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Drums vs Bass

PostPosted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 9:36 pm
by Hitman079
in general or maybe terms of which is more useful in a band or just which is cooler. this stems from an argument i had with my friend today. asking other classmates revealed overwhelming support for bass
as a drummer (5 years in total on and off) my feelings have been hurt :(

PostPosted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 9:38 pm
by McSnipe
Drummer sets timing and entire beat for the band.

Bass is low, and undertone-ish. It's removable, but it messes up the music.

PostPosted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 9:39 pm
by Hitman079
yes, i know, but both of them cannot exist alone.
right?

PostPosted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 9:39 pm
by muy_thaiguy
They work together with the electric guitar and lead singer in order for the entire band sound good. (If you mean like a rock band)

PostPosted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 9:42 pm
by CrazyAnglican
Bass :-) but they are both essential, and the drummer was the one I practiced with all the time. If the two of you are off, it doesn't matter how good the lead and vocals are.

PostPosted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 9:54 pm
by radiojake
As a bass player i think my opinion may be biased

But i will go on record saying that an average bass player in a band is more passable than an average drummer in a band. If the drummer is shit, the band is shit no matter how good the rest is

PostPosted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 10:18 pm
by d.gishman
you can actually get the bass sound by just using a guitar and using distortion. they go pretty much hand in hand, but i would say that drums can work without the bass guitar but the bass guitar can't work without drums in a rock band.

PostPosted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 10:31 pm
by magneticgoop
i played percussion in the school band and you can screw with 80 people really easily just by speeding up and slowing down the beat of the music. until you have had first hand experience you have no idea how important a drummer can be in keeping a steady beat

PostPosted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 10:38 pm
by misterman10
Personally, I think if you want to have a band you need both a bass and the drums. However, just taking up an instrument, I would go with the bass, as it generally sounds better alone than drums sound alone. Plus, the bass is really easy to learn, and the drums are hard. But that may be a bit biased since I learned to play the bass after I had already been playing guitar

PostPosted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 10:39 pm
by Strife
lol what kind of bass? double, guitar, drum, ETC.?

PostPosted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 10:43 pm
by OnlyAmbrose
Drums. No-brainer. People just say bass is to hop on the bandwagon of something that looks like guitar but isn't.

PostPosted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 11:01 pm
by F1fth
Both instruments are quite necessary; Not only that, but both can also add an amazing dynamic to the music.

Compared side by side, I'd say that drums edge out bass in necessity, whereas basses have more of a capability to add dynamic (a great bassist can really, really, really make a song - unfortunately great bassists are few and far between :sad:).

That said, if I had to go without one or the other in a band situation, I would pick the drums.

PostPosted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 11:12 pm
by Fircoal
Both are important like having the guitar. Personally I don't find either of them more important then the other. I could probably make an album without one or without both of them. Then again I'm me. When I make CDs, if I do, (I have some peices of songs I've made up with the paino and my little bit of guitar skills) I've only made one rule for myself. At least one songs that is longer than 10 minutes on each CD. ;)

PostPosted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 11:19 pm
by riggable
drums.

PostPosted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:00 am
by Jehan
bass player here, so i'm biased as well, but this whole argument is dumb, if you want to make a band without both the drummer and the bass player being good, solid and locked in with each other, its going to be a terrible band, i just voted bass because its cooler. :D

PostPosted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:01 am
by diddle
its just a personal preference, theres no reasoniong behind it, but i went with bass

PostPosted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:08 am
by Anarchy Ninja
Personally I'm for drums and I think they sound amazing alone, drum solos rock.

PostPosted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 3:17 am
by neoni
voted bass because op is a loser


bawww he insulted ma instrument :cry: :cry: :cry:

PostPosted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 5:37 am
by Guiscard
Drums every time. Good music is , more often than not, rhythm rather than melody for me. They nearly always go together, mind, but I'd miss bass more than drums.

PostPosted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 5:40 am
by unriggable
Guiscard wrote:Drums every time. Good music is , more often than not, rhythm rather than melody for me. They nearly always go together, mind, but I'd miss bass more than drums.


Your response makes no sense.

PostPosted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 6:47 am
by Guiscard
unriggable wrote:
Guiscard wrote:Drums every time. Good music is , more often than not, rhythm rather than melody for me. They nearly always go together, mind, but I'd miss drums more than bass.


Your response makes no sense.


edit.

PostPosted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 6:52 am
by Syzygy
In general, drums though there are other instruments you can use to get a solid beat going.

Why are we having this argument though? It's not like anyone has to ever leave one out.

PostPosted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:19 am
by Jolly Roger
Jehan wrote:bass player here, so i'm biased as well, but this whole argument is dumb, if you want to make a band without both the drummer and the bass player being good, solid and locked in with each other, its going to be a terrible band


I too play bass and I agree 100%. The drums, however, are definitely the most maligned of the two:

• How do you tell if the stage is level?
The drummer is drooling from both sides of his mouth.

• How can you tell a drummer's at the door?
The knocking speeds up.

• What's the last thing a drummer says in a band?
"Hey guys, why don't we try one of my songs?

• What do you call a drummer that breaks up with his girlfriend?
Homeless.

• How can you tell when a drummer's at the door?
He doesn't know when to come in

• How many drummers does it take to change a lightbulb?
Five: One to screw the bulb in, and four to talk about how much better
Neil Peart coulda done it.

• How many drummers does it take to change a light bulb?
None, they have a machine to do that now.

• How do you get a drummer to play quieter?
Put a chart in front of him

• Why do guitarists put drumsticks on the dash of their car?
So they can park in the handicapped spot.

• What do you call someone who hangs around with musicians?
A drummer.

• What would you call the smartest drummer in the world?
Mildly retarded.

• What do you call 10 guys in a drum circle?
A dope ring.

• What is the difference between a drummer and a savings bond?
One will mature and make money.

• What do you call a beautiful woman on a drummer's arm?
A tatoo.

• What's the difference between a large pizza and a drummer?
The pizza can feed a family of four.

• What do you call a drummer with half a brain?
Overqualified.

• What did the drummer say to the band leader?
Do you want me to play too fast or too slow?

PostPosted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:08 am
by riggable
unriggable wrote:
Guiscard wrote:Drums every time. Good music is , more often than not, rhythm rather than melody for me. They nearly always go together, mind, but I'd miss bass more than drums.


Your response makes no sense.

neither does yours.

PostPosted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:09 am
by unriggable
riggable wrote:
unriggable wrote:
Guiscard wrote:Drums every time. Good music is , more often than not, rhythm rather than melody for me. They nearly always go together, mind, but I'd miss bass more than drums.


Your response makes no sense.

neither does yours.


Talk about a useless post.