I want to play some serious lead bass

[The Metal Guy]

Title says it all, I am on a quest to play lead bass.

My heros are Billy Sheehan and Jeff Berlin, and the band I'm currently in (lead guitar and vocals) want me to go back to bass (I played some professional shows on bass).

Now, my band is a G3 style thing, so the guitars really get into it, but now I want to transfer that to bass, I want to be able to get up front and really go toe to toe with the guitarists and show the audience that I'm not just gonna stand in the back and groove.

I'll need help on pretty much everything though. How to achieve the tone,what gear to use, what I can "woodshed" to. (I've heard of guitar wood shedding, but I haven't heard bass wood shedding...) What should I study to compose my own solos, stuff like that.

This is something I've been working on a long time, but have never really achieved.

[kevinmoore73]

What is "lead bass"? Sounds heavy.

[The Metal Guy]

My definition of lead bass: Playing some insane runs and showing that guitard who is boss.

[spindizzy]

You have listed two very different bassists and thus presented a rather open ended question.

If you are going to be a shredder, which I think is Sheehan's claim to fame, then it's all about technique and particularly the types of shred guitar technigues that you may already know. For Berlin, you better be ready to work the theory, stengthen your reading skills and start thinking like a horn player or other lead instrument. It is all about understanding melody, phrasing and the underlying chordal structures with the scales and modes that go along with those.

Be ready though, lead bass players don't work much in the real world so you must be realistic about one thing, you will do this for the art more than the money (unless of course you hit one of those very rare moments when you accidentally run into success or create your own new sound that suddenly becomes popular).

As much as I like to tell you hard work and dedication will bring you success, there is a lot of being in the right place at the right time connected with musical success. But I applaud anyone who is still willing to do it for the art, in which case I say go for it.

Spin

[The Metal Guy]

Well since I play in a G3-ish band the Billy Sheehan style thing might work out better. So what are you saying, just drench my bass in distortion and wail?

[Kuplungmaster]

So, is it an ego trip over a "lead boss" ???

Moderators, would a combined "lead bass" thread stickied on top of the general instruction forum or technique forum help clear the glut of lead bass posts that occur from time to time? Random thought, but it's your call.

Back to the thread, drenching in distortion is okay if you're into the Cliff Burton sound, but Billy Sheehan never actually drenched his bass in distortion. Other guys like Mike Lepond or Shawn Kasack never use any distortion to my knowledge, just a properly EQ'ed sound to cut through the mix.

Also, if that's what you really want to do, don't let anyone on this forum tell you to ride in the back seat 100% of the time. However, remember this much. When you're not soloing, don't make it a point to showcase your chops if the music doesn't call for it. If the music requires your chops, as it does in technical metal and some progressive metal, show your chops, but don't use a wrecking ball to do a hammer's work.

[lamarjones]

Originally Posted by Tired_Thumb

However, remember this much. When you're not soloing, don't make it a point to showcase your chops if the music doesn't call for it. If the music requires your chops, as it does in technical metal and some progressive metal, show your chops, but don't use a wrecking ball to do a hammer's work.

As long as we all agree on this much, I don't really have an issue talking about this....

Tone is one thing, something with mids and highs to get a a good ways in, also an active bass might help with this. Just a p bass probably won't do you justice, but definitely a pj is a good thing, that bridge pickup carries a lot of spank to it. And maple boards have this zing that really helps the shine factor. Hell, just get the sheehan yamaha bass

if you are a shredder already, than I am not gonna really recommend slapping as that is gonna be a whole new technique to deal with. What I would recommend is either tapping a fair bit, and maybe a little boost pedal to keep your tone clean but bring it out there, and just plain old pick up a pick and blast some notes, and maybe that you could use an overdrive or something on. The EBS multidrive is a good choice, and there are several others. A good bass wah helps as well, but this is such a tricky subject, many bass wahs suck.

[Blackbird]

Originally Posted by The Metal Guy

My definition of lead bass: Playing some insane runs and showing that guitard who is boss.

Some people would argue that you're thinking like a "Guitard".

[MEKer]

Well, you may want to lay it out like this: You have the songs you already play and the lead guitars have their parts already down, right? Don't use those songs to insert your bass leads and thus have to rearrange and thus might even be seen as a competitive insertion. In those songs maybe just frill up some of your standard parts.
Its on the new songs you can work out something with the band that you can play in lead fashion--then everyone is behind you on the concept.
The other option is write your own songs with bass as the prominent carrier of the tune and leader of the song. Heres an example of one I have called Looking Past the Edge:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/defa...&content=music

Hope it helps-----

[mutedeity]

Wouldn't a lead bass be a bit heavy?

[OtterOnBass]

Hmm, what kind of song are you imagining playing?

