What are you talking about? The Beatles themselves said other members were pedestrian on their instruments. Remember John's quote about Ringo's drumming? "He's not even the best drummer in The Beatles." Pretty harsh, no?
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Beatle fan are notorious for putting Ringo below Keith Moon, knocking George's guitar solos, mocking Paul's simple love song lyrics (ever wonder why Paul had to write the song "Silly Love Songs"?), or John's rudimentary guitar/piano skills.
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Nothing wrong at all in looking at our favorite artists' flaws. If they were 100% perfect in everything they did it would be rather boring. I'm kind of glad Prince gave us "Purple Rain" and the decidedly odd "Xpectation."
This is the Beatles talking about each other, not fans talking about the Beatles which is my issue. The members of the Prince's bands have talked about limitations on certain instruments and they should be able to judge that and we should take that into account. But to outright say Prince is rudimentary on the bass is kinda harsh from a fan don't you think?
poor ringo got dissed so much, he was perfect for his band, and his personality was a big part of the beatles. Loveable ringo, sometimes even now, people say negative things about mccartney, I mean, he kind of made a fool of hisself trying to get into some rap event awhile ago and people were calling him infantile and shit. not ringo, everyone loves ringo.
Questlove is cool and all but he should stop acting like he's the walking encyclopedia of Prince. And no, Prince is not a better at bass playing. He even stated that Esperanza was better at bass playing than he was.
even phenomenal guitarists will say good things about Prince's guitar playing, he actually is in a rare class as a guitarist. I doubt if we can say the same for any other instrument he played. being as there are just so many millions of guitar players, i wouldn't put him in the tip top class but he's close. there are just too many phenomenal guitarists. The thing about the smart artists though is that they diversify. Ray Charles often said that there were plenty of better pianists but he also said "they couldn't sell 10,000 copies".
As a composer + player, yes, his bass skills are waaaay underrated.
His contribution to Kate Bush's Why Should I Love You always highlights his guitar, but it's his bass which rules the roost and makes the song. He was killing it on bass through all of his collaborative work in the early 90's.
To be perfectly honest, Prince's bass playing was simple and rudimentary. He rarely came up with a top bass line -- "1 + 1 + 1 = 3," and "17 Days" are the only ones that stand out.
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Anytime you hear a wicked bass line on a Prince song, check the credits...it ain't Prince. "Get Off" and "Space" -- two of the best bass lines on Prince albums -- ain't credited to Prince.
[Edited 5/15/16 18:17pm]
Isn't that where the chamrs are? Erotic City an Cool are the easiest basslines to play, yet even the most experienced bass player couldn't write something like that.
Have to seperate synth bass from a real Bass too, anyone can play synth bass. And yeah Cool and Erotic City have just the right bass-lines for the dance tracks that they are, no need to complicate things maybe just embelish them.
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G-Spot (Demo), Controversy and Bob George are also simple and effective.
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Le Grind and Violet Blue are probaly are more his style...
I guess I will be attacked for my next statement but Prince's bass playing was excellent as was his guitar playing but to say he was the best or conversely, not very good in either is a completely rediculous statement coming in the most part from people who cannot play an instrument themsleves and have no understanding of the process of learning it.
Prince was a master of rythm on guitar and had exceptional phrasing. His improvisation was inventive and percussive both in lead and in rhythm (and when he combined the two), however he still had limitations (of which he was aware and vocal about).
The same goes for his bass playing. He was an amazing player and a slap and pop top notch player but his technical knowldge would not stretch to full on Jazz or many styles due to his lack of theory knowledge. His guitar playing was equally limited but still excellent in terms of its own merits. This isn't a critism as most musicians are limited by how far they choose to learn in a certain form. There are however, some styles he would not be capable of mastering due to certain personality traits.
I guess I will be attacked for my next statement but Prince's bass playing was excellent as was his guitar playing but to say he was the best or conversely, not very good in either is a completely rediculous statement coming in the most part from people who cannot play an instrument themsleves and have no understanding of the process of learning it.
Prince was a master of rythm on guitar and had exceptional phrasing. His improvisation was inventive and percussive both in lead and in rhythm (and when he combined the two), however he still had limitations (of which he was aware and vocal about).
The same goes for his bass playing. He was an amazing player and a slap and pop top notch player but his technical knowldge would not stretch to full on Jazz or many styles due to his lack of theory knowledge. His guitar playing was equally limited but still excellent in terms of its own merits. This isn't a critism as most musicians are limited by how far they choose to learn in a certain form. There are however, some styles he would not be capable of mastering due to certain personality traits.
