Which band member has the easiest job?

Sorry, I love playing bass and all, but it's easier I think than a lot and it's over looked so you can do pretty crappy and a good amount of people won't notice. (I know, not here though, but when I talk to a lot of people they do)

The best bass players are anything but simple...but alot of the time the bass gets overshadowed and you cant really hear it...like on early metallica albums

First of all, if this poll was serious, groupie would not be an option. That is a given. The fact that an overwhelming majority voted for bassist goes to show that most don't play the other instruments, or they think all a bassist does is play the lowest sounding note of a guitarist's related chord (ie the bass note). This may be true, but only in PUNK ROCK, and maybe classic rock [sh*t] like BOSTON. Progressive rock takes it to the next level. Listen to funk music and tell me the bass is the easiest instrument to play.

The Miracle wrote: physically I think bass would be the easiest... It's a rhythm instrument that doesn't need too much work to play, unlike the drummer, and doesn't requite much speed like lead guitar or keys

There's nothing about the bass that makes it inherently a "rhythm instrument" - that's just the way rock music tends to view it. Thus bass can be equally as demanding as guitar (and to produce the same notes, a lot more demanding since there are fewer strings and the frets are further apart, causing more movement. Also the strings are ever so slightly harder to press down (poor me eh? )

Pafnutij wrote: I guess the bassist in most cases, since bass parts are usually quite simple and no one listens to them anyway  . But a good musician is a good musician no matter what instrument he plays (unless its the recorder or something )

Hey!  Don't bash the recorder.

I'll send you my Double Recorder Eb Concerto if I must.

I believe taht is not correct to say someone from the band's members has the easiest job! They all are important for the music and only some ignorant person can say that the bassist has the easiest job, or the keyboardist etc. There's not "easiest job" in the Progressive Rock. Usuqly in the rock, jazz and classical music all the musicians are pretty good and have HARD job!

Well the groupies are another story :)

stebo32 wrote: Shut up I love Nick Mason's playing , and Rick Wright is pretty good too, they may not be legens like Cobham and Emerson, but they succeed at their own style. the playing doesnt have to be perfection. its what you hear that counts.

I aint gonna shut up, thats for sure.

The Poll is about the easiest job. I didn't comment on the enjoyment gained from listening to these guys, just on how much effort they seem to put in...

 

I play guitar, drums and keys and I can say that, of all those, keyboards are the easiest to play. But that doesn't mean the keyboardist is slacking. I do not like generalizations, either. Bass easy to play? Have you seen Myung on the Live at Budokan DVD? He is in synch with Petrucci for many hard lines.

How are the bass parts simple??

Listen to the bass lines of Squire, Wetton, Lake, Rutherford, Stanley Clarke, Geddy Lee, Justin Chancellor, Jonas Reingold, Pete Trewavas, Dave Meros.... (passes out for 20 minutes) ...Colin Edwin, Juan Alderete de la Pena, Tony Levin, Nic Potter, John Myung, The bassist of G

MikeEnRegalia wrote: In a good band there is no easy job.

 

Well said, and true.

I believe te guy on the triangle or tambourine has the easiiest job....just kidding!