bassdrummer Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 My wife and I rented the Walt Disney remake of "Freaky Friday" with Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan. There are some funny band scenes and a couple of music videos for the soundtrack in the Bonus Features of the DVD. So we were watching this video by The Halo Friendlies featuring Ginger Reyes on bass and lead vocals. I saw the Fender headstock and, "Okay! Figure out if it's a P bass or a J bass!" I said to my wife. "Huh?" she replied. "If it's a Precision bass, it'll have pickups like this (I used my index fingers to simulate split coil pickups, one staggered over the other). But if it's a Jazz bass, the pickups will be farther apart, like this (index fingers apart in parallel lines). So watch for the pickups!" "But which one's the bass?" she asked innocently. "Aghh! Which one has 4 tuners?" I said. "Tuners?" she replied. Then, "Oh, is it the one the middle girl's playing? It is, isn't it." "So tell me: is it a P or a J?" I pressed. "Huh?" "The pickups, remember?" "Pickups?" "The black things! Sort of in the middle, near her hand, where she's playing! Remember how I showed you? (index fingers again) (Here the camera practically zooms in on the split coil Precision pickups.) "Oh, yeah, okay . . . um . . . So it's a J bass." "Aaghh! No! It's a Precision! Like mine! (I pointed to my P on its stand, conveniently set up in the living room with a BP200 and headphones.) "Gosh, they're wearing so much makeup!" my wife thoughtfully intoned. "All the world's indeed a stage, and we are merely players..." --Rush, "Limelight" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie Z Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 ROTFL Very nice delivery bassdrummer! "Change comes from within." - Jeremy Cohen The definition of LUCK: When Preparation meets Opportunity! http://www.cybergumbo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba upright Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 She'd get along well with my wife.... ......What's that honey?....My giant violin fell over? "Study, study, study...or BONK BONK bad kids!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basshappi Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 After watching Ed Friedland perform, my wife and I were standing around asking questions. Ed looked at us and said "So, which one of you is the bassplayer?" Yep, I'm a lucky guy! Nothing is as it seems but everything is exactly what it is - B. Banzai Life is what happens while you are busy playing in bands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chamers Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 I don't often post, more of lurker, but that's a great story Reminds me of the time I had just finished playing in a bar and a very nice looking young lady came to talk to me, my spirits were lifted, then the first thing she asked was 'Why do you feel like you've got to play a guitar that's so much bigger than the other guys.... is there something you feel insecure about...' How do you explain that it's a BASS! If there was something you felt insecure about you would be playing lead guitar Playing open strings with one fist in the air http://www.garageband.com/artist/Geller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edendude Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 My girlfriend actually said something quite profound and interesting when watching a show on the life of pianist Glen Gould the other night... She said "It's interesting that so many musical geniuses like Glen Gould, Jaco Pastorious, Chet Baker, and Miles Davis also seemed to have suffered from fairly severe mental health problems." I was impressed. Nice to have a women that one can really share thoughts and ideas about music and musicians with, I must confess. She even read Sting's 'Broken Music' before I did. And she knows who Victor and Bootsy are! All this and she's a gorgeous blonde who's ten years younger than me. I think I'm in love. My Last Band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getz out Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 I tend to enjoy the fact that my girlfriend is utterly clueless regarding music or music-related facts. She even tends not to be a big music fan. She does blindly support me in my rather expensive and time-consuming passion, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edendude Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 Well it has been said that... "Love is blind." Maybe deaf too, according to what I'm seeing in this thread. How's she at pinball, Getz?! My Last Band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getz out Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 Originally posted by Edendude: How's she at pinball, Getz?!She sure plays a mean pinball. (where was the drumroll?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenLoy Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 My girlfriend is a Mezzo-Soprano. She's getting ready to be Cherubino in the Marriage of Figaro. She's got "big ears," and she's been inspirational to me when I see how hard she works. She knows what a Bass is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getz out Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 Ben, Woah, at first read, I though you said your girlfriend was MEADOW Soprano. I was going to tell you to watch your back! Maury Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 I'm sorry to say that my girlfriend has become an amateur bass spotter. It's quite strange being pre-empted by "isn't he playing a Warwick Thumb?" when watching Top Of The Pops. However I'm now known to listen to indie music, attempt to ride horses and even tidy up after myself... Alex Barefaced Ltd - ultra lightweight, high ouput, toneful bass cabs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
