Pointers for Playing Bass with a Drummer?

Moogeddy · #1 02-25-2009, 10:08 PM

Hello! So me and my two friends (mandolin & guitar) are graduating high school and our prom is on the 30th of may and we decided to play at the prom. (Why not right?) And I have come to the conclusion that if we had a drummer we could play a much more rockin' show, but we haven't jammed with a drummer hardly at all in our 1 (1.5?) year time together as a band jamming regularly. But we have done 3 gigs without a drummer and made out fine. (i think)

We play classic rock/blues/folk music.

I was wondering if anyone had some tips to help me learn to lock in my bass playing with a drummer or any advice on my situation. Thanks.

PS: If you need more information on my situation just ask, I'm really tired and need to go to bed.

bassteban · #2 02-25-2009, 10:38 PM

Ignore EVERYTHING but the kick- even if it sucks, you'll suck together, which may equal the closest you can get to a groove. Kick. Marry the kick.

mrkreuzschlitz · #3 02-25-2009, 10:41 PM

Count in sixteenths when possible.

+1 on the kick, but honestly, I'd say to just not pay attention to everything else, not ignore it.

Projectile · #4 02-25-2009, 11:32 PM

How have you gigged in the past without a drummer? Did you have a drum machine or something?

mccak287 · #5 02-25-2009, 11:38 PM

I don't think there really is an easy answer to that question. It depends on the the groove, the room, the song, how you play, and the drummer that you are playing with. The most important things, I would say, are to listen to each other, to be aware of what's going on musically, and to adapt as well as you can to the situation... or you could also just play together a lot, that also helps. Hehe

Matt Dean · #6 02-25-2009, 11:46 PM

Rehearse with the drummer, the more the better. Listen... to the kick drum... you don't need to mimic the kick drum, but you should connect with it on a regular basis. As a bass player I feel responsible for creating the groove. A good drummer will will too... and listen to you as much as you listen to him or her and if all is good, the groove will emerge as a dance between the two of you as collaborative partners.

If I had to pick one thing, it would be to listen!

And that's when things get real fun!

bassistgook · #7 02-26-2009, 07:01 AM

Play along with a metronome and then when you play with a drummer find which piece of his kit is going along with that. Then lock in on it and rock your brain out

. Hope this helps.

DudeistMonk · #8 02-26-2009, 09:59 AM

The cool thing about learning to play with a drummer is the wealth of drum machines and software available to train with...You could be playing with a drummer every night.

The kick advice is good to get you started but in the long run its about subconscious connection...You really gotta feel the same groove the drummer is (and he needs to feel your groove too) on a good night it all gels and you start locking in real tight and you know both know where the jam is headed and can respond to changes ext.

ryco · #9 02-26-2009, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt Dean

Rehearse with the drummer, the more the better. Listen... to the kick drum... you don't need to mimic the kick drum, but you should connect with it on a regular basis. As a bass player I feel responsible for creating the groove. A good drummer will will too... and listen to you as much as you listen to him or her and if all is good, the groove will emerge as a dance between the two of you as collaborative partners.

If I had to pick one thing, it would be to listen!

And that's when things get real fun!

:ding ding ding: winnah! winnah!

fender_funk_man · #10 02-26-2009, 03:04 PM

man there is a lot of inacurate information on this thread. Good drummers tell you what the rhythm is with their high-hat or ride symbol. NOT THE KICK DRUM! The kick/snare are used to accentuate strong beats of a bar. The high-hat is what you need to glom on to. The reason behind this is most drummers will put the kick only on certain beats of the bar. If you listen to that you have to extrapolate where the other beats are. Essentially your creating second hand information that can throw off the whole groove. If you listen to the high-hat your getting all the information with out having to translate missing info.

On that note, dig in a little harder when the drummer hits the snare and ease up in the open spaces. Use dynamics, and rehearse before you gig.

Blueszilla · #11 02-26-2009, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fender_funk_man

man there is a lot of inacurate information on this thread. Good drummers tell you what the rhythm is with their high-hat or ride symbol. NOT THE KICK DRUM! The kick/snare are used to accentuate strong