Tough time Finding Good Groove

[hakim]

Hi All,

I am really having a tough time finding a good groove for this tune. I am a new bass player but old musician and I am finding this groove particularly difficult to write too. Its really funky. http://www.musicxray.net/xrays/2352/public

Any one got any ideas?

[JimK]

Bare bones start-
Kick drum (minus any ghosting) sounds like a 2-bar phrase of-
l1&---&4-l-&2--&4-l

For a start, I would play the "1" and the "&" of Beat 1 in bar 1.
...and I would play the displacment in Bar 2...the "&" of Beat 1 and the "2" of Beat 2.

A rhythm (subdivided in 16th notes) to try using the above-
l1_&--e&--e&_4_--l--&_2----e&a4__-l

[hakim]

Hey,

Man, thanks. I will try it out this weekend and post the results. I may come back for more questions though. Thanks again.

[DeluxeRed]

I can't get the link to fully load, but as someone who has to jump around genres, may I suggest that "tone" often helps me find the groove? That is, finding that middy, almost wah tone for a funky song, or that buttery tone for a classic R&B song, or a grind for a rocker, finding that sound first can then help me settle into the groove. It might be mental, but it's an approach that helps me get there sometimes on new songs.

[JimK]

Originally Posted by JimK

A rhythm (subdivided in 16th notes) to try using the above-
l1_&--e&--e&_4_--l--&_2----e&a4__-l

Maybe this is easier to see-
l1e&a2e&a3e&a4e&al1e&a2e&a3e&a4e&al

With an attempt at depicting Note Duration-
1_&a2e&a3e&a4_&al1e&_2e&a3e&a4__al


I agree with Red. "Tone", "Articulation", "Note Duration" (staccato & legato), etc. are all things to consider.

Your tune sounds more like "Trance" than "Funk".

[dougjwray]

Sometimes it helps me to write a part away from the bass. I'll put down the bass and sing or hum along with the track until I come up with something.
Or...
Often, I'll listen to the track so much that I've got it running through my head, and then I'll do something like go for a long walk; a bass part will pop into my head, and it's usually the "best" one.

[hakim]

Originally Posted by JimK

With an attempt at depicting Note Duration-
1_&a2e&a3e&a4_&al1e&_2e&a3e&a4__

By George JimK... I think you've got it! DeluxeRed, I'll start working on the tone and the line this weekend and see what happens. Thank you guys very much. I have an Ibanez SR300, an MXR M-80 and an Orange 35B also Guitar Rig 3 when I start tracking... so I should be able to find a pretty decent tone.

Originally Posted by JimK

Your tune sounds more like "Trance" than "Funk".

Yeah... its about as funky as I get... you know.