music-man Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 I married my wife shortly after she told me she likes Meshell Ndegeocello's "Plantation Lullabies" because the bass "sounds like the way you play." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edendude Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 Alex... You'll know when you are fully immersed in 'coupledom' when you find yourself running back and forth to the rack for different size bras, dresses, and tops while she trys on clothes in the dept store fitting room. My Last Band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FunkySmurf Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 My girlfriend was attracted to me because I play bass. She said the way I play is sexy. Then she left me because a lot of my time was taken up rehearsing and performing!? Come on baby! do you think sexiness like this comes in a store? But it's OK, my luthier routed a special compartment in the back of my bass and now with a few extra 9 volts all is good! Stanley Maxwell - Jazz,Funk,Rock and Grooves... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig S. Leyh Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 Thank you! I cannot stop laughing. Been there before. I tell them the bass goes boom boom and a guitar goes ching ching. Thank you, Craig S. Leyh CraigLeyh@Buffalo.com WWW.FrameBand.com "Lucky 7" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraceOfTheWitch Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 Originally posted by Craig S. Leyh: Thank you! I cannot stop laughing. Been there before. I tell them the bass goes boom boom and a guitar goes ching ching. This thread is hilarious!! Just what I needed to liven up my day... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoney McRing Ring Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 Yeah i'm loving this Out of the four bass players in my year, i am the only guy What the hell does that tell about the new generation of bass players? I go with the "boom boom" way of explaining bass too.When i told one of my friends about my new five she said "don't all basses have five strings?" I was about to correct her when i thought "you know,just about all of them do at the moment" "I am just an instrument cos the lord is playing this funk"-T.M Stevens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassplayer5217 Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 I am soooo digging this thread. A few months ago, I was warming up before a performance and our manager's girlfriend is in the back with myself and the rest of the band. She asks to play someone's guitar and I ask "Is my bass alright?" when no one answered her, and she gladly accepts my backup bass to fiddle with. No lie, first 27 words out of her mouth are, "Wow this is heavy! (pause) Wait, where are the other 3 strings? I can't play any chords on this, especially not from any John Mayer song I know." Now seriously, first, it is bigger than a regular guitar, so it might be heavier than a regular guitar, eh? And plus, it weighed about 8 lbs, not too hefty. Then, note, she expected there to be 7 strings on her guitar! (yes I know they make 7 string guitars, but trust me, she just forgot what a regular guitar was like) She was attractive and innocent enough to let it slide with just a smirk, but y'all catch my notion. Jeez, peaceOUT, Germain .~. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Capasso Posted March 25, 2004 Share Posted March 25, 2004 Nice stories all. My wife has no clue about bass, and has the attitude "why should I?!". She appreciates good music (loves Motown for example) and we manage to sing harmony along with a tune once in a while. After 25 years, that's more than enough. We don't talk about it - certainly not in a gearhead fashion. When we used to go to see my kid's concerts, she'd occassionally ask "was that the french horn?" (my son) or "was that the bassoon?" (my daughter). She learned to pick them out when they were prominent. My favorite was when we talked about me playing with a guitar and piano in church. "I can't hear what difference it makes if you are there or not...". She's never been subtle, but that's part of what I love about her. Tom www.stoneflyrocks.com Acoustic Color Be practical as well as generous in your ideals. Keep your eyes on the stars and keep your feet on the ground. - Theodore Roosevelt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassdrummer Posted March 25, 2004 Author Share Posted March 25, 2004 Originally posted by Tom Capasso: My favorite was when we talked about me playing with a guitar and piano in church. "I can't hear what difference it makes if you are there or not...". She's never been subtle, but that's part of what I love about her. TomClassic. "All the world's indeed a stage, and we are merely players..." --Rush, "Limelight" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystic Rhythms Posted March 25, 2004 Share Posted March 25, 2004 I think we have all experienced comments like this from clueless people; and I'm going to say I was one of them. I had no idea what a bass was, it was always kind of in the shadows and had no real intensity about it then. But now, I'm am surprised at people when they don't know what it is. For instance, you got to love when people ask where you got the giant violin from, or where have the other 2 strings gone on