Do you mean lead as in soloing? That's entirely possible, even though unpopular. The only example that comes to mind is "Salvation is Here" by Hillsong United (a modern worship song - solo starts around 2:30).
Or do you mean playing songs that are based around a prominent bass line. An example would be Cake's "The Distance".

[mutedeity]

All this talk about lead bass is hurting my back. Maybe you should try aluminium, it's lighter.

[magnusdeus123]

.....this sounds along the lines of the "I'm a frustrated guitarist" kinda thing.....

I remember when I used to post stuff like the "I want to play Lead bass !!! Impress people !!" . 5 months down the line , bass maturity attained I kinda have understood why it would rarely applicable , and realistically is difficult to work with .

1 - The Basses phyisical structure makes it's atleast 3 times as difficult to do the guitar equivalent things on it .

2 - Tonally , the bass occupies that section in the sonic space , that is SUPER difficult for a typical audience to notice in the case you were playing lead bass . A good music listener will probably understand and like it , but 90% of the people , are gonna start wondering what you were doing in front of the stage for that moment .

All in all , there are a lot of arguements abound that talk about how it's a really controversial matter . Actually I had the same thoughts on the matter as you did a while ago , but I kinda understood the stuff I stated above , and have resigned myself to a lot more other stuff , which makes bass as enjoyable for me , if not more , than what it would be if I would be trying lead bass . I mean now , I focus more on making good basslines , which are melodic in nature , offer counter point to the lead or the vocals , offer a good groove , and am pretty much absorbed in that . Hopefully , you'll be able to discover your equivalent of that realization soon .

[mutedeity]

In all seriousness I am the last person that cares about how a person plays their bass. If they do what they do well and make it work in context go for your life. I am always impressed by technical playing if it is done appropriately. On the other hand I think the concept of "lead" bass is a bit silly. The psychology of a particular instrument being a lead instrument outside of an orchestra seems rather indulgeant to me. I don't even like the idea of a lead and rhythm guitar. Instruments play more or less depending on the context of what they are doing and that is the bottom line. Each instrument in an ensemble should know where it is the main voice and where it is the accompanyment. Saying "hey I am the lead bass player" is like wearing a big red pointy hat so you can give yourself some arbitrary kind of attention that tries to speak more than what your playing does.

[Hawaii Islander]

Write stuff you enjoy playing! I do that and don't really care if other people like it or not! I like it and thats what matters most. There's nothing wrong with thinking (or playing bass) outside of the box. The key is to find other musicians that support what you are trying to do to help you create your sound.

BTW: I hate rules! Especially rules that tell me how to create my music or play my instrument! There are plenty of everybody elses out there already, no need for me to be like them too!

Just have fun and do your thing!

I never saw Billy Sheehan use a pick. I can't use a pick to save my life! (Damn thing keeps falling out of my fingers! )

[Blake Bass]

Woodshedding means putting in some serious practice time, locking yourself in a room and learning your instrument for a few years. It doesn't matter what instrument you play, anyone who is proficient on thier instrument has spent a lot time in the "shed".

[magnusdeus123]

I'm more a traditional guy . 4 months into my bass playing career , and I already knew most of how modes worked and such . I rely heavily on that knowledge now . I just feel that over years a lot of people have spent a lot more time into music than I will ever be able to , and fundamentals have been developed , which continue to be very important .

If the bass was designed as a hot lead instrument , then we would have had a lot of hot bass solo's . But we dont . If that doesnt say something......

Anyways , rather than sounding jaded the only advice I can give is , learning some good traditional bass techniques , and finding strength in the fundamentals of bass playing will build a good foundation , which will always be usefull . Sheehan is a traditional Rock bassist before a Solo'er , and Jaco was a funk guy before he became what we know of him as today .

Besides no one's ever saying that the bass cannot lead . Depends on what you define as 'lead' . To me lead would mean the fact that the bass is the part of the song that lead's or defines the songs main structure . It means that when a normal person hums the songs tune , he will hum the bass part . That doesnt need to mean that it needs to be a lead-line , or something a guitarist would play . It may very well be a dominative bassline . "Californication" - RHCP , "Hysteria" - Muse come to mind . A lot of the RaTM songs are like that .

Just dont play bass like a frustrated 'tarist is all I'm saying . It was meant for it's own purpose , and is designed for performing that purpose to the max . Could you imagine using an axe for heart surgery ??

[The Metal Guy]

When I say lead I don't necessarily mean straight up blasting solos, I'm thinking sometimes of the melody stuff Dave LaRue does.

[Rhythm N. Bliss]

The Ultimate Bass As Lead is played by Andy Fraser on the song Mr. Big on the album Fire & Water. Listen to that til you get it...that's what I'm doin'....

Billy PinballMaSheehan sounded best to me LIVE when he was playin The Ox in Mike Portnoy's Who Tribute band.
Thunderfingers may have been the best at playin' LEAD BASS!!!!!
Sheehan has instructional dvds....I've got one! Entwistle Master Class tooo