Members ryanstanley Posted May 15, 2006 Members Share Posted May 15, 2006 i wouldn't say this has been a HUGE problem for me so far by any means, but i am trying my best to sound more like a "real" bass player, and it's taking a bit of time. do you guys have any advice on technique or anything else that could help with this? or is it just something i've got to keep practicing and figure out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members B-Bottom Posted May 15, 2006 Members Share Posted May 15, 2006 Originally posted by ryanstanley i wouldn't say this has been a HUGE problem for me so far by any means, but i am trying my best to sound more like a "real" bass player, and it's taking a bit of time. do you guys have any advice on technique or anything else that could help with this? or is it just something i've got to keep practicing and figure out? what kind of music are you playing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassplayer7770 Posted May 15, 2006 Members Share Posted May 15, 2006 Well, if you're looking for plucking hand technique, click on the link below for a good lesson. http://www.adamnitti.com/bass_player_02.shtml Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lownote Posted May 15, 2006 Members Share Posted May 15, 2006 lose the pick . . . & less is more . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members llllllllllllllllllllllll Posted May 15, 2006 Members Share Posted May 15, 2006 I'm never sure what people mean when they talk about 'playing bass like a guitar player.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassplayer7770 Posted May 15, 2006 Members Share Posted May 15, 2006 Originally posted by bassplayer7770 Well, if you're looking for plucking hand technique, click on the link below for a good lesson.http://www.adamnitti.com/bass_player_02.shtml Other than that, you might try just learning some of your favorite songs on bass. See how the bassline fits the song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members llllllllllllllllllllllll Posted May 15, 2006 Members Share Posted May 15, 2006 ps Never listen to anyone who tells you not to play with a pick. Do whatever's comfortable for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ryanstanley Posted May 15, 2006 Author Members Share Posted May 15, 2006 Originally posted by B-Bottom what kind of music are you playing? i'm working on two different styles right now.. im not sure if you will have heard these kinds of music, theyre not radio-level popularity, but maybe.. im starting a project similar to minus the bear, the mercury program, piglet, aloha, etc, and im already in a band that plays music more similar to botch, the fall of troy, rumah sakit, and other stuff. if you havent heard those bands, the first project i mentioned will probably have a lot of clean guitar leads & rhythm, a lot of interesting instruments (vibraphone, rhodes, conga drums, random percussion, etc), and humble, pretty sounding vocals. the other band is more driving, hard rock, with a lot of odd time signatures, fast leads, almost linear song structures, a lot of southern rock & 70's prog influence, and a good bit of screaming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lownote Posted May 15, 2006 Members Share Posted May 15, 2006 by llllllllllllllllllllllll ps Never listen to anyone who tells you not to play with a pick. Do whatever's comfortable for you! ah, ye guitar playerz is mostly all alike, can't give up yer little picks . . . sure - do whatever's in your comfy zone . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ryanstanley Posted May 15, 2006 Author Members Share Posted May 15, 2006 Originally posted by llllllllllllllllllllllll ps Never listen to anyone who tells you not to play with a pick. Do whatever's comfortable for you! i'll probably use a pick for the harder band, and not for the other.. simply because the harder band will require me to be able to pick really really fast, and that'd just about be impossible with my fingers.. especially since my right middle finger doesnt quite work like it should. but is that a bad idea? should i just pick one technique and perfect the one skill? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassplayer7770 Posted May 15, 2006 Members Share Posted May 15, 2006 Originally posted by ryanstanley but is that a bad idea? should i just pick one technique and perfect the one skill? Is versatility a bad thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members B-Bottom Posted May 15, 2006 Members Share Posted May 15, 2006 Originally posted by ryanstanley i'm working on two different styles right now.. im not sure if you will have heard these kinds of music, theyre not radio-level popularity, but maybe.. im starting a project similar to minus the bear, the mercury program, piglet, aloha, etc, and im already in a band that plays music more similar to botch, the fall of troy, rumah sakit, and other stuff.if you havent heard those bands, the first project i mentioned will probably have a lot of clean guitar leads & rhythm, a lot of interesting instruments (vibraphone, rhodes, conga drums, random percussion, etc), and humble, pretty sounding vocals. the other band is more driving, hard rock, with a lot of odd time signatures, fast leads, almost linear song structures, a lot of southern rock & 70's prog influence, and a good bit of screaming I have never heard of a single one of those bands. My suggestion is to start by listening to music that isn't really so guitar driven. For instance I used to listen to pretty much only metal. Slayer,Metallica, megadeth,Pantera. And while playing and listening to that sort of stuff helped me become better at certain things, it never really gave me a chance to just play in the pocket and groove. I'd suggest playing with other (not so rock) musicians. I think I became a ton better by finally learning to really just jam with people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ryanstanley Posted May 15, 2006 Author Members Share Posted May 15, 2006 Originally posted by llllllllllllllllllllllll I'm never sure what people mean when they talk about 'playing bass like a guitar player.' well when you've been writing what should sound like lead guitar on top of a rhythm guitarist since you started, it's hard not to do the same thing when you pick up a bass.. a bassline needs to sound like a bassline-- identify the root nots of the chords, provide solidity the mix, etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lownote Posted May 15, 2006 Members Share Posted May 15, 2006 by ryanstanley i'll probably use a pick for the harder band, and not for the other.. simply because the harder band will require me to be able to pick really really fast, and that'd just about be impossible with my fingers.. especially since my right middle finger doesnt quite work like it should. but is that a bad idea? should i just pick one technique and perfect the one skill? previous sarcasm aside - sure, do what works for YOU. Though most bass players playing fingerstyle use 2 fingers - some of the Best Electric Bass Players ever, didn't: 1) James Jamerson was a Master & used only 1 finger. 