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What is the basses job in a jam session?


rivshark86

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Posted

What is the basses job in a jam session? Like if your playing a 3 chord jam with E D A, would they just play the root note on the upbeat? I am picking up the bass, and I want to know what I need to learn to hold my own when playing in a group.

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. The bassist has two responsibilities of equal importance. One is knowing what to play harmonically. This means being able to play the proper notes in support of the chords/progressions(the right note at the right time).
. The other one is rhythmically. It is extremely important to remember to LOCK IN WITH THE DRUMMER. As to whether or not you play on the down/up beats should be determined by the style of music you are trying to play. For example: If you are playing funk, you should hit hard on the down beat of one. Jazz, Ska, Samba, etc all have different rhythmic feels. Some of these differences are influenced by the bassist role.

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The bassist's job (in a jam session):
Consume more beer than the guitarist and less than the drummer.

The bassist's job (in a performance):
Depends too much on other factors to be easily stated in simple bullet points. However, not taking my own advice....

1) Harmonic:
If you are just starting out then play roots and skip to point 2. Otherwise, let me make a couple passes at this.
If you are playing rock, the bass provides drive and tonal foundation. Think in harmonic patterns that outline the chords that the tune is passing through. And, speaking of passing, think of the transitions between chords as places to lead the listener (you can dramatically assist the other players by making the changes easier to anticipate).
For more fluid music (jazz, fusion, etc.) you can still outline the chordal structure, you just avoid short, repetitive patterns. Think of elongating the sentences that you are speaking with your bass.

2) Rhythmic:
If the drummer doesn't suck, then you can lock in with the kick, adding your own accent just like the drummer would with snare, toms, or cymbals. If the drummer sucks, then you will have to help him keep time - maybe using a more regular pulse.
There is another school of thought, though. The bass is an instrument that is just as valuable as any other in the band. You should not feel required to lock in with the kick if you have other things that you want the music to say. This, of course, needs to be tempered by the glances you get from the other players! They may not necessarily be thinking that the current tune should have a space jazz vibe.

Oh well, opinions are like.....


---david

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Posted

you gotta lay down the groove!!!!

without a groove, any jam is going to get pretty stale pretty quick, whether it's metal or jazz or whatever.

it's a really important job, just not as flashy as the lead-playing, but so very necessary.

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Posted

Yes, the groove - though "groove" is a truly nebulous term.

In my world, the groove is a cooperative effort between the drummer, bass player, and rhythm guitar. The bass can lock in to either of these players with some success, or can swim along side to take the music in cool new directions.

Here are some interesting examples:
Bruce Cockburn - Hills of Morning (bass totally locked in with kick)
Rush - YYZ (bass locked in with guitar, really just a low rhythm part)
XTC - Mayor of Simpleton (bass swimming along side both the guitar and the drums)
Van Halen - Panama (bass is low end texture (throb)).
Bach - Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (bass provides chord structure)

I'm interested in hearing more about what you folks do.

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Posted

Much of the bassist's job depends on the size, instrumentation, style, and talent of the group. I like playing the bass in smaller groups. I like to stretch out and play melodically. I tend to think of myself as bridging the gap between melody and rhythm. In other words, the bass player should play something that is simultaneously melodically interesting and rhythmically coherent (melody and rhythm are never really exclusive, so this should be somewhat organic). I like playing countermelodies or harmonizing with the vocalist. I like imitating the guitarist's lead licks. Sometimes I'll double them.

In a trio setting, the bassist can do a lot to highlight a lick played by the drummer or the guitarist (or organist, or whatever else you might happen to be using). Doubling a rhythmic or melodic idea brings that idea to the forefront of the music. Jaco did this a lot. Trio settings also allow the bass player to use a broader range on the instrument. In fact, using the full range of the instrument helps to fill out the sound quite a bit.

A word of caution about adding melodic ideas on the bass: if you have a great lick to play, make sure you don't play it at the same time that the guitarist or drummer plays their totally awesome lick. At best, your idea will be obscured by theirs. At worst, your idea will sound wrong--terribly wrong.

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