Fancy stuff

Bushfire · #1 08-08-2005, 12:16 AM

Okay I think I'm begginning to get a handle on the basic stuff involved in writing basslines. But what do I do when I want to bust out something fancy, like a drum fill (is there such thing as a bass fill?) can you just go crazy over whatever scale is applicable for whatever key your in? I have no idea really. Thanks.

-Bernard.

Correlli · #2 08-08-2005, 01:35 AM

Yeah, just create a pattern around that root, and let rip - Any pattern really, trust me.

Make one up even.

Getting back in rhythm is the hard part, so if you can count while you're doing the fill, it makes it easy to get back the rhythm.

-Chris

Bushfire · #3 08-08-2005, 09:57 PM

So like, any pattern, just as long as you don't stray too far?

MCBTunes · #4 08-08-2005, 10:07 PM

i think thats what he is getting at. do something like a minor pentatonic down the neck, thats a pattern, one that i happen to like. do that for a 4 count and jump back to root or whatever your playing

Daniel Baskin · #5 08-08-2005, 11:02 PM

Feel. All you need is feel. Feel the beat pulsing. Feel energy building. Feel your way around the neck. But above all, feel the groove. Experience, experience, experience. If you spend enough time just jamming and improvising lines (or just the fills), you'll get the hang of it. It is not the amount of notes you play, but the inner energic vibe you send out. This is what feel is all about. NO ONE wants to hear a bass doing a big shredding session. Hell, I don't even want to hear a guitar shreding during a fill.

The thing about fills is its all about displaying your control of the rhythm, not the progression. Listen to the drummer and Flea from the RHCP--mainly the drummer. Though Flea is just as good, the drummer better describes what I'm talking about in his fills. And just like the drums, a fill is only good if it fits into the allocated space.

Above all, there are two major things to keep in mind:

1.) Feel the pulse/know where the beat/rhythm is

2.) Experiment...A LOT

Bushfire · #6 08-09-2005, 03:42 AM

Alright I think I'm getting a loose handle on this (the basic idea, I haven't practiced any yet) but, when's a good time to bust them out, like and what other ways are there of 'breaking away' from the chord progression? What are some songs you can reccomend with good examples? And finally, how am I supposed to practice them?

Sorry for being so inquisitive...

Correlli · #7 08-09-2005, 04:46 PM

Yeah. You have really hook-in the with the drummer.

So when you do a fill, the drummer is there right by you. And when the drummer does a fill, the bass supports the fill like wise.

Those drum grooves I posted under "Rhythm Practice" should help you with that. You can practice doing fills with any song. Just jam away to the song on the radio, and when you hear a space, jam a fill in there. So, jamming to any recorded song will help to develop that instinct.

Lastly, try to develop a instinct for rhythm and timing of phases and fills. As mentioned also, pentatonic patterns are the best to use, starting of.

Oh, and thanks for the link info on my website. There's tons more "useful" stuff coming too.

Bushfire · #8 08-10-2005, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiwi Kid

Oh, and thanks for the link info on my website. There's tons more "useful" stuff coming too.

No prob, us kiwis have to stick together

That solo stuff on your site is pretty cool, being the rock (as in the genre) head that I am, I don't really 'get it' musically but, your definately miles ahead of me with your playing. How long have you been playing for? Oh, and how on earth do you do that thing at the start of "shredding paper"?

But, as for the fills yeah, I will keep practicing but-and stop me if I'm wrong here-but I assume it's much like writing a song (the words), theres no real 'theory' to writing it just so as long it matches the song, and when I'm writing I either 'get' a song or I don't, is it that way with fills?

Correlli · #9 08-10-2005, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bushfire

No prob, us kiwis have to stick together

That solo stuff on your site is pretty cool, being the rock (as in the genre) head that I am, I don't really 'get it' musically but, your definately miles ahead of me with your playing. How long have you been playing for? Oh, and how on earth do you do that thing at the start of "shredding paper"?

But, as for the fills yeah, I will keep practicing but-and stop me if I'm wrong here-but I assume it's much like writing a song (the words), theres no real 'theory' to writing it just so as long it matches the song, and when I'm writing I either 'get' a song or I don't, is it that way with fills?

I've been playing bass for 18 years. but have only been playing soloing stuff for about 12. Those recordings are about 2 years old, and i was only about 60% happy my technique and the theory behind it. The material for my debut solo CD is much more refined and structured. The begining of shredding paper is 32nd note finger plucking @ 120 bpm. Very difficult to get it sounding good without using effects like distortion and delays, to give it the illusion of speed plucking.

Anyway, I should also tell you, that the other way to learn how to add fills to chord progressions, is to plan, design, and develop your music (cover or original) in std notation. The example below is 12 bars from a piece of music that I'm currently working on, where there's a fill every 3 bars. So, if you're after a full-filling career music, you should learn how to play by instinct (ear, feel, beat, space etc) and a structured approach (std notation). The more tools in you're toolbox, the better. Of course, if music is a hobby, playing by ear and chord charts is more than enough.

Have fun Kiwi

KeithBMI · #10 08-10-2005, 10:18 PM

I've got something cool, and your parents will thank you for it! It's called a pick scrape, and althought it is more of a guitar move, it can be used on a bass. Take a pick and scrape it on the G string from the bridge to the neck. It'll create this high pitched shreak that everyone loves!

(No. I don't use it in music, just to kill peoples' ears.)