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Originally Posted by Earthday  Anyone have any tips for playing bluegrass bass? What intervals work well when you're playing over chords etc.? |
Play the one and the fifth of any chord. Play them on beats 1 and 3 of each measure. Do this religiously, and at tempo (dead on the beat) without slowing down or speeding up. I prefer to play the fifth note below the one note in pitch (it will be on the next lower string right beside the one note). When the music changes to the dominant, or fifth cord of the scale, don't play the fifth note in the preceeding measure. Hit two one notes instead, otherwise the bass line sounds a little muddy. Once you are comfortable with playing "One, Five" bass, throw a walk up or down to the next chord in the chord progression in the measure before the chords change. Use the scale of the song's key to do this. Play each note of the walk up or down as quarter notes, or one note per beat. This will give your music some variety and keep you from getting too bored with the "one, Five" thing (Marshall Willborn, a well-known Bluegrass Bassist, named his solo album "One, Five" -- that's how pervasive this is).
When you are playing, resist the temptation to add a lot of fancy notes to everything. Your job is to keep a strong, steady beat that changes chords accurately. You have to do this while soloists are playing flying, fast lines following YOUR chord changes. Don't even THINK of trying to follow the soloist, and hoping to hear the chord changes from them. You are the the most important player in the group, and everyone will be relying on you. This is called "Taste."
Practice playing to records of bands noted for great rhythm. The Bluegrass Album Band CDs are excellent for this, as well as Bill Monroe and Flatt & Scruggs compilations, and Stanley Brothers recordings. The "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" CD Volume One has some great bass playing in it by Junior Huskey. It is a must for playing along with. Forget Volumes two and three, they don't quite cut it. Try to pick out licks and ideas from these records. Above all, keep steady and strong rhythm!!
Mike
