Why don't bass players dance?

[oldkicker]

Well, maybe Flea is an exception.

Or maybe it's just bass players from the time I was growing up that don't.

Is the bass too heavy?

Is it too complicated to play AND dance at once?

In case you're wondering - I'm listening to Little Feat's Waiting For Columbus - Kenny Gradney standing off to the side, looking cool and plucking that bass guitar....

 

[newmousecateer]

Well Bernie, my hubby is a lead-type guitar player, our son is a bass guitar player. DS does not dance cause he does not look cool when he dances, unlike his mother.

A bass guitar is not really much heavier than a lead guitar. But hubby has said in the past the the bass guitar player has to concentrate on what he is playing, as he/she is only playing an "abstract" of the song, which is harder to do. He said it is easier to learn a lead/rhythm piece and play it more by heart without really thinking about it.

 

[figmentvi]

LOL Bernie.....well it certainly isn't because they have no rhythm.

My DH is in a blues band and his favorite joke is:

What do you call a guy that likes to hang out with muscians? A bass player.

Maybe it's because they have to concentrate so hard on the bass line that they can't move their feet too (?????).

 

[Goofyposter]

Why don't bass players dance

'Cause.....they know......

.......it will lead them into Treble.





sawrey

 

[oldkicker]

Sawrey??? No you're not!!! LOL!

 

[newmousecateer]

LOL GP

But that's only if they are "strung out". But then again, they just might be "fretting" about something.

 

[becka]

LOL!

They never can "pick" the right dance.

 

[Baboo]

I think some of you are way off bass with some of these answers!

 

[gina2000]

Because they are into BASEics.......

 

[Towncrier]

I'm confused. Is this today's riddle???

 

[spb999]

maybe it strikes a bad chord in their memory

 

[figmentvi]

You guys are a SCREAM !!!

 

[Towncrier]

Only one question Bernie. On what did you BASS this observation?

 

[smileybrat]

i never really thought about that before. good question. your answers make sense but i think it's just because they're trying to be cool.

bass players may not dance but they do like making faces.

 

[browneyes]

Are you saying bass or bass?

 

[oldkicker]

Bass or Bass?....Yule Sea!

John - it's based on daze of experience.

I think it is because they're too cool, too, smiley.

 

[preshi]

Hold on a minute I'll ask my good friend...he plays bass... but he plays real low though so that may be his problem in the dancing dept.

 

[helenabear]

You all are too much

 

[preshi]

Ok... My friend Erich says:

Obviously you haven't seen Koi (his band). He says he's a dancing machine...

Oh man... I see them play for the first time on Saturday night... this should be interesting.

This is him and the lead singer...

 

[ChefBilly]

Hey now!
I'm a bass player. I can give you three reasons...

1. I'm a horrible dancer.

2. Playing the bass is a little different than guitar in that it's more of a rhythm instrument - which keeps you a little more occupied (in my opinion.)
It's almost like trying to do someting while playing drums.
You'll notice that when you see singers that play bass, they tend to simplify their bass lines when singing (players like Sting, Geddy Lee, etc.) But they'll get much more complicated when they can cut away from the mic.
While singing, the bass line will often mirror the melody more. It's hard to hold down the bottom, keep time (if you're drummer is wacky, which most drummers are ) and move around.
Of course, there are obvious exceptions. (Flea being the most glaring example. The man is a nutcase.)
But I think slap-style, which Flea plays, lends itself much more easily to dancing. It's a very physical style.

3. As a general rule, many bass players are shy. It seems to be a personality trait common among many bassists I've known.
Thus, they don't dance. Or... I don't.

3.5 - As for it being heavy... I've had two Fender Jazz basses, and my first, a 1978, weighed a TON. My current Jazz bass, a Geddy Lee signature model, is not nearly as heavy.

Want to see my newest bass? I'm very excited by it.

It's a Peavey B-Quad 4, designed by Brian Bromberg.
Nicest bass Peavey's ever made. It's got piezo's in the bridge.