Punk Theory?

[AlphaMale]

Anyone know any theory on playing punk Music?
Or any tips. Preferablely HArdcore punk

[bassplaynmatt]

What do you mean by theory? As far as actual western musical theory the same basic rules apply, except in a much less strict fashion. Things like voice leading (i.e. parallel fifths) are not only allowed but a core part of the make up (friggen power chords!) Also, there is a slight trend towards much simpler functional harmony in punk. Mostly I, IV, V, ii, and vi chords as opposed to vii iii and things like secondary dominates (i.e. V7/ii etc.) although the dominate bVII chord does show up a lot resolving to the flat three. I doubt there are many comprehensive punk theory books out there due to the fact that the very nature of the style is unstructured and somewhat homegrown, and this is just my take on it as an occasional listener but not an avid fan of the style.

[BassChuck]

I had to smile at this one. Brought back a painful memory.
As a senior in HS in 1969 I was studying music theory and had all the basic "RULES" in mind of how music was made. One night I heard a rock/blues band that was very popular locally (think Cream, Jeff Beck etc etc). During a break I went up to on of the players and asked, "when you are all improvizing, how do you keep from playing parralle fifths?" I got no response, and I think you can imagine the look he gave me. That night was the pivot point for my life to exploring jazz and rock music (and one small step away from nerdom).

"Punk Music Theory" would only exist in any usable form if Punk music were dead (then some Harvard shmoe could write a book about it). There are however some stylistic things that you must to do sound 'punk'. You can learn them at "iTunes", "Amazon.com", "CD Baby" and a host of other 'textbooks'. In the end, your ears are the only rules.

[Cristo]

Aren't the words "punk" and "theory" incompatible?

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

Playing with a pick using all downstrokes is a key component of the style.

[ryco]

Lots of root of chords, preferably in straight eighth notes and pump it out on top of the beat like a SOB

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by Alvaro Martín Gómez A.

Playing with a pick using all downstrokes is a key component of the style.

I don't know about that, Alvaro. There are a lot of punk bassists who use a pick with all downstrokes, but there are just as many who use fingers, and there's even a few who alternate pick. I think it's opened up considerably since the early days.

BTW, Cristo, very insightful.

[MammaryVest]

Everyone on this thread is wrong, hardcore is the purest form of goodness in the world, and comes from the heart, and not a book. It's whatever you want it to be, and don't let anyone tell you how to do it "right"

[bryanjnkns]

IME, the words "punk" and "theory" are not usually found in the same sentence. LOL!

Just play every note like its your last. Theres no need to be technical. If it sounds good, play it, bash it, thump it, hit it!

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

I don't know about that, Alvaro. There are a lot of punk bassists who use a pick with all downstrokes, but there are just as many who use fingers, and there's even a few who alternate pick. I think it's opened up considerably since the early days.

Oh, of course, Jimmy! My point was that playing all downstrokes with a pick is a distinctive component of the style (BTW, Flea mentions this aspect of playing punk in his Starlicks video with River Phoenix), but it doesn't mean that it cannot be played fingerstyle. I'd play with my fingers if I were in a punk band since I hardly use a pick.

[middy]

Dynamics and tempo are very important (e.g. loud and fast!).

[AlphaMale]

Well I guess I should mention this. I use my fingers, two of them.
I'm used to playing classical, metal, blues, and folk.
Anything I can do to adjust?

[bassmasta05]

i like to play punk and if you consider blink 182 punk (their label does) then some advice would be to play lots of roots, and throw in some 5ths and octaves here and there. Just some simple 8th note patterns.

[ARCtrooper225]

Punk is all (and I mean ALL) about conviction and feel. 'Tis all I have to say.

[bassmasta05]

o yea, using a lot of notes from the A string or "Middle" of the bass is a good idea too for punk. Using lots of mids feels more punchy, like a punch to the gut.

A good bassline I reccommend to get into the punchy feeling is Lycanthrope by +44.

[Depth_Charge]

Yes. I do have some advice on what to adjust here

I'd consider not thinking in "genres" you play and looking for the various tricks contained within each and start thinking of yourself as a musician who commands a number of techniques to support the bass range of a song regardless of genre.

There's just as much reason to use stacatto thumping in country and western music as there is to use some slap and pop or mellow lines in punk or metal based music, and mixing these techniques makes you a more versatile musician.

[SundanceChile]

Originally Posted by Cristo

Aren't the words "punk" and "theory" incompatible?

Pretty much.

Originally Posted by ryco

Lots of root of chords, preferably in straight eighth notes and pump it out on top of the beat like a SOB

That's all there is to "punk" really.

Originally Posted by MammaryVest

Everyone on this thread is wrong, hardcore is the purest form of goodness in the world, and comes from the heart, and not a book. It's whatever you want it to be, and don't let anyone tell you how to do it "right"

Tell that to all the other genre freaks, namely jazz. Listen to some Dead Kennedys man, their bassist had a knack for theory IIRC.

[Risen Ashes]

Pick is very helpful unless you can play fingerstyle like Matt Freeman...def 8th notes...play roots but I'd say to look into Craig from Sick of It All basslines and Mike Dirnt from Green Day, and some Pennywise (About Time album and before)

Here's the thing brother-in punk and especially PUNK HARDCORE the bass is sometimes like a lead guitar it cuts through and is very in your face. listen to those bands and you'll HEAR what I mean. in punk hardcore it's common for the guitar to be very distorted and the bass to be the leader in melody and chord progression...especially if the guitar player is playing mainly power chords

[uturnbass]

Well, I don't know know if it'd be just pumping out eighth notes, because a lot of the punk bands I listened to had some pretty cool grooves every song. Unless their bassists were just that creative....

[El Bajo]

Learn your pentatonics. In my punk days I found that at the end of every fourth bar full of 8ths a nice fill along with the drums was quite interesting. Also Listen to Mike Dirnt and MAtt Freemans walkups, sometimes in the scale, other times just chromatic. It makes the music flow more and interesting for you.