Do bass players get any love

[Mysteryman]

When you sit in the audience, does the organ bass pedals have that bottom like a bass player? I have heard a few.

[CReneeW]

I have great respect for bass players. I want to play the bass one day. I went to my Grandma church and they had a bass player that held the service and his playing so smooth. He had me nodding my head.

[Bullitt]

When you sit in the audience, does the organ bass pedals have that bottom like a bass player? I have heard a few.

In a word, No.  With just an organ, you hear the bass line.  With a bass player, you FEEL the bass line.


Be Blessed,
J

[under13]

In a word, No.  With just an organ, you hear the bass line.  With a bass player, you FEEL the bass line.


Be Blessed,
J

That all depends. The newer organ (leslie) speakers will have the church vibrating. Of course the organ is not gonna have that authentic bass tone, but it wasnt made to emulate an electric bass, and most people in the congregation dont care if there is a real bass player or if the organist or keyboardist is playing bass.

[Torch7]

...and most people in the congregation dont care if there is a real bass player or if the organist or keyboardist is playing bass.

I say it also depends on the songs being played... If the keyboard has a great bass patch... I agree with that statement.  But for alot of the contemporary
stuff we play the organ doesn't cut it, for the congregation.

[malthumb]

I say it also depends on the songs being played... If the keyboard has a great bass patch... I agree with that statement.  But for alot of the contemporary
stuff we play the organ doesn't cut it, for the congregation.

That's kinda what I tend to think, too.  They brought me in at this church to play the more contemporary stuff.  This is sort of an addition to the work I'm doing with an ad hoc group (Revelations) that ocassionally leads P&W at this church, since most members of Revelations are members of this church.

[bassthumpa]

Many times I have been sitting, bass in hand, and someone comes up and asks, "Has anyone seen the musician?"

Man, I can speak on that one.  One time our organists (husband and wife) were out of town and we held rehearsal anyway, so the drummer and I held it down TIGHT.  At the end, one of the directors said something to the effect of "we had a really good rehearsal, even without the musician!"  Chris and I just sat there and looked at each other like "wussup, chopped liver".  A few choir members spoke up and said "umm... we DO haave musicians."  Then the director backpedaled and started praising us, blah blah.

Funny thing is, it's only seems to be choir members and directors that have that "the organist = the musician" mindset.

Lemme run this by you guys... do you guys get more love when you play at other churches/locations than you do at home  It amazese me how much love and respect I get from musicians when we fellowship with other churches and I bring my gear.  No trampling over my basslines or nothing, they just get outta the way and let me hold my end down.  Those dudes make it seem like I'm just killing it or something, when I'm just using my little modest ability to hold it down a bit. 

[floaded27]

Lemme run this by you guys... do you guys get more love when you play at other churches/locations than you do at home  It amazese me how much love and respect I get from musicians when we fellowship with other churches and I bring my gear.  No trampling over my basslines or nothing, they just get outta the way and let me hold my end down.  Those dudes make it seem like I'm just killing it or something, when I'm just using my little modest ability to hold it down a bit. 

actually i get more nervous because i dont get that good playing at home, so i know its gonna take me some time to adjust and i dont know what to expect (and tryin not to mess up) so im extremely basic as basic can be.

[dhagler]

We worshipped at another church yesterday, and my pastor was thanking us for accompanying him.  He thanked the MOM, the keyboardist, and the drummer BY NAME.

[betnich]

Lemme run this by you guys... do you guys get more love when you play at other churches/locations than you do at home  It amazese me how much love and respect I get from musicians when we fellowship with other churches and I bring my gear.  No trampling over my basslines or nothing, they just get outta the way and let me hold my end down.  Those dudes make it seem like I'm just killing it or something, when I'm just using my little modest ability to hold it down a bit. 

Prophets go without honor in their own town...

