MetalManiac
Li'l Junior Member
I don't think I've ever seen it. We all know two, even three guitar players, two drummers, two or more singers, but two bassists?
Two Bass Players in the same band??
- Thread starter MetalManiac
- Start date
Chris Pile
Well-known member
Re: Two Bass Players in the same band??
Stanley Clarke used to play with a second bassist.....
Stanley Clarke used to play with a second bassist.....
MetalManiac
Li'l Junior Member
Re: Two Bass Players in the same band??
If anyone would know for sure it'd be Ginormous- he's a walking encyclopedia of music and recording.
Thanks. That makes sense that Stanley Clarke would have done that.
If anyone would know for sure it'd be Ginormous- he's a walking encyclopedia of music and recording.
H
HiFiRebel
Guest
Re: Two Bass Players in the same band??
My favorite sing with that lineup had already been mentioned by Beer$. So kudos.
My favorite sing with that lineup had already been mentioned by Beer$. So kudos.
Diminished Triad
New member
Re: Two Bass Players in the same band??
I try and read anything Ginormous posts. Solid dude. Not exactly the same but Verdine White has played with a few famous ones and also has a dude in the back these days mixing in.
I try and read anything Ginormous posts. Solid dude. Not exactly the same but Verdine White has played with a few famous ones and also has a dude in the back these days mixing in.
crusty philtrum
Vintageologist
Re: Two Bass Players in the same band??
I think Ned's Atomic Dustbin had two bassists.
I was right ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ned's_Atomic_Dustbin
I think Ned's Atomic Dustbin had two bassists.
I was right ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ned's_Atomic_Dustbin
Bass_Medic_05
Purveyor of Low End
Re: Two Bass Players in the same band??
Sounds like something I'd want to see for sure! (Two bassist)
Sounds like something I'd want to see for sure! (Two bassist)
jtougas
New member
Re: Two Bass Players in the same band??
I played the *hell* out of Godfodder when it came out - great album.
I know at least one of their bassists played a Ric, so they still occupied different sonic spaces.
I played the *hell* out of Godfodder when it came out - great album.
I know at least one of their bassists played a Ric, so they still occupied different sonic spaces.
eclecticsynergy
Well-known member
Re: Two Bass Players in the same band??
Robert Palmer did that for a while back in the 80s I think. I remember somebody calling it the heavy nova sound- an album maybe? But it never caught on. I always thought it'd be cool to have synth bass and bass guitar running together. The Roots have a tuba player who often doubles the bass parts- sounds pretty cool and sorta synth-like actually.
Robert Palmer did that for a while back in the 80s I think. I remember somebody calling it the heavy nova sound- an album maybe? But it never caught on. I always thought it'd be cool to have synth bass and bass guitar running together. The Roots have a tuba player who often doubles the bass parts- sounds pretty cool and sorta synth-like actually.
some_dude
Raging BB Gunologist
Re: Two Bass Players in the same band??
From what I understand, two bassists doesn't work particularly well if both try to "hold down the low end". Below about 100Hz the frequencies start phase cancel each other and cause problems. It's the same problem with a key/synth player.
If there are two "bassists" in a band, usually one is holding down the low end while the other is playing melody.
From what I understand, two bassists doesn't work particularly well if both try to "hold down the low end". Below about 100Hz the frequencies start phase cancel each other and cause problems. It's the same problem with a key/synth player.
If there are two "bassists" in a band, usually one is holding down the low end while the other is playing melody.
Johnny the Kid
Shaunofthedeadologist
Myaccount876
Amira-Maker
Re: Two Bass Players in the same band??
Basically the the reason you don't see twin bass players in a band (other than the obvious problem of actually finding not one but TWO bass players that can actually play and learn the material without getting arrested for drug possession/domestic violence/robbery/etc in the process), is the same reason you don't want to double multiple bass tracks playing the same thing - it'all ruin the mix with phase issues in the low end. First, there's not much room for lows in a mix to begin with - you generally need to roll off more lows the more you go below 100 Hz on the stereo mix otherwise you'll have a muddy/boomy mix that destroys speakers over time, and the bass is often sitting in a very narrow low end pocket to avoid competing with the kick drum and rhythm guitars. Then sometimes low mids on the stereo track need to be cut a little for the mix to retain clarity, and now the guitars dominate the midrange so there's not *that* (if there's no room - something's very wrong) much room for even one bass guitar, let alone two.
