Hip-hop bass players, playing techniques, ideas, ?

[Wehmas]

Been a while since I last posted here, and my english is in bad rust, but I'll write anyway.

So, I have about six months of school left (I study at the local conservatory) and I'm supposed to start my final work (Thesis / Diploma work?) soon.

I started out my playing career in the heavy metal genre, then drifted to pop and motown, and in school started playing jazz and afro-cuban music.

During the last two years I've been intrigued by hip-hop / modern r'n'b-music and I am seriously thinking about doing my final work about the role of a bass player in that music context. Living in Finland, we don't have too many big names in that particular genre and the use of DJ's instead of a live band is more of a rule than exception. There is a scene, but it is quite small but growing every year. (Trying to get employed before the other players see the $ moving around and get the job before me

So, if anyone here has anything to say about working in that scene, I would be glad to have any information that you may give me. For example:

-How to create a driving bass line in the studio?
-How to react to the other players / MC's in a live situation compared to pop/jazz-music
-What kind of equipment do people working the scene use?
-How to get employed (in other words, how to get the gig in the scene and keep it)
-Any links to interviews and homepages of hiphop-bassplayers etc. is greatly appreciated
-If you work or have worked as a pro in the scene (Or know someone who has), and would like to be interviewed for my final work, please, do contact me!

If this is in the wrong section of the forum, feel free to move the thread.

[Wehmas]

Anyone? *bump*

[Fetusyolk]

this is very interesting. bump for interest

[Wehmas]

Originally Posted by Wehmas

There is a scene, but it is quite small but growing every year. (Trying to get employed before the other players see the $ moving around and get the job before me

I just have to say this, that the text in the quotation doesn't mean that I'm trying to jump on the bandwagon and be a rich mofo, it's just a fact that when you know how to play something, and are good at it, you get the gigs. I like hip-hop & r'n'b A LOT from a listener's point of view, and that's why I hope that I could get at least some employment in the scene.

Hey, it's better than playing the finnish "humppa"-music :P

[Ace Of Bass]

Live hip hop is largely based on playing a sample from a record of cd live, so it can be repetitive....it's all about the groove......the use of fills is important......as with everything else, you must use good taste.......letting the MC go for it while you keep the groove steady locked with the drummer is ideal.......Owen Biddle from The Roots pops up here now and then.......pick his brain if you can.....

[rezin]

Originally Posted by Ace Of Bass

Owen Biddle from The Roots pops up here now and then

sweet, i had no idea

[Calebmundy]

Bass Player magazine did a cover-article on Leonard "Hub" Hubbard from The Roots a few years back. That article would be a great source for you.

[j.a.e.r.i.p]

I think something that you can gather from all hip hop musicians is consistency (look at ?uestlove), you're gonna really wanna have a consistent sound for a particular song, so for me that usually means pretty bass heavy eq and playing way up near the neck for a nice thud. I think another thing you should consider is time, because if you look at players like Me'shell you gotta be able to play in all parts of the pocket, and especially in hip hop you gotta be able to play back, which I've found is much easier when you're really moving to a song (not just tapping your foot or whatever).

[Supertanker]

First, to play Hip Hop music you should love it.

To play it just for money makes you less than authenic (to put it nicely).

When you listen to Hub or Adam Blackstone their playing comes from their heart, soul and experiences...

[Stumbo]

Get a rig that can cover the low end with massive force. Check out Bill Fitzmaurice cabs.
And at least a 5 string bass.

[Fun Size Nick]

Originally Posted by Stumbo

Get a rig that can cover the low end with massive force. Check out Bill Fitzmaurice cabs.
And at least a 5 string bass.

Plenty of hip-hop bass players out there with regular old 4-string P and J basses - and most of the classic James Brown/Chic/Sly Stone/etc samples that have been used extensively in hip-hop were recorded with them too...just sayin'.

[Wehmas]

Originally Posted by Supertanker

First, to play Hip Hop music you should love it.

To play it just for money makes you less than authenic (to put it nicely).

When you listen to Hub or Adam Blackstone their playing comes from their heart, soul and experiences...

Well, yes. I understand, and believe that all music should come from the heart. The very few gigs I've done in hip-hop I've done for free, usually paying from my own pocket all the costs for the drummer and me. Not because I have the money for it, which I truly don't, but because I am really intrigued by those gigs and believe there is a lot to learn for me as a musician and as a music fan.

[Deacon_Blues]

Remember this thread?

Hip Hop bass lines do they really exsist ?

