Unable to groove

el_bajista · #1 10-01-2006, 11:06 AM

Hi guys!
Here's my problem: I've been playing bass for 3 years and other instruments for 14 years and my problem is that I can't make any simple bassline groove, I have problems even keeping time.
I've read many articles out there about this, but they're all about kids that can't tap their feet on time, and I can do that, I can play drums and I can do pretty complex rhythms (or so I think

), but my fingers always feel slow and hard to move acurately.
Any suggestions?
Thanks

WillBuckingham · #2 10-01-2006, 01:01 PM

Practice with a metronome.

The_D · #3 10-01-2006, 01:24 PM

Practice with or without a metronome but with would help a lot.

Some people just dont have rythm. Practice and you will find it man.

tenorbass · #4 10-01-2006, 01:45 PM

Play with a metronome. Use all rythems you know, Learn more. Play muted notes.

markjazzbassist · #5 10-01-2006, 03:30 PM

play with a metronome. whatever "groove you want to learn (i.e. blues, funk, rock, metal, jazz), get a lot of that music and listen to it a lot and try to learn it by ear. playing along with cd's and stuff with vastly improve your groove.

JimK · #6 10-01-2006, 04:02 PM

Jauqo to the rescue...

LazyBerserker · #7 10-01-2006, 11:18 PM

The trick I found that worked? Listen to James Brown. He'll pass the groove on to you.

Koki · #8 10-02-2006, 10:08 AM

Get back to bassics. Play simple lines with drum machine or metronome. The best thing is to play with drummer.

Jumbotron · #9 10-02-2006, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koki

Get back to bassics. Play simple lines with drum machine or metronome. The best thing is to play with drummer.

Yeah, find yourself a drummer and really, really listen to what he or she is doing. Try to lock in with the kick drum.

tradition_2kill · #10 10-02-2006, 10:57 PM

if you can tap your foot to the radio you should be able to groove a bit. you may be over thinking this whole groove thing.

JAUQO III-X · #11 10-02-2006, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tradition_2kill

if you can tap your foot to the radio you should be able to groove a bit.

Do you honestly believe that ?

Yvon · #12 10-02-2006, 11:34 PM

Everybody said to play with a metronome...
I've been playing for 20 years, and my rythm improved when I stoped playing with a metronome!
I went the Jeff Berlin way.

For the james Brown suggestion?
Learn all of his song!
They are often long vamp and will improve your groove.
On the same topic of long vamp, try some of the free exercises on Jauqo web site. If you like it, buy the method! (I will do it in a near futur).

ocnyup · #13 10-04-2006, 09:10 AM

El Bajista...

My grooving has always made leaps forward at times when I have played with a drummer whose right foot I can lock up with.

Your right hand and your drummers right foot (reverse both for lefties) need to make dinner date plans. Those two need to be real close. They need to go to Cubs games together and drink Old Style and heckle Matt Murton for his red hair. They need to go to the cineplex and share a Dippin' Dots.

Think of your plucking hand as an extension of the kick drum. Thump those notes (however many or few you want) on the one. Give the backbeat its due, but get the plucking hand and the kick drum locked up first.

To draw on previous posts, take a look at the drum&bass on James Brown's Payback. In particular, listen to the double kick on the one, and how the bass is locked onto it. That combo is what's driving that tune.

If the kick is dropping on the one & three, just thump the one & three. Try playing in a way such that every time the kick drum hits, you're knocking out a big fat dose of the tonic!

From hence, all other grooves will grow.

But yes... for certain... listen to James Brown. Make it easy on yourself and buy the very popular 20 Greatest Hits collection.

Jace The Bass · #14 10-04-2006, 09:23 PM

Basically listen alot more to the music that you want to play

lukaas · #15 10-04-2006, 10:16 PM

forget the metronome....

go the JB route... listen to some Paul Chambers (miles davis) maybe some Motown...relax a bit, practice slowly. read the score without playing... practice slowly..

IMO ! L.

RockFace · #16 10-04-2006, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tenorbass

Play with a metronome. Use all rythems you know, Learn more. Play muted notes.

+1,000,000. i think learning how to correctly mute and ghost notes is by far the most important thing in maintaining your rythym. even if you are not playing funk, where those things are most common, learning how to make your fingers/pick go on and off the beat, holding notes, and resting properly are all keys. i also think this is best achieved with a metronome...if you mess up, start over again until you can do it comfortably. i don't have one these days, but i certainly learned rythym and time concepts with one on almost at all times.

talking about this has really made me want a metronome again. it's really great practice...

rock

ptotheATsign · #17 10-04-2006, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RockFace

+1,000,000. i think learning how to correctly mute and ghost notes is by far the most important thing in maintaining your rythym. even if you are not playing funk, where those things are most common, learning how to make your fingers/pick go on and off the beat, holding notes, and resting properly are all keys. i also think this is best achieved with a metronome...if you mess up, start over again until you can do it comfortably. i don't have one these days, but i certainly learned rythym and time concepts with one on almost at all times.

talking about this has really made me want a metronome again. it's really great practice...

rock

I use this sometimes: www.metronomeonline.com

markjazzbassist · #18 10-05-2006, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lukaas

practice slowly

+1

if you can do it slow, you got it. many people don't realize that slowing things down is actually harder cause you hear every fault its not just a blur of notes.

seansbrew · #19 10-05-2006, 10:26 AM

Playing with a metronome is the worst thing I have ever done for my playing. Isn't that more of a drummers tool?

Anyway, I feel that my ability to play with groove comes naturally to me. I have always had a heightened awarness of things that are groovy. Groove is a state of mind, I grove everywere I go. I think it's something that can be improved and refined, but not neccesarily taught. I feel either you have it or you dont (in your head that is). I prefer to practice to drums, drum machines or music, give your metronome to the first person you see and never look back.

Pic out some of your favorite funky tunes and learn them, take your time. Sing the bass parts, hum them, bob your head, feel the groove. the bass line should come last after all that. Take a bass lesson, find an instructor that can help you find your groove. Good luck

steveb98 · #20 10-05-2006, 10:58 AM

Being able to groove is a complex thing. First you have to be a master of time. If your sence of time isn't great then how can you control playing behind the beat, on top of the beat or nailing the beat. Also is a matter of listening to the drummer and other players. You need to lock into the drummer, and have good eye contact with drummer so you both know when to stay out of each others way. Then learn what groove is really about, it isn't about notes or lines it about a rhythm section and hopefully whole band playing tight, in time, like a train powering down the tracks. A bass player can easily groove on a one note line. In fact flip on your metronome, pick a note on your bass, and start playing quarter notes in time. Remember if you are in time the sound of the metronome will disappear. Then once locked in start playing around funky rhythmic patterns, still using one note. Learn to play around with the time, on the beat, behind the beat, on top of the beat. Start making up lines with fewer notes more space in the line, but remember keep in time. Once you can groove using one note, you now understand what groove is all about. Then you can heard a metronome, a broken air contidioner thumping, any sound with a steady rhythm and start singing to yourself funky lines.

As for technique I would say work on your muting. A lot of groove/funky lines lose their feel in notes lasting too long and the rhythmic pulse gets lost. Especially get your right hand muting working. Something to trying is find a funky bass line you like and learn to play the rhythmic pattern of the line with one note like I described above. Now for the challenge. Play that rhythmic pattern on an open string with only your right hand. You will need to have your right hand muting together to make that work.

So to play groove, or to swing, or lay it down is all about becoming a master of time, not how many notes you are playing.