Welcome to the APME Memphis 2025 conference. Here, you’ll be able to register for the conference and update your Sched profile. The conference schedule will be available in late spring 2025. At that time, you can view the schedule and select the presentations you’d like to attend. If you have any questions, please visit our conference website or contact us at conference@popularmusiceducation.org We look forward to coming together as a community June 4–7, 2025.
With the exception of jazz, the electric bass has essentially replaced the upright bass in popular music in the mid 20th century, and has always been an underrated and misunderstood instrument. The fundamental structure of popular music necessitates a modest and simplistic bass line that supports the principal melody. Thus, bass players have garnered a reputation as the least important member of the band. Hence, it is no surprise that bass players are often the subject of ridicule from the general public, and even other musicians. Paul McCarney, one of the best bass players of all time, said: “None of us wanted to be the bass player . . . he was the guy who always played at the back.” When a bass player tries to break out of his/her simplistic and supportive role, the integrity of the song is often sacrificed. The bass player, therefore, should not draw any attention and stay in his/her lane. As a veteran electric bassist with over 40 years of performance experience across North America and the Caribbean, I would like to offer my personal, professional, and philosophical perspectives on all things involving the electric bass, an instrument that is an indispensable and fundamental component of popular music. Specifically, I would like to address the following three questions: (i) Why have electric bass players garnered such an undesirable reputation? (ii) What function and form does the electric bass serve in popular music? and (iii) What are some practical tips for beginner electric bass players?
