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.
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.
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?
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
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.
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.
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.
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. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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!
(Of course, being more than an adequate bassist takes far more.)
