I've been writing a lot of new songs that I can play slow or fast, but I don't know what people like more. What do you think, should I take it slow, or keep it speedy. (Almost all of the songs are heavy). http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/eek.gif
Ben E

well i am speaking purely as heavy metal fan...i like it mostly slow...slow always sounds heavier and darker, more scary, ya know? fast is kewl also but it seems less dark and kinda "happier" whatever that means, lol but to answer your question, if i qualify as "people", i say slow

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"Don't let those empty people try and interfere with your mind, just live your life and leave them all behind!"--Black Sabbath

I like it slow and then fast!

Oooh, you were talking about bass playing?? oops!

Well, depends on the song, but i usually play some fast stuff here and there even if the song is slow. Makes the bass stand out a little bit and makes the fans think "i wanna be like that guy"

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-RIC-

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Black_Sabbath_Fanatic:
fast is kewl also but it seems less dark and kinda "happier" whatever that means<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

as a fellow huge Sabbath fan, I have to disagree that fast = happy. Slayer never struck me as a very jovial bunch. http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/smile.gif

lol i know that's gotta be the dumbest thing i've said in a while....lol. what i was refering to especiall though was the song BLACK SABBATH. that has got to be one of the darkest sounding and scariest songs i have ever heard, and it is also a very slow song...SLOOOW AND HEAVY...then you have the song PARANOID, it is a faster song, it's not "happy", but it is definatly not as dark sounding, speed does make that bit of difference....but then i wasn't really thinking only bass, sometimes the bass is slow/faster than the total outcome of the song....now i'm making no sense....

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"Don't let those empty people try and interfere with your mind, just live your life and leave them all behind!"--Black Sabbath

As a heavy metal fan (and Sabbath fan), I can tell you that songs that are fast are more of thrash and slow is more heavy. Then there are some of my favorite bands. They actually change time in the middle of the song. Listen to early Megadeth, early Metallica, any Iron Maiden. It all depends on your taste as well. Slayer is always fast (except for their newer stuff, which their fans hate). Black Sabbath was more of a heavy plodding band. Whatever works for you is my point

Some like it fast, some like it slow http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/smile.gif Most of the great metal bands change during a song. Take "Iron Man" for example, now that is a heavy song, but it's slow. Then, they have that little solo part where they just thrash out!! So keep using both, let your bandmembers help decide the speed also, maybe they would just be more comfortable playing slow, or fast.

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I'm the Bassmonster....ROWWAAARRRR!!!!

why decide this at all? write some slow songs and write some fast songs, maybe alternate between both in the same song, or build from slow to fast gradually in a song. its all good if you write it well.

It's way harder to play slow (and keep the groove and time in place) than it is to play fast. If you're coming from a bass playing standpoint, write some slow songs as a challenge to yourself to keep a steady groove at those tempos. From a song standpoint, whatever you like.. fast is definitely cool too!

Slow and heavy is great, like 'Sad but true' by Metal... oh, you knew it?! - But have you ever heard Atheist. I'm not sure they exist anymore, but were they fast? - man!! It's a challenge to listen to a whole record, but a few songs... It's just so hectic an energetic that you fall drewling to the floor! If you can, try listing to the first two records, 'Piece of time' and 'unquestionable precence' (yes, they believe in UFO's !!!), the latter is featuring Tony Choy on bass - He's something I tell you.

Well, I think most songs pretty much decide for themselves what tempo they are gonne be played in. Once made, they lead their own life!

Slow is good. Fast is good.
If you want speed try SLIPKNOT.

Anyone?

sorry, Athiest broke up years ago. pretty good band though.

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Sean

Think about what it is that your are playing, in the song. IMO, it takes more accuracy and skill to play a slower tune that everyone is focused on, whereas in a fast song, most people are going with the emotion and tempo. Its all up to you my friend, do what you want and what you think sounds good.

Well if are writing A LOT OF songs like you mentioned, it would be a good idea to play some of the songs slowly, some of them fast. Fast stuff is sometimes good, but it is often boring to listen a whole album of fast songs. If song structures are simple, it may not be a good idea to chance tempos during the song. While at live performance, playing a song a little faster sometimes kicks ass.

If you wanna captivate people and make them amazed, try slow... I like listening to the Grateful Dead slow songs such as Row Jimmy because Phil Lesh could fit more notes into a beat if it was slow. (Anyone know what album Row Jimmy is on? There's over 30 and I haven't been able to find it.) If you want to make people jump up and down, like Blink 182 does, play fast. Personally I like both, and I think both should be utilized equally.

I think songs have a certain tempo that brings out the most of the melody and groove.

I find sometimes the tempo is felt collectively by the band and the song just develops that way, and sometimes it is dictated by the song writer and can take a little more time to realize.

I try to be consistently inconsistent when it comes to song tempos. Keeps listeners listening I think.

There is much to be said about all ranges of tempo why limit ourselves to fast or slow?

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Thump

Hold on I'll ask my girlfreind.

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If you are writing several songs, change the tempo in some. If your intent is to play these songs in concert, all fast tires an audience and all slow can bore an audience and all mid-tempo songs start to sound alike. Type-O-Negative plays really slow heavy music, but I'm not sure you are talking about heavy. I'm a Metallica fan and I love the way they change tempo right in the same song. Iron Maiden does that too. I love "Fear of the Dark" with it's split second tempo changes.

There's another thing too, I don't know if you have considered. If you are writing several songs, don't make them all in the same key. Vary the keys for listening interest. Also, Metallica not only varies keys between songs, but often within a song. That kind of change up adds tension and interest. Many listeners are not astute enough to know you changed keys, but they'll know something cool happened and that is what you want. Of course, some songs are simply not complex enough or long enough for key changes.

In short, you don't want your songs to be predictable, so that your audience feels that if they heard one, they heard them all. So from song to song, change tempo, keys, structure and mood. That'll keep your fans coming back for more. Jason Oldsted

like what other people have said dont have the song just be like angel of death(slayer song) haveing it be really fast all the time. try to build it up to the fast parts. you can either start it off fast or slow. you should have a nice slow break down in the song. then build it up. i think a song sounds alot faster and more heavy when you but dynamics in it. dont just stick to one speed. combine the two and the people will dig that.

Uh, Okay??? http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/confused.gif http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/confused.gif http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/rolleyes.gif http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/smile.gif

It depends not only on personal preferance but emotions you what the fans to get from what your music. I like to break things http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/biggrin.gif so i prefer fast or moderatly medium stuff. You could screw up either and end up with crap, fast is harder to mess up because its fast but if done good it destroys all compation. A perfect example is Cliff Burton, his stuff is fast and it supports and expands the whole rest of the music.