2) John Entwistle, arguably the best electric bass player ever - used 3 fingers. 3) Tony Levin sometimes attaches sticks to his 2 fingers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ryanstanley Posted May 15, 2006 Author Members Share Posted May 15, 2006 Originally posted by bassplayer7770 Is versatility a bad thing? no, but certain things sound good played with fingers, and not with a pick.. and vice versa.. so if i get used to playing with a pick at one practice, i'll want to put the same ideals into play when i come up with a bassline using my fingers.. and it might not sound right. know what i mean? similar concept applies to effects pedals.. a bigass multieffects pedal is not going to do near as good of a job at the individual effects as a collection of single stompboxes that are made to do the one thing. bassically i dont want to be a "jack of all trades, master of none" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassplayer7770 Posted May 15, 2006 Members Share Posted May 15, 2006 Originally posted by ryanstanley bassically i dont want to be a "jack of all trades, master of none" Can you devote practice time to playing with and without a pick? If not, it's your choice. With that said, I use two fingers exclusively (except when I try to slap). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members der oxenrig Posted May 15, 2006 Members Share Posted May 15, 2006 Originally posted by lownote 2) John Entwistle, arguably the best electric bass player ever - used 3 fingers. He was also a master at using a pick, and was very proficient at tapping towards the end of his life. I like to use my fingers & a pick. It depends on what the song calls for. If it calls for booty shaking thump, i'll use my fingers (such as with blues-based rock). If it calls for attack & and an aggressive, almost guitar like sound (such as a Motorhead style song), then i'll use a pick. There are also other variations of these two techniques that can be used (such as hand placement, etc) to get an even wider palette of sounds. Do what you're most comfortable with, and whatever the song calls for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TN.Frank Posted May 15, 2006 Members Share Posted May 15, 2006 Having come over to bass from playing guitar I use a pick because that's what's comfortable for me. I've tried using my fingers and it just sounded way too dull, I like the "snap" that a pick gives. One thing that I really had to work on was playing too much. As a guitar player I was used to playing a lot of notes during a song, playing the bass I had to force myself to play fewer notes. There are exceptions to that rule, bass solos, fast songs or songs with lots of bass notes(Rush, Dream Theater, Metalica, ect.) but for the most part I had to learn to approce the bass as a "percussion" insturment like the drums. Once I started looking at it like that, as more of a drum with strings, I found myself adding to the beat more then the melody(which is the guitar and singers part). Just try and remember to Keep It Simple and follow the drums, not the guitars. JMHO, YMMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hamer-Bass-Head Posted May 15, 2006 Members Share Posted May 15, 2006 the hardest part of bass playing is getting the timing right.listen to all kinds of music and you'll find the great bass parts "swing" to quote an old (yet still true)cliche'. The timing of your playing in relation to the drummer and the rest of the band sets the feel for the whole song. Practice along with rock, r+b, country (no I don't enjoy it), reggae and anything else you can find and try to play with the best drummer you can find....and I don't mean a guy that knows every rush album cold.... a guy that enjoys playing all different styles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Banta Posted May 15, 2006 Members Share Posted May 15, 2006 There is nothing wrong with using a pick, but there is a difference between picking like a guitarist and picking like a bassist. I can usually tell when the bass is played by a guitarist. Learning to pluck with fingers will give you more range for playing music other than rock. Remember that when playing bass, you provide the "groove" along with the drummer. You have to lock in to the beat and accent the kick. A good bassist & drummer work together, with neither 'following' the other. If the rhythm section is strong, it's hard for the music to be bad. But if the rhythm is weak, the music will be bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Thumper Posted May 15, 2006 Members Share Posted May 15, 2006 Originally posted by lownote lose the pick . . . & less is more . . . +1 on 'less is more.' Picks are OK, but I'd recommend at least trying fingerstyle. Bottom line: either picks or fingers, play what the song needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members der oxenrig Posted May 16, 2006 Members Share Posted May 16, 2006 I like to pick my nose as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rowka Posted May 16, 2006 Members Share Posted May 16, 2006 It's less about playing like a bassist and more about thinking like a bassist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vanlatte Posted May 16, 2006 Members Share Posted May 16, 2006 I also use a pick on occasion. Not very often but occasionally a song just seems to call for it. Since I started out on guitar, I take it as a compliment when people find out and tell me "You don't play bass like a guitar player". And I can say that with a little bit of pride because I play both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bottomdwellr Posted May 16, 2006 Members Share Posted May 16, 2006 I agree with this statement: "I also use a pick on occasion. Not very often but occasionally a song just seems to call for it. Since I started out on guitar, I take it as a compliment when people find out and tell me "You don't play bass like a guitar player". " I go back and forth between a pick and fingers depending on the song. For instance, one song will be very dub oriented (fingers) and the next song is a straight forward rock song where the pick just gives it a great cutting texture. IMHO you should narrow it down to the individual song rather than letting that define your playing on a whole. Sure plenty of finger style strictos would cane me for saying that but isn't it about individual expression? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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