Curious, what role do you play as a Stickist?

Are you mainly a soloist in the vein of Greg Howard, Bob Culbertson, Chris Crain, Randy Strom (I know he's a Warr guitarist, but he's using Emmett's method), Steve Adelson, Guillermo Cides, Emmett?

Perhaps you occupy more of a bassist's role like Tony Levin, Fergus Marsh, Trey Gunn with KC/TU/Trey Gunn Band (again, same method), Rich Little, Alphonso Johnson, etc?

Maybe you take on both the bass and rhythm spectrum in a band like, again Greg Howard with the Greg Howard Band, Don Schiff with...well, everybody, or even John Myung with Dream Theatre.

Solo singer/songwriter like Jim Kam or Dale Ladouceur.

I found that over time I felt more at home in the Levin/Marsh/Gunn camp with a little Don Schiff thrown in. Especially now since I mainly play the NS.

When I got my first Stick I thought about playing both the melody and accompaniment part together, like a one-person band.

However, after playing (different sticks - tunings) for a while, and being asked to join a band as a bassist, I'm planning on leaving the bass behind and going Stickbass full-time.

So my answer would be, option 2: bassist role like Tony Levin!

I play solo and in an ensemble much within the Steve Adelson approach. Bass, chords, melody, improvs, rhythm all integrated on The Stick, orchestrated within the calling of the musuc.

SA

I have two roles in our band: I cover the bass parts with my left hand, and with my right hand I mostly play chords, like a keyboarder would play pads. Occasionally I play a melody or a solo with the right hand, but it's mostly accompaniment.

Improvisation is so important to me...whatever I play...chords, melodies, rhythms, polychords, etc. I like to play what's going through my mind when I play...no limits at all. I never play a cover though...personal choice. Sometimes I explore what's called 12 tones series...completely free. It can looks like I play wrong but it's not the case...I always have an open mind and try to play the next note or chord just the way the situation is. But, mainly, polychords is my passion...to play a chord in my LH while it's completed by another one in my RH. It brings me to another level of harmonic comprehension. It's closer to a piano player mind let's say or the way I can think as a big band arranger...which I don't do anymore because it's so much work. But I was writing for big bands in the '80's.

I recently came across a term "pan-idiomatic improvisation", meaning "not within a fixed style".

It's a concept that appeals greatly to me.

Play to explore...

...which is a whole lot easier if what you are doing is solo improvisation (simply for my own interest & entertainment).

As someone who still has training wheels on his Stick, I shouldn't be answering this. But I spent years playing "ensemble" instruments – lead guitar, bass, drums. The draw for the Stick was largely due to the fact that for the first time I can actually develop a repertoire that doesn't require finding or building a "backing track" to fill in for the rest of the band.

I'm a troll who lives in a cave, and don't socialize much so I've never had the opportunity to play in, or get invited to play with a band...

I go for the self description of "sociable hermit". )

I mean I’m a “jazz guy” in the “jazz organ” tradition.

I guess the lineage is Emmett, Frank Jolliffe, Steve Adelson…… but I don’t hold anyone personally responsible…. Ultimately it my fault

What is "jazz" anyway?
Bird, Monk, Ellington, Trane, Wes, Django.....
Then there's McLaughlin, Corea, Holdsworth, Metheny......
I prefer calling it "creative music" including some harmonic, melodic and rhythmic complexity with the opportunity to improvise variations on the compositional theme.
I play compositions by the aforementioned legends of this music, but also use the same treatment on tunes by Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, Tears for Fears, Led Zep, Jeff Beck etc.
Creativity is the important element. Bebop, cool jazz, smooth jazz, fusion, swing, Samba, bossa etc are just labels. The Stick is the perfect vehicle for forward thinking sonic exploration.
BTW.....there's a cool book called "The Great Jazz Guitarists" with 347 listings from Wes and Django to Metheny and Martino. I'm honored to be the lone Stick player covered in the book, so I guess I wear that Jazz player label proudly despite my verbiage.
Steve A