How to Be a Bass Player in a Band

Practice! You want to be good at your instrument! A bad bassist is the kind other band members will hold in contempt, but an excellent bassist is the kind who will impress anyone who hears the band and will receive generous amounts of solo time. (A generous amount of bass solo time is anything above five seconds of a song) Be sure to practice:

• as often as possible
• many different styles
• various playing techniques (slapping, fingering style, picking, etc.)
• writing
• improv, especially short fills or embellishments
• playing by ear
• creativity (which goes hand-in-hand with improvisation)

Know where you fit in the band. Realize that the bass is not usually a lead instrument and embrace the fact! The greatest bass lines can sometimes be the simplest, depending on the song. If you are upset because the bassline in a cover your band is performing is comprised of long strings of the same note, understand that you are probably playing a punk, emo, or mainstream rock song and the guitarist's long strings of power chords aren't much more exciting to play. When songwriting, don't go to ridiculous lengths to give yourself a technically complicated part. If it fits, great! If not, just make it simpler until it flows with the rest of the band.

Learn to play secondary instruments like keyboards, guitar, or percussion instruments, or simply do backup vocals. That way, you can still be part of the performance in a song that simply doesn't need a bass. An acoustic number, for example.

Have a personality. This is especially important for live playing. If you have as much stage presence as the singer and guitarist, you will be paid at least as much attention as the guitarist. (Give the singer a break, they are the front person!) High-five any fans that hold their hands up to the stage, dance around, be fun to watch! It helps to be noticed if your appearance is radically different from the other members, but don't change your personality! Also be original!