flea is no macth AT ALL for victor! victor is an extradonarily talented bassist both by himself and with bands, take flea away from the peppers and he's nothing, i seriously cannot see what flea has on wooten? wooten is super human!
As a technical bassist, Wooten has Flea beat hands down. Wooten also wears far cooler shirts. Flea is a pop bassist and a damn good one at that, but it's not even close. Also he doesn't usually wear a shirt.
there is no comparison, wooten. Its not even apples and oranges its two musicians on the SAME instrument. Flea is just awful. Wooten has the melody and versatility and SPEED. Flea couldn't touch him on speed if it came down to it.
Victor with Bela Fleck. Flea with Red Hot... victor is so fat to play and jump with RHCP, and Flea is not a tecnical versatil bassist. Both are amazing at their own game.
VERSUS!??!...?!!???! WHAT DO YOU MEAN "VERSUS"!? WHAT IS THIS???....AN MMA BOUT?!?!? This is MUSIC you DOLTS...NOT an olympic event! TWO different players....two different styles....two different personalities! Its like asking, "What would win...a Calzone or a Pizza??"
definitely both are great in their field, and I don't think you could compare them, as they do things very differently. But since you're asking, I don't k now, but I think Wooten could play anything flea plays, and I don't think Flea could play all that Wooten does.
Wooten dominates flea, i can see why people love flea hes a really good bassist for a pop-funk rock bad but wooten is a solo bassist and is really in his own class of playing, and btw the first two clips of flea are the same riff . . .
Flea is a technical bassist. "Who's better?" can't really be answered unless we have a criteria... Like for instance, Les Claypool is a wonderful technical bassist but so is Billy Sheehan. HOWEVER, Sheehan uses many styles and methods in his playing that Claypool does not. Claypool seems to be a tad more creative though... I can't say I necessarily know who is better between Wooten and Flea. I am a bassist myself, but I've always had a particular affinity for Wooten's music.
@Beahburh So true. Flea and Wooten have two very different styles. Flea is 10 times more creative than wooten and could come up with much more catchier bass lines (Every single RHCP song for example) but Wooten has much more skill than Flea. Truely too hard to judge.
@Gabysoficial Creative was probably the wrong word for him to use, but i do feel like flea is a bit more "standout" the wooten. wooten is probably overall the better musician, but flea does deserve some credit, he brought the bass to a much wider audince, and showed what a bassist could do. they are both great, and just cause ones better dosnt mean the other is shit. chances are they both could probably play and write shit none of us could. i have equal respect for both.
@Gabysoficial What I meant was Wooten's solos are amazing and he's very skillful but If you listen to an RHCP album, just about every song has a new, and extremely catchy bass line. Wooten just doesn't have that. So i guess creative isn't the right word but Flea really brought about the Pop factor in bass playing.
You're asking the wrong question. It's like asking which caliber of gun is "better"...each is good at their respective purpose. Victor Wooten is very versatile, and Flea is the aggressive slapster. Doesn't make either "better", just different and both are quite good.
Well since Flea can't do everything Victor can, but Victor can do everything Flea can do, you can declare Victor the better bassist. Not saying Flea is bad, but Victor is just a more acomplished bassist. He has a better groove, more knowledge of the bass and music in general and is less sloppy.
That is like saying; no that 5 star meal isn't better then a happy meal, it only has more flavor.
By this I'm not trying to compare Flea to a happy meal, because I still think he is great. That Victor isn't sloppy and has more knowledge makes him better, those are among others factors that dedice your 'bass skill'.
@MonkeyyDG A 5 star meal ISN'T objectively better.That's my entire point. It's completely subjective. Most kids would take a happy meal any day, they'd call it "better". There's no "bass-o-meter" to define who's "better" at bass... we can't measure that, we can only measure aspects of it. What makes one better than the other is purely a matter of opinion (subjective).
Yes it is, it's probably more healthy, as in less fat and more vitamines. That it has more flavor is also a fact. What's objective about food is if you like the taste. And those things I mentioned before are facts too and they add to becomming a more accomplished and thus better bassist. If you don't like one bassists particular playing genre, that is objective. I for one don't like the music Jaco plays 9/10 times but I can still see that he is great.
@MonkeyyDG You're not getting it. More healthy, sure. Lower fat, more vitamins..these are facts. But "more healthy" does not equal "better"... better is completely relative to something else. I can like a bassist better, but that doesn't make him better (in a factual sense- only in a subjective sense). Flea might be better at the aggressive slapping than Victor is- Victor may be better in technical versatility. But liking or disliking is aboslutely NOT objective, by definition. It's subjective.
Yeah I meant subjective, don't know why I wrote subjective -_-. But Victor can do more with the bass, knows more about it etc. All those things are facts that indicate him being the better player.
And more healthy is at least better for you, for other reasons a 5 star meal is well almost by definition better than a happy meal. If you would choose a happy meal over a 5 star meal, not taking money etc. in account, (a kid for example) you just haven't developed taste, and thusyounojudge..
@MonkeyyDG More healthy is better for your health- but not better overall in an objective sense. Notice how you had to give it something to be better "for" or "to"- health, in this case. Saying "Victor is a better bassist than Flea" is just like saying "lettuce is a better food than bananas"... better in what way? Lettuce is not better than banana, it's just different. It's better in certain ways, but maybe not better in others. There's no overall "better", better must be relative to something.
@paolung In other words, you can say Victor is better in technical versatility, and I don't think anyone could argue that. You could say Flea is better at jumping around on stage and aggressive slapping. Even though those are opinions, they're measurable and one can defend them. But to say "Flea is a better bassist" doesn't really make sense. You can LIKE Flea more, you can point out the ways in which Victor is superior, but there's no way to objectively measure "better" overall...
But thats my point, Victor is better on every level, he might not play aggresive but he could. Flea on the other hand not. If I had to choose a session bassist for any kind of music I'd pick Victor anyday over Flea, heck even if I were to record a RHCP tribute album. On the other hand, I wouldn't pick a banana on my hamburger, and I wouldn't pick lettuce in my fruitcocktail.
@MonkeyyDG You're still stating preference. "If I had to choose..." The only way you could say one is better than the other is to give them a frame of reference to be better. You could say, "here are my criteria... technical versatility, slapping technique, etc". Once you can actually measure the agreed-upon criteria, you've got something solid to stand on regarding your opinion, and you can defend it logically with objective measurements. Until that point, it's just a subjective opinion again.
