Why is ballad playing considered so challenging?

[midbass]

I've heard this said numerous times and wonder why.

Is it because there's less going on and the bass stands out more, or is it trying to make sure not to overplay?

I've noticed that Nathan East has probably played on more big hit ballads than anyone else in the last 25 years, from Whitney to Michael to Mariah to Clapton, etc.

[MuzikMan]

I've actually never heard this but it got me thinking. Maybe you can't hide behind a bunch of notes and have to rely on things like style, taste, and ability to listen to others?

[lindseyp]

I think it's both answers above.

[rymiraflores]

I love playing ballads just because I can play something more melodic and musical and you DO have to think more about what you are playing.

[CDRhom]

As you mentioned it's harder to hide the bass. It's an opportunity to really tear the listener's soul out with your bass (rather than move thier booty) but it can come across flat and lifeless if the player is just going through the motions or is bored.

[bassman10096]

All the above are true from my experience. Nothing like a ballad to expose weaknesses in your technique for both hands and in your confidence in your sense of rhythm. Particularly on really slow tunes (Wonderful Tonight for one), the rhythmic challenge feels almost like trying to maintain my balance - too far ahead or behind knocks the groove over. A teacher once had me play A Whiter Shade of Pale in quarter notes only for a half hour a day to build my ear for the beat. It was very helpful (and boring to nearly Zen proportions).

[DWBass]

I never heard that but it probably came from cats who just can't tone it down!

[jaywa]

Note duration. More space between the beats means more chance for notes to be played shorter or longer than they should. Also its easy to rush especially on runs. Standard practice when I'm playing a ballad is to drag the drums, I.e. I hold off playing my note till the kick has actually landed.

All that being said IME the ones who really botch ballads most are singers and keyboardists, who invariably rush the tempo.

[N.F.A.]

I have never heard that before...Harder to hide mistakes I guess...

[midbass]

Very good responses......one of those things that aren't obvious at first.

I found this from Marcus Miller's website:

Who was the artist whose music seemed to challenge you the most?

Playing Luther's ballads is challenging. Figuring out what Miles wanted was challenging, too. Roberta Flack's ballads, too. Michal Urbaniak (Polish fusion violinist) had some pretty challenging stuff back in the seventies.

marcusmiller.com

[N.F.A.]

Very interesting... Have to check out some of Urbaniak's material.

[Edward G.]

A ballad is emotional. If it's not true, the groove will not happen.

[joelb79]

The ballads i have recorded have had less room for mistakes and extra notes adding to the above challenges the artists usually have a certain idea on ballads because they are usually emotionally tied to the writer. So delivering on their emotion is much harder than say your own.

That being said, I'm sure for some players there is no challenge in ballads, but rather the opposite. I've found in life that there is always an exception.

[Russell L]

It's like being under a microscope. Everything stands out.

[JTE]

Note choice is critical for every single note- there's no room for an extra note that doesn't quite work even if it resolves quickly. Why?

Because the next problem- the rhythm and the flow don't allow for you to hide stuff stuff. It's all out there in the open and you can't just quickly go to another note. This is associated with the fact that if you're early or late just a bit with your note placement, it sticks out and pulls the ear away from the song. You can't count on people thinking you were playing a grace note.

And there's the critical emotional aspect- Leland Sklar's work on ballads is a good example (and I agree with the Nathan East comment too)- he insists on hearing the lyrics before he starts playing.

John

[jgroh]

Even though Im in a cover band now, I grew up playing and writing originals and the ones I wrote were on the "ballad-y" side, so I developed a tasteful melodic style that works well in that format. But I do agree that the more sparse style can make the bass more prominent and harder to hide.

[stflbn]

Probably because it's tough to use Fuzz pedals, Distortion and over the top Modulation effects in a ballad.

Just a hunch.


.

[MNAirHead]

most rhythem sections rush...

Count the number of TB posts of "how can I play faster" compatred to "How can I create machine like timing"

[THORRR]

My first instinct is to play a walking bass in this song.

In fact, that's how I always played it, until I stopped to listen to the original oldie and heard the bass player playing half as many notes and giving the song a more unique feel.

Give a listen: YouTube - The Platters - Only You

[TheDude007]

All of that, plus I find it's easier to get distracted when playing a ballad. We have two quasi-ballads that we've written, and I find if I'm holding a longer note, I tend to space out and think more about other stuff than my playing...stupid wandering mind...