Playing the upbeat

runrobot · #1 01-09-2009, 07:25 AM

Hi guys,

In my band we're working on a new song, and for the bridge they want to switch to playing on the upbeat. One of the guitar players thinks it sounds weird for bass to not be on the down with the kick.

From what i've read one of the jobs of the bass is to identify beat one of the measure, and play with the kick, but is that always true? Should bass always play the downbeat?

thanks!

mike

mwiles30 · #2 01-09-2009, 07:29 AM

It's your call: follow a "rule", or follow your creative judgement.

When my electric jazz trio is improvising, I drop downbeats all the time. If everyone is on the same page, it can be a really funky effect.

I say go for it.

And, it's also the drummer's job to show where downbeats are. If he (or she) has got it covered, that gives you room to mix the groove around a little.

SoonerMatt · #3 01-09-2009, 07:30 AM

This is fairly common in classical music, so I see no reason not to incorporate it into other genres.

ric stave · #4 01-09-2009, 07:34 AM

Listen to the bridge in Gavin Degraw's "Chariot" - all off beats there.

Actually, depending on the song, when the off beat is meant to be accented, the kick will be doing it too.

There's no hard and fast rule about anything in music, unless you're doing a graded excercise in theory class - it's all what sounds good.

runrobot · #5 01-09-2009, 01:42 PM

Cool! Thanks for the information! I just wanted some reassurance.

mambo4 · #6 01-09-2009, 02:05 PM

for some genres (rock, Jazz, country), hitting the one is important and for others (Cuban, Reggae) it's not. For teh bridge of typical rock song I can't see why not play upbeats. I'm guessing your guitarist wants you to hold it down so he doesn't have to depend on his own sense of time...

JTE · #7 01-09-2009, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mambo4

I'm guessing your guitarist wants you to hold it down so he doesn't have to depend on his own sense of time...

Why do so many guitarist think that time is a magazine, or think that the bass and drums are the ones responsible for KEEPING time?!? EVERYONE is responsible for keeping time, the rhythm section is responsible for defining the pocket/groove/feel, but not to keep someone else's time straight.

Listen to the intro to "Badge" by Cream. Check out "My Girl" by The Temptations. What would a lot of songs by The Police sound like if the bass had to play downbeats?

jte

iplaybassguitar · #8 01-09-2009, 02:55 PM

its a hard thing to do, perhaps your band is uneasy about it because your rhythms when playing the upbeats arent very strong, work on it with a metronome