@omanphilliesfan Hahaha... Come on. Everyone has talent that can be compared. Bassists have a broad range of skills that guitarists do not. That's not to say that guitar players aren't immensely impressive in their musical abilities, I'm just saying that bass players deserve just as much credibility as do guitar players... in certain occasions, anyway.
@Beahburh oh i hear ya man, just saying that the iconical bassist kinda stands in the shadows, putting effort into the picture without credit, kinda the unseen, selfless person the band. thats just my idea of a bassist though.
this video is an unfair jugement though. most of it is on wooten and it only shows one side of flea. During the californiacation era flea showed another outlet of beautiful funky soul touching being one with the music and all the booty juices flowing through out of his bass. this video only approaches the hardcore punk funk slapping insanity of him. Flea is one with the hard greasy funk
Well, the truth is that Flea and Victor have totally different playing styles. Flea is very aggressive on the bass whereas Wooten is far more technically proficient. They both play so amazingly that their instruments are more like extensions of themselves. However, I have never seen Flea use any sort of double-thumb, harmonic, or tapping techniques that Victor is so well known for. They are absolutely some of my favorite bassists but Victor Wooten beats Flea when it comes to technique.
It is my personal opinion that, beyond slap, I'm not sure the Flea is nearly as great technically as Victor Wooten. Flea is a great bass player in his own right; both are great bass players. I feel as though Victor is the better musician between the two, however, given his, as others have said, versatility.
If had to listen to one bass player play by himself it would be victor, but if I had to say which one fit in a band better it would be Flea. Both are incredibly talented and I love them both!
I mean its like comparing Modern Warfare to Final Fantasy... Different Categories shouldn't be compared... If you were to say... "Who would you want in your band" It would still be bias, it all depends on preferred STYLE of play...
"victor wooten is much more versatile than flea..."
leonardofil96 4 weeks ago 14
I dont think so, Becuse all flea shows is his chili peppers side, Sure in this video it shows that victor is more versitile... He took up more than half the video... However, I will not believe that a man that skilled at what he does just can only play "CHili pepper" style
"These two can not be compared. I think Victor has better hands than Flea, but that's besides the point. Their styles are both unorthodoxed.
i mean you really can't compare the two. One is a solo artist and the other is in a band. Flea has to mix his parts to make it sound good with everyone else in the band, Im sure if flea was just a solo bass player like victor wooten hed be just as good. A better comparison would be flea vs les claypool!
Victor Wooten is in a different galaxy altogether. You really cant compare the two at all. Flea is a good bassist for simple funky grooves and slap but Victor has truly mastered his instrument and can play any genres. I had to opportunity to meet him in a master class that I took and the guy has been playing since he was 4 years old, gigging since he was 6. Its completely organic and not separate from him. A true master.
Flea is great but Victor takes it too a whole new level. Flea breaks Wooten's law of slap. He doesn't double thump like Wooten. He bounces off the strings very fast. Wooten says that you waste energy that way but Flea has more than enough energy to last.
Bull shit. Have you ever heard this watch?v=Jw8ytGHTbNc because if you haven't you're missing out. All I hear from Flea is "slap slap slap slap" like any mediocre bassist. Victor has it all. Technique, diversity, melody, feeling etc. he is the epitome of what a good bass player is. Flea is just a good bassist.
@johnmichaelosbourne7 flea plays a style that appeals more to teenagers, twenty year olds and people who wish they were still in their 20s like they were back in the 90s
any one of the wootens has more soul in one pubic hair than flea could muster up
the existence of this video is ridiculous. They both play pretty differently and have there own style and would be like asking what was better Classical music or Jazz. They're both teeming with opportunity for awesome music but it's all a matter of opinion on which you prefer not who is better. All this video is doing is seeing whether there are more flea fans or victor wooten fans watching.
@seacar72 Its Wooten hands down what are you smoking, there is no comparison I like Flea but stepping to Victor he is out of his league & he knows it, please do not get showmanship confused with ( Exordinary ) skills on the neck.
not saying I could immitate either of them,it fathoms me to no end how they do what they do on the bass and makes me feel like I should just stop playing now.
one thing i just learned today is that they each use different slapping styles.Victor does a slap down on the thumb in addition to a slap up,along with using both middle and pointer fingers to pop, and flea just slaps down and off with his thumb repeatedly and pops with one finger(I think usually the middle)
Since when is music about who's better anyway, its an ART people. Victor may be more skilled in more areas of expertise but that dose not make him "better" than anyone. I am a Victor Wooten fan and a Flea fan. Just enjoy the tones!
I don't even think Flea plays like that anymore. He's said that he preferes a minimalist bass line now as apposed to the more wild slap and pop stuff he's famous for.
the thing is, Victor could easily play every thing flea ever played but Flea probably couldn't play most of the heavy stuff Victor does,
but that doesn't make Victor a better bassplayer, the reason why I would say Victor is a lot better is because his only goal is to make the song sound better, make it groove,
but Flea doesn't care much bout does things, he only wants to proof that he's fast because that's all he is. ok maybe that was when he was young,
@singintruckdriver It's not about whether or not Victor can play what Flea wrote. It's the fact that Flea actually wrote it and not Vic. Being able to play music is one thing. Being able to write music is a whole different ball game. If I remember right, Flea had almost 0 training in music theory until just last year or maybe the year before and that says a lot considering they have a lot of albums out. Both really cool dudes but the real winner is whoever sounds better to YOU.
Wooten... I'm the biggest RHCP fan i know - I've been listening to all 10 of their albums since i was in second grade. But Wooten is so much more capable than flea. I've been playing bass all my life and i can play almost anything flea has recorded - even that jam in the video with chad i can do. But when i get to a wooten song i'm stuck
this is comparing a virtuoso like guthrie govan or steve vai to someone like jimmy page or eric clapton. victor is extremely versatile and can play most anything, while flea is know for his signature style and vicious attack and prescense in the mix. of course victor is the better player, but that's not the point in music. music isn't a competition of who's better than who. everyone has their unique offering to the world of music.
man this is kind of unfair, this is like comparing apples to oranges, their in completely different styles, flea is rock/funk and victor is jazzy/funk. they are the same in some respects but really if you listen to the bands songs they are completely different.
