My joke re. bass playing has more to do with the supposed ease with which one can learn to plunk along on the root note, than the bass being a subset of a guitar.
In fact, once I heard or read a bass player insisting that it's not a "bass guitar" (which would be that big guitar in a Mexican Mariachi band), but a(n) "(electric) bass".
Despite hearing plenty of other bass players speak otherwise, I do tend to think that the bass is *not* a subset of the guitar (especially since four lowest strings of a guitar are *not* always tuned the "bass" way). Thus I continue to avoid saying "bass guitar", which I think, in fact, shows my actual respect for bass players.
One could argue that it is played like a guitar and usually looks like one -- but consider:
In terms of musical *role* in a band, it took over from the upright bass in early rock and roll bands (such as the Comets, the Crickets and Elvis's band).
I had some other supporting arguments, but they have evaporated for now.
I think it's important to call it a bass guitar to avoid confusion with the similarly named fish. Clarity is more important than accuracy, after all.
ReplyDeleteI don't see why a person would be any more likely to mispronounce "Robin plays the (electric) bass" than "Robin plays the bass guitar." Off the top of my head, I'd say that clarity can best be established by the surrounding context. If one assumes an elementary knowledge of music (&/or fishing), then one can go ahead and use the more accurate (IMO) term.
ReplyDeleteBesides to someone without much musical knowledge "bass guitar" becomes unclear *because* of its inaccuracy. Doesn't it give them the idea that you are up there pretty much playing it like a guitar (strum, strum) when in fact it has a different role?
I find something frightening about the idea that clarity is more important than accuracy. We'd prefer to have both, wouldn't we? Are there many situations in which that is not achievable (especially if we are not limited to single short sentences)?
Finally something I can get passionate about.