Holding the note on slower songs

[walknbluez]

I recently got involved in a project that has several melodic and slower songs. Coming from a rock trio with one distorted guitar and faster songs where I had to "pedal" and play lots of 16th notes which filled in space, I'm finding myself wanting to do something similar on these slower songs where we'll play a chord and I'll play the root and octave back and forth or just the root but I'll match the rhythm of the drums or the strumming pattern of the guitar, which in many songs is acoustic.

I'm thinking that it would be better to sustain the root note on the chord of slower songs. Is there a general rule about this. When I listen to examples, it seems so and it also seems that the bass sustain is strong and steady on those examples. The challenge when I've tried this is if the chord hangs for an 8 count and I just hit the note once and let it sustain, it doesn't stay steady and strong for the entire 8 count. Does this make sense? Any suggestions?

[LiamPodmore]

I tend to sustain the root note and also the octave, if i need to sustain any notes for songs of this type

[Andrew Jones]

Great Question and a topic that does not get NEARLY enough attention,,,Sustain and Length of note. Huge Part of Rhythm.

The simplest answer,,,, the next Snare Hit. IE 2 or 4.

The better answer the pick a bass drum beat or a a snare and let it go to there but don't be REALLY obvious about the Cut off points if you playing ballads.


Aj

[walknbluez]

Originally Posted by Andrew Jones

Great Question and a topic that does not get NEARLY enough attention,,,Sustain and Length of note. Huge Part of Rhythm.

The simplest answer,,,, the next Snare Hit. IE 2 or 4.

The better answer the pick a bass drum beat or a a snare and let it go to there but don't be REALLY obvious about the Cut off points if you playing ballads.


Aj

Which I need to work on....I find myself jiving with the rhythm of the strumming of the guitar.

[MalcolmAmos]

Slow tunes - ballads - two beats to the bar, not necessary to sustain unless you want to. 3/4 ballads just a slow waltz beat - boom pause boom, boom.

I know not you choice of music, but the 3/4 waltz time is easy to pick out here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsbdO...eature=related

Have fun.

[Chris K]

Sustain is one of the many options we have. Like all other options, such as loudness, effects no/yes/which, notes many/few, inversions root/others (etc. etc.) the key, IMO is:

CONTRAST

Use what you like, but moderately. Any 'effect' (in the wider meaning), sustain included, only works because of its contradiction with the rest of your play. Also slow tunes need well placed short notes to get a groove. You'll soon discover that if you play them without drums.

Unless I misread, the OP comes up with a technical problem not being able to get a decent long sustain (if and when needed). The answer, in most cases: better gear.

[walknbluez]

Originally Posted by Chris K

Sustain is one of the many options we have. Like all other options, such as loudness, effects no/yes/which, notes many/few, inversions root/others (etc. etc.) the key, IMO is:

CONTRAST

Use what you like, but moderately. Any 'effect' (in the wider meaning), sustain included, only works because of its contradiction with the rest of your play. Also slow tunes need well placed short notes to get a groove. You'll soon discover that if you play them without drums.

Unless I misread, the OP comes up with a technical problem not being able to get a decent long sustain (if and when needed). The answer, in most cases: better gear.

That sounds like good advice and I'll try some of that.

As far as sustain, I was thinking it was more about settings. I think the gear I have is pretty good. Peavey VB-2 all tube amp into a 212 and Fender basses. Also, admittedly, when I wrote that comment I had just listened to a slow song on the radio and the studio does wonders for things like that and so I was comparing it to that. So on second thought, I do have sustain, I think its depth I'm looking for. I think I just need to play with some tone settings and volume. I'm trying to balance volume and not be too loud but I could probably stand to turn up a bit. The guitarist said the other day that I should turn up a bit so I may have been holding back a bit since I'm just learning these songs.

[Stumbo]

1) Groove Tubes Fatfinger Bass Sustainer
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Groove-T...ELAID=29474306

2) Possibly turn the bass volume up as the note decays.

3) Compression

[Already In Use]

I'm in a band that plays some real slow music also. To add to my challenge I am a new player. For my taste I'm finding the less is more approach regarding the role of my bass in these s l o w songs. Many times its just root notes, sustain and an occasional approach note. I tried getting a bit "busy" but the bass dominated the tunes and took the intended feel away.