Victor no contest. Flea is alright but victor is so much more versitile and his note choices are so much crazier. Flea is good at making percussive driving bass lines and is pretty average at everything else IMO.
i dont think anyone in the world can play slap bass like flea hes so god damn aggressive its quite amazing but also at the same time he's so melodic with his playing like if you listen to songs like otherside and under the bridge and well nearly all of the new album im with you he carry's the music but victor is just on a whole different level i think its unfair to play the two off against each other two different styles going on i think we can all agree how amazing they are tho
i got my BA in music with emphasis in bass. i grew up listening to RHCP and i learned to play bass very influenced by flea. while i prefer flea, victor his hands down the better musician overall and better bass player. his skills are awe-inspiring. his groove is impeccable but i find his playing sometimes slightly "cold" for reasons i'm not sure of. flea is fantastic and very fun, and has some great grooves and melodic lines.
this annoys me, if there was no flea we would have no rhcp, if there was no wooten we would not have bela fleck & flecktones?? each is to their own, Flea vs wooten = FUCK OFF.... YAWN
Why is this even considered to be a legitimate competition? I mean, I prefer the music that Flea plays, but let's get real here: the better bass player is Victor Wooten. There is nothing that Flea plays that I can't learn in a matter of ten minutes, and it's furthermore nothing that VW couldn't do when he was like sixteen years old (he wrote Classical Thump when he was in High School).
flea is like fast and furious punk rock funk, while victor is groove tasty funk, both good in they're own respects but victor is just more talented with a slightly larger repetoir ( cant spell)
They are so different it's like comparing a Mack truck and bike. Fleas a cool player and he really makes the rhcp a lot of what they are. Musically very slick and I could listen to 'em all day no probs. But Victor is a a seriously different league and no offense at all to Flea but I thin even Flea himself would suggest that. Victor has what few musicians have and that's the 3 ingredients, incredible tech ability, musical and humble. Vs??
Flea does his thing and he's cool but he's way out of his league being compared to Victor Wooten. Flea may win in slapping, because he's the king of that, but that's it.
@shred5 Flea is nowhere near, "the king of slapping." In fact, if you watch some other videos where Victor Wooten is slapping, it's readily apparent that he's WAY better. Wooten even invented his own technique of slapping (the double-thumb); with that technique alone, he can slap at least twice as fast as Flea.
Not that Flea isn't good, but if you really get into the slap style, you find that nothing he does is all that difficult.If anything, his poor technique limits him.
@Luc88Cole you are using how fast somebody slaps as being the best. Also just because somebody's stuff is not difficult, doesn't make them a worse bass player. I don't know if you play bass, but at least for me it is all about feel and how you interact with the drums and guitar and whatever other instrument is there. i think the maker of this video did an awful job of representing how great of a bass player flea is because he picked flea's fastest stuff instead of his better stuff
@sneakychewbacca No, I am not using, "how fast somebody slaps as being the best." I am using real facts here. The fact of the matter is that nothing that Flea does is beyond Wooten's ability.
I do play bass. And for what it's worth, I am was ranked as #2 for the best bass player in the Arequipa region, which -for a white man- is quite a feat. I'll admit, I wasn't as good as the guy that was #1, but he would put both VW and Flea COMBINED to tears.
@Luc88Cole you are not using any facts behind your argument here, you are just bragging about yourself for a little bit and then ending it. You failed to adress what i said in my last comment about playing the right bass part in a song with the other instruments, and i am not seeing any "real facts" in your argument. oh and i quote you on "he can slap twice as fast as flea" which is your only point in one of your other comments... you are using his slapping speed, stop embarrassing yourself dude
@sneakychewbacca If you want to bring in the whole, "how he plays with other instrumentalists," bit, then I'm sorry, but that isn't going to be a sufficient condition for valuing one over the other. I mean, these guys are professionals. If you listen to VW in the multitude of different projects he's been involved in, it's pretty obvious that he knows how to play with other people. So in reality, you don't have a point here at all (unless, of course, you would care to elaborate).
@Luc88Cole@Luc88Cole Flea's ability to play and jam with the red hot chili peppers is so much better than the ability that VW has, he knows when to lay off and when to solo, he has been with this band for around 25 years, and he made up a new style of slapping like victor did. Just to show off how well he plays with the chilis /watch?v=-qodaI1Ju3s&feature=related. Also check out rolling stone with the top ten bassists of all time
@sneakychewbacca 1.) That Rolling Stone article was based on an online a poll. Nothing objective about it.
2.) If by, "invent a new style of slapping," you mean, "take Bootsy Collins, Larry Graham, Mark King, Stanley Clark," etc's style of slap and bring it into a different genre, then yes. But Flea didn't actually invent anything.
3.) Listen to Bela Fleck and tell me that VW doesn't know when to lay off and when to solo again. I mean, SERIOUSLY? He's a fucking jazz player for Christ's sake.
@Luc88Cole he invented a much harder form of slapping and it was a lot more aggressive man, he brought it into a different genre and made it work perfectly which is hard to do. Alright so victor and flea both know when to lay off so they are even when it comes down to that, but i am not convinced that he is a better player than flea, he can slap faster, but i havent heard a bass part that victor played that gave me the chills which is something that flea can do for me
@sneakychewbacca Invented a harder form of slapping? No. Not remotely. What you're probably hearing there is the rocking drums. A properly placed kick and snare can make or break a slap bass line.
I don't really mean to rip on Flea. I just kind of think he's over rated. Plus, I'd take Claypool over Flea or Wooten any day. He's not on the level of Wooten, but he's much more enjoyable.
But hey, I'm with you. Funk/jazz/rock > Katy Butt-Fucking Perry any day.
@Luc88Cole you make it seem like i hate victor when i don't hate him, but i grew up listening to flea, i heard him when i was 5 and couldn't get him out of my head for 11 years. So i get defensive when people start trying to rip him, i appreciate everything that they have both given to us, how about we stop trying to compare them and appreciate everything that they have given and how good they are to our earholes, and we can all agree that all this pop bs music sucks compared to funk and jazz!