[organman88]

I appreciate a good bass player, but do yall think yall can really carry a service like a piano or organ player? Most church services can do without a bass player or horn player or extra synth player. You guys are a luxury not a necesity. (no offence)

WHAT aw man how can you say such and ignorant statement like that the piano and organ is more of the luxury to me and im a organist imo the drummer and the bassist is the necesity they hold down the rhythm of the song even though the keys is the main instrument in gospel and it can hold down most of the parts though. See what will happen if the drummer and bass don't show up and its just the organist ppl start acting dead and and the same way if the organist didnt show lol And if the bass is a luxury and not a necesity Y do Organ players use the foot pedals and/or play the bass with there left hand 

[BassMan2000]

I always get love when I was playing Bass. It's how you play the Bass. Most people can follow the Bass notes. If you play a Bass like a Bass then people will notice.

I tell this statement a lot to people.  I went to a Church Gospel  concert. There were 4 groups. The first Bass player was solid. He had perfect timing and kept the low end. The last Bass player was amaging to me. He had his 6 string Bass singing. The other two was ok.

At the end of the concert the only Bass player talked about was the first guy.

People could move to his playing. The Lowend was played more the run and riffs.  I have played alot of gospel songs, but the Bass line to the Staples singers I'll take you there is the best Church bass line there is.

[malthumb]

...See what will happen if the drummer and bass don't show up and its just the organist ppl start acting dead and and the same way if the organist didnt show lol And if the bass is a luxury and not a necesity Y do Organ players use the foot pedals and/or play the bass with there left hand 

In some ways you are making under13's point.  Especially the BLUE underlined part. In situations where an organist can hold down the bassline and rhythm  with the pedals or left hand, you have a credible music service.  Adding a bass player can allow for one of two things.....either the organist can let go of the bass line and "express" more, or the organist can keep the basic bassline and allow the bassist to embellish.  For small groups, this very well may be a luxury.  Having a luxury is not a bad thing.

At one church I play at, it's keys / bass / drums.  If I'm not there, I'm missed.  At the other church, there's organ / keys / drums / bass / guitar.  If I'm not there, either the organ or keys can pick up the main bassline.

Type of music also is a factor.  For congregational songs right outta the hymnal, organ is just fine.  For more contemporary selections like Hez, Kirk, Israel, Fred, Donald Lawrence, Joe Pace, you NEED a bass.  That's my main purpose at the second church.  Recently they did Martha Munizzi's "Glorious" on a Sunday that I wasn't there.  That won't happen again.  Didn't go well.  On the other hand, when they do "Standing In The Need Of Prayer", it will sound great with or without me.  It may sound better WITH me, because the organ and keys can embellish their parts without worrying about maintaining the bass, but it'll sound absolutely fine if I'm not there.

Peace,

James

[organman88]

In some ways you are making under13's point.  Especially the BLUE underlined part. In situations where an organist can hold down the bassline and rhythm  with the pedals or left hand, you have a credible music service.  Adding a bass player can allow for one of two things.....either the organist can let go of the bass line and "express" more, or the organist can keep the basic bassline and allow the bassist to embellish.  For small groups, this very well may be a luxury.  Having a luxury is not a bad thing.

At one church I play at, it's keys / bass / drums.  If I'm not there, I'm missed.  At the other church, there's organ / keys / drums / bass / guitar.  If I'm not there, either the organ or keys can pick up the main bassline.

Type of music also is a factor.  For congregational songs right outta the hymnal, organ is just fine.  For more contemporary selections like Hez, Kirk, Israel, Fred, Donald Lawrence, Joe Pace, you NEED a bass.  That's my main purpose at the second church.  Recently they did Martha Munizzi's "Glorious" on a Sunday that I wasn't there.  That won't happen again.  Didn't go well.  On the other hand, when they do "Standing In The Need Of Prayer", it will sound great with or without me.  It may sound better WITH me, because the organ and keys can embellish their parts without worrying about maintaining the bass, but it'll sound absolutely fine if I'm not there.

Peace,

James

?/?You think so! I see where you guys are going with it I think the church thinks the bass is a luxury b/c of there ignorance of music and musicians think that because they can mimick there part. The point i was saying is the main instruments in gospel are keys, guitar, drums, and bass under 13 said bass players are a luxury in church and im saying if a bass player is a luxury or not of importance why do we play the bass ourselves im not thinking of who can hold down the most parts im talking about the role of the instrument

[dfwkeys]

throw in a good growl with the bass, and people will be like, man what was that, a growl will definately step out in church music. 

