If the drummer slows down a bit...

jenderfazz · #1 09-20-2004, 06:00 PM

Say you're jamming and the drummer slows down a bit during an especially long bit (such as a guitar solo). Should you, as a bassist and contributing member of the rhythm section, A) slow down to make sure you stay tight with the drummer, or B) keep playing at the tempo and look at the drummer to get him back up to speed?

Trevorus · #2 09-20-2004, 06:15 PM

I voted stay with him, usually that sounds best. But it depends on the situation and on the drummer. If he can catch up, then do it the other way.

P.S.: Wow, a poll? Haven't seen one of these in a while. Where's the "Throw carrots at him" option?

Figjam · #3 09-20-2004, 06:23 PM

Stick with him , unless you can make some sort of motion to him to pick it up.

srxplayer · #4 09-20-2004, 07:01 PM

I am a drummer, and I said to keep going and signal the drummer that he is" leaning back". The drummer and bass player must have a good line of communication in order to do this. Looks, signals, whatever, but you should always have this worked out. What our main bass player does if he can't hear me or thinks we are speeding up or whatever is he looks at the kick drum and then looks up at me. I will know immediately if we are having a problem.

You can slow down and stay locked in but it creates other problems especially for the vocals.

This does happen occasionaly especially when you have a guitar solo stepping all over the notes of the bass player.

Alexander · #5 09-20-2004, 07:03 PM

I play with a relatively inexperienced drummer who doesn't quite have his tempos down - I usually stick with him, but push the beat. I also try to get him to correct the tempo.

**Chris A** · #6 09-20-2004, 07:36 PM

Depends, will he respond if you try to drag him along? How bad does it affect the tune? If he's good and I can get him back on track, I'll try. If he's more inexperienced, I won't try as hard and just play to him, maybe just sit a little more on the front side of the beat.

Chris A.

Aaron Saunders · #7 09-21-2004, 05:46 PM

If he's a pretty good drummer, then he A. Shouldn't drag like that in the first place, and/or B. Will catch on pretty quick. If he's not a good drummer, he's probably not going to catch on very quickly at all, in which case I'd slow down with him.

**Chris A** · #8 09-21-2004, 06:17 PM

Sometimes a good drummer just isn't familiar with the tempo of a tune. If we just need to kick it up a bit, I'll start playing a little louder and stronger. Throw in the required glare in the drummer's direction and usually that works.

Chris A.

Aaron Saunders · #9 09-21-2004, 06:53 PM

Mmm, true, I guess someone sitting in or playing a new tune might not be familiar. In that case, though, it's the "or" part of "and/or"

. If you and the guitarist keep going, he'll catch up.

Jazzin' · #10 09-22-2004, 10:28 PM

usualy, when i feel that everything is slowing down, i will try to bring it back to normal speed before it slows down too much. and i will push the speed back, and everyone most of the time realizes it right away and follows.

heath_the_great · #11 09-23-2004, 01:37 AM

slow down with him/her...never know..you might of forgotten the tempo change....but he might not of

khay0s · #12 09-23-2004, 05:50 AM

Even the best make mistakes when learning new things so I say stick with it and bring the drummer back up to it. Thats why its handy to have a long enough cable so that you can kick your drummer...

Leigh

Nuk3m · #13 09-23-2004, 09:24 AM

the drummer is the bands timing you stay with him, in a gig situation

Rehersal : " SPEED UP U SLOW #$&*#$^" ...

itwould be better to slow down with him and then tell him that hes slowing down rather then make the band look bad, you should have had that as an option.

Christopher · #14 09-23-2004, 04:05 PM

Rehearsal/recording or gig?

If the former, maintain the correct tempo, establish eye contact and/or verbal contact with the drummer and indicate that he's dragging. If he doesn't get the message, turn up and repeat. If that doesn't work, stop playing.

If the latter, do all of the above except the last step.

Of course, he should do likewise when your tempo goes awry. Any disagreement as to who is correct ultimately should be refereed by a metronome.

Communication among the members of the rhythm section is key to making good music.

peteroberts · #15 09-23-2004, 10:12 PM

I am playing with a drummer now who slows *way* down on certain songs. It is a real drag, no pun intended. I say it's like being pulled from behind by some mysterious force. I had been going back with him, but now I am trying to push a little bit to try and get him back there...sometimes he gets it. You have to be really careful though, because the pocket suffers.

pontz · #16 09-24-2004, 10:44 AM

I agree slow down with him if you're giging, Keep the temp if you're rehersing.

Either way, don't forget the dirty look

Pontz

PunkerTrav · #17 09-24-2004, 10:51 AM

I usually get his attention and start bobbing my head to the tempo the rest of the band is playing. He's a great drummer, but sometimes he just starts slipping.

Travis

CrazyArcher · #18 09-25-2004, 07:47 AM

Hmm, it's an intersting question indeed... I'd stay playing in the correct tempo, 'cause I follow guitars more than drums (the reason is that bass lines of my band are written by one of the guitarists and me, while I'm a former guitar-player myself). However, if the song is funky, I'd slow down with the drummer.

RicPlaya · #19 10-04-2004, 07:37 PM

You have to hang with him. The crowd won't know the difference if the song is 2 bpm off the original. But make sure you bob your head, look at him to speed it up. As a bassist I always want to glue it all together but you have to stick with your drummer and stay locked on. As long as the song is played with emotion and you guys are selling it sort of speak then stay with him. If you push or pull I found it sounds like poo!

Aaron · #20 10-05-2004, 12:43 PM

In most situations I've been in, the bass is a rock while the drummer has a bit more free reign rhythmically. If the bass is draggin/rushing people don't have the support of the bass defining the time. It depends on the situation, but for most that I'm in, the bass is the time where the drums is there chiefly for textures and dynamics. Like big band stuff- the bass is walking while the drummer is doing kicks, fills, punches, etc.

Way off topic comment of the day- What's also nice about being a bass player is that you also get to define the harmony. If a guitarist is playing C, F, G - you can make it into a Db maj7 b5 (or aug 11), Gsus7, Csus, Fsus2, Dmin7, Eb6, Amin7, AbMaj13, etc.