@Luc88Cole, well Wooten is better at it yeah, that wasn't the point really the point was that beyond slapping, what has Flea got? That and that's all Flea was ever known for
I really like flea but Wooten is a beast man no contest hell I wouldn't pick flea over Larry Graham either tho
zenith2070 22 hours ago
flea is no macth AT ALL for victor! victor is an extradonarily talented bassist both by himself and with bands, take flea away from the peppers and he's nothing, i seriously cannot see what flea has on wooten? wooten is super human!
pbunce11 1 day ago
As a technical bassist, Wooten has Flea beat hands down. Wooten also wears far cooler shirts. Flea is a pop bassist and a damn good one at that, but it's not even close. Also he doesn't usually wear a shirt.
MegaChairbear 2 days ago 2
You can not compare Flea to Victor, is a mortal sin...
Victor is god
darioesse66 2 days ago
Victor Wooten vs. Flea? That's like putting Dave Weckl up against the drummer from the Scorpion (yes, I purposefully excluded his name).
AnelVadren 3 days ago
there is no comparison, wooten. Its not even apples and oranges its two musicians on the SAME instrument. Flea is just awful. Wooten has the melody and versatility and SPEED. Flea couldn't touch him on speed if it came down to it.
ragnarokwar88 3 days ago
Victor with Bela Fleck. Flea with Red Hot... victor is so fat to play and jump with RHCP, and Flea is not a tecnical versatil bassist. Both are amazing at their own game.
richiebb 3 days ago
You never can say "who's better". Cause every bassist has his own style.
They are both great in my opinion. I like them both
mthl1 3 days ago
victor is black that is unfair
xcaliber100295 4 days ago
Flea!
topgun9491 4 days ago
IS THIS EVEN A REAL THING i MEAN DONT GET ME WRONG i LOVE FLEA... GREAT BASS PLAYER, BUT I FEEL LIKE THIS SHOULDN'T EVEN BE A QUESTION
SeDenki 4 days ago
Thumbs up for Jimi Hendrix intro!
BillHicks420 5 days ago
Flea is good but Victor is much much better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
funkateer64 5 days ago
VERSUS!??!...?!!???! WHAT DO YOU MEAN "VERSUS"!? WHAT IS THIS???....AN MMA BOUT?!?!? This is MUSIC you DOLTS...NOT an olympic event! TWO different players....two different styles....two different personalities! Its like asking, "What would win...a Calzone or a Pizza??"
bajovato 5 days ago
This is STUPID!
bajovato 5 days ago
Could have done better with the comparability aspect in terms of making this video. Flea isn't all slap.
In a personal aspect, Wooten will always win, but I cannot deny my initial love for Flea whilst learning what a bass was.
gagglehagger 5 days ago
I have to imagine that if I played bass like these guys I'd be an amazing masturbater.
spizbo 5 days ago
flea!
TheRyanjMain 6 days ago
I know what Flea's got over Wooten... He plays a crazy jungle child in a 90's Nickolodean cartoon. :]
Gracefulpine 1 week ago 6
definitely both are great in their field, and I don't think you could compare them, as they do things very differently. But since you're asking, I don't k now, but I think Wooten could play anything flea plays, and I don't think Flea could play all that Wooten does.
solshower 1 week ago
STOP COMPARING THEM ITS NOT THE SAME STYLE U STUPID PEOPLE
Gabysoficial 1 week ago
even as a huge rhcp fan.. wooten without a doubt blows flea out of the water
fender7682 1 week ago
Wooten dominates flea, i can see why people love flea hes a really good bassist for a pop-funk rock bad but wooten is a solo bassist and is really in his own class of playing, and btw the first two clips of flea are the same riff . . .
HoodRatKing90 1 week ago
fleaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
redhot677 1 week ago
Flea is a technical bassist. "Who's better?" can't really be answered unless we have a criteria... Like for instance, Les Claypool is a wonderful technical bassist but so is Billy Sheehan. HOWEVER, Sheehan uses many styles and methods in his playing that Claypool does not. Claypool seems to be a tad more creative though... I can't say I necessarily know who is better between Wooten and Flea. I am a bassist myself, but I've always had a particular affinity for Wooten's music.
Beahburh 1 week ago
@Beahburh So true. Flea and Wooten have two very different styles. Flea is 10 times more creative than wooten and could come up with much more catchier bass lines (Every single RHCP song for example) but Wooten has much more skill than Flea. Truely too hard to judge.
jeffs43 1 week ago
@jeffs43 And why Flea is 10 times more creative than wooten? i want an example
Gabysoficial 1 week ago
@Gabysoficial Creative was probably the wrong word for him to use, but i do feel like flea is a bit more "standout" the wooten. wooten is probably overall the better musician, but flea does deserve some credit, he brought the bass to a much wider audince, and showed what a bassist could do. they are both great, and just cause ones better dosnt mean the other is shit. chances are they both could probably play and write shit none of us could. i have equal respect for both.
MrLuckybeast13 1 week ago
@Gabysoficial What I meant was Wooten's solos are amazing and he's very skillful but If you listen to an RHCP album, just about every song has a new, and extremely catchy bass line. Wooten just doesn't have that. So i guess creative isn't the right word but Flea really brought about the Pop factor in bass playing.
jeffs43 1 week ago
victor or flea?!?!?!?! i mean flea is nasty don't get me wrong...
dabears10540 1 week ago
You're asking the wrong question. It's like asking which caliber of gun is "better"...each is good at their respective purpose. Victor Wooten is very versatile, and Flea is the aggressive slapster. Doesn't make either "better", just different and both are quite good.
paolung 1 week ago 14
@paolung
Well since Flea can't do everything Victor can, but Victor can do everything Flea can do, you can declare Victor the better bassist. Not saying Flea is bad, but Victor is just a more acomplished bassist. He has a better groove, more knowledge of the bass and music in general and is less sloppy.
MonkeyyDG 1 week ago
@MonkeyyDG But that doesn't make him "better"... just more knowledgeable, less sloppy, etc...
paolung 3 days ago
@paolung
That is like saying; no that 5 star meal isn't better then a happy meal, it only has more flavor.
By this I'm not trying to compare Flea to a happy meal, because I still think he is great. That Victor isn't sloppy and has more knowledge makes him better, those are among others factors that dedice your 'bass skill'.