It's a good point, stick to what your best at. Even you have to make compensations if you dont play barre chords, your whole style will change, which prince had to do. Some of his best stuff was the hybrid experimenting with the Modified LM1, snyths and funk guitar licks and some lead guitar thrown in. Creating his own sound.
I guess I will be attacked for my next statement but Prince's bass playing was excellent as was his guitar playing but to say he was the best or conversely, not very good in either is a completely rediculous statement coming in the most part from people who cannot play an instrument themsleves and have no understanding of the process of learning it.
Prince was a master of rythm on guitar and had exceptional phrasing. His improvisation was inventive and percussive both in lead and in rhythm (and when he combined the two), however he still had limitations (of which he was aware and vocal about).
The same goes for his bass playing. He was an amazing player and a slap and pop top notch player but his technical knowldge would not stretch to full on Jazz or many styles due to his lack of theory knowledge. His guitar playing was equally limited but still excellent in terms of its own merits. This isn't a critism as most musicians are limited by how far they choose to learn in a certain form. There are however, some styles he would not be capable of mastering due to certain personality traits.
Can you elaborate on "some styles he would not be capable of mastering due to certain personality traits"? That sounds like such a God-like pronouncement, I mean judging musical learning potential from mere "personality traits".
It's under-rated because it's pretty low in the mix so most people don't really notice it - but the bass in Alphabet Street is fantastic (and played by Prince).
"Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that "my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge"" ~ Isaac Asimov
To be perfectly honest, Prince's bass playing was simple and rudimentary. He rarely came up with a top bass line -- "1 + 1 + 1 = 3," and "17 Days" are the only ones that stand out.
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Anytime you hear a wicked bass line on a Prince song, check the credits...it ain't Prince. "Get Off" and "Space" -- two of the best bass lines on Prince albums -- ain't credited to Prince.
Didn't Prince say the bass on "Cloreen Bacon Skin" was not a bass line at all? Said it was just a percussive rhythm.
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Having said that, proper bass line or not, the thing is absolutely killer. When that low rumble first enters the song, it is a top five moment in all of Prince music. Yeah!
To be perfectly honest, Prince's bass playing was simple and rudimentary. He rarely came up with a top bass line -- "1 + 1 + 1 = 3," and "17 Days" are the only ones that stand out.
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Anytime you hear a wicked bass line on a Prince song, check the credits...it ain't Prince. "Get Off" and "Space" -- two of the best bass lines on Prince albums -- ain't credited to Prince.
[Edited 5/15/16 18:17pm]
I thought Gett Off had programmed synth bass.
I'm sure it its too, haven't listened to it in a while, according to Dr.Fink he was using the Roland D50 amongst other things around that time.
I'm sure it its too, haven't listened to it in a while, according to Dr.Fink he was using the Roland D50 amongst other things around that time.
Whatever it was done on, it's certainly not one of the best bass lines on Prince albums. Probably not even in the top 20.
"Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that "my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge"" ~ Isaac Asimov
To be perfectly honest, Prince's bass playing was simple and rudimentary. He rarely came up with a top bass line -- "1 + 1 + 1 = 3," and "17 Days" are the only ones that stand out.
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Anytime you hear a wicked bass line on a Prince song, check the credits...it ain't Prince. "Get Off" and "Space" -- two of the best bass lines on Prince albums -- ain't credited to Prince.
[Edited 5/15/16 18:17pm]
I thought Gett Off had programmed synth bass.
It does, there's a sampled bass loop layered under it as well, but even it is just a basic walking line. This guy has absolutely no idea what's he's talking about (unless he's trolling on purpose), but it's pretty comical to read. [Edited 5/16/16 2:59am]
To be perfectly honest, Prince's bass playing was simple and rudimentary. He rarely came up with a top bass line -- "1 + 1 + 1 = 3," and "17 Days" are the only ones that stand out.
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Anytime you hear a wicked bass line on a Prince song, check the credits...it ain't Prince. "Get Off" and "Space" -- two of the best bass lines on Prince albums -- ain't credited to Prince.
I guess you really have a thing for synth bass stabs on the 1 huh? I'd say Prince's basslines on Lady Cab Driver and 777-9311 alone invalidate everything you wrote here.
