entertaining technique

mullet0909 · #1 08-09-2007, 01:01 AM

I decided to create an original song for this years botb at school. i wanted one song we play to show some skill or talent but couldnt decide on which one. so i decided what better way to show what i can play than making my own song. my question is...what are some cool techniques i could incorporate that are entertaining/fascinating/impressive/or just cool?

ex. i played a tap version of fur elise for a few friends of mine and they said that that was the coolest thing they had ever seen on guitar. now these guys arent guitar players but you get the point.

i would hate to play something boring that no one likes.

chicagodoubler · #2 08-09-2007, 02:26 AM

Here's how you pull the "Karate Kid" on your talent show. Except, instead of winning a karate championship and the hand of a 1980's chick with bad bangs, you'll dominate your talent show. And probably end up with a girl who likes Evanscense but looks good in fishnets.

Here's how.

Solo bass "Under my Umbrella" as done by Rihanna.
Or Beyonce "Irreplacable."
Or best yet, Amy Winehouse, "Rehab."

Even better if you sing along too.

They'll all know it.
I promise.

Sad nature of music. Unless you are just totally ultra-awesome or really lucky, people will love your music the most if it's something they really recognize. And the girls wanna sing the chorus. Always. Oh yeah. They love to sing the chorus. And dance. Can you sing backgrounds in your band? Girls really love to sing the chorus. They love it when you do too...

Is there a "too much 'Brown Eyed Girl' emoticon"?

On a serious note.
Solo pieces that impress:

Portrait of Tracy, Jaco
Earthquake, Larry Graham
Bach cello suite 2 on the upright bass.

The last one will scar your soul. Good luck, young man.

JebSmells · #3 08-09-2007, 05:19 PM

+1 Portait of Tracy. Dosn't matter how many times you listen to it, it just matures with age!

owensea777 · #4 08-09-2007, 07:50 PM

So, are you in a band or playing by yourself? That's a good idea about playing the tune of something really popular on the radio, but won't you be at the battle of the bands? What is the audience going to be like? Like mostly highschool girls who don't know much about good music, or a bunch of "emo kids," or what?

mullet0909 · #5 08-10-2007, 01:33 AM

i already have a thread going in band management and performance about all the questions your asking and about what songs to play. my question is not what to play but what techniques and small things that would spice up and original song we play.

**will be playing with a band. drummer and 1 to 2 guitarists

chicagodoubler · #6 08-10-2007, 02:41 AM

what's number one on the charts right now?

play that just like the record.

years from now you will realize that my sarcastic bs is truthful.

people basically want live karaoke.

technique and bass flash is meaningless in the eyes of hot young chicks.

they know nothing of Stu Hamm and especially Michael Manring.

they may know of Primus and Rush, but only that they f'n hate it when their older brother practices John the Fisherman and YYZ during their lessons.

As I said before, either be ultra awesome, or play stuff they all know.

For more on how to be ultra awesome, consult Larry Graham, Jaco, and J S Bach. Oh yeah. And Janek Gwizdala, John Patitucci, Richard Bona, Oteil, etc...

Oh yeah

don't waste your time tapping and working on tricks and stuff until you can read, play at least 10 lines by JPJ, McCartney, and Jameson, and can hold down the groove rocksteady on several different genres of music.

otherwise, you're just going to be a wanker.

and nobody likes that.

tswd · #7 08-10-2007, 09:02 AM

The general public doesn't care about bass players. Period. They want the bass to make them want to dance. That's it. End o' list.

The most impressive thing you can do is stay in the pocket and not screw up the songs. Even then, nobody will notice that you did that. They'll only notice when you don't.

Leave the flashy stuff to the guitar players. They're the lead, anyway, so it's their job to be flashy and impressive. Anything you do on bass to try to spice up the song runs the risk of making it sound horrible.

Remember that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. How well you nail the song, and how good the song is in the first place, is far more important than any flashy tricks you try to add to it.

mullet0909 · #8 08-10-2007, 03:48 PM

if you'll read my original post in my other thread it states that i have a reputation as a bassist at my school however not too many people have seen/heard me play. my school is filled with rockers and many would appreciate my music. also the acoustic in the GYM where the botb is are terrible for treble. you cant hardly hear the guitar in there however u can hear bass extremely well.

MammaryVest · #9 08-10-2007, 03:53 PM

There's nothing more impressive than just writing a great song. If it were me I would forget about fancy techniques and just write the best sounding song that I could manage. Something nice and catchy, you really can't go wrong.

Alan Vorse · #10 08-13-2007, 08:00 AM

You are setting out to impress people with "tricks." A real player plays what they hear in their head. If that involves learning a fancy technique, then so be it. But don't go learning how to triple-thump for the sole purpose of impressing people. If that's why you are playing bass, you might want to quit music and become a professional athlete.

MudKricket · #11 08-15-2007, 06:32 AM

i say wirte a good song and just have good stage presence.for me a good bass spin thing over the shoulder always get ppl to notice me

but only do it if you can do it everytime and if you have straplocks.

disclaimer: i am not responsible for anyone who may read this and decide to go try to spin thier guitars in thier front yard breaking thier instuments or anything else.

also, play dance dance no joke Fall Out Boys sucks big time but thee girls here love it haha.