MonkeyyDG 3 days ago
@MonkeyyDG A 5 star meal ISN'T objectively better.That's my entire point. It's completely subjective. Most kids would take a happy meal any day, they'd call it "better". There's no "bass-o-meter" to define who's "better" at bass... we can't measure that, we can only measure aspects of it. What makes one better than the other is purely a matter of opinion (subjective).
paolung 3 days ago
@paolung
Yes it is, it's probably more healthy, as in less fat and more vitamines. That it has more flavor is also a fact. What's objective about food is if you like the taste. And those things I mentioned before are facts too and they add to becomming a more accomplished and thus better bassist. If you don't like one bassists particular playing genre, that is objective. I for one don't like the music Jaco plays 9/10 times but I can still see that he is great.
MonkeyyDG 3 days ago
@MonkeyyDG You're not getting it. More healthy, sure. Lower fat, more vitamins..these are facts. But "more healthy" does not equal "better"... better is completely relative to something else. I can like a bassist better, but that doesn't make him better (in a factual sense- only in a subjective sense). Flea might be better at the aggressive slapping than Victor is- Victor may be better in technical versatility. But liking or disliking is aboslutely NOT objective, by definition. It's subjective.
paolung 3 days ago
@paolung
Yeah I meant subjective, don't know why I wrote subjective -_-. But Victor can do more with the bass, knows more about it etc. All those things are facts that indicate him being the better player.
And more healthy is at least better for you, for other reasons a 5 star meal is well almost by definition better than a happy meal. If you would choose a happy meal over a 5 star meal, not taking money etc. in account, (a kid for example) you just haven't developed taste, and thusyounojudge..
MonkeyyDG 3 days ago
@MonkeyyDG More healthy is better for your health- but not better overall in an objective sense. Notice how you had to give it something to be better "for" or "to"- health, in this case. Saying "Victor is a better bassist than Flea" is just like saying "lettuce is a better food than bananas"... better in what way? Lettuce is not better than banana, it's just different. It's better in certain ways, but maybe not better in others. There's no overall "better", better must be relative to something.
paolung 3 days ago
@paolung In other words, you can say Victor is better in technical versatility, and I don't think anyone could argue that. You could say Flea is better at jumping around on stage and aggressive slapping. Even though those are opinions, they're measurable and one can defend them. But to say "Flea is a better bassist" doesn't really make sense. You can LIKE Flea more, you can point out the ways in which Victor is superior, but there's no way to objectively measure "better" overall...
paolung 3 days ago
@paolung
But thats my point, Victor is better on every level, he might not play aggresive but he could. Flea on the other hand not. If I had to choose a session bassist for any kind of music I'd pick Victor anyday over Flea, heck even if I were to record a RHCP tribute album. On the other hand, I wouldn't pick a banana on my hamburger, and I wouldn't pick lettuce in my fruitcocktail.
MonkeyyDG 3 days ago
@MonkeyyDG You're still stating preference. "If I had to choose..." The only way you could say one is better than the other is to give them a frame of reference to be better. You could say, "here are my criteria... technical versatility, slapping technique, etc". Once you can actually measure the agreed-upon criteria, you've got something solid to stand on regarding your opinion, and you can defend it logically with objective measurements. Until that point, it's just a subjective opinion again.
paolung 3 days ago
@paolung
My opinion is based on objective measurements and those I mentioned before, so I didn't felt the need to mention them again
MonkeyyDG 3 days ago
@MonkeyyDG And you just made my point. It's an opinion, not a fact, that Victor is "better" than Flea.
paolung 3 days ago
@paolung
Well I was revearing to 'if I had to choose' so I actually meant a choice. But yeah I guess we are never going to agree.
MonkeyyDG 3 days ago
@MonkeyyDG No worries, it's good to have a civil disagreement and exchange views :)
paolung 3 days ago
@paolung
On that, I can agree ;)
MonkeyyDG 3 days ago
@paolung Yeah, except for the fact that Victor is better. XD
Aveation 4 days ago
@Aveation Better at what? ;)
paolung 3 days ago
Flea
ShadowWolf641 1 week ago
dont compare bassists, compare guitarists,
omanphilliesfan 1 week ago 2
@omanphilliesfan Hahaha... Come on. Everyone has talent that can be compared. Bassists have a broad range of skills that guitarists do not. That's not to say that guitar players aren't immensely impressive in their musical abilities, I'm just saying that bass players deserve just as much credibility as do guitar players... in certain occasions, anyway.
Beahburh 1 week ago
@Beahburh oh i hear ya man, just saying that the iconical bassist kinda stands in the shadows, putting effort into the picture without credit, kinda the unseen, selfless person the band. thats just my idea of a bassist though.
omanphilliesfan 1 week ago
flea
ugogirlization 2 weeks ago
wooten obviously. christ!
EpicFoodComments 2 weeks ago
FLEA!
wheezyischeesy 2 weeks ago 3
this video is an unfair jugement though. most of it is on wooten and it only shows one side of flea. During the californiacation era flea showed another outlet of beautiful funky soul touching being one with the music and all the booty juices flowing through out of his bass. this video only approaches the hardcore punk funk slapping insanity of him. Flea is one with the hard greasy funk
Nuncotics 2 weeks ago 2
oh. my. god. flea can slap octaves realyyyyy fast, he must be one of the most innovative bassists ever.
nosferatsu0831 2 weeks ago
a better VS would have been Wooten VS Les Claypool. I still think VW wins.
iambiggus 2 weeks ago
Well, the truth is that Flea and Victor have totally different playing styles. Flea is very aggressive on the bass whereas Wooten is far more technically proficient. They both play so amazingly that their instruments are more like extensions of themselves. However, I have never seen Flea use any sort of double-thumb, harmonic, or tapping techniques that Victor is so well known for. They are absolutely some of my favorite bassists but Victor Wooten beats Flea when it comes to technique.
stockholmare11 2 weeks ago
There's no comparison on this one. Victor Wooten's got it, hands down!
syncapated 2 weeks ago
vic wooten could outplay flea with his hands tied behind his back...
redpunk 2 weeks ago
Flea is the best, and with respect Victor Wooten, Flea is much more better than Victor. That´s my opinion.
franargnation 2 weeks ago
This is a sick joke, Victor destroys the Flea.
