going without a bass player in extreme metal.[views:18565][posts:101]________________________________ [Jan 6,2009 3:59pm - darkwor ""] so my atmosphery black/thrash/death/whatever band likes the sound of their practice recordings and are doing just fine without a bassist. we have a high screamer/growler, a 7 string shredder/gutteral vocalist, an ambient computer fondler, and yours truly on the drums, we would rather not have "another person in the room" and unless a seriously awesome bass player steps up, we could do without. on our self-recorded album coming out eventually we're about to see how tracking a bass sounds on it, and i know that every band is different and if the sound is fine then so be it, but my question is how would this translate to a live show, in comparison to a band with a bassist? will it sound like a treble-y tin can of shit? what you guys think? do you really have to pee in a girl's mouth to make babies? |
| _________________________________ [Jan 6,2009 4:00pm - brian_dc ""] my last band tried playing shows without a bassist toward the end. Granted we had a shitty bass player prior to that...but even we could tell that it was a severe lack. Bass is way more important than people think, even in metal. |
| ______________________________________ [Jan 6,2009 4:01pm - TheBloodening ""] live def. need a bassist, but then again if i'm drunk and fondling girls tits than i prob wouldn't care either way. your call. |
| ________________________________________ [Jan 6,2009 4:01pm - Conservationist ""] Use a harmonizer. Most bass doubles the root note of the chord. |
| _________________________________ [Jan 6,2009 4:06pm - brian_dc ""] having a good bassist who doesn't just do this is a pretty fun experience...but yeah...if you find a guy who just does that...octave pedal...maybe buy a 2x15 cab to carry lows more... |
| _________________________________ [Jan 6,2009 4:10pm - archaeon ""] guttural* |
| _________________________________________ [Jan 6,2009 4:20pm - largefreakatzero ""] Of course you need to pee in a girl's mouth to make babies. Playing live would be better with a bassist, but if you light your equipment on fire mid-set, you'll be just fine. |
| ________________________________ [Jan 6,2009 4:22pm - darkwor ""] we were going to get an octave pedal for vocals, we will experiment with the guitar...the 7 string is beefy, i forsee that with an extra 2x15 cab will sound very nice. and guttural. our ambient guy (i can't put a name to what he does. human synth?) peppers in some low-end too. i think the end result will kick ass but we'll see. thanks for the ideas guys. |
| _____________________________________ [Jan 6,2009 4:24pm - orgymf@work ""] no bass can work, but you have to make sure it sounds good in a big room. the best way to find out (close to) how you really sound, is to take a chance, play one show....have someone (with decent equiptment) come record the set. if you get a good reaction, and you like the recording.....leave well enough alone. Oh, and while you don't have to pee in a girl's mouth to make babies, it's more fun if you do. |
| ____________________________________ [Jan 6,2009 4:25pm - Josh_Martin ""] For extreme shit, bass is not necessary. Just make sure the guitar doesn't sound limpwristed and you're fine. Plus its really nice not to have to be in tune with anyone else. |
| _________________________________ [Jan 6,2009 4:32pm - BrianDBB ""] We don't have a bass player... never will. One more person to worry about and plus it sounds fine without it, especially for the simple stomp shit we play. |
| __________________________________ [Jan 6,2009 4:35pm - narkybark ""] this is all heresy! |
| __________________________________________ [Jan 6,2009 4:37pm - FuckIsMySignature ""] NeverSayNever has played alot of shows without a bass player. would be nice to have one once we get shit going again |
| _________________________________ [Jan 6,2009 4:39pm - brian_dc ""] there's so much that can be done with a good bassist. |
| ________________________________ [Jan 6,2009 4:40pm - darkwor ""] narkybark said:this is all heresy! damon you're quite the exception in the world of bass playing. |
| ___________________________________________________ [Jan 6,2009 5:00pm - menstrual_sweatpants_disco ""] I agree. There's "do we need a bass player" and then there's "do we need someone like Damon playing bass for us?" The answers are "meeeeh, up to you" and "hell yes you do". |
