I say....I don;t give a twat lol if you say ones better than the other then the band might get more mfo that instrument and make it sound ****, 1 drum kit, 2 guitars, 1-2 vocalists and occasioanlly a keyboard is all you need there is no more important instrument if you didnt have a guitar in a band it would sound ****, if you didnt have a drmmer in the band likewise, and with a vocalist just plain boring

I love some instrumental songs too, so I have to say that vocal part is not always the most important for me. But I do admire a great guitarist, so this is my pick :)

Drums

hmm surprising how many ppl voted drums.....
but drums by it self dont sound good altohugh it provides a good foundations just the drums playing a whole song would sound like crap.....(with the exception of solos) soo i disagree.......
also the guitar would not sound as good w/o the drums and vice versa so yea...

drum lines sound pretty hot by themselves

Buckethead

The Doors did have bass parts, that were usually played by Manzarek on a specialized keyboard... Also Manzarek's keyboards gave them a richer sound.

And Jack White plays bass on some tracks, or at least he tunes his guitar down enough to produce a bass sound, i'm not completely sure.

^ I like this guy.

Nottingham Lace has some fantastic guitar parts.

I think Buckethead's solo stuff is very underrated, he's mostly only remembered for his bad stint with Guns N Roses, which is just lame.

guitars and voices are the most important and will get the most gigs booked.

singing drummers arent really as popular.

I know that i`ve got ears

But they`re not important enough for them to say 'hey we should get a bass player'

I dont understand why the guy wheres a fuc.king bucket on his head...there cant be any possible explanation

Absoloutely guitar, weather it is the rythem, lead or harmonics, it still important, a guitar is the front of most bands, sure the band is lead by the drummer, and set on a bassline, but guitar is what is used to create the rythem and melodies / riffs to the song, it also imitates the vocals usually. (lead)

What about bands without guitarists?

There are loads, just check out non-rock genres (esp. jazz) and you find lots of examples of bands with no guitarists and most of the others are bands where the guitarist plays the least important role. In most dance-oriented bands the guitars are probably the least important instrument. I'd say that for most styles where there isn't a drumkit to drive the band forward, the vocals tend to be the main focus of the music and therefore the most important.

The guitar is most important in guitar solos...

...which are essentially the fill-in parts where the vocalist is having a little rest.:shycouch:

^ Yeah, I play in my school's jazz band (we know one song lol) and I really have no part. The bass is more prominent than me and I just hold the rhythm with the drums and bass (but I get to exercise my chord knowledge):D

Dude, the Mandolin and Beatboxing kick all other musical asses.

Whoops, sorry guys - I instantly thought rock bands, even still I think guitar is the most adaptable, and its less restricted than some other instruments.

It varies depending on type of music - for example - pop music definitely vocals, metal - drums or guitar.

It's said that the litmus test for any song is whether it can be stripped back to vocals and say an acoustic guitar and still be good. I think in composing a song (for rock/alternative/folk/even pop), definately guitar and vocals (or keys/piano and vocals) equally...because it's the interraction between them that creates a song...

Drums especially in heavier genres, drive the song. Gosh, the guitars and bass can almost become percussion instruments themselves in alot of metal/hardcore bands (with the exception of solos). Who knows what note you're playing when you're that heavily de-tuned. So I guess drums is most important in those cases.

And poor bass, always forgotten. But as a former bassist (former, because the bass is heavy and I'm scrawny and weak), I have an appreciation for this instrument. Only other bassists can really pick out the notes, but it can sway the whole tone of a song, can really pull the vocals and guitar in different directions, can go with the guitars and give it weight, or maybe clash, or take an unexpected harmony a make people a little uncomfortable...and they're not quite sure why.

Plus, what other instrument will token chicks play in male dominated genres? (okay that was a joke...but it's kind of true).

^ I like your signature. Well said, whoever it's from.

I have to say drums simply because it sets the underlying and overall pace/mood. A guitarist can play as fast as he likes but the effect and how it comes across is determined by the beat of the drums. I actually think bass is really important but drums can imitate bass rather well too so they cancel each other out.

Pelican kicks so much arse, they're an instrumental band, therefore vocals are out the window.

Why aren't spoons on the list.

'tis my own invention. I really dislike faux punks. Maybe it'd make a good thread topic...nuffin' like bitching and acting superior to another (pseudo) 'subculture' I guess...

Well, afterall, they are quite easy to play, so...:rolleyes:

All I gotta say about the Bass is this:

1. Why is it the last thing a band usually looks for when putting one together?

2. Why are there a hell of a lot less experienced bass players than guitarists or drummers?

&

3. The only reason a bass was built to have 4 strings instead of 6 is because it's clearly not supposed to be as dominant of an instrument as the guitar and drums!!!Obviously, for that reason, bassists are there to simply support the rhythm of the drums and follow the main notes/sound of the guitar!!!:band:

In conclusion, the bass is pretty much found to be the least important instrument in a band, with only a few highly experienced bass geniuses proving people wrong, ya see?

Cheers to artists like Flea, Geddy Lee and David Ellefson though!!!:beer:

Maybe it's supposed to be a white triangle shaped cap demonstrating white supremacy?:yikes:

Oh no...lol!!!:rolleyes:

The drums....a bass would be second.

drums cause i play them ...lol

Well, atleast for funk it would be that way!!!:beer:

I think it is drums too as the bass follows the drums and the guitar follows the bass :)

*cough* victor wooten *cough*

and being a bassist before someone tries arguing with him, he's right. :)

singers and guitarists are the most important in a band.

drummers? don't need one to sing melodies and play chords.(a song)

a bassist and a drummer without a guitarist and singer - aint a band kids. No gigs for them.

HOWEVER, a guitarist and singer without a bassist and a drummer are a band and get more gigs than a singing drummer will, Count on it.

nothing in a band is more important than a singer and a guitarist doing the chord changes.
not the drummer. not the bass player.

A drummer is ESSENTIAL to having a good band. I've played with several drummers, each at different skill levels, and it's amazing how much of a difference it makes when you're playing with a drummer who keeps the beat AND shakes things up a bit. Without that, no matter how virtuosic you may be at your instrument, your band will sound like ****.

its definetley the guitar
probably more than half of people interested in playing music choose the guitar! IT SPEAKS TO US hahaha

a drummer IS NOT essential to playing a song.

the gee-tar

without it everything would be kinda boring

Nothing is essential to playing a song. But a good song...

Well a guitar may speak to a Person by providing an entertaining melody or good riff, but it doesn't necessarily speak to People, see?Plus, a guitar doesn't equal a band!!!No matter what style, a band needs more support than just one guitar player, such as drums, bass, violin, piano, sax, percussion, trumpets, whatever, ya know?:usehead:

Yeah, I love guitar solos but music also needs to have good rhythm, so the drums are very important. All instruments in a band are important though, and it also depends on the style of music.

the two guitarist in Judas Priest i've been noticing more and more.. a friend of mine keeps pointing out how amazing they are.. i'm bot sure ifs its been rubbing off on me, but i think i've been paying more and more attention to it, i think there amazing.. even in Priest new stuff, there amazing.

I don't think i'll lean from the guitar, i still think (and priest shows it more) that the guitar is the most important..

Drums and vocals

They all are, except keyboard...
But I chose drums, because those are the backbone of the song. Try and listen to anything, and imagine no drums. It'd be bad, bass, dosn't really matter, guitar while important, it's still not as important as the drums.

(I'm also a drummer so I'm a little biased but ehh)