Anyone know a good resource for basic country bass? Lessons/samples/runs/etc?

Originally posted by CAYAMusic
Anyone know a good resource for basic country bass? Lessons/samples/runs/etc?

I don't know of any country bass resources, but just use your ears. I've been playing in a country band for five years now and can tell you the bass isn't that complicated. A lot of root/fifth lines with walkups between the chord changes, mixed with root/third/fifth and a lot of staying on the root, especially in ballads. There are some trickier parts, but these are the most common. If you don't understand what I'm talking about, get a good general music theory book. By root/fifth I mean if the chord is A, then A would be the root and E (either below or above) would be the fifth. You would alternate between these two notes. This is the standard old style country bass line. A lot of newer country is rock influenced and the bass lines in these are more rock style than country. As I said before, use your ears ! Listen and figure it out yourself, it is not that hard. Good luck...

Try to throw a 2 or 6 in as well- some of the passes I play most in my country band are runs starting on the 6 and playing the 5 3 and 2, in optional orders- give it a shot!

Use your ears...I agree. If you're really wanting to learn the standard forms and conventions of country, I'd definitely suggest that you go back and listen/learn some of the earlier traditional country stuff: Hank Williams Sr., Merle Haggard, George Jones, etc. or some newer stuff that follows these masters, like Dwight Yoakam, George Strait. Get a feel for what the "standard" country song does and it'll help you build a base to work from.

Definitely put some work into learning the "Nashville Numbering System". That'll help you in lots of musical situations.

Keith Rosier has a book called the lost art of country bass. It looks really good and I have heard good things about it. Probably would teach you everything you need to know.

There are 2 rules to playing country bass lines:

1. It's all about root - 5.
2. Don't ever play a passing tone! No chromatic stuff or you'll get funny looks.

Everything else is just fluff. :D

Most of the new country is really pop music with a country flavor. While there are still plenty of root/fifth songs going on, more than half of the new stuff comeing out is much more complex than that with different approaches to bass lines(including chromatic runs). Unless you are just going to pick out the Root/5 songs in your repitoire, you had better tune up your ears. I am coming from a classic rock band into a country rock band and find the basslines much more interesting, more challanging, and a hell of a lot more fun. I would atribute a lot of this to the talent that is now in the country music scene. They may not be the most learned musicians around, but them boys sure can play!!!:eek:

Originally posted by bizzaro
Most of the new country is really pop music with a country flavor. While there are still plenty of root/fifth songs going on, more than half of the new stuff comeing out is much more complex than that with different approaches to bass lines(including chromatic runs). Unless you are just going to pick out the Root/5 songs in your repitoire, you had better tune up your ears. I am coming from a classic rock band into a country rock band and find the basslines much more interesting, more challanging, and a hell of a lot more fun. I would atribute a lot of this to the talent that is now in the country music scene. They may not be the most learned musicians around, but them boys sure can play!!!:eek:

I agree completely. I played classic rock, metal and alternative for 20 years before joining a country band, and I play more different styles and feels now than I ever did playing rock. Everything from shuffles to waltzes to cha-cha to walking bass to straight ahead rock, you find it all in todays country. But there is still a lot of old country in todays music, and learning the root/fifth stuff is essential. And I agree, there are a lot of great musicians in country today. You hardly hear guitar solos in rock these days, but in country you hear guitar, piano, fiddle, harmonica, dobro and even banjo solos. There are some GREAT musicians in country today.

Agree also.
I hate this attitude that any chump can play country. Like you both said. Modern country players are some of the best musicians around.
I am guessing alot of it has to do with most of them are studio players.

Originally posted by bizzaro
They may not be the most learned musicians around, but them boys sure can play!!!:eek:

Bizz-
IMO, MOST of the playas in the Nashville studio-scene are very 'learned'(either On-The-Job-Training or schooled).

Originally posted by beermonkey
Don't ever play a passing tone! No chromatic stuff or you'll get funny looks.

Well, now I know why I'm getting those looks.
"F"-'em if they can't take a joke... ;)

BTW, the New Country band that I have been a part of for, now, 10 years or so-
The leader of this band(an ex-Rock DJ & an ex-bassist of a Dregs'-style '70s Fusion band)is now a New Country DJ...he's well aware that MOST of his listeners & fans are coming from the '70s Rock scene.
So, like most have already mentioned, a lotta today's Country has differing influences...I hear some Rock, R&B, Funk, Blues, Latin-inspired stuff, etc(not sure if I've heard any Reggae-tinged material...yet). ;).
Anyway, this New Country band I'm in does-
"Play That Funky Music"(with a hokey Root-5/2-beat during the chorus).
"Taxman"
"Stormy Monday"(The Allmans' version from the Fillmore Live set...there's some chromatic walking in SIX on that one!). ;)

FME, the crowds are pretty open to almost anything...
Almost. ;)

Originally posted by JimK


"Stormy Monday"(The Allmans' version from the Fillmore Live set...there's some chromatic walking in SIX on that one!). ;)



My country band used to do "Stormy Monday", too. Some of the cowboys didn't "get" it, but for the most part it was well recieved by country fans. And when we get requests for it we play "Mustang Sally". Of course, we've played a LOT of Skynyrd, but country fans love them. And one night we even played "Purple Haze". You should have seen the look on some of their faces...:D , especially the club owner. The last couple of years we've pretty much stuck to country, though.