| __________________________________ [Jan 6,2009 5:06pm - narkybark ""] if you pour water on us after midnight, we multiply. |
| ______________________________________________ [Jan 6,2009 6:00pm - IllinoisEnemaBradness ""] since most metal bass players are idiots, keep it guitar only. Nick from KA is an exception as is Josh from Sexcrement, other than them, i couldn't name a decent bassist |
| _____________________________________ [Jan 6,2009 6:43pm - goatcatalyst ""] Morgirion are pretty fucking awesome without a bass player. Same with Malkuth. I know there's a bunch more I'm forgetting. |
| ________________________________________ [Jan 6,2009 9:13pm - Conservationist ""] Necromantia. |
| ________________________________________ [Jan 6,2009 9:14pm - Conservationist ""] brian_dc said:there's so much that can be done with a good bassist. A N A L S E X |
| _____________________________________ [Jan 7,2009 12:33am - jimbo fitz ""] Jon, I think you guys don't need a bass. For most metal i would say yes, but after hearing your recording on the cellphone, i think you don't need it. |
| ____________________________________________ [Jan 7,2009 7:56am - MarkFuckingRichards ""] Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't. |
| _________________________________ [Jan 7,2009 8:43am - brian_dc ""] [Jan 6,2009 9:14pm - Conservationist] brian_dc said:there's so much that can be done with a good bassist. A N A L S E X you're speaking my language |
| _____________________________________ [Jan 7,2009 9:21am - JustinSteele ""] Let's be honest here. As a former bass player I can safely say they are the worst people on earth and we'd be better off without them. I have a solution (a "final solution" if you will) to get rid of all the bass players in the world. |
| _________________________________________ [Jan 7,2009 9:38am - corpus_colostomy ""] playing with a bass adds dimension, depth and power. playing without one reduces that potential dimension, depth, and power. say what you want about the typeology of the "bassist," I may agree. but in 'EXTREME METUHL' you need a bassist to flesh things out. It's not enough to hear metal, imho--it's best when you are able to simultaneously hear and feel it. yeah-yeah you can tweak your settings and add this cab and that one, if you have two guitarists you can compensate with some sort of tonal dichotemy between the two, or theoretically bring up the trigs on the kick drum...but again over-compensation is just that. none of it amounts to what a good bass player does for your music. btw...what the fuck is a rhythm section sans bass? |
| ______________________________________ [Jan 7,2009 10:27am - JustinSteele ""] btw...what the fuck is a rhythm section sans bass? >> solid |
| _______________________________ [Jan 7,2009 10:40am - slymo ""] I say don't add anything to your band that takes away from the energy (like a player that done not give a shit). Dont get a bass player just to have the sound there, that wont take to you the rock zone. |
| _____________________________________ [Jan 7,2009 2:36pm - The Rooster ""] Bass is gay. ;) We (Clitorture) did without one for 7 years, and never felt like we were missing anything. We tried out a bunch of players, and none brought anything to the table that wasn't already there, so we passed. I am playing with some new people now though, including a bassist. I gotta say.... I love it. The dude is sick and likes doing his own thing with the riffs I'm writing, rather than just doubling the root or whatever. Definately makes it easier to be heavy. Especially when you blend the guitar and bass volumes properly (e.g. so you can actually hear the bass). |
| _____________________________________ [Jan 7,2009 2:38pm - The Rooster ""] To the O.P.... if you like what you've got going on, w/out a bass player, then keep doing what you're doing. You could always try some out and if nobody that suits your aesthetic comes along, then fuck it. Don't let anyone ever tell you that you "need" one, or that "you won't be taken seriously without one" (both things we were told on a regular basis... until people saw us play). That's all bullshit. Make music that you like... that's all that matters. |
| _____________________________ [Jan 7,2009 2:47pm - Mess ""] IllinoisEnemaBradness said:since most metal bass players are idiots, keep it guitar only. Nick from KA is an exception as is Josh from Sexcrement, other than them, i couldn't name a decent bassist agreed, Nick is the bawllz. he hammers that thing like a red headed step child. how is Nick by the way Brad? i haven't seen him around. |
