Heavy metal bass
[3] Some metal bassists sing lead vocals while they play bass, such as Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead and Tom Araya of Slayer.
While the types of bass lines vary in different metal subgenres, the bassist usually fulfills a similar role: anchoring the harmonic framework with bass notes that emphasize the roots of the chords and, along with the drums and rhythm guitar, establishing the beat.
A small number of metal bassists do two-handed tapping styles in which they use both hands to play notes on the fretboard by rapidly pressing and holding the string to the fret.
Players noted for this soloing technique include Cliff Burton and shred guitar-style bassist Billy Sheehan.
Queen's bassist, John Deacon, occasionally played bass solos, such as on the song "Liar".
Metallica's 1983 debut Kill Em All includes the song "(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth," consisting entirely of a bass solo played by Cliff Burton.
Heavy metal bass players such as Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath), Alex Webster (Cannibal Corpse), Cliff Burton (Metallica), and Les Claypool (Primus, Blind Illusion) have used chime-like harmonics and rapid plucking techniques in their bass solos.
In both published Van Halen concert videos, Michael Anthony performs unique maneuvers and actions during his solos.
Some metal bassists sing lead vocals while they play bass, a role that Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead did, and which Tom Araya of Slayer and Grutle Kjellson of Enslaved continue to do.
Some metal bassists are also bandleaders or songwriters for their bands examples being Steve Harris and Nikki Sixx.
Professional metal bassists may have a bass technician who tunes their basses before and during a performance, sets up the speaker cabinets, amplifiers and effects units, and performs routine maintenance on the instruments and equipment (e.g., changing strings, replacing speakers, replacing amplifier tubes, etc.).
"[11] Philip Auslander says that "Although there were many women in rock by the late 1960s, most performed only as singers, a traditionally feminine position in popular music".
[12]: 2 She was "kicking down the male door in rock and roll and proving that a female musician ... and this is a point I am extremely concerned about ... could play as well if not better than the boys".
Heavy metal bassists use many different brands of bass amplifiers and speaker cabinets to make the instrument sound loud enough on stage.
However, in heavy metal live performances, loudness—an "onslaught of sound," in sociologist Deena Weinstein's description—is considered vital.
One early bass stack was the 300-watt Super Vacuum Tube (SVT) amplifier head, which was intended for large performance venues.
Aguilar Amplification's AG 500 bass head is a two-channel amplifier, one of which offers a "saturation" control for overdrive.
