Do I sound like a beginner?

311fan · #1 10-03-2006, 01:24 PM

Well recently I have started to believe I am not improving as a bass player anymore. I have been playing for almost 4 years. So here are a few recordings. Give me a good idea of what to work on.

www.myspace.com/lifeontitan

Thanks,
Mike

**Vorago** · #2 10-03-2006, 02:17 PM

Pre organic goo: I like your tone, but, you have to create a more reggae feel in the verse, the drummer has a nice groove going, but you sound like you're playing a punk line...try to incorporate more silence into your basslines.

Listening to the other lines, I repeat the things I mentioned above: more reggae feel in some parts, try to lock more with the drummer.

Hope this helps a bit

Sandwich Man · #3 10-03-2006, 02:53 PM

I really like the line in Coping with Comets, but every once in a while you should space it out and go for just a few notes, maybe even going past the 12th.

In preorganic goo, I like the busy line when it's the solo part, but during the song, have some stops, because otherwise it's too hectic. And no, you don't sound like a beginner, I like your playing very much!

For your sound, try to listen to a lot of live Matisyahu. It will really teach you something, it has for me anyway when I want to jam/reggae stuff.

zillo · #4 10-03-2006, 03:20 PM

Sounds very good. I've been playing a bit less than 4 years as well, and it seems to me like you are doing well.

Nice grooves on preorganic goo and coping with comets. Keep at it. That's good stuff.

EricF · #5 10-03-2006, 03:56 PM

Good stuff. As previously mentioned, a tighter lock with the drummer will help give it a bit better punch for the overall sound.

Kickin'Fruit · #6 10-03-2006, 04:36 PM

For the OP and me, could you elaborate more with locking in with the drummer? I know you should match his bass drum kick, but that's about it.

JimmyM · #7 10-03-2006, 09:51 PM

NONONONO! Don't think in terms of locking in with the drummer. Think in terms of locking into the TIME. When you lock into the time itself rather than the drummer, then you don't have to worry about playing boring parts just because they match up with the drummer's bass drum. Whenever I think of a bass line, what the bass drum does is the absolute last concern of mine. But it doesn't matter because I'm locked into the time of the song.

This locking up with the drummer thing is a myth spread by drummers to get crappy bassists to not ruin songs, and the easiest way to do that is to tell them to play with the bass drum and don't do anything else.

Kickin'Fruit · #8 10-04-2006, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

NONONONO! Don't think in terms of locking in with the drummer. Think in terms of locking into the TIME. When you lock into the time itself rather than the drummer, then you don't have to worry about playing boring parts just because they match up with the drummer's bass drum. Whenever I think of a bass line, what the bass drum does is the absolute last concern of mine. But it doesn't matter because I'm locked into the time of the song.

This locking up with the drummer thing is a myth spread by drummers to get crappy bassists to not ruin songs, and the easiest way to do that is to tell them to play with the bass drum and don't do anything else.

Hmm makes sense. Are you saying in case the bass is poor then the bass drum will mask it in a sense? When there is no bass drum kick then you're out in the open field... in open season?

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that locking in with time is something like "i'm going to play the root on beats 1 & 3 and fill on beats 2 & 4? Lets say you are playing a quarter note on beat 1 and 3, does this mean you can come up with a fill that is 4 16th notes long to make sure you have enough time to come back and hit the root on beat 3?

EricF · #9 10-04-2006, 10:49 AM

Locking in with the drummer isn't just about playing on the kick drum - and it doesn't always have to be a root on the 1 and 3. Generally speaking, the drummer is responsible for the tempo of a song (some drummers are challenged by this). Locking in with the drummer means to sync the timing of your own playing to match the time and rhythm of the song.

Looking at a simple straight-8 drum rhythm, you'll have the kick on 1 & 3, the snare on 2 & 4, and the cymbal tapping out 8ths. You could just play on the kick, you could also play 4ths that lock into the kick and snare. An 8th note bass line would be locked into the kick, snare, and cymbal. Of course, there are a multitude of different timing combinations you can use depending on what the song needs.

Bass and drums are BOTH part of the rhythm section. The more they are in sync, the tighter the music will be.

Kickin' Fruit - The kick drum will not mask a poorly timed bass note. It will just sound like a sloppy rhythm section. If you want to nail a fat root note on 1 & 3 to make those notes really punch with the kick, then yes, any fill in between needs to be done in time to nail the 1 & 3.

whitedk57 · #10 10-05-2006, 11:27 AM

Killer tone. I have been playing bass for 1 1/2 years now, and I have to look at it by comparison. What did you sound like 1 year or 2 years ago?

Just keep groovin'! If you played this live, people would swaying and groovin' all over the place.

311fan · #11 10-05-2006, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitedk57

Killer tone. I have been playing bass for 1 1/2 years now, and I have to look at it by comparison. What did you sound like 1 year or 2 years ago?

Just keep groovin'! If you played this live, people would swaying and groovin' all over the place.

Yea, all the recordings are live from our last show.

JimmyM · #12 10-05-2006, 10:50 PM

Kickin', EricF probably gave you about as good an answer as you can get. Let me just add not to fall into the trap of relying on the drummer for the time of the song. Good timekeeping is everyone's responsibility.