Two bassists in one band?

[KaOtIc_HeLl]

Is having two bassists in one band a good idea? because im thinking of getting another one in there.

[Midnight]

I have written a song for two basses and a sax, with drums. Its mad ****. Good harmonies.

But, no, its a bad idea. Unless its two bass and drummer, and no guitar. Otherwise it would just get muddy if your playing within the same octave.

[KaOtIc_HeLl]

Ok. but what if one bassist was playing an octave higher? would it still be a bad idea?

[rh15951]

Ok. but what if one bassist was playing an octave higher? would it still be a bad idea?

then just have a guitarist...

[The_Fender_Bender]

^^ Yup
Two baasist, yeh Its different blah blah but no it's really not a good idea, unless you want a loud rumble and nothig else

[rexanddafullefex]

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^_______________________________^

U N0oB!!!!11!!1111123

[WiCKeD_J]

i like the idea....but only in a bigger band..id say it'd only work either a) drummer, 2 bass, no guitar or b) drummer, 2(or more) guitar, and 2 bass

and they'd have to have different tunings/octaves

[rexanddafullefex]

and they'd have to have different tunings/octaves yeah that would be cool. might be like overkill but try it.

[MuRd0K]

Go hear Molotov ****ers. That's 2 bassists, one of them being a very impressive guy, the other being a very solid one.

There's also the group Resorte, but I don't like them.

[plumby1]

james brown has to bassists. i think they are his sons as well. either way. hes james brown he can do what ever the hell he wants

[wickedjay1231]

Is having two bassists in one band a good idea? because im thinking of getting another one in there.




I think another bassist would probably be a ok idea.

[spooner_is_cool]

its crap we had two in our band, it dosent work

[DBoons Ghost]

Ned's Atomic Dustbin.

It's been done. By many bands. But the above had success with it.

The Replacements used 2 basses in a couple of songs. Having the 6 harmonize the roots of the 4.

Otherwise, meh. It don't work unless you know what you're doing with it and why.

[WiCKeD_J]

its crap we had two in our band, it dosent work
but it might work for someone else? i reckon its worth a try...

[Another Lesson Learned]

theres a band called freebass

peter hook, mani and andy rourke
http://www.xfm.co.uk/Article.asp?b=news&id=142885

[Down'd Angel]

its crap we had two in our band, it dosent work

perhaps it didnt work for you because you didnt know how to make it work...

check out Molotov...they are a rock band from mexico city...they are really good...we had opened a show for them a few months back...they did a cool solo together...one was doing rhythm for a while, and then busted in harmonics with a nice slap groove to it...

just check out some of their songs...they are pretty well structured and are proof that two bassist can work together in a band...

[Phalanx]

I dunno but I've seen a few jazz bands with 2 bassists. And i think orchestras have a few double bassists in the background

[peeted]

a freind of mines bands got 2 bassists. i never thought it would work but it realy does. because so much of there playing is improv bassed but in a rock seting they need something to hold everything to teh chord sequence so they have 1 guy just thuding out 2 or 3 note riffs, the other bassist playing realy grooving slap/tap lines, a sax player who just does crazy random solos all teh time and a guitarist who plays general chord sequences and solos but with loads of improvised fills and stuff. pluss they have an ace singer.

[Pluperfect_Arson]

I dunno but I've seen a few jazz bands with 2 bassists. And i think orchestras have a few double bassists in the background

Yeah, I went and saw an orchestra with my friend, and they had three double bassists playing at the same time in the back.

I know that there were three for sure, but there could've been more. It was hard to tell because I couldn't see that far into where they were playing because of where I was seated.

[Polyamarous]

Correct me if im wrong but i think the arcade fire have 2 bassists.

Well it aint cert, they have 4 violoinistss 3 guitarist drummers, steel drummers singers. I asssume they have 2. If they do then it works well,

[sinister]

Im not sure I'd like being in a band with another bassist. They'd be better than me and that'd get me down.

Unless after every song you play your entire band is like "omg we need another bassist for our lives to be complete" you probably don't actually need one.

Otherwise it could just be a gimmick. But that could be what you want?

[tim_commerfordism]

How about just having 1 bass anx drums? The bass player can also sing backup vocals and synths, and the drummer can sing lead.

[comptonasseddy]

Correct me if im wrong but i think the arcade fire have 2 bassists.

Well it aint cert, they have 4 violoinistss 3 guitarist drummers, steel drummers singers. I asssume they have 2. If they do then it works well,

They dont have 2 bassists, they all just swap instruments and play different instruments in different songs. Thats not including the violinists.

[ebe9]

well it depends on what you are trying to achieve.

a band to have a listen to who uses the 2 bassist deal is "16 Stitch" where the one fills the more traditional role of a bassist (incidentaly using a 4 string) and the other experiments with alternate tunings and effects (6er in that case).

Basically i would say it is a good idea provided the bassists are not trying to do the same thing as each other.

oh, side notehave a look at their website: www.16stitch.co.za

[Naveed Afzal]

My band Has 2 Bassist... altho we do take turns playing the drums :)

[museic]

it could work if both bassists are good and clued up with knowledge of harmony.. it could be quite beautiful actually.. or a big mush?

[Polyamarous]

I spose you could di it where you have one bassist running clean and one with synth/loads of effects.

[Jude]

Have one playing real low and rumbly and the other with lots of treble, and have them play different techniques/parts for the song, and if both knew what they were doing and the song was written well, it could be pulled off and be impressive. Otherwise, it would just flop. However, there's no reason not to try.

[In/Casino/Out]

You could always make a double band! Like King Crimson when they reformed to make THRAK. They have two percussion,bass and guitar along with some other stuff and it sounds great.

[tim_commerfordism]

It would all be in the EQ.

[pitchfork]

Doesn't a certain victor wooten have another bassist?
Probably best to have a solid rooter then you playing more solo bits, if you decide to have a band like that.

[basgitarist]

marcus miller , bass extremes, alica keys unplugged, it works. It really does. It's all about the ability to play together. Heck at bass day 6 bass players are on stage together.

Really if you think about it, everything could work. The most important thing is to not be too afraid to leave rests. The second most important thing must be conquering the feeling of having to show how good you are all the time. Leave room, that's all :thumb:

[ignignok]

Bass Extremes, anyone?

[mikethecoug]

Ive just started a band with two bassists and a drummer, it sounds pretty cool with one just playing constant root notes and me just slapping over it its cool.

[deemo]

How about just having 1 bass anx drums? The bass player can also sing backup vocals and synths, and the drummer can sing lead.


DFA reference. nice touch.

[muthafunkabass]

it might work if you had a trebly-twangy sounding bassist soloing and a bassist playing real deep and playing roots doing rhythm.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Bass Extremes has two bassists..... LAWL!

I didn't even read the thread to see that people had said it already... ROOFLES!

[PaulR]

There's a band called The Pale Horse who have two bassists. They do a sort of doom brughgmm burghhm style of rock.

[Phalanx]

Yes Bass Extremes has two bassists but they take a very traditional Bass and guitar player approach with them swapping between lead and backing.

[FenderSRX]

as long as the bass players are really tight with eachother and the band it should sound fine. You could always have them harmonize eachother which would sound pretty cool I bet.