Newbie needs help, please!

[MalcolmAmos]

My friend and I are band mates in a Country band. Been playing together for about 8 years. He plays electric bass and I play rhythm guitar. We have started playing together at a nursing home each Monday afternoon. He is now on rhythm guitar and providing the vocal lead. I'm on a brand new electric bass with three weeks experience. We've played two gigs so far, not great, but - no one got out of their wheel chairs and ran out. They all know us from the other band - we have been playing for them once a month for years.

Mostly new songs I've not played before, still all Country, just a new batch. He only has the lyrics on the sheet music he plays from, does not play from fake chord, so he is winging a chord progression. I'm doing the same - winging a chord progression and playing a Root or R-5 to what I hope he is doing. I understand about watching his hands, and we have played together long enough that I know he is not going to venture very far from a I IV V chord progression. It's pretty much a jamm session, only problem is I'm new to bass.

That's the situation, HELP, looking for any hints you guys/gals can provide.

Thanks,

Malcolm

P.S. Might help if someone would tell me what exactly a bass line is. I know what Wikipedia says, but would appreciate your thoughts.

[Chipsonfire]

From what I can tell, a bass line is more or less the harmony to his melody, the arpeggios to his chords. Root or root-fifth should do just fine if it's just simple country. What you might want to do is organize what the chord changes are going to be before the gig, maybe write out some chord charts so you at least know where each other is going.

Also, you don't ask any specific questions in your post. Doing so might help get the response you want and need. Just saying 'help' isn't much of a question Maybe post exactly what you would like help with? You might get some better answers; I'm honestly fairly new to this, but felt like someone should at least try to help you out lol.

[DudeistMonk]

I don't really play country, but I listen to country/southern rock now and again. The country feel is really just R - 5 with the occasional walk/fill/inversion to add movement and smooth things out. Your goal should be to keep that country feel going at all costs. Since the lines tend to be simple its all going to be in the details, perfect attack and sustain ext. You should also be pretty low in the mix and really just supporting everything, its not a genre for crazy bass wankery.

[MalcolmAmos]

Thanks, appreciate the feed back. I needed to hear that from others. It's pretty much what I had come up with.

R-5 it is, the runs etc can come later.

And yes, I've taken the lyrics and added the Nashville numbers I IV V. etc at the approporate chord change words.

Thanks,

Malcolm

[kraigo]

Keep in mind that you can usually find find two roots and two fifths in whatever position you're playing that root and five in. Consider going nuts and utilize the dominant 7th as well: There's one two frets down from each of the roots. Those 7ths are seldom a wrong note.

In a two piece band like you're playing in, rhythm is mostly your job. Don't get too hung up on being colorful, harmonically. It's only going to confuse matters.

My cooler bass parts usually come when I strip away a lot of the superfluous notes. Syncopation is fine, but keep the number of notes down. Placement (in time) and dynamics are where to direct your energies. At least for me.

KO

[electracoyote]

I say switch back to your original instruments before the next nursing home gig. Those old folks just might snap and attack you.

If he's winging the chord progression and you don't know what a bass line is, I'd say a lot more rehearsal and a long incubation period is in order.

Originally Posted by MalcolmAmos

My friend and I are band mates in a Country band. Been playing together for about 8 years. He plays electric bass and I play rhythm guitar. We have started playing together at a nursing home each Monday afternoon. He is now on rhythm guitar and providing the vocal lead. I'm on a brand new electric bass with three weeks experience. We've played two gigs so far, not great, but - no one got out of their wheel chairs and ran out. They all know us from the other band - we have been playing for them once a month for years.

Mostly new songs I've not played before, still all Country, just a new batch. He only has the lyrics on the sheet music he plays from, does not play from fake chord, so he is winging a chord progression. I'm doing the same - winging a chord progression and playing a Root or R-5 to what I hope he is doing. I understand about watching his hands, and we have played together long enough that I know he is not going to venture very far from a I IV V chord progression. It's pretty much a jamm session, only problem is I'm new to bass.

That's the situation, HELP, looking for any hints you guys/gals can provide.

Thanks,

Malcolm

P.S. Might help if someone would tell me what exactly a bass line is. I know what Wikipedia says, but would appreciate your thoughts.

[Stumbo]

You might want to check out the links in my sig. below.