Playing With / Lead Bassist

This trope, on the main page, is split into 4 types, so we're playing with each of them separately.

The Virtuoso

Basic Trope: A bassist is so famously skilled that he is highly praised among fans for this skill.

• Straight: Bassist Bob from the Tropers is known for his mastery of many different bass techniques.
• Exaggerated: Bob combines two or more of these techniques together, like somehow slapping and tapping the bass at the same time.
• Downplayed:
  • He is more skilled than other bassists, but he himself claims Lemmy Kilmister is better.
  • The Tropers are generally considered unimpressive, but Bob himself is pretty solid.
• Justified: He was taught by an equally famous and skilled bassist.
• Inverted: Bob is considered one of the worst musicians of all time.
• Subverted: On the album, the basslines perfectly complement the guitar. On stage, it clashes with it horribly, and word gets out that the guitarist was the one playing the bass.
• Double Subverted: Eventually, however, his skills significantly improve.
• Parodied: Bob is such a famous bassist that he keeps claiming that he doesn't need the other instruments. He may or may not be right...
• Zig Zagged: Depending on how sober he is, how early he got up in the morning, and how much he's practiced, his skill noticably fluctuates.
• Averted: Bob is simply an average bassist.
• Enforced: "Well, you said that we should have the best of the best. I say it should include the bassist."
• Lampshaded: "Wow. I think I was wrong to underestimate the basssist."
• Invoked: Bob's parents found out that he wanted to play the bass, so they find him a teacher that both knows how to play bass, and can relate to Bob.
• Exploited: During a music-based battle with rival band "The Life Ruiners," Vocalist Victor yells "Bob, it's your solo!" The Life Ruiners are completely surprised, and they lose.
• Defied: Vocalist Victor fires Bob because he doesn't want the Bassist stealing his spotlight.
• Discussed: "Man, this bassist sucks!" "Eh, give him about 2 or 3 years, and he'll get better."
• Conversed: "Say, where did Bob learn to play bass, anyway?"

The Singer

Basic Trope: The Bassist is famous for being the lead vocalist, and the fact that he plays bass is secondary.

• Straight: Bob does double duty as The Tropers' lead singer and lead vocalist.
• Exaggerated: Bob does triple duty as the tropers' lead singer, guitarist, and bassist.
• Downplayed: Bob and Victor are part of a vocal tag team.
• Justified: Bob is mult-talented.
• Inverted: Bob doesn't provide any vocals, but a heavy amount of bass.
• Subverted: Bob provides a few vocals at first, but Victor is still the lead vocalist.
• Double Subverted: When Victor leaves and almost forces the band into The Band Minus the Face territory, Bob takes over and averts this trope.
• Parodied: Bob is the lead vocalist, but is a horrible one.
• Zig Zagged: Bob and Victor sound alike, and since they're part of a tag team, one can't always tell which is which unless they're both singing at the same time.
• Averted: Bob provides backing vocals, just like any other bassist.
• Enforced: "Well, we've tried everyone else, and you're the only other option, Bob."
• Lampshaded: "Bob plays bass? Huh. Never noticed that..."
• Invoked: After Victor criticises Bob's backing vocals, Bob goes to a vocal coach and improves upon this for just that reason.
• Exploited: The rest of the Tropers, wanting to write an instrumental track, convince Bob it's a good opportunity to show off his bass talent.
• Defied: Bob deliberately stays away from the opportunity of being vocalist because he's deliberately invoking Nobody Loves the Bassist.
• Discussed: "So, Victor's gone. Who's going to take his place?" "I'll bet it's Bob."
• Conversed: "Ah, so this show's taking the Motorhead approach, and having the bassist be the lead vocalist."

The Face Of The Band

Basic Trope: The bassist is known for being the face of the band.

• Straight: Bob is the Tropers' spokesperson and most popular member.
• Exaggerated: Bob has been known to steal the spotlight at every opportunity. Victor finds this weird.
• Downplayed: Bob is one of the faces, but fans also consider Vocalist Victor, Guitarist Gary, Drummer Darrel, and Keyboardist Kevin as separate, equally strong candidates.
• Justified:
  • Bob has been the only consistent member of The Tropers, since they're a Revolving Door Band.
  • Bob is also one of the other lead bassist types, making it that much easier to fill this role.
• Inverted:
  • Bob was one of the first musicians to leave the band.
  • Bob is one of the longest-serving members, but is still completely overshadowed.
• Subverted: After serving the band for several years, Bob finally quits The Tropers.
• Double Subverted: But he returns a short while later.
• Parodied: Bob is so much of a show stealer that people think that "The Tropers" is his backing band.
• Zig Zagged: Bob appears on some merchandise, but then so does Victor. And then Bob again...
• Averted: Bob is simply another member of the Tropers.
• Enforced: When Bob had to sub in for Victor as the band's spokesperson, he proved to be much more popular as the face, and got pushed up accordingly.
• Lampshaded: "So, I know Bob, but who are the other guys?"
• Invoked: Bob purposely sabotages the reputation of the other members of the band so he’ll get to be the face of the band.
• Exploited: After holding the concert that Bob is playing at hostage, Terrorist Trouble asks them to bring forth their most recognizable to beat him in a music battle. Bob is then selected.
• Defied: "NO! Bob, you're not appearing on any more of our merchandise, since we want Victor to get some spot time!"
• Discussed: "So, the Tropers are made of Bob, Victor, and... the other guys." "Darrell?"
• Conversed: "Wow. Way to go, Bassist-who-hogs-all-the-screen-time. Really looking pretty in that open-shirted jacket and ridiculously short pants."

The Genre Lead

Basic Trope: The bassist has become famous because the music his band plays is modeled after the bass.

• Straight: The Tropers have built their sound around Bob's unconventional bass playing.
• Exaggerated: The Tropers’ music is nothing but Bob’s unconventional bass playing.
• Downplayed: While most of The Tropers’ songs incorporate Bob’s unconventional bass playing, several notable tracks in their albums make use of more simple basslines.
• Justified: The Tropers are looking to be unique, and their bassist happens to be an unconventional player.
• Inverted: Bob plays bass to match their style.
• Subverted: The Tropers decide that Bob’s bass playing is not popular amongst the general public and hence Bob switches to a more supporting role.
• Double Subverted: The Tropers realize that their existing fans dislike this change and hence Bob goes back to more unconventional basslines.
• Parodied: Bob plays his bass in ways the bass should not be played: with a bow, with his elbow, and with a sea bass.
• Zig Zagged: While Bob is not a member of the Tropers, when he got invited to do a collaboration, their crossover track was specifically written with Bob's playing in mind.
• Averted: Bob plays perfectly normal basslines.
• Enforced: The Troper’s manager decides that Bob needs to play strange basslines in order to stand out from the rest of their competition.
• Lampshaded: "Now, The Tropers are a very bass-heavy band."
• Invoked: When the Tropers are sitting idly in the studio pondering over their next song, Bob starts playing his bass in a funky manner. Victor hears this, and then the Eureka moment comes to him.
• Exploited: Drummer Darrell also plays unconventionally, but with Bob's playing style, his drumming fits right in.
• Defied: The Tropers, struggling to keep time with Bob's playing, ask him to tone it back.
• Discussed: "At first, I found Bob's bass playing to be really tough to work with, but given more time together, it's made us all better musicians."
• Conversed: "Say, is it just me, or is the Bass a major signature of this song?"

---

Back to Lead Bassist.

---