Influence to originality

Vendele197 · #1 08-19-2009, 02:45 AM

Obviously we all have influences when it comes to bass playing. If we didn't, why would be pick up the instrument in the first place. That being said, how do your influences affect how you play?

Recently I've started listening to Audioslave again, mainly because of Tim Commerford, who's probably my biggest influence. My question to you is: how do you take what your influence(s) play and use to shape/create your own original material? Or in other words, how do you personally emulate a certain player's style without sounding just like them?

mambo4 · #2 08-19-2009, 03:16 PM

I steal James Jamerson's ideas rampantly(and imitate them poorly

)

I am a big advocate of analizing the chords of a song and picking apart the bass line to see how it serves the chord progression. when I undertsand how a particular bass line is working for a I-IV-V progression, for example, I can add it to my tool bag for teh next I-IV-V I encounter.

JimmyM · #3 08-20-2009, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vendele197

Obviously we all have influences when it comes to bass playing. If we didn't, why would be pick up the instrument in the first place. That being said, how do your influences affect how you play?

Recently I've started listening to Audioslave again, mainly because of Tim Commerford, who's probably my biggest influence. My question to you is: how do you take what your influence(s) play and use to shape/create your own original material? Or in other words, how do you personally emulate a certain player's style without sounding just like them?

First off, you'll never sound just like them, so you've got that going for you. Second, you just write what you consider to be good music. If something Tim does inspires you to write a song in a similar style, go for it. But don't just limit yourself to Tim. There's a lot of other music out there, and there's already a Tim Commerford, so broaden your horizons past what he does, too.

Vendele197 · #4 08-20-2009, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

First off, you'll never sound just like them, so you've got that going for you. Second, you just write what you consider to be good music. If something Tim does inspires you to write a song in a similar style, go for it. But don't just limit yourself to Tim. There's a lot of other music out there, and there's already a Tim Commerford, so broaden your horizons past what he does, too.

Definitely not. I enjoy listening to and emulating several different bassists. I've just fallen back into an Audioslave/RATM mood lately, especially since my band (demo almost out) has the same instrumentation.

What I seem to be having a problem with at the moment, though, is listening to and learning a line or two, and then letting that affect something I make up without having it sound extremely similar. I guess that's just the struggle of only having 12 notes.

Rudreax · #5 08-20-2009, 06:00 PM

Why not just play? If someone really does influence you, you'll hear it in your playing. If you try too hard to be different you'll only end up being the same.

fdeck · #6 08-20-2009, 06:06 PM

I started playing before I was aware of any influences. With that said, I think originality develops on its own as you develop relative to your own talents and interests.

Double Agent · #7 08-20-2009, 11:18 PM

I find what makes a person unique is their own combination of influences. Learn as much music as possible to get as diverse a pool of knowledge to draw from as you can. Once you have a decent well of players to draw from, start writing bass lines and it should take care of itself. That's how it worked for me anyways. Even though Geddy is a huge influence on me, nothing I've written on bass really sounds much like Geddy because its mixed in with all the other influences I've drawn from over the years.

I also agree with JimmyM...no matter what you do, you'll never sound exactly like Tim C. You don't have his brain, his gear, or his hands. So I wouldn't worry about it too much. Just avoid being overly fixated on one bass player or one style of music. Usually the most innovative musicians are ones that are constantly drawing from a wide array of styles and turning it into something unique. Don't be afraid to listen to other instruments or styles of music with the idea that you can apply them to your rock bass playing.

For example, I play lead guitar in addition to playing bass. When I am feeling like I don't have any good ideas for guitar solos, I will listen to a sax or trumpet player in jazz music and try copping their lines on the guitar. They tend to play with more groove and melody than a typical rock guitarist, so its something that makes me think outside the box. But, I will never sound like those players exactly. Hope some of this is helpful.

bassplayertom77 · #8 08-20-2009, 11:28 PM

Just be yourself.

queevil · #9 08-21-2009, 04:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vendele197

Definitely not. I enjoy listening to and emulating several different bassists. I've just fallen back into an Audioslave/RATM mood lately, especially since my band (demo almost out) has the same instrumentation.

What I seem to be having a problem with at the moment, though, is listening to and learning a line or two, and then letting that affect something I make up without having it sound extremely similar. I guess that's just the struggle of only having 12 notes.

I used to have this problem. A few things helped.

1. Try playing the line you've created in a different key.
2. If it doesn't work or sound good in a different key then try a different phrasing.
3. To expand on #2 you can try using different phrasing of the lines that you create to different drum patterns if you have ready access to them such as a cheap drum machine.

Try using combinations of these approaches. By the way, I've been playing bass for 10 years and I still have this problem. It's debateable whether it's even really a problem. I like to think that I draw on my influences and then add my own style and originality to what I've learned from them. If I was simply drawing from them and not using the creativity that God blessed me with to expand on those ideas then it would be a problem.

There once lived a wildly talented bassplayer, songwriter, and composer who is well known for his pioneering use of harmonics on the Fender Fretless Jazz bass. That also happens to be the instrument that I play and I love harmonics as well. It's hard to not sound like I'm mimicking his style to a certain degree when I play but I try to put my own spin on the ideas that he passed on to me and countless other musicians and that's even harder because he did it so well. I'm sure you know who I'm talking about.

Draw from others and be yourself at the same time. Find that balance. By the way, Timmy C. is one of the bass players who made me want to pick up the Jazz Bass even though I think he plays mostly Lakland basses now.

Jack017 · #10 08-21-2009, 06:17 AM

just about every riff I've written lately sounds like something Fu Manchu would play

Bryndog · #11 08-21-2009, 06:43 AM

Quote:

What I seem to be having a problem with at the moment, though, is listening to and learning a line or two, and then letting that affect something I make up without having it sound extremely similar.

...thats beacause you just learned it, its fresh in your head, and you are actively trying to sound like another player.

Being influenced by, and emulating a player, are two very different things in my opinion.

Sounds like you're forcing it a bit.
Relax and play a line you like, dont think about who it sounds like, think about what it sounds like.
You'll find your influences will always be your influences, doesn't mean you need to sound like them...

....unless of course you're in a tribute band of some form.