Quote:
Originally Posted by Mandobart
...If you want to play a bass like a real bass and not like a guitar, play upright bass.
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Yes and no - James Jamerson played both with equal proficiency, and even his most intricate electric lines unquestionably sounded like "bass"...
Having played upright myself in high school (well before I got into "serious" bass playing) I would be more inclined to view upright as either a prerequisite or corequisite to electric - in my own case it allowed me to build the necessary rhythmic feel, learn how to play in a supporting role (and rein in the jazz and rock guitar chops I had acquired early on), and develop the right/left-hand strength to give the lines that Jamerson-style punch (to this day I use the heaviest strings my instruments will handle). That said, there's a definite place for virtuoso guitar-influenced technical chops, when the need arises to fill sonic space in a small ensemble: much like the cello crosses over into viola (and sometimes violin) territory to offer melodic/harmonic support in a string quartet, a creative bass player can overlap the guitar register to take advantage of its distinctive rich timbre - an approach the aforementioned John Stockfish and the late Tom Rowe of Schooner Fare both used to great effect in an acoustic setting...