Fluffypopcicle 2 weeks ago 3
I like this
MatsLundgren1 2 weeks ago
It is my personal opinion that, beyond slap, I'm not sure the Flea is nearly as great technically as Victor Wooten. Flea is a great bass player in his own right; both are great bass players. I feel as though Victor is the better musician between the two, however, given his, as others have said, versatility.
koranae 2 weeks ago
Flea is cool but Victor Wooten is a much better musician.
bill14231393 3 weeks ago
If had to listen to one bass player play by himself it would be victor, but if I had to say which one fit in a band better it would be Flea. Both are incredibly talented and I love them both!
bainhamien 3 weeks ago
Wooten is better. ¡He is BLACK!
DJElecktro09 3 weeks ago
Comment removed
DJElecktro09 3 weeks ago
I think who ever made this wanted to give flea a bad rep he like played two clips of the same thing
qe33rba5her 3 weeks ago
I mean its like comparing Modern Warfare to Final Fantasy... Different Categories shouldn't be compared... If you were to say... "Who would you want in your band" It would still be bias, it all depends on preferred STYLE of play...
SKAT3RxxCrow 3 weeks ago
This has been flagged as spam show
"victor wooten is much more versatile than flea..."
leonardofil96 4 weeks ago 14
I dont think so, Becuse all flea shows is his chili peppers side, Sure in this video it shows that victor is more versitile... He took up more than half the video... However, I will not believe that a man that skilled at what he does just can only play "CHili pepper" style
"These two can not be compared. I think Victor has better hands than Flea, but that's besides the point. Their styles are both unorthodoxed.
SKAT3RxxCrow 3 weeks ago
Victor = virtuosity, like a robot
Flea = soul, like a god
manonthemount 3 weeks ago
i mean you really can't compare the two. One is a solo artist and the other is in a band. Flea has to mix his parts to make it sound good with everyone else in the band, Im sure if flea was just a solo bass player like victor wooten hed be just as good. A better comparison would be flea vs les claypool!
Blazinnn89 3 weeks ago
These two can not be compared. I think Victor has better hands than Flea, but that's besides the point. Their styles are both unorthodoxed.
Can you see Victor playing, or making up one of Flea's lines? No
Can you see Flea making up one of Victor's lines? No.
BajaIsFRESH 3 weeks ago
FLEA FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ares784512 3 weeks ago
his forearms and wrists must be like "dude enough already "
toob247 3 weeks ago
Victor Wooten is in a different galaxy altogether. You really cant compare the two at all. Flea is a good bassist for simple funky grooves and slap but Victor has truly mastered his instrument and can play any genres. I had to opportunity to meet him in a master class that I took and the guy has been playing since he was 4 years old, gigging since he was 6. Its completely organic and not separate from him. A true master.
dantheguitarman88 3 weeks ago
victor has the best right hand in the world
BYOBKproductions 3 weeks ago
you cant compare 2 people who have two different styles of playing
JesseJAMES682 3 weeks ago
Atleast Victor can keep his shirt on!
Presto2453 4 weeks ago
Flea is great but Victor takes it too a whole new level. Flea breaks Wooten's law of slap. He doesn't double thump like Wooten. He bounces off the strings very fast. Wooten says that you waste energy that way but Flea has more than enough energy to last.
Pbassman74 4 weeks ago
Like comparing Baby Bron Bron to MJ
hebrolovr 1 month ago
FLEA
yoshicomedy20 1 month ago
This video is ridiculous!! Victor Wooten is WAY better. Anything Flea has played or written Victor could play in his sleep, but not vice versa.
PrivatePyles 1 month ago 24
@PrivatePyles victors way better when it comes to technique, but fleas got alot more soul
johnmichaelosbourne7 2 weeks ago
@johnmichaelosbourne7 Yeah thats a fair comment, Wooten is like a robot.
PrivatePyles 2 weeks ago
@PrivatePyles You mean a Soulbot.
FAA4Life666 2 weeks ago
@johnmichaelosbourne7
Bull shit. Have you ever heard this watch?v=Jw8ytGHTbNc because if you haven't you're missing out. All I hear from Flea is "slap slap slap slap" like any mediocre bassist. Victor has it all. Technique, diversity, melody, feeling etc. he is the epitome of what a good bass player is. Flea is just a good bassist.
Fluffypopcicle 2 weeks ago
@johnmichaelosbourne7 flea plays a style that appeals more to teenagers, twenty year olds and people who wish they were still in their 20s like they were back in the 90s
any one of the wootens has more soul in one pubic hair than flea could muster up
redpunk 2 weeks ago 2
@redpunk truth!!!
myousickman76 2 weeks ago
@PrivatePyles Cool, Victor Wooten is one of the most amazing bassists in the world, but Flea is still very talented and a good writer of music.
aigmeyer 1 week ago 2
the existence of this video is ridiculous. They both play pretty differently and have there own style and would be like asking what was better Classical music or Jazz. They're both teeming with opportunity for awesome music but it's all a matter of opinion on which you prefer not who is better. All this video is doing is seeing whether there are more flea fans or victor wooten fans watching.
Team Wooten :D
TheCobaltMonkey 1 month ago
id think billy sheehan has the edge to show more on passion....
seacar72 1 month ago
@seacar72 Its Wooten hands down what are you smoking, there is no comparison I like Flea but stepping to Victor he is out of his league & he knows it, please do not get showmanship confused with ( Exordinary ) skills on the neck.
tdudley1984 3 weeks ago
not saying I could immitate either of them,it fathoms me to no end how they do what they do on the bass and makes me feel like I should just stop playing now.
TheMonkey987654321 1 month ago
one thing i just learned today is that they each use different slapping styles.Victor does a slap down on the thumb in addition to a slap up,along with using both middle and pointer fingers to pop, and flea just slaps down and off with his thumb repeatedly and pops with one finger(I think usually the middle)
TheMonkey987654321 1 month ago
this is comparing apples with pears I think marcus miller is better then vic.
vincentjanse 1 month ago
The amazing grace one is out of this world! People, you do know what hes doing there is actually almost impossible?!!
Aidos8158 1 month ago
Since when is music about who's better anyway, its an ART people. Victor may be more skilled in more areas of expertise but that dose not make him "better" than anyone. I am a Victor Wooten fan and a Flea fan. Just enjoy the tones!
M4CH1N3GUNM4R4UD3R 1 month ago
I don't even think Flea plays like that anymore. He's said that he preferes a minimalist bass line now as apposed to the more wild slap and pop stuff he's famous for.
DrTrevelyan 1 month ago
Victor has done better than this. Not a legit competition.
