FLCL n00bs

[Edge22]

I play bass. I've played three of the four major variants: electric, acoustic, and acoustic upright, but never had the fortune (or cash) to play an electric upright -- which do exist and appear to have been invented exclusively for complicating the question of what version of the low-register Western stringed instrument gets called what.

Generally this is understood in context; there's no need to call a double bass/bass viol/bass fiddle anything but a bass in an orchestral or jazz setting, just the same way that a bass in a rock combo is assumed to be electric unless declared otherwise.

Ontopic:
It wouldn't be a problem if Haruka played a Fender, or an Ibanez, or something else generic, but the fact of the matter is that the Rickenbacker 4000 series is pretty much as iconic a bass as exists, and if people don't recognize it, but still pretend to buy into FLCL's rock'n'roll spirit, they are indeed, as the OP stated, n00bs.


However, the bigger problem is that this lack of recognition among FLCL fans -- and, actually, the existence of this thread -- is a symptom of a widespread problem that boils down to this: bassists don't never get no respect. We play a technical instrument that destroys the nerve endings of eight of our fingers permanently, and we get pushed to the back and told to shut up and play some numbskull line so that the other players don't get lost. "Drone on A for 12 measures -- just walk -- play 1-3-5-4" -- no matter the era or style, nothing ever changes. Stanley Clarke, Victor Wooten, and Lemmy had to start their own bands before anyone would give them the time of day. WHAT THE HELL.

[/mode="drama"]


--K

Right on man Bassists such as myself get no respect cause people say its an easy instrument to play, but they don't even know how to play bass. Yes I know she uses a Rickenbacker 4000, I have one of my own in black.

[Dafac]

oh dude...how can anybody seriously think that its guitar?! oh c'mon! count the fuking sripes on it! and if there is 6 then just liten when he plays it!!! theres no way u can go so down with guitar were there truely Banner where he plays guitar? its also true that people who play bass in band, they dont get that sama respect than the others in same band eaven tought there r about 10 people who plays bass to 37 who plays guitar. what i mean is: everyband has guitar player at the beginning but its pretty hard to find guy who really does now how to play bass! i spek for my experiment

[Bulghod]

bassists don't never get no respect

hate to say it, but you're right. only bassists i can think of offhand that actually get respect are Flea from Chili peppers and Les Claypool of Primus.

[CerebralAssamite]

However, the bigger problem is that this lack of recognition among FLCL fans -- and, actually, the existence of this thread -- is a symptom of a widespread problem that boils down to this: bassists don't never get no respect. We play a technical instrument that destroys the nerve endings of eight of our fingers permanently, and we get pushed to the back and told to shut up and play some numbskull line so that the other players don't get lost.

The truest of words spoken from another bassist, praise be to you Lord Kai for thou art knowest the god awefull truth.

Yeah its a bass Haru... plays thats my on topic statement.

[bum]

okay this is where most of people that like FLCL piss me off. They say Haru Hara Haruko plays a guitar. SHE PLAYS A BASS. If your a music n00b, a Bass is a instrument similar to guitar but has 4 very thick strings. The moment when i snapped about this is when i saw the banner that said she uses a guitar. The reason why I'm getting so pissed at this is because i play Bass. So most FLCL fans are FLCL n00bs

Ah, relax. Honesty its a technical error that most people are going to make, never realise they made and never realy care. Its like a computer programer complaining that someone who's not too computer literate couldnt undersand the difference between MBps and Mbps. Its actualy kinda egotistical on your part, expecting people to know small differences on something your into that is'nt common knowlege and then geting pissed off when they dont.

[Scintilla]

Its actualy kinda egotistical on your part, expecting people to know small differences on something your into that is'nt common knowlege and then geting pissed off when they dont.

... you're saying it's NOT common knowledge that 4-stringed rock instruments are basses, not guitars?

[megaman917]

Its actualy kinda egotistical on your part, expecting people to know small differences on something your into that is'nt common knowlege and then geting pissed off when they dont.

... you're saying it's NOT common knowledge that 4-stringed rock instruments are basses, not guitars?

For those of us that don't play any kind of musical instrument, myself included, knowing the difference is not common knowledge. Most FLCL fans, most music fans, don't give a shit what the difference is. If it looks like a guitar we're going to assume that it's a guitar.

I don't see why Edge22 is getting so worked up over this. It's not that serious.

[Pyle]

okay this is where most of people that like FLCL piss me off. They say Haru Hara Haruko plays a guitar. SHE PLAYS A BASS. If your a music n00b, a Bass is a instrument similar to guitar but has 4 very thick strings. The moment when i snapped about this is when i saw the banner that said she uses a guitar. The reason why I'm getting so pissed at this is because i play Bass. So most FLCL fans are FLCL n00bs

Dude...shut up.

[HellDeathscythe666]

I agree, just because the fact that you know so much about instruments does not at all mean that fans of FLCL HAVE to know about instruments, hell I listen to japanese music(any kind) and I dont not understand a thing they are saying, but I am still a fan, so Edge, just lay off, that kinda stuff isnt right. Oh and by the way, I'm in a band, but I do not come off by saying that everyone else is a n00b...so just lay off please

[OtakuMan22]

Oh man... I wonder what Harvey Pekar would have to say about this?

I have to admit I didn't know about the real differences between Bass guitar and the regular electric guitars that are more common for the lead man. However, I am sure there are the fans out there who appreciate the bass players in rock bands. I know that there's a devout following for the bass guitarist of Black Sabbath. Dude had, I believe, 2 of his fingers sawed off in an accident and prosthetically replaced before he joined the band. (Thank you VH1's most metal moments for teaching me that)

Key thing for me is that bass guitarists DO deserve more love for the deep sounds they produce. However, the details of different bass guitars and all the specs that go into being a bass player are going to go RIGHT over my head and leave me dazed and confused unless I am

a) A Bass Guitarist

b) A very aural person

~Otaku-Man