A thought to ponder on?

[ChunkyMunky]

Considering that the bass is originally a rhythmic instrument, could one learn from a drummer's fills for us expand upon our own types of fills? Anyone else had something from this school of thought at all?

How about instruments in the same register? I wondered how us bassists could learn from other instruments such as trombone or tuba. Just all thoughts!

[ambient]

That's all slap is really, just listen to Mark King particularly.

I like to listen to trombone especially, not so much tuba. I used to play a lot with a great trombonist, unfortunately he moved to Sweden. I played in his jazz band, he loved playing ballads. To hear him play and solo over something like My Funny Valentine was very inspiring.

[Maude]

I have a tendency to do fills in time with the snare fills, not all the time but when I feel it fits.
It just adds that something to the drum fill, reinforcing it but not that noticeable as a bass fill.

[ChunkyMunky]

This pleases me a lot! I didn't think anyone else drew inspiration from trombone or tubas!

[Bilbo]

I have previously transcribed solos by Gerry Mulligan (baritone sax) and Bob Brookmeyer (valve trombone). These instruments tend to sit well on the bass but it is worth working with material from all instrumentalists because they all tend to think differently and force you out off a bess-centric perspective.

[scalpy]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1g4ICwJF5EM

Try this guy, lovely player.

[DaveFry]

Plastic Sousaphone solo ! ;
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyER73wEz0E[/media]

Song is Ellington's " Caravan " .

[EssentialTension]

It's obvious of course but piano left-hand.

[chris_b]

I would prefer to learn from the massively talented players already way ahead of me on bass guitar.

[AndyTravis]

My drummer and I have been playing together on and off for 16 years and we have an uncanny ability to match each other's fills.

We don't do it a lot - it'd look like showboating otherwise, but it can really work.

I often think Fleetwood Mac tunes lend themselves to this as Mick Fleetwood and John Macvie had a really fluid sound together.

Not slapping though - that stuff is handy for showboating 😜

[HughRichardson]

[quote name='ChunkyMunky' timestamp='1432471936' post='2781749']
Considering that the bass is originally a rhythmic instrument, could one learn from a drummer's fills for us expand upon our own types of fills? Anyone else had something from this school of thought at all?

How about instruments in the same register? I wondered how us bassists could learn from other instruments such as trombone or tuba. Just all thoughts!
[/quote]

For me it's been a great way to break out of playing "stock licks" and expanding my knowledge of the instrument. I've spent loads of time playing and transcribing music that was written for other instruments. I've done a few that are similar to the bass in terms of range (cello, trombone, tenor sax) and several others that are a long way from the bass (mandolin, female vocals, piano etc) and it's all helped to shape my playing in some way. Personally, I think the best way to go is not to consider the range of the instrument but just follow what you like in the music.

I remember watching an interview with Hal Galper once and he said "good art always tells you something about yourself" and I think it's true. He went on to say that he went through a period of listen to Bill Evans everyday and it took him years before he realised it was because his chord voicings needed to improve and Bill Evans music was a way for him to see that. I think what he was trying to say was that we are often drawn towards music that we would like to emulate or be able to play ourselves so just following your ear and preferences within music is a good way to go!

[samBolshy]

In my band, all 6 instrumentalists pretty frequently play fills all following the same rhythm and sometimes the same melody, it sounds big! (We're drums, bass, 2 guitars, sax and trombone)

It's good fun working out parts originally played on other instruments