Deep Groove Feeling

santucci218 · #1 08-15-2007, 05:35 PM

Ray, I had yet to check you out since last week and let me say i am amazed. Bill Dickens and yourself amaze me with your slap techniques. Though, that isn't what i am here to ask about. Playing fast is fun, and I really respect that about you, but i was wondering about your slower pieces. How do you really get into the groove. i know that muted notes are good but like...how do you feel out the rhythm and what notes you want to play?

rayriendeau · #2 08-15-2007, 07:12 PM

Thanks for the kind words!
Great question too...for me, any groove no matter how much or little you play needs to "lock in" with the drummer. The "groove" is made up of many elements including time, feel, accents, and SPACE.
A great place to start is to make sure you are in sync with what the kick drum is doing. There are a ton of great bass lines that just consist of the bass placing root motion along with the kick pattern.
Be aware of the feel of the groove/song...is it an 8th, 16th or triplet feel...is it straight or swing feel...
If you want to connect the root motion use chord tones and/or scale notes. Just make sure that you are adding musically to the groove and not to loose the integrity of it.
This subject is HUGE and I could go on for days, but all in all having a great groove is made up of every aspect of your playing and my best suggestion is to learn grooves that you dig and really take a look at what makes it groove to you. Note choice, rhythm, accents...
The cool thing is that because of so many elements you can truly create your own definitive groove style and sound.

santucci218 · #3 08-17-2007, 09:28 AM

good stuff. thank you for the words.

i also had one more question that i could direct to many players, but i have you here so why not!

when you were young and getting into playing bass, did you ever have the opportunity to speak with your favorite bass players like us kids these days can?