What does a bass player do?

[Rob Rybak (essenceman)]

Just thought I'd throw this one into the melting pot to see what comes out! What IS the role of the bass player?
 
Does he/she hold down the bottom end; act as the interpreter between rhythm and melody; set the groove; provide an alternative lead instrument to guitar, keys or wind? A combination of all or some of these? Isn't this why we play this wonderful instrument - which other musical instrument offers such versatility of purpose?
 
My own style is more of the groover, holding down the low end. The dusty end on my Essence 5 tends to stay pretty dusty,  but it would be interesting to hear other people's contributions on their style and their view on the role(s) of the bass player.
 
Rob

[Paul Ellsworth (elzie)]

All of the above

[Matt Bulmer (prime)]

Ok, has anyone ever heard someone say The role of the guitar player, is to....? Why is that?  
 
Personally, I like to hold down a groove, but I also want the bassline to contribute to the melodic aspect of the music.  
 
Role of the bass: Overthrow the tyranny of guitar players everywhere in a glorious coup d'tat.
 
Matt

[Derwin Moss (bassdude63)]

It all depends on the style of music you're playing and the musicians you're playing it with. I find with a solid drummer I have a bit more freedom to be experimental. Many players want the bassist to function as a link between rhythm & harmony and that's it(especially guitarists),which is fine with me-I love to lock in with the drummer and drive it. Ideally, Marcus Miller summed it up when he said  a bassist should be able to lay down the fattest groove and blow the hottest solo.    

[Paul Lindemans (palembic)]

When you have a good drummer the audience start to move, when you add a good bass on top of that the audience start to dance, a good melodyline makes them sing along!
 
My two cent!
 
Paul

[Charles David Tichenor (alembic76407)]

the bass players job is to keep the guitar players from killing the drummer

[Derwin Moss (bassdude63)]

Very good! or vise versa. The bass player's other job is to try to hear his/herself over the drummer, guitarist, and vocalist. Uh, could give me more vocals in my monitor? Yeah, while you're at it, I can't hear my Marshall-could I have some guitar in my monitor? Hey, I need to hear more of my kick in my monitor too. Bass Player(muttering) Damn, do I have earplugs in my gig bag?!

[Joey Wilson (bigredbass)]

I always approach my part in the arrangement as its own part.  I was trained in classical piano originally, and in the that music, the left hand was its' own part, not just a collection of roots and pedal points.  The same as orchestral music, or string quartets, or 4-part vocal music.
 
My favorite players, from Carol Kaye and McCartney, on to Anthony Jackson and Jimmy Johnson, always played parts that could almost stand alone.  They grooved, were the foundation of the song, locked with the drummer, and had these little figures that echoed some other part in the juiciest spots.
 
This was my inspiration and target for my own development.  I always felt bass was an 'ensemble' instrument:  It was the mesh of the whole band that was the rush.  As much as I admire Jaco or Stanley, it was utterly out of sync with where I saw myself.  My goal was when you came to see a band I was in, you might not even see me, but you couldn't sit still in the face of that much groove.  I still keep shooting for that.

[Daniel Tracey (dannobasso)]

I have found over the years that my job has been to drive the band, pushing and pulling the drummer when the tempo strayed. Anthony Jackson's picking was always an inspiration to me. A pick really helps to keep things consistant. In a hard rock/punk setting you have to drive it like a big truck grinding through all of the other mayhem. Provide the deep bottom that everyone always relies on. Also to piss off the guitarist whose gear isn't as well made as your Alembic! Dragon Inlay anyone?

[Dino Monoxelos (dean_m)]

I always thought the bass players job was to provide a root note so the singers (vocalists) would have some idea of what note to sing off of HAH!!!!
Before and after the gig, the bass players job is to get the drummer to and from the gig.  HAH Again!!
Seriously though, one of my teachers, Paul Farnen always said, there's no money above the fifth fret!!!
 
Peace - Dino

[Jonathan Johnstone (stoney)]

Hey Dino,
I read your other post about no money.... and although I'm a huge fan of John Entwistle and Stanley Clarke, I tend to agree...at least to a point. If you listen to the playing of James Jamerson, who played bass for almost everything that came out of Motown in the 60's, you'll find some of the coolest, tastiest grooves known to bass....all below the 5th fret.  Paul McCartney was a master at this as well.  He kept (almost) everything low but incorporated very tasty deviations from the root.  Unless you ARE Stanley Clark (acting as the front man) or John (having to play lead bass)you're much more noticed when the band has a nice tight/fat bottom, stepping out occasionally to showcase only.  
My roll as bassist:  Designated Driver, bill collector, sound tech....etc. etc.
 
Stoney

[Dino Monoxelos (dean_m)]

Oh yeah man!!!!  Stanley is my all time hero.  But then again so isnt Jamerson too.  Like I had said about the 5th fret though, believe me, there are plenty of times I'm not making any money.  Especially when it's time to blow away the guitar player.
One last lesson that I'd like to share, no one notices the bass player until he/she isn't there anymore.
 
Peace Again!!!

[Jonathan Johnstone (stoney)]

A-men to that !!!

[Michael Paskel (Mikey) (pookeymp)]

Well Said!!!

[Bob Bell (kipknee)]

Interesting thread.  I've had a few people over the years ask this type of question.  Generally, the cryptic answer that I usually give is that a bass player's role is to listen.  In the old days the bass player was usually the least competent musician in the band, but it has now reached a point where the bass player is typically the most musically versed (and diverse) musician in the band.  Generally speaking, bassists today have a solid understanding of rhythm, melody and harmony.  They listen to the voice of every instrument and vocalist and then they play a part that is both independent from and complementary to the rest of the band.