want to get credit as a bassist, turn in your slab for a doghouse and play some bluegrass. Man, it is almost embarrassing how much the amazing pickers appreciate me. No drums, so I AM the rhythm session. Can’t tell you how many times, after I missed a weekly jam, the next week the other guys told me how much it sucked without me. I’ve heard them say they had to stop songs multiple times, because no one could agree on a tempo. I readily admit that the toughest part of playing upright is hauling the damn thing around. But one thing is, the bass HAS to be there EVERY beat. For most other instruments, the guitar can simply drop out for a few measures or a chorus, and figure the banjo/mando/fiddle will carry it. But have the bass drop out, and things can go to hell pretty quickly. And the other instruments can play all around the beat, putting it down to creative license. But the bass has to figure out how to hold it together when the mando is rushing her break, and the guitar is dragging… But yeah, what everyone else said above. Role players, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2015, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-bassists-get-as-much-credit-as-guitarists/740431/39 "2015-12-16T15:32:36Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > In much (nearly all?) of the music most of us hear, the melody is considered the essence of a piece, and it’s almost always higher pitched than the accompanying tones. A choir singing four-part harmony sounds much richer than the sopranos singing alone, but the song is recognized by the melody the sopranos sing. Altos, tenors, and basses certainly add something but it doesn’t stand out in most folks’ perception like the melody does. It seems to be the way we’re accustomed to make music and to hear music. A friend of mine was the third guy in a barbershop quartet back in school, and one of the gag skits they sometime ran during their show was a commercial for my friend’s solo album of greatest hits: “bum bum bum”… long pause … “bum bum bum” … long pause … “oh, Oh, OHHHHHH” … long pause … “AHH ahhhhhhh.” ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2015, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-bassists-get-as-much-credit-as-guitarists/740431/40 "2015-12-16T16:18:19Z")
I forget where it was, but recently I read something purporting that the bass was what really got people into a song. I’ll see if I can dig it up. You see someone tapping their feet, nodding their head, it is usually along with the bass/rhythm, rather than the melody. I’m not sure if it was always the case, but for me, the bass is essentially what I hear when I hear a song. It makes up the structure of the song, establishing the rhythm, and signaling the chord changes. The rest is mere embellishment! 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-bassists-get-as-much-credit-as-guitarists/740431.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-bassists-get-as-much-credit-as-guitarists/740431.md?page=3)