When I think of a hip-hop / new r'n'b bass line, I hear a rather bass-heavy sound, a sparse use of notes with some amount of pauses in between them on selected places. Often there's a full quarter note on the 1, often syncopated notes on esp. beat 3. But of course there's an endless amount of variations, I don't think the rhythm is as "standardized" as e.g. the latin rhythms. however, I haven't played more than a couple hip-hop gigs so I'm probably not the best person to answer. This is however my (simplified) view these basslines.

[DogPlaysBass]

Originally Posted by Wehmas

-How to create a driving bass line in the studio?
-How to react to the other players / MC's in a live situation compared to pop/jazz-music
-What kind of equipment do people working the scene use?
-How to get employed (in other words, how to get the gig in the scene and keep it)
-Any links to interviews and homepages of hiphop-bassplayers etc. is greatly appreciated
-If you work or have worked as a pro in the scene (Or know someone who has), and would like to be interviewed for my final work, please, do contact me!

Where to begin...

First thing to do is check out music most heavily sampled by hip hop. That would be James Brown and Parliament/Funkadelic. Basically for you that means... Bootsy. Have you heard The Chronic by Dr. Dre? It is just Mothership Connection by Parliament chopped up.

You need to have rock solid time. Are you aware of playing on the beat and behind it? To play hip hop you need to be able to float behind it when playing funk oriented hip hop, and be right on it when playing synth driven hip hop. Always lock with the kick drum.

You want a rule of thumb for hip hop? LONG NOTES. If you don't know what to play, slam the one with the kick and let it ring.

Tone wise, you could go on and on about EQ all day. However, the tone really starts in your fingers. For hip hop, you need to find the power in your low E string (or B if you play a five). Sit and just play the low E string, and stroke the string, don't rest your finger then pluck, and get softer and softer. When you do this correctly, the shape of the tone becomes very bass heavy and very powerful. You need that soft touch if you want to get called back.

Also, you need to be able to mute and muffle notes. Many suggest palm muting, but this will not allow you to pluck over all the sweet spots. So learn how to get a palm muted tone with your left hand, by fretting with your first finger and lightly touching the other fingers to the string without pressing it against the fret. Then you can get the best of both worlds.

As far as equipment goes get a good compressor. This will make those long notes ring evenly, and help you approach keyboard bass type sound.

If you want to get work in the scene, put some videos on youtube. This is helpful because:
1) You have an instant video resume
2) You may get gigs from people you never expected
3) You take a real hard look at your playing when you know millions of people can see it
4) You will know you are doing something right when your videos start getting 5 stars consistently

Record yourself playing along to classic hip hop tracks and see how close you can cop the groove.

What classic hip hop albums do you listen to? If you are not familiar with all or most of the people on the following list, you need to do some homework...

Eric B/Rakim
Run DMC
LL Cool J
Dr Dre
Snoop Dogg
Tribe Called Quest
Public Enemy
NWA
Busta Rhymes
Ice Cube
Wu Tang and all solo albums
Warren G
Nas
Notorious BIG
Tupac
Puff Daddy/P Diddy
Outkast
Roots

I could go on and on but those are some mainstays from some of the big eras. I didn't even mess with dirty south or anything outside US.

Hope that helps.

Good luck!

[Wehmas]

Dogplaysbass, thanks! One of the most informative posts I've read in a long time! Thumbs up & a big thank you!

[Wehmas]

Bumpity bumpy bump for possible new opinions.

[Vorago]

Here's an interview with Hub, ex bassplayer from the Roots.

He has a very interesting take on bassplaying, and he's one of my main influences, playing as well as bass philosophy wise.

http://www.bassplayer.com/article/hi...ght/Jul-03/742


HIPHOP!


Edit, I'll give you my opinion on hiphop bassplaying later, when I have a little more time.

[rezin]

Originally Posted by DogPlaysBass

So learn how to get a palm muted tone with your left hand, by fretting with your first finger and lightly touching the other fingers to the string without pressing it against the fret. Then you can get the best of both worlds.

great great post

that part above, is something like a scrunchee (i don't know you spell that, the hair thing) on the strings or foam under the strings gonna get the right sound?

[Dave Muscato]

Another related thread...

Tips for playing Hip-Hop bass lines

[willgroove2]

One thing i have found when working with hip hop artist is basslines are often chopped together phrases on recordings so the natural accents and syncopation often don't fall where you think they should.you can hear this in productions by the late J-dilla,tribe called quest,Madlib(one of my favs) more mainsteam hiphop usually will have lines that are very sparse, more like tuned 808's than riff's.