Skullclone 1 month ago
the thing is, Victor could easily play every thing flea ever played but Flea probably couldn't play most of the heavy stuff Victor does,
but that doesn't make Victor a better bassplayer, the reason why I would say Victor is a lot better is because his only goal is to make the song sound better, make it groove,
but Flea doesn't care much bout does things, he only wants to proof that he's fast because that's all he is. ok maybe that was when he was young,
singintruckdriver 1 month ago
@singintruckdriver It's not about whether or not Victor can play what Flea wrote. It's the fact that Flea actually wrote it and not Vic. Being able to play music is one thing. Being able to write music is a whole different ball game. If I remember right, Flea had almost 0 training in music theory until just last year or maybe the year before and that says a lot considering they have a lot of albums out. Both really cool dudes but the real winner is whoever sounds better to YOU.
yomammaonastick 1 month ago
Both are awesome but it's fair to say that victor takes it hands down. I'd be hard pressed to find ANYONE better than Victor Wooten.
TroyDavidAlexander 1 month ago
Wooten... I'm the biggest RHCP fan i know - I've been listening to all 10 of their albums since i was in second grade. But Wooten is so much more capable than flea. I've been playing bass all my life and i can play almost anything flea has recorded - even that jam in the video with chad i can do. But when i get to a wooten song i'm stuck
3Lsurftac0 1 month ago
When flea starts jammin with Chick Corea then he might have a chance.
VW all the way
drumphile 1 month ago
All I need to say is.....Amazing Grace!" (Wooten)
kylebags81 1 month ago
both of them has a different style!!
next time pick the same style!!
MultiSikamikanico 1 month ago
victor wooten !
chrisspartan11794 1 month ago
Victor is a virtuoso. Flea is just a bad ass. Two completely different levels.
dragman99 1 month ago
Victor is much better, Flea can play fast, thats about it... Victor has got that feelin. know what em sayin?
FreakyReak 1 month ago
Victor might be "better" in a sense of what he can do but music isnt about how fast u slap or how complex ur riffs are. its about the music yo.
Perimanxxxxxx86 1 month ago
victor is black
enough said
theDADeniboy 1 month ago
this is comparing a virtuoso like guthrie govan or steve vai to someone like jimmy page or eric clapton. victor is extremely versatile and can play most anything, while flea is know for his signature style and vicious attack and prescense in the mix. of course victor is the better player, but that's not the point in music. music isn't a competition of who's better than who. everyone has their unique offering to the world of music.
rockfreak611 1 month ago
1:05 soo good
scoffer2829 1 month ago
man this is kind of unfair, this is like comparing apples to oranges, their in completely different styles, flea is rock/funk and victor is jazzy/funk. they are the same in some respects but really if you listen to the bands songs they are completely different.
korinoi 1 month ago
@korinoi very true dude
scoffer2829 1 month ago
that's unfair to flea...come on....
ECalebR 1 month ago
Victor no contest. Flea is alright but victor is so much more versitile and his note choices are so much crazier. Flea is good at making percussive driving bass lines and is pretty average at everything else IMO.
zsreich 1 month ago
victor wooten is much more versatile than flea...
leonardofil96 1 month ago 17
I Love Flea and what he does.......Having said that he's not even in the same building as Vic.
berkl3333 1 month ago
VICTOR!!
MrSputnick1997 1 month ago
Flea...pretty good, but "hides" too much behind the drummer!
Victor...very versatile, can play smooth, or hard! Winner--hands down!
Shae4102 1 month ago
Flea Is Winner !
chicle236 1 month ago
i dont think anyone in the world can play slap bass like flea hes so god damn aggressive its quite amazing but also at the same time he's so melodic with his playing like if you listen to songs like otherside and under the bridge and well nearly all of the new album im with you he carry's the music but victor is just on a whole different level i think its unfair to play the two off against each other two different styles going on i think we can all agree how amazing they are tho
god11giggs11 1 month ago
victor!
RAMDAMNINTERTAINMENT 1 month ago
If you listen to Victors Jam compared to anything Flea plays, you know the point goes to Victor.
Aidos8158 1 month ago
why flea is wearing a shirt? lol
wakinacho 1 month ago
Flea
sdfsadfkwejfoiqjeiqj 1 month ago
i got my BA in music with emphasis in bass. i grew up listening to RHCP and i learned to play bass very influenced by flea. while i prefer flea, victor his hands down the better musician overall and better bass player. his skills are awe-inspiring. his groove is impeccable but i find his playing sometimes slightly "cold" for reasons i'm not sure of. flea is fantastic and very fun, and has some great grooves and melodic lines.
birdrs 1 month ago
cant decide- theres two different styles
TheCongster 1 month ago
To everyone:
Watch 'Victor's Jam', then you will realise how much better VW is in every respect.
Aidos8158 2 months ago
Comment removed
Aidos8158 2 months ago
Victor.
JohnLennonIsLove16 2 months ago
0:59 Like Russian balalajka.
mobilemrbig66 2 months ago
this annoys me, if there was no flea we would have no rhcp, if there was no wooten we would not have bela fleck & flecktones?? each is to their own, Flea vs wooten = FUCK OFF.... YAWN
Yamah12a 2 months ago
Flea = God
desjam09 2 months ago
FLEA!!!
vrad9950 2 months ago
Why is this even considered to be a legitimate competition? I mean, I prefer the music that Flea plays, but let's get real here: the better bass player is Victor Wooten. There is nothing that Flea plays that I can't learn in a matter of ten minutes, and it's furthermore nothing that VW couldn't do when he was like sixteen years old (he wrote Classical Thump when he was in High School).
Luc88Cole 2 months ago
flea is like fast and furious punk rock funk, while victor is groove tasty funk, both good in they're own respects but victor is just more talented with a slightly larger repetoir ( cant spell)
chaoticpiklemongerer 2 months ago
Vic is more bluegrass and Flea is more funkadelic fusion rock. Its comparing apples and oranges
yankman22 2 months ago
Fleas fast, but Victor I find is more musical. and wooten can play slow. entire differently things.
Tsax2012 2 months ago
flea
thebiggestballer11 2 months ago
ARE YOU SERIOUS?
Shit where do we start with this one?
