Mr Fudge Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Be a busker, improvise at the drop of a hat because those grey faced chavs out there wouldn't know any better anyway. Do not repeat the same boring thing! You will not be a musician any more! Go Go Go !!! If it doesn't work, shrugg your shoulders at the guitar player because you can play the guitar better than him anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umph Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 [quote name='bassace' post='145660' date='Feb 23 2008, 05:15 PM'][b]Every line I've ever worked on has become more and more simple, and the simpler it is, the happier I am with my playing.[/b] +1 to that![/quote] i really hope that isn't your license plate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 [quote name='umph' post='146306' date='Feb 25 2008, 12:11 AM']i really hope that isn't your license plate[/quote] why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cantdosleepy Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 cos it's really long? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 [quote name='bassace' post='145660' date='Feb 23 2008, 05:15 PM'][b]Every line I've ever worked on has become more and more simple, and the simpler it is, the happier I am with my playing.[/b]+1 to that![/quote] While that is often the best approach, sometimes more actually is more, especially in smaller bands. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 [quote name='alexclaber' post='146698' date='Feb 25 2008, 04:15 PM']While that is often the best approach, sometimes more actually is more, especially in smaller bands. Alex[/quote] Yeh, don't get too bogged down in the "classic sound" or "classic playing" or whatever all the experts think you should do with your bass. We're not all playing motown covers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul, the Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 I am amused. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 [quote name='paul, the' post='146718' date='Feb 25 2008, 04:40 PM']I am amused. [/quote] If that's in reply to my post, maybe I should clarify myself?! I grew up listening to Motown, stevie wonder, bob marley, the beatles etc etc. All the bass is kicking out lots of low end, lots of "classic grooves" etc, very good bass lines and bass playing. Then I listened to primus, and I remembered that i'm a musician in a band, and I can do whatever the hell I like as long as it sounds good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urb Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 While I am a noodly bastardo in my spare time most of the stuff I play live is all groove based and the two things that have helped me get better at doing this are working on my picking technique - getting better at string crossing etc and playing lots of rhythmic variations - and er - TIME - as in playing in time! Beyond that isn't much else but sticking to root, fifth, and octave - simple pentatonic shapes work great for most bass lines and a few scale runs - not fills - that follow the harmony or act as a counter melody - are all very useable ways to enhance your role as the 'rock' in most bands. Your primary role is to lock the entire band together with the drums - and providing you have a good drummer who can stay in time and groove like a mutha you should be fine. If not find another drummer! M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urb Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 [quote name='Cantdosleepy' post='145811' date='Feb 24 2008, 01:06 AM']Word. Word. [b]Word.[/b] For best results with the bass, play with other people. When playing with other people, listen 70%, play 30%. Keep it simple. Listen to the drummer and try and accent where he accents. Use 'techniques' sparingly. Let the guitarist and singer and keyboardist worry about the big main melodies. Be aware of the power of 1) playing only with the kick for a bit 2) doubling the guitar for a bit 3) copying the vocal melody for a bit. Try playing roots during a verse, then try these methods once during the bridges, choruses and middle eights and see how much power you have to alter the dynamics and feel of a song. Silence is a vital note on the bass. Dropping in at just the right point can be spine-tingling.[/quote] [b] Word![/b] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FJ1200 Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Dillsfretless - Dunno about you, mate but I've leaned a heck of a lot here! Some good sound advice that I'll be taking away. I'm not a good player especially after 26 years of just noodling and sheer laziness on my part, but at 45 I start lessons again tonight to improve and almost start again. I'm from the less-is-more camp but want to be able to do some slightly more fancy stuff, however (sob-story) following an accident many years ago with a surface grinder and nearly severing a tendon, my middle 2 fingers on my left hand don't spread as far as they should and have a tendency to stick together. In the last 2 years it has become more pronounced so I'm doing some excersises to improve that but it does affect my playing. I seem to recall one of Van Halen's songs (can't remember which one - Jump I think) the whole bass line is bottom E. Nothing else. But sounds fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnylager Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 [quote name='steve-norris' post='145411' date='Feb 23 2008, 12:41 AM']Kneel before the kick drum and pray to your new master[/quote] Wise words indeed, there's nowt like a tight bottom. Fnarr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul, the Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 [quote name='cheddatom' post='146740' date='Feb 25 2008, 05:03 PM']If that's in reply to my post, maybe I should clarify myself?! I grew up listening to Motown, stevie wonder, bob marley, the beatles etc etc. All the bass is kicking out lots of low end, lots of "classic grooves" etc, very good bass lines and bass playing. Then I listened to primus, and I remembered that i'm a musician in a band, and I can do whatever the hell I like as long as it sounds good.[/quote] Fair enough, Tom. Sorry about my prejudice. 'Though one of the main things that draw me to Motown is the understated 'more'. It's probably the rare and special thing from the background in jazz that put solid, rhythmic, yet melodic basslines into the popular context. You know this anyway, as JJ, nate, fams and Mccartney all did it to different extents. Wonderful bassists. Good upbringing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus27 Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 [quote name='steve-norris' post='145411' date='Feb 23 2008, 12:41 AM']Kneel before the kick drum and pray to your new master seriously the drummer is your best friend or worst enemy, the bass is not a four stringed guitar! it's a TOTALLY different instrument, in its modern electric form it may look vaguely similar to a guitar but its role lies firmly in the rhythm section. I like to think of bass as almost a tuned drum set, you provide a like between harmony and rhythm, quite how you achieve that i am still working on but if i had four ears i would keep two on the drummer one on the guitarist and one on the singer.[/quote] That is a superb way at looking at how the bass sits with everything. I could not agree more. Of course there are variants. You can play the bass more like a lead guitar or you could play the bass more like a drum rythem but all in all, you are spot on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golchen Posted February 28, 2008 Author Share Posted February 28, 2008 [quote name='FJ1200' post='147077' date='Feb 26 2008, 08:22 AM']Dillsfretless - Dunno about you, mate but I've leaned a heck of a lot here! Some good sound advice that I'll be taking away.[/quote] I agree. extremely useful. Curiously, I will also be 45 in about 2 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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