Ceilidh bass style?

[J-B'ass]

Hi all,
in my town there's an annual barn-dance type thing with a ceilidh band who always comes and play. my friend and his father are both in the band, and the father being the band leader asked me to fill in for the bassist, who being primarily a guitarist, is filling in for the guitarist who can't make the gig. (whew, complicated)

and so my question is....how do I pull of a convincing performance? I'v listened to this kind of music before, and i'v root and fifthed my way through the same gig last year (the bassist was late that time so I got asked at the last minute to take his place) but this time I'd like to actually do well, only I don't really know the genre from a bass point of view.
what kind of bass lines come up in ceilidh music?

[Drucocu]

Hi,

i play in a celtic folk band since 9 years, you can play nearly anything in this music, not just only root and fifths, if you get the music in advance, try out anything and it will work, I even slap on some tunes, that gives a modern twist in it.

[BillMason]

Originally Posted by J-B'ass

Hi all,
in my town there's an annual barn-dance type thing with a ceilidh band who always comes and play. my friend and his father are both in the band, and the father being the band leader asked me to fill in for the bassist, who being primarily a guitarist, is filling in for the guitarist who can't make the gig. (whew, complicated)

and so my question is....how do I pull of a convincing performance? I'v listened to this kind of music before, and i'v root and fifthed my way through the same gig last year (the bassist was late that time so I got asked at the last minute to take his place) but this time I'd like to actually do well, only I don't really know the genre from a bass point of view.
what kind of bass lines come up in ceilidh music?

Root-fifth is the traditional way, with pass tones in between. Not as boring as it sounds if you have a good drummer, and a quick tempo! It ain't country music...

But as Drucocu said, you can try some other stuff too, to modernize it, etc. Be prepared to have the older guys give you the hairy eyeball though, they might not like it, and you might not be asked back next year!

Listen to some Pogues, so of the Rankin Family, some Stan Rogers, some Great Big Sea. All very popular here in Nova Scotia, a.k.a. New Scotland, where we have a higher per capita of Gaelic speakers than Scotland has!

[J-B'ass]

thanks for the advice, especially the recommended listening!
cheers guys

[brake]

Originally Posted by BillMason

Root-fifth is the traditional way, with pass tones in between. Not as boring as it sounds if you have a good drummer, and a quick tempo! It ain't country music...

But as Drucocu said, you can try some other stuff too, to modernize it, etc. Be prepared to have the older guys give you the hairy eyeball though, they might not like it, and you might not be asked back next year!

Listen to some Pogues, so of the Rankin Family, some Stan Rogers, some Great Big Sea. All very popular here in Nova Scotia, a.k.a. New Scotland, where we have a higher per capita of Gaelic speakers than Scotland has!

I was wondering if someone else from NS would chime in. Good on you.

[BillMason]

Originally Posted by brake

I was wondering if someone else from NS would chime in. Good on you.

You should join the Canadian Club and TBCC Facebook group!

Canadian Club - Sign up now for membership!
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=18533409480

Where are you located?