I got invited to a latin/salsa/swing jazz band

[GerManson]

I got invited to a latin/salsa/swing jazz band, and I really liked the idea.

but I have never played that kind of music before.

is there anything I should know?
what gear would be the best for this?

how should I EQ my bass?

any advice from my loved friends from talkbass.com ?

[elgecko]

Originally Posted by GerManson

I got invited to a latin/salsa/swing jazz band, and I really liked the idea.

but I have never played that kind of music before.

is there anything I should know?
what gear would be the best for this?

how should I EQ my bass?

any advice from my loved friends from talkbass.com ?

For the Latin jazz/salsa part, the "sound" you're shooting for is the Ampeg Baby Bass...it should be "felt" as much as it's heard. Maybe some foam under the string near the bridge to dampen the strings a bit and a good amount of bass boost.

[Phil Smith]

If you haven't played salsa before the feel is far more important than whether your bass sounds like an ampeg baby bass. If you know the genre and can play the feel you can do it with pretty much any bass because it's been done with pretty much any bass, baby bass, double bass, six strings, 5 strings, slap bass.

[GerManson]

I got a Jazz with Flats
and also got the ashtray to cover the nasty foam if i use some

and i also got a rickenbacker with a working mute.

and i got an ampeg SVT 3 Pro..

will this work?

[Phil Smith]

Originally Posted by GerManson

I got a Jazz with Flats
and also got the ashtray to cover the nasty foam if i use some

and i also got a rickenbacker with a working mute.

and i got an ampeg SVT 3 Pro..

will this work?

Any bass will work if you know how to play the feel.

[Beginner Bass]

For the swing, you'll proaly want to sound close to an upright as possible. Semi-hollow/Hollow/Acoustic if posible. Flats, and preferably fretless. But the best idea is just a good old double bass.

[stephenrheard]

I joined a salsa band earlier this year; the thing that helped me out the best was getting a metronome that can play a 3:2 and 2:3 clave beat and just hammering the salsa bass tumbao over that until you can hear the clave in your head. That single handed-ly made the largest contribution to my salsa bass abilities.

I use a Lakland jazz with flats and just dial down the treble. In salsa, the bass is the "kick", so you want that low thud.

[GerManson]

Originally Posted by stephenrheard

I joined a salsa band earlier this year; the thing that helped me out the best was getting a metronome that can play a 3:2 and 2:3 clave beat and just hammering the salsa bass tumbao over that until you can hear the clave in your head. That single handed-ly made the largest contribution to my salsa bass abilities.

I use a Lakland jazz with flats and just dial down the treble. In salsa, the bass is the "kick", so you want that low thud.

Thank you so much!
Will do that

[mambo4]

this keeps coming up! I played for 5 years in a salsa outfit, heres my best tips:

The bass tumbao in cuban music revolves around two specific beats in the measure:
namely, the upbeat "and" of 2 (called the bombo) and the downbeat of the four (the ponche)
Typically the bass anticipates the root of upcoming chord on the 4 (ponche), followed by the the fifth on the 2-and (bombo.)
This syncs up perfectly with the last 2 beats of the 3-side of the clave rhythm.

-practice clapping the clave and singing the bass tumbao rhythm. great because you can do it anywhere, while walking your pace can be the metronome.

-Learn the conga tumbao. Even better: learn the rest of the rhythm section patterns. Piano montuno, the cascara on the Timbales, etc...they all interlock, and can guide you correctly when a simple Clave beat is absent.

-the Latin bass Book and True Cuban Bass as mentioned in other threads

-In addition to the suggested listening, Check out Cachao's "Master Sessions Vol I & II" or "Cuba Linda" for some tumbao mastery.


- I Eq'd my p-bass with a boost to teh lowest mids (250-300 hz) and never worried about any high end.

[GerManson]

Originally Posted by mambo4

this keeps coming up! I played for 5 years in a salsa outfit, heres my best tips:

The bass tumbao in cuban music revolves around two specific beats in the measure:
namely, the upbeat "and" of 2 (called the bombo) and the downbeat of the four (the ponche)
Typically the bass anticipates the root of upcoming chord on the bombo, followed by the the fifth on the ponche.
This syncs up perfectly with the last 2 beats of the 3-side of the clave rhythm.

-practice clapping the clave and singing the bass tumbao rhythm. great because you can do it anywhere, while walking your pace can be the metronome.

-Learn the conga tumbao. Even better: learn the rest of the rhythm section patterns. Piano montuno, the cascara on the Timbales, etc...they all interlock, and can guide you correctly when a simple Clave beat is absent.

-the Latin bass Book and True Cuban Bass as mentioned in other threads

-In addition to the suggested listening, Check out Cachao's "Master Sessions Vol I & II" or "Cuba Linda" for some tumbao mastery.


- I Eq'd my p-bass with a boost to teh lowest mids (250-300 hz) and never worried about any high end.

these are the kind of things i was just waiting! thank you so much man!

[Phil Smith]

Originally Posted by mambo4

this keeps coming up! I played for 5 years in a salsa outfit, heres my best tips:

The bass tumbao in cuban music revolves around two specific beats in the measure:
namely, the upbeat "and" of 2 (called the bombo) and the downbeat of the four (the ponche)
Typically the bass anticipates the root of upcoming chord on the bombo, followed by the the fifth on the ponche.
This syncs up perfectly with the last 2 beats of the 3-side of the clave rhythm.

The bass anticipates the root oF the next chord on beat 4 and plays the 5th on the and of 2.

[mambo4]

Phil is absolutely correct, my initial post was backwards:
anticipate on the 4 (ponche) and play the 5th on the 2 and (bombo)
original post edited.

crap, I have been posting that for years, I hope i never messed anyone up....

[Phil Smith]

Originally Posted by mambo4

Phil is absolutely correct, my initial post was backwards:
anticipate on the 4 (ponche) and play the 5th on the 2 and (bombo)
original post edited.

crap, I have been posting that for years, I hope i never messed anyone up....

Don't fret, people aren't reading this stuff.

[behemecoytl]

Originally Posted by Phil Smith

Don't fret, people aren't reading this stuff.

quite the opposite... I'm writing it down and adding to my Bass Bible

[robboy]

Don't fret, people aren't reading this stuff.

I am. I'm working on this stuff everyday now because I play with a Cuban drummer and I'm trying to internalize this stuff so when he breaks into an Afro Cuban groove I can play it with conviction. I've had a book lying around called "Funkifing The Clave" written By Lincoln Goines and Robbie Ameen many years ago. It has a similar exercise to the one Mambo4mentioned where one taps the clave with a foot while claping out the tumbao. I sucked so bad at it years ago that I gave up but now I'm finding that I can begin to feel comfy with the music.

[Pacman]

Originally Posted by Beginner Bass

For the swing, you'll proaly want to sound close to an upright as possible. Semi-hollow/Hollow/Acoustic if posible. Flats, and preferably fretless. But the best idea is just a good old double bass.

The key to playing swing on electric is not getting a double bass sound (you'll never get it), but to get an appropriate sound. There is a huge difference.

Again, feel is more important than anything.

[One Bad Monkey]

Originally Posted by Phil Smith

Any bass will work if you know how to play the feel.

This.

You can tell in an instant if someone doesn't know how to play the style of the music. Just did a three run musical (that was all jazz, big band swing and latin styled tunes) and it was apparent who knew how to play the styles of the music, and who didn't.

Worry more about that than what equipment you're bringing.