Then, since the frequencies are lower - meaning longer sine waves with less peaks and troughs in the period of one second - the natural delay you hear when doubling tracks is enough to position one bass track's trough where the other bass track's peak is, which results in phase cancellation (the more alike the two tracks are, the worse it'll be). With guitar, there's generally so many peaks and troughs per second that it's harder to actually match them up out of-phase (although you can experiment to hear what it sounds like: record one guitar take two two identical tracks, have the tracks panned opposite to each other to maximize the effect, and playback while leaving one track alone while gradually increasing the time for delay on the other track. You'll hear a phasing/flanging effect because of the cancellations).
I think that's not so bad because Jason and Rob have pretty different tones so they can stand out from each other.
Basically the the reason you don't see twin bass players in a band (other than the obvious problem of actually finding not one but TWO bass players that can actually play and learn the material without getting arrested for drug possession/domestic violence/robbery/etc in the process), is the same reason you don't want to double multiple bass tracks playing the same thing - it'all ruin the mix with phase issues in the low end. First, there's not much room for lows in a mix to begin with - you generally need to roll off more lows the more you go below 100 Hz on the stereo mix otherwise you'll have a muddy/boomy mix that destroys speakers over time, and the bass is often sitting in a very narrow low end pocket to avoid competing with the kick drum and rhythm guitars. Then sometimes low mids on the stereo track need to be cut a little for the mix to retain clarity, and now the guitars dominate the midrange so there's not *that* (if there's no room - something's very wrong) much room for even one bass guitar, let alone two.
Then, since the frequencies are lower - meaning longer sine waves with less peaks and troughs in the period of one second - the natural delay you hear when doubling tracks is enough to position one bass track's trough where the other bass track's peak is, which results in phase cancellation (the more alike the two tracks are, the worse it'll be). With guitar, there's generally so many peaks and troughs per second that it's harder to actually match them up out of-phase (although you can experiment to hear what it sounds like: record one guitar take two two identical tracks, have the tracks panned opposite to each other to maximize the effect, and playback while leaving one track alone while gradually increasing the time for delay on the other track. You'll hear a phasing/flanging effect because of the cancellations).
I think that's not so bad because Jason and Rob have pretty different tones so they can stand out from each other.
Johnny the Kid
Shaunofthedeadologist
Re: Two Bass Players in the same band??
I forgot about the double trio line up. Didn't one of the bassists mostly use a Chapman stick though?
I forgot about the double trio line up. Didn't one of the bassists mostly use a Chapman stick though?
Liko
Member
Re: Two Bass Players in the same band??
It's not unheard of in cover bands to have a guy and a girl that can sing and play bass swap out depending on the vocalist needs. They wouldn't both be playing bass on the same song, much less at the same time, but you'd have two bassists in one band.
The Dirtbombs have maintained a two-bassist lineup most of their career; one of them plays the more traditional bottom end, while the other one plays a more melodic fuzz bass.
It's not unheard of in cover bands to have a guy and a girl that can sing and play bass swap out depending on the vocalist needs. They wouldn't both be playing bass on the same song, much less at the same time, but you'd have two bassists in one band.
The Dirtbombs have maintained a two-bassist lineup most of their career; one of them plays the more traditional bottom end, while the other one plays a more melodic fuzz bass.
bearded madman
New member
Re: Two Bass Players in the same band??
Could be cool if they did kind of a Cliff Burton thing and laid down lead and rhythm bass tracks. I think they would both have to really know their place or it could be a muddy mess
Could be cool if they did kind of a Cliff Burton thing and laid down lead and rhythm bass tracks. I think they would both have to really know their place or it could be a muddy mess
Re: Two Bass Players in the same band??
Well, it is a Warr guitar. He used it mostly in the bass range, but did a few solos with it. But it was a touch guitar you could also pluck, slap, and pick.
Well, it is a Warr guitar. He used it mostly in the bass range, but did a few solos with it. But it was a touch guitar you could also pluck, slap, and pick.