[malthumb]

?/?You think so! I see where you guys are going with it I think the church thinks the bass is a luxury b/c of there ignorance of music and musicians think that because they can mimick there part. The point i was saying is the main instruments in gospel are keys, guitar, drums, and bass under 13 said bass players are a luxury in church and im saying if a bass player is a luxury or not of importance why do we play the bass ourselves im not thinking of who can hold down the most parts im talking about the role of the instrument

The bass line is critically important.  How it gets played is sometimes less important. 

If a choir is singing "Blessed Assurance", it probably doesn't matter if the bass line is delivered from a stringed instrument or a keyed instrument.  It just needs to be there and it needs to pace the song.

If a choir is doing Hez Walker's "Lift Him Up", you'd better have a bass player and he / she had better have eaten their Wheaties that morning, because that song is a workout.

The type of music selected and the tone that the worship service is trying to set play a part in determining which instruments are emphasized and which are supporting.  The Presbyterian Church that I attend has existed for about 24 of its 30 years with an organ and a piano and the same person playing either.  The music was typically anthems sang by the choir and hymns sang by the congregation.  It worked just fine for the tone of worship that the congregation was accustomed to. 

Drums and bass were added within the past 5 or 6 years to supplement what was already there, but even moreso to drive a more energetic music ministry that adds a more contemporary sound and more emotion in the worship.  For that 1st 24 year spread, a bass player would have been nice, but not necessary (ie - a luxury).  For the direction the church is trying to move into, especially the Early Morning Worship Service, bass and drums are critical and required.

Peace,

James

[floaded27]

i joke sometimes that if an organist could somehow play the drums as well, they'd do that too just so they dont have to play with nobody. well some anyway. Bass is indeed powerful, and i have the feeling that some just dont want to relinquish that powerful aspect to anyone else but themselves, failing to realize the power that their instrument (keys, organ) possesses in its own right independent of bass. I've seen and heard some people make and organ and a keyboard come alive and not touch a single bass note, while others get so stuck on bass they never realize the full potential of their instrument.

Thats what frustrates most bass players. We free up that for them to take the fullness of their instrument and bring it to life, but some refuse to and rather be stuck doing what we do, even when we're there to handle that responsibility.

Its like the big man who always wanna dribble the ball but never works on his inside post-game. So what happens when he has to play with a true point guard? The guard is looking for him to work his inside game but since he doesnt have any (he never worked on it), he tries to dribble the ball and take over as point guard every chance he gets. And the ultimate point: thats not a cooperative team at all.

[Willie L. Terry Jr]

This thread is funny...

I think there's a two fold lesson here: 

1.  In the event that we're ever feeling un-appreciated we should remember that we do this as unto the Lord...the bible says.  It's all worship...worship is a lifestyle not an act.  Yea, we don't get the love because there is a un-written or "attitude" that we don't need you. 

2.  Now from a bass player, cocky side of me says that you should look at this as a positive thing to sure up your playing to make it stand out. 

Approach a bassline with that in mind...if the organ/keyboard player could play the line like you're currently playing it.  Then you need to add some slides, bends, hammer-ons/offs and chords on the right intervals to give a one of a kinds sound. 

I don't even have to mention slap technique cause I don't care what keyboard you have MOTIF, KORG...I don't care they still don't have authentic slap down. 

3.  The last sesson is...No that with some lines, less is more so you don't need to be super-bass on every song.  You just need to embrace that fact in a Zen like fashion that you're o.k. with playing a line that a keyboard player/organ player could pull off. 

Let me also say that if you keys/organ is caught up on the fact you're playing the bassline and he doesn't have anythig to do with his left hand, then he's miss a golden opportunity to become a better musician because he could lay phat chords, lay chords with his left and do runs with his right or he could lay piano chords with his left and play strings with his right or vice versa.  This is an opportunity to make a three peice band sound like an orchestra.

My two cents...

God bless!

Think of this way...The organ footpedal, or keyboard player can   

[betnich]

True! Wish you were in the SoCal area so I could jam w/you...

[Willie L. Terry Jr]

I'll be in the area during the weekend of Thanksgiving.  Shot out to my boys in San Diego/Camp Pendleton area!