[codeinedreams]

try filling it in with different notes - anticipating the chord change and walking up or down to the next note. or use 5ths in addition to octaves. or try to write more melodic bass lines that harmonize with the vocal, etc. BTW, I'm from sacto too, nice ta meetcha (read your post about your previous band, that sucks, I've been in that exact situation and had that same conversation - not with the same person thankfully)

[walknbluez]

Originally Posted by codeinedreams

try filling it in with different notes - anticipating the chord change and walking up or down to the next note. or use 5ths in addition to octaves. or try to write more melodic bass lines that harmonize with the vocal, etc. BTW, I'm from sacto too, nice ta meetcha (read your post about your previous band, that sucks, I've been in that exact situation and had that same conversation - not with the same person thankfully)

Hey there, nice to meet you too!

Yeah, those conversations suck but it had to be done and I'm really enjoying the project I'm in now, working on our set and trying to line up some gigs.

[MattyBass]

Try not listening to the guitarist so much... Remember you are part of the rhythm section.. Try hitting the notes only when your drummer hits his kick drum.. and sustain in between them..

M

[Nashrakh]

Originally Posted by codeinedreams

try filling it in with different notes - anticipating the chord change and walking up or down to the next note. or use 5ths in addition to octaves. or try to write more melodic bass lines that harmonize with the vocal, etc.

Thirds and Sevenths are also cool. On slow ballad-type songs, I like to follow the rhythm of the drums, add some deadnotes in appropriate places and make use of the 7th. Also, using a chord note of the next chord on the 4 is always cool in my book.

Here's one example:

G||---------------------------------------------------------------------||
D||---------------------------------------------------------------------||
A||--6----5--6----5----6----5--6--6--5----------------------------1--6--||
E||-------------------------------------6--3--1--3----1--3--1--3--------||

Key is D# major. I use the D (the 7th of the D# major scale) and in the middle part, before the chord change, I walk down to G minor, using the 7th and 5th, which are also the 5th and the 3rd of the G minor chord. Then I go about using them minor 7ths... and I use the third of the G minor chord (which is also the 5th of the D# major chord) before rinse and repeat happens.

[mambo4]

Originally Posted by walknbluez

if the chord hangs for an 8 count and I just hit the note once and let it sustain, it doesn't stay steady and strong for the entire 8 count. Does this make sense? Any suggestions?

While compression and sustain pedals may help, there is also a technique solution:

turn up your gear and pluck more lightly.

What's happening is this: you pluck hard and the attack is loud, then the string "settles" into a natural, slow decay, volume-wise. So the "head' of the note is much louder than the long "tail"

if you turn up and pluck lightly, the attack is more even in volume with the natural, slow decay. The "head" is as loud as the "tail" so to speak. As a result the note has a more consistent level a volume across the "lifespan" of the note. It also is likely to improve your tone

[walknbluez]

Originally Posted by mambo4

While compression and sustain pedals may help, there is also a technique solution:

turn up your gear and pluck more lightly.

What's happening is this: you pluck hard and the attack is loud, then the string "settles" into a natural, slow decay, volume-wise. So the "head' of the note is much louder than the long "tail"

if you turn up and pluck lightly, the attack is more even in volume with the natural, slow decay. The "head" is as loud as the "tail" so to speak. As a result the note has a more consistent level a volume across the "lifespan" of the note. It also is likely to improve your tone

Thank you, that makes sense and I'll try that!

[Fergie Fulton]

From a technical point in slower songs with sustained notes the first problem a player will notice is when he lifts off the string to fret the next note the sustain dies and that is audible in their playing as the line does not flow, it sounds dis-jointed. So the timing and quality of the notes becomes very very important because of the sustain being used.
One tip i can offer is wait for the next note to come to you, do not feel intimidated by the wait or the space that you have created or "search for it". Let the tempo of the song bring it to you.
In a band situation sometimes a drummer will flinch before you or you feel the note decaying faster than you expected, then use some gentle vibrato (the pushing and gentle sliding of the string against the fretboard) to help the note.

As with all the great advice already given practice and technique will help the flow of sustain as will the correct gear and playing environment.