Where would you like to see bass players, playing be in 40 years?

[sniper]

Just a thought as to where you would like to see the art of playing bass develope next and maybe some ideas of where it has gone in the last 40 to 50 years.

Here are some candidates to work with (and not a complete list by far and certainly not for the sake of argument), some thoughts on what they have contributed to the art and playing styles.

under, over rated or pioneering bassists ... you decide: (imma prolly in trouble for saying ... but just saying)

John McVie
JP Jones
Tony Levin
John McCoy
Les Claypool
John Entwistle
Paul McCartney
Willie Dixon
James Jamerson
Bob Babbitt
Leo Lyons
Gary Thain
Keith Ferguson
Charles Mingus
Geezer Butler
Bill Wyman
Mike Watts
Klaus Voormann

i originally posted this list in another thread but have decided it might deserve its own thread. lets see where it goes or dies.

[Denis]

I are not understanding nearly not enough what you're subject line is. 

[uwe]

I think we won't be seeing any revolutionary changes and developments. That all happened pretty much bteen 1965 and 1975. Amp technology will certainly continue to develop. Rigs will be smaller and lighter. Someone will come up with strings you don't really need to change except every couple of years. Bass synths will have flawless tracking and people will marvel at a vintage TBird or P Bass from 2011 when all basses were still great, made from real wood and quality was sooooooo much better ...

[Chaser001]

Not to be one stuck in the past, but I still marvel at all that happened in the late 60s and early 70s. 

[sniper]

I are not understanding nearly not enough what you're subject line is.  

Years ago when I was just listening to music on the radio, it seemed that baselines were a background part of the music and we were focusing on the show and not the music playing at all. One of the best examples of what I am talking about is the song "Happy Organ" as best as I remember. When just a few years later it seemed the "invasion" and possibly the pre-invasion period brought some new faces and names to the instruments. An example of this would be the Ventures with the soloed guitar, drum parts of which they made foremost. Later the surf sound came along and focused more on a combination of lyrics and instruments such as bass and drum collaboration along with lead guitar willing to "give space" to other instruments along with better lyric coordination. 32 Coupe comes to mind here in my thoughts.

The invasion brought the fab four of which Paul was adopted by the ladies as a favorite because of his boyish good looks. He happened to play the bass. A door opened.

I missed a lot of innovations about then as I was interested in what my job was at the time. When I got out of the service Dolby was just gaining a toe hold, but as I started to play about that same era, wattage was undergoing a change. Tubes were being replaced with transistors, speakers were being packaged in folded horn enclosures and mikes were being made better. Cardiode controlled radius mikes are a good example.

Bassists were being looked at in a somewhat different light as artists like Thain, Entwistle and Squire were being noticed more and more. Baselines were punchier, more prominent and driving the music harder than ever before. Bassists were getting more spotlight time and groups were taking advantage of this. Pink Floyd a good example of bass innovation for instance not to forget JAE's influence was gaining notoriety in style and "machinery" used. Zappa is a whole book by himself.

Funk, Disco all contributed to bass style and coordination of the front line/backline as being presented in finished releases.

You get the idea. Now with the technical improvements available, we are getting almost as much exposure as other musicians in the final mix.

The discussion is how do you feel your favorite (or lesser favorite) bassists have contributed or other, they how affected our job and how do you foresee our future changing?

[Chaser001]

A lot of this is going to depend on what genres end up prevailing.  Looking at the music which is really selling now, it's obvious how much attention genres such as hip hop get now.  So what role the bass will play has to be tied into developments which can't be known at this point.  Will hip hop continue at its present pace, will it wane, will it morph into something else?  There is no way to know.  There are even many who say that rock is dead.  If that ends up being the case, I'll personally continue with it regardless of how it is viewed and how popular or not other genres may become. 

[nofi]

if you consider how samey same bands in each genre are, rock has been dead quite awhile. i don't see that changing anytime soon.

[sniper]

if you consider how samey same bands in each genre are, rock has been dead quite awhile. i don't see that changing anytime soon.

I think we won't be seeing any revolutionary changes and developments. That all happened pretty much bteen 1965 and 1975. Amp technology will certainly continue to develop. Rigs will be smaller and lighter. Someone will come up with strings you don't really need to change except every couple of years. Bass synths will have flawless tracking and people will marvel at a vintage TBird or P Bass from 2011 when all basses were still great, made from real wood and quality was sooooooo much better ...

i don't think i like the idea of sitting and listening to music made on cakewalk. maybe the concerts of tomorrow will be in some music house with a 4 piece rock band in tux's?

[the mojo hobo]

While you and I might not like it, the general public doesn't really care if the music is completely computer generated. Future concerts will be holographic laser shows that won't need live musicians.

[hieronymous]

I saw the Orb once, two guys playing synths & computers (couldn't tell, they were all behind a giant desk) and a bass player, and they were pretty magical! They hit some peaks that I wouldn't have considered possible in "computer" music. I would hope that magical music will continue to be made by people, no matter what other dreck is served up for the general public. What makes music magic is different for each person, but that's part of the beauty. I guess that's what I really hope for in music - freedom to not be tied to one vision of what music is. And that applies to bass playing too. If that makes sense...

[Pilgrim]

I don't think rock is dead at all, but I think it's found in live music, not in the formula stuff being cranked out as top 40. People LOVE rock, they love covers of good music, and they get cranked up to "greatest hits" music.  This is why I cannot understand those who think playing covers is beneath them.

I think that music has split into many niches and genres, but I see evidence that young people still like the sound and feel of rock. The instruments may evolve but I think that rock - in various genres - will stick around.

[Dave W]

Am I missing something? How is a list of influential players from the past going to help anyone determine what might develop down the road?

As long as conventional Western music is around, there will be bass, and the underlying structure will be the same. No doubt some new styles will develop, but it's not something I care about. Mainly because I like what music I like regardless of the bass.

[sniper]

i was using these players as examples of bassists that have changed our role and was hoping that not only would players in here speculate on the future of our art, but maybe use these players and discuss how they have changed the art of playing bass.

[Psycho Bass Guy]

Someone will come up with strings you don't really need to change except every couple of years.

...ummmm... I have strings on my basses that get regular play and are older than many of my friends' children.

Let's hear it for central heat and air and neutral skin ph! 

[rahock]

40 years?? I will be 98. I would be glad to see any kind of bass playing at that point
Rick