| _____________________________________ [Jan 7,2009 2:50pm - goatcatalyst ""] To put a happy little spin on this thread- which do you prefer playing with: A bassist who plays with a pick or bassiste who uses his fingers? After playing for nearly fifteen years with plectrum-equipped bassists who mirrored the guitar parts, I'm really digging playing with a mofucka who uses his fingers and plays something complementary to what I'm doing. |
| _________________________________ [Jan 7,2009 2:52pm - niccolai ""] you're forgetting Anthony from revocation. |
| ____________________________________ [Jan 7,2009 3:03pm - Josh_Martin ""] IllinoisEnemaBradness said:since most metal bass players are idiots, keep it guitar only. Nick from KA is an exception as is Josh from Sexcrement, other than them, i couldn't name a decent bassist Yeah, Nick was awesome when I played with him in Adolf Satan. A band like that (total Sabbath worship) needs a bass player. Thrash and death metal and grindcore don't. In AC I tune down so low the guitar almost sounds like a bass anyway and I can cover everything soundwise on my own. |
| _____________________________________ [Jan 7,2009 5:52pm - ThirdKnuckle ""] corpus_colostomy said: btw...what the fuck is a rhythm section sans bass? ask Motorhead |
| ______________________________________ [Jan 7,2009 6:27pm - thuringwethil ""] interesting discussion. Bass is where I live. Over the years playing Rhythm Guitar in a metal band, I found myself liking the opportunities bass offered more. |
| ______________________________________________ [Jan 7,2009 9:53pm - IllinoisEnemaBradness ""] Mess said: IllinoisEnemaBradness said:since most metal bass players are idiots, keep it guitar only. Nick from KA is an exception as is Josh from Sexcrement, other than them, i couldn't name a decent bassist agreed, Nick is the bawllz. he hammers that thing like a red headed step child. how is Nick by the way Brad? i haven't seen him around. good. he just played a couple shows with Larry in NYC on New Years and the day after, sounds like it was pretty wild. it was Upsidedown Cross, sort of. Larry's daughters boyfriend played drums, Nick bass and Larry guitar and vocals. Don't know if you ever saw Larry play guitar, it's retarded. Plus they were all on high powered acid |
| ______________________________________ [Jan 7,2009 10:26pm - hyper_sludge ""] IllonoisEnemaBradfag is a dumbass. You obviously don't listen to much metal at all if you can't name some decent bass players off the top of your head. |
| _______________________________________________ [Jan 7,2009 10:31pm - IllinoisEnemaBradness ""] i meant local bands. and no I don't listen to much metal cuz most of it is total shit |
| ______________________________________ [Jan 7,2009 11:00pm - hyper_sludge ""] then why are you listening to local bands? |
| _________________________________________ [Jan 8,2009 7:01am - corpus_colostomy ""] ..just on a side note, i always loved watching the bassist in origin. |
| ____________________________________ [Jan 8,2009 8:07am - Josh_Martin ""] IllinoisEnemaBradness said: Mess said: IllinoisEnemaBradness said:since most metal bass players are idiots, keep it guitar only. Nick from KA is an exception as is Josh from Sexcrement, other than them, i couldn't name a decent bassist agreed, Nick is the bawllz. he hammers that thing like a red headed step child. how is Nick by the way Brad? i haven't seen him around. good. he just played a couple shows with Larry in NYC on New Years and the day after, sounds like it was pretty wild. it was Upsidedown Cross, sort of. Larry's daughters boyfriend played drums, Nick bass and Larry guitar and vocals. Don't know if you ever saw Larry play guitar, it's retarded. Plus they were all on high powered acid That was NICK??? I heard about that Cross show. A friend of a friend's band played too. I heard that the boyfriend wasn't even really playing drums, just breaking stuff, and they used a drum machine. And yeah, Larry playing guitar is completely fucking retarded. In Adolf he wanted to sing AND play guitar. He brought this beat to shit guitar and an even more beat to shit amp to practice. I didn't have the heart to tell him how terrible he was but that was when I had the Marshall Major so I just totally drowned him out. We just completely ignored his guitar