Members ollenorin Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 We Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members skylab Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 My approach to bass has always been to try and end measures with notes that work as harmony to the vocal. Colin Greenwood is pretty good at that kinda style.. listen to "No Surprises" to see what I'm tawkin about. I'll take a quiet life a handshake.... as Thom sings "quiet life" the bass line basically plays what could be a vocal harmony. For the rest...yer on your own. I will say that playing bass is more of a "feel" thing that guitar. Get up close to your drummer and let the kick thump guide you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bowlingshirt Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 Play along with the drums; just stay on key with the guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ollenorin Posted February 9, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 thanks ! i guess its hard to play bass real well.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gorebuc Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 if I play bass, it sounds like a guitarist playing bass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members NoirAbattoir Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 Really good bass playing, in my opinion, means creating simple, thoughtful harmonies to the guitars that stick very closely with the drum beats. Don't just play the root notes, unless the song real benefits from that. Try to keep the bass moving and pulsing beneath the guitrars. It should sound like the drums and bass are working together to lay the foundation for the rest of the song. That may mean you are literally playing a note with every bass drum hit or every sare hit. It will help you cling to the rhythm as you play and give your song some backbone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members CapnMarvel Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 Yup. Hitting the 'one', keeping straight with the drums, and staying in the correct key are far more important on bass than they are on guitar. I would start out simple and add to it - first play a lot of root notes (hell, that's all Adam Clayton ever does), then play a bit on the scale that matches the chord being played. A nice baby step is to mix in some 3rds and 5ths along with the root note first, then play 'passing' notes between those three 'base' notes, yet taking care not to begin or end a phrase on one of those 'passing' notes (i.e., a 2nd or 6th, which would sound kinda off). This is all VERY simplified, remember, but roots, 3rds, and fifths are generally your friends on the bass. I say, imho, the bass is a rhythmic instrument FIRST, a harmonic one second, and a melodic one third. Make sure your have the first base covered before you attempt to run for a double or triple. Oh, and bass is a {censored}ing blast. I would gladly accept a bass player position in a band if I liked them well enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ollenorin Posted February 9, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 geez.....i will never be able to play bass. :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members miles mayhem Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 Yup. Hitting the 'one', keeping straight with the drums, and staying in the correct key are far more important on bass than they are on guitar. I would start out simple and add to it - first play a lot of root notes (hell, that's all Adam Clayton ever does), then play a bit on the scale that matches the chord being played. A nice baby step is to mix in some 3rds and 5ths along with the root note first, then play 'passing' notes between those three 'base' notes, yet taking care not to begin or end a phrase on one of those 'passing' notes (i.e., a 2nd or 6th, which would sound kinda off). This is all VERY simplified, remember, but roots, 3rds, and fifths are generally your friends on the bass. I say, imho, the bass is a rhythmic instrument FIRST, a harmonic one second, and a melodic one third. Make sure your have the first base covered before you attempt to run for a double or triple. Oh, and bass is a {censored}ing blast. I would gladly accept a bass player position in a band if I liked them well enough. I agree with all of this. I spend most of my time on the root or fifth (of each chord change) when I am recording bass on my demos, and find that jumping octaves can make some parts more interesting. As for meshing with the drums, I try to sync up my bass with the kick drum in particular as much as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vigor&kandor Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 use your fingers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dZjupp Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 i just laid down a swet bassline for a song i recorded with some friends and i listened to HTDAAB by U2, bass wise, its adam clayton's best playing, i think (imo) he is s very smart player that with simplicty is in the pocket but he can throw in a counter melody here and there, that is what i like doing on bass. so like on this song, i pretty much played straight foward until the last chorus and then i changed to a counter melody and it rocks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members grayeyes777 Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 man... sit down with your bass and some records that you love and just shed with them... it's not rocket science. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members waveman Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 Yeah I do some of the same sort of things mentioned above Mostly stay with the root, sometimes hold you position when the guitar changes and you know the changes are going to resolve back to the root. I like to play the 5ths quite a bit too, and occcasionally resolve to the root for a little change. I occasionally use 3rds and 7ths when transitioning in and out of a bridge/verse/chorus. And stay on top of the beat. I am not a great Bass player, but I have done my share of playing one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PFDarkside Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 CptMarvel's advice is good, you need to jam to your demos for at least a week before you record to come up with ideas. It will also help to build your technique on bass too. What kind of music do is your band? Regardless of style, I always lidten to John Paul Jones before I record bass. He is one of the best bassists I've heard. He knows exactly what to play, from a straight root, to doubling the guitar to a completely divergant bass line, it always fits perfectly. Also, really pay attention to basslines in sons you like and try to 'think like a bassist', it's completely different than writing a guitar part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members erksin Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 Bass is really quite hard to play well, IMO - and not just a simplified version of guitar. The best bassists I've played with have all been brass players (trombone or tuba) or keyboard players first. All I know is I sure do know when I'm playing with a good one vs. a crappy one - they can make or break a band... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members adam barkley Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 My suggestion would be to find a local bassist and tell them what you want. Unless you are doing some Dream Theater-crap he or she should be able to lay down a bassline. Few guitarists can play bass and not sound like a guitarist playing bass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fearofnightmare Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 use your fingers. incorrect. also please do not wear your bass at your nipples. But yeah, feel it out with the drums. And if you slap bass, i will fly over to where you are at and punch you in the face. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Klisk Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 Bass, in my opinion, is actually more difficult than guitar. Though the initial learning curve sucks with guitar, once you get past that you can really learn the instrument.Bass is more accessable and easy to pick up right away, but actually learning and mastering the art of the instrument can take a lifetime. Some people just have a feel for it, though. A groove so to speak. But really, my opinion is to start off with root notes, as people above said, work with the drums. You are an extention of the drums. Then add flair and create groove to the root notes once you get the feel of hanging with the drummer. With any luck it'll start to come (more) naturally at that point.When I played bass in a few bands I used to really block out the guitar and only listen to the drums. I really just tuned the guitar out of my head. I would, however, glance at the guitarists fingers to make sure I was in the right ballpark as far as staying in key went, but it was mostly about the drums. The drums carry the changes and course of the song, so unless you're playing with a bad drummer you'll always be on the correct track. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members voerking Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 the most important things are, in this order:timingfeelnotes (IMO, of course) i started out playing bass & switched to guitar out of necessity (we didn't want two bassists and no guitarist in my first "real" band). i still really love bass. it's a completely different skill than playing guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The*Ataris Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 In my opinion, learning at least the basic major and natural minor scales in open position (from the nut) is really helpful for accomplishing fills. Other than that, the most important thing you can learn is how to deviate from the midrange instruments while staying in the pocket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members doug deeper Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 IV-I over everything! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MorePaul Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 Originally Posted by vigor&kandor use your fingers. Originally Posted by fearofnightmare incorrect. also please do not wear your bass at your nipples. fear brings up good points there -- you don't want to play bass with your fingers, but rather with your nipples - if you have the bass up around your nipples they won't havegood freedom of motion - your nipples will cramp up and you won't sound fluid - nipple fluid is like mother's milk to people...well, actually it IS mother's milk And if you slap bass, i will fly over to where you are at and punch you in the face. Another very good point, if you are slapping -- you're nipples have become too loose and are just floppin' around - a few weeks with a Denise Austin video is probably in order Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members General Delgado Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 At this point, you should pick up some kind of sub-octave effect for your guitar and run it through a bass amp. Fill up some mean lower frequencies with your brewtal yngwie licks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members CS Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 Bass playing should be fluid. The kick drum is your best friend. Play simply and simplify it. Be loud and proud. If you do just play roots, play them with conviction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Buy a buttload of Motown and Stax 45 rpm records. Listen and absorb. But you've only have a limited time-window. Don't overplay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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