They are so different it's like comparing a Mack truck and bike. Fleas a cool player and he really makes the rhcp a lot of what they are. Musically very slick and I could listen to 'em all day no probs. But Victor is a a seriously different league and no offense at all to Flea but I thin even Flea himself would suggest that. Victor has what few musicians have and that's the 3 ingredients, incredible tech ability, musical and humble. Vs??
markdlowe 2 months ago
Flea does his thing and he's cool but he's way out of his league being compared to Victor Wooten. Flea may win in slapping, because he's the king of that, but that's it.
shred5 2 months ago
@shred5 Flea is nowhere near, "the king of slapping." In fact, if you watch some other videos where Victor Wooten is slapping, it's readily apparent that he's WAY better. Wooten even invented his own technique of slapping (the double-thumb); with that technique alone, he can slap at least twice as fast as Flea.
Not that Flea isn't good, but if you really get into the slap style, you find that nothing he does is all that difficult.If anything, his poor technique limits him.
Luc88Cole 2 months ago
@Luc88Cole you are using how fast somebody slaps as being the best. Also just because somebody's stuff is not difficult, doesn't make them a worse bass player. I don't know if you play bass, but at least for me it is all about feel and how you interact with the drums and guitar and whatever other instrument is there. i think the maker of this video did an awful job of representing how great of a bass player flea is because he picked flea's fastest stuff instead of his better stuff
sneakychewbacca 2 months ago
@sneakychewbacca No, I am not using, "how fast somebody slaps as being the best." I am using real facts here. The fact of the matter is that nothing that Flea does is beyond Wooten's ability.
I do play bass. And for what it's worth, I am was ranked as #2 for the best bass player in the Arequipa region, which -for a white man- is quite a feat. I'll admit, I wasn't as good as the guy that was #1, but he would put both VW and Flea COMBINED to tears.
Sorry. But I know my shit. Flea < VW.
Period.
Luc88Cole 2 months ago
@Luc88Cole you are not using any facts behind your argument here, you are just bragging about yourself for a little bit and then ending it. You failed to adress what i said in my last comment about playing the right bass part in a song with the other instruments, and i am not seeing any "real facts" in your argument. oh and i quote you on "he can slap twice as fast as flea" which is your only point in one of your other comments... you are using his slapping speed, stop embarrassing yourself dude
sneakychewbacca 2 months ago
@sneakychewbacca If you want to bring in the whole, "how he plays with other instrumentalists," bit, then I'm sorry, but that isn't going to be a sufficient condition for valuing one over the other. I mean, these guys are professionals. If you listen to VW in the multitude of different projects he's been involved in, it's pretty obvious that he knows how to play with other people. So in reality, you don't have a point here at all (unless, of course, you would care to elaborate).
Luc88Cole 2 months ago
@Luc88Cole @Luc88Cole Flea's ability to play and jam with the red hot chili peppers is so much better than the ability that VW has, he knows when to lay off and when to solo, he has been with this band for around 25 years, and he made up a new style of slapping like victor did. Just to show off how well he plays with the chilis /watch?v=-qodaI1Ju3s&feature=related. Also check out rolling stone with the top ten bassists of all time
sneakychewbacca 2 months ago
@sneakychewbacca 1.) That Rolling Stone article was based on an online a poll. Nothing objective about it.
2.) If by, "invent a new style of slapping," you mean, "take Bootsy Collins, Larry Graham, Mark King, Stanley Clark," etc's style of slap and bring it into a different genre, then yes. But Flea didn't actually invent anything.
3.) Listen to Bela Fleck and tell me that VW doesn't know when to lay off and when to solo again. I mean, SERIOUSLY? He's a fucking jazz player for Christ's sake.
Luc88Cole 2 months ago
@Luc88Cole he invented a much harder form of slapping and it was a lot more aggressive man, he brought it into a different genre and made it work perfectly which is hard to do. Alright so victor and flea both know when to lay off so they are even when it comes down to that, but i am not convinced that he is a better player than flea, he can slap faster, but i havent heard a bass part that victor played that gave me the chills which is something that flea can do for me
sneakychewbacca 2 months ago
@sneakychewbacca Invented a harder form of slapping? No. Not remotely. What you're probably hearing there is the rocking drums. A properly placed kick and snare can make or break a slap bass line.
I don't really mean to rip on Flea. I just kind of think he's over rated. Plus, I'd take Claypool over Flea or Wooten any day. He's not on the level of Wooten, but he's much more enjoyable.
But hey, I'm with you. Funk/jazz/rock > Katy Butt-Fucking Perry any day.
Luc88Cole 1 month ago
@Luc88Cole you make it seem like i hate victor when i don't hate him, but i grew up listening to flea, i heard him when i was 5 and couldn't get him out of my head for 11 years. So i get defensive when people start trying to rip him, i appreciate everything that they have both given to us, how about we stop trying to compare them and appreciate everything that they have given and how good they are to our earholes, and we can all agree that all this pop bs music sucks compared to funk and jazz!
sneakychewbacca 2 months ago
@Luc88Cole, well Wooten is better at it yeah, that wasn't the point really the point was that beyond slapping, what has Flea got? That and that's all Flea was ever known for
shred5 2 months ago
this is pointless in my opinion. it basically comes down to not WHO you think is better, it comes down to WHAT style you prefer
Prettyflyforabassman 2 months ago
Nossa , é um desperdicio apostar que o Victor Wooten vence , Flea ganha de virada com seu Sleep '-'
LeonardoFruciante 2 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
The word "BETTER" shouldn't exist in music, in my opinion.
rianbrito 2 months ago
Comment removed
rianbrito 2 months ago
wooten pwns flee no contest...
baconbitch420 2 months ago
HAHAHAHA FLEA VERSUS VICTOR!?!?! ITS LIKE SAYING TRAVIS BARKER VURSES VINNE COLUIETA
trecoolmania 2 months ago
@trecoolmania
its like travis barker vs buddy rich
Prettyflyforabassman 2 months ago
@Prettyflyforabassman no to be honest its more like what i said haha if u know who vinnie is...
trecoolmania 2 months ago
@trecoolmania
lolol i'll have to look him up, i just said buddy rich cause everyone compares travis to buddy rich :P
Prettyflyforabassman 2 months ago
how about victor wooten and les claypool?
SHARPtattoo 2 months ago
when i think bass, i think flea
MrShitcakes69 2 months ago