playing. He got the message after a couple practices. But he was able to save face by making it look like it was HIS idea to not play guitar. I did not want Adolf to sound like early Kilslug. Answer The Call era, yes, but the early singles when Larry played guitar, no thank you. I miss touring with Nick and Larry though. It was like touring with the two stooges. Very strange when I have to be the responsible one. Nick would get shy to ask for for a piss-stop so he'd piss into an empty can, but instead of throwing the can out the window he'd just put it on the floor where it would inevitably get knocked over and spill piss everywhere. The rental company must've loved cleaning out that fucking van. |
| ____________________________________ [Jan 8,2009 8:10am - Josh_Martin ""] hyper_sludge said:then why are you listening to local bands? Hypersludge is either a troll or the new dumbest person on the board. |
| _____________________________ [Jan 8,2009 8:17am - Yeti ""] goatcatalyst said:To put a happy little spin on this thread- which do you prefer playing with: A bassist who plays with a pick or bassiste who uses his fingers? After playing for nearly fifteen years with plectrum-equipped bassists who mirrored the guitar parts, I'm really digging playing with a mofucka who uses his fingers and plays something complementary to what I'm doing. my brother, who plays bass in Sacreligion, uses his fingers and i love the way it works and sounds better than a pick. he used a pick at the beginning, but quickly phased it out. luckily he is also tall so he has gangly spidery fingers and it works greatly to his advantage. i don't care much for picking in bass playing. unless you're Peter Steele and use a wine bottle. |
| _____________________________ [Jan 8,2009 8:52am - Mess ""] IllinoisEnemaBradness said: Mess said: IllinoisEnemaBradness said:since most metal bass players are idiots, keep it guitar only. Nick from KA is an exception as is Josh from Sexcrement, other than them, i couldn't name a decent bassist agreed, Nick is the bawllz. he hammers that thing like a red headed step child. how is Nick by the way Brad? i haven't seen him around. good. he just played a couple shows with Larry in NYC on New Years and the day after, sounds like it was pretty wild. it was Upsidedown Cross, sort of. Larry's daughters boyfriend played drums, Nick bass and Larry guitar and vocals. Don't know if you ever saw Larry play guitar, it's retarded. Plus they were all on high powered acid No, i haven't had the pleasure of seeing Larry play guitar just yet. i bet it's a thing to see though, hahaha. although i have found some pretty rare kilslug videos on myspace as well as some nightstick ones. when i get home from work today, i'll try to dig them up and forward you the links Brad. on another note, i don't know how a man like Larrylifeless can produce such beautiful girls. hot diggitydogdamn. oh yeah, and TomCWAF moved with Liz and jr. fucked his hand up bad at a party, smashed some dooooods face with a bottle if you haven't heard. |
| ____________________________________ [Jan 8,2009 8:58am - ouchdrummer ""] fingers- narkybark is my bassist, and i much prefer it to a pick. Although i make fun of him for not using one..... i guess i would make fun of him for using one too... |
| _____________________________________ [Jan 8,2009 10:04am - Josh_Martin ""] Mess said: on another note, i don't know how a man like Larrylifeless can produce such beautiful girls. hot diggitydogdamn. My fucking God, don't even get me started. If I had a billion dollars I would pay whatever it took to make a 3-way lesbian incest porn movie. |
| ______________________________ [Jan 8,2009 10:13am - Mess ""] no shit WOW when someone told that was Larry's kid, i almost shat myself. bad thoughts, bad bad thoughts. hahaha |
| _________________________________ [Jan 8,2009 10:22am - darkwor ""] so it's decided, people say bass is essential and people say it's not needed, and we sound fine without one, so we're not looking for a bass player. we've never had luck with anybody standing there with a bass and they never add anything. unless we have the chance to get a REAL bassist that wants to play with us, we're going forward without. |
| _________________________________ [Jan 8,2009 10:24am - darkwor ""] corpus_colostomy said:..just on a side note, i always loved watching the bassist in origin. he's fucking ridiculous. we're not exactly world-class like they are :bow: |