No other artist? Try going to a Beatle site. Forty-seven years on and people still can't forgive John for marrying Yoko.
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Good fans critique their favorite artist's work. Yeah, getting on John for marrying Yoko is nuts, but ripping apart that band's decision to put "Revolution #9" onto an album is fair play. It's OK to say a Prince song or lyric or instrument part didn't work.
Questioning life choices for an artist is an American thing to do and you'll have second guessing about songs and song placement on albums and playlists and such but what you won't find is a Beatle fan saying any of the Beatles were pedestrian on their instrument or as musicians. It just never goes that far for others as much as it does for Prince IMO. It's like a right of passage for a Prince.Org fan to say Prince is not great on guitar after a contemporary like Eric Clapton or Slash or Edge will say Prince is one of the very best they've ever heard in their lives. This site is truly populated with the greatest unheard musicians and critics that have ever lived. Or simply listening to the greatest of all time has made many of us so jaded that even Prince isn't safe from the haughty, elite musical ear of Prince fans.
In many ways its all quite subjective,
but imo Im not so sure that the Edge belongs in the same sentence as Eric and Slash...in terms of conversations about Great Guitarists.
But as a composer, co songwriter and someone who uses guitar effects in interesting ways to create songs, hell yeh.
It does, there's a sampled bass loop layered under it as well, but even it is just a basic walking line. This guy has absolutely no idea what's he's talking about (unless he's trolling on purpose),
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A) So what's wrong with a synth bass? It's the song's bottom. When discussing bass, we talk about it.
B) So what's wrong with a walking bass line? Would love to hear what you would play under a song called, get this, "Strollin'."
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You are knocking synth bass lines and walking bass lines? Are you sure you know what you are talking about or are you just trolling?
even phenomenal guitarists will say good things about Prince's guitar playing, he actually is in a rare class as a guitarist. I doubt if we can say the same for any other instrument he played.
Didn't Prince say the bass on "Cloreen Bacon Skin" was not a bass line at all? Said it was just a percussive rhythm.
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Having said that, proper bass line or not, the thing is absolutely killer. When that low rumble first enters the song, it is a top five moment in all of Prince music. Yeah!
What do you mean it's not a bass line at all?
It's no coincidence that the bass guitar and the drums are what comrpise a "rhythm section" in a band.
I'm not sure the point you're trying to make at all, actually.
I have felt this to be true for several years now and I'm glad he embraced and added so much amazing bass work on several of his last albums particularly LOTUSFLOW3R, ART OFFICIAL AGE and HitnRun Phase 2
Listen to the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper album. All good bass is funky bass. Without it, just perfunctory. Prince never played the bass not funky.
The world's problems like climate change can only be solved through strategic long-term thinking, not expediency. In other words all the govts. need sacking!
If you can add value to someone's life then why not. Especially if it colors their days...
Man his bass work on Alphabet Street is insane. I'm surprised no one brought it up... the only instrument I feel like he was (slightly) weaker on was the live drums and I honestly think that was because he just liked programming drums more than playing them. I feel like his bass playing,guitar work and keyboard work were all equally genius level. He had keyboard voicings that are impossible for a lot of people to play, not to mention his dexterity, agility, and sense of rhythm.
I'm just saying his bass lines that he applied to his songs were rudimentary. Nonetheless, as bluegangsta correctly pointed out above, those simple bass lines seem to work wonderfully. But it's true, Prince laid down his bass lines without the effort he seemed to put behind his guitar work or keyboard lines. Heck, in "When Doves Cry" he didn't even bother with bass.
Right... Just for clarity... you're joking there right? Or do you think he wrote the song but couldn't be bothered to write a bassline and said "that'll do"?
I've been doing the entire catalogue in order thing and I really did say to myself the bass lines on much of this material is not the prominent feature of the song. Sure there are examples of killer bass as I've pointed out above, but over 40 albums of material those stellar bass lines are few and far between. Prince was more guitarist/keyboardist. No big deal.
"Much of the material doesn't feature a prominent bass line" is something you can say about most pop songs... much of the Beatles catalog doesn't feature a prominent bass line... I don't see where you were going with that at all.
Stellar bass lines are everywhere. It feels like you're confusing "funky" with complicated. Very few 3 minute pop songs have complicated bass lines. It's not called for. Prince has plenty of extended versions and deep catalog cuts that feature his bass more prominantly.
One thing I will say, is that never, have I ever, seen anyone play with the style, flair and arrogance of Prince.
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