your guitar? Sigh, it is a bit annoying, but also can be rather funny. The bass is just so... under-rated. Life like jazz is best improvised Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockinredneck69 Posted March 25, 2004 Share Posted March 25, 2004 Originally posted by getz76: I tend to enjoy the fact that my girlfriend is utterly clueless regarding music or music-related facts. She even tends not to be a big music fan. She does blindly support me in my rather expensive and time-consuming passion, though.Thats how my wife is, yet, she does have some degree of music appreciation just enough for me to know that her support is pure. At any rate, you all reminded me of a conversation I had with my father-in-law at a birthday party my wife organized for me recently. So, he pointed at my bass in the corner on its stand and asked, "So can you play your guitar yet?". I forced a grin and told him "its a bass guitar", to which he replied..."Oh, thats the one where you just stand there and just pick two differant notes over and over again, that was probably a good choice for ya." Now mind ya, we get along very well, I know that I must have pissed him off somehow recently for such a jaded remark as I don't want to think he really thinks any of what he implied. But then, he listens to nothing but country...so, yeah. Thats it. Eh, screw it...he really pissed me off with that one anyway ! Donnie Peterson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RalphM Posted March 25, 2004 Share Posted March 25, 2004 Just when I got my girl friend "trained" to look for a guitar with only 4 strings/tuners and recognize that as the bass, we go a see a group who's bassist is using a 5 string...and I have to start the explanation all over again. I sometimes think that the only time she realizes that I'm playing is when I solo and everyone else stops for a moment. Oh well...Love her just the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edendude Posted March 25, 2004 Share Posted March 25, 2004 This thread is starting to have a little bit of a misogynistic feel to it, so to give it some balance I'd like to point out that... I bet an equal proportion of the female bassists out there, experience the very same dumbass comments from their non-musician husbands and boyfriends. So ladies, just so you know this thread is more about the ignorance of non-musican 'partners' in general, as opposed to just female partners. There just happens to be a whole lot more males on this message board. My Last Band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RalphM Posted March 25, 2004 Share Posted March 25, 2004 No sexism here...just to give equal time I was setting up in a "biker bar" and this really big, nasty, rough-looking dude comes up and says "what's the difference between a 4-string and a 5-string bass?". I couldn't resist... I looked at him and said "uh....one string?". Luckily, he laughed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rik Posted March 25, 2004 Share Posted March 25, 2004 After a gig a couple weeks ago, as I was putting my 5-string back into its case, an older biker-looking guy came over and squatted down next to me. "That's a nice-looking guitar," he said. Then he did a double-take and said, "It's only got five strings?" "Er, yeah. It's a 5-string bass." "That's the bass? I thought you were the lead guitarist, and that guy," pointing to my guitarist who still had his Les Paul strapped on, "was the bass player." "Um, no..." Perhaps his confusion came from the fact that my guitarist is the fat guy in the band... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc taz Posted March 25, 2004 Share Posted March 25, 2004 The peeps would know that I have two of 'em implanted onto my modular body (see My Stuff). ;] sevenstring.org profile my flickr page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraceOfTheWitch Posted March 25, 2004 Share Posted March 25, 2004 Originally posted by Mystic Rhythms: I think we have all experienced comments like this from clueless people; and I'm going to say I was one of them. I had no idea what a bass was, it was always kind of in the shadows and had no real intensity about it then. But now, I'm am surprised at people when they don't know what it is. For instance, you got to love when people ask where you got the giant violin from, or where have the other 2 strings gone on your guitar? Sigh, it is a bit annoying, but also can be rather funny. The bass is just so... under-rated.I have come to the conclusion that bass players truely only play for other bass players. I could whack my strings with my dick and my guitarists wouldn't know the difference... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraceOfTheWitch Posted March 25, 2004 Share Posted March 25, 2004 Originally posted by RalphM: No sexism here...just to give equal time I was setting up in a "biker bar" and this really big, nasty, rough-looking dude comes up and says "what's the difference between a 4-string and a 5-string bass?". I couldn't resist... I looked at him and said "uh....one string?". Luckily, he laughed.That's even funnier than the original post!! I do have to say that I'm lucky- both my son and my significant other (she's not my girlfriend yet... maybe someday soon... sign...) are both very interested in learning bass. My son turns six this very day, so he's still a little too small for my ESP 5 sting, but he's using my much lighter Ibanez 4 string reasonably well for his small stature. And my friend... she's doing realy well! She's a pleasure to teach because she realy wants to learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.