Can't get enough of........

[Bobthedog]

Reggae.

Not a genre I have really explored before, other than a listener. Wow! What fun to play. Some bass lines may be simple (or at least appear so) but getting the note length, tone and sometime off beat timing right gives me a real buzz.

I wonder what opps there are for a 54 year old white 19st male bass player.

[Roland Rock]

I love it. It appears easy, but you can tell a seasoned reggae bass player every time. Like you say, it really forces you to think about note beginning, ending, decay and timing in minute detail.

[chris_b]

Reggae isn't complicated, but if you want to do it properly then you have to put a different head on. Play with a Jamaican drummer and your perception of groove changes dramatically. The beat is on its head but when you've worked out what's happening it makes complete sense.

The best Reggae bass lines are Intelligent, fat, solid, relentless and totally locked with the drummer.

I did a Reggae gig as a dep last night with a Jamaican drummer taking care of business. We were a trio, playing mostly original songs, and we had the whole place dancing all night. Reggae is happy, good time music. I love these gigs when I do them, which isn't often enough.

Edited September 4, 2016 by chris_b

[philparker]

Turn up the bass; turn up the bass; turn up the bass! like normal bass playing, but with more bass!

I play a few reggae numbers and you can have great fun especially filling in the gaps when there is just one guitar and no keyboard, I improvise a bit. I went through Ed Friedlland's reggae method and a Bob Marley Play-along (Hal Leonard) just to get my head into the different rhythmic patterns. We do a Bob Marley medley and it is my favourite piece to play, although I have the exact music score I still have to alter it to suit the sparse line-up.

For some reason, compared to the other music we do in the set, the reggae songs require that deeper drive, which the bass boost on my AER can do with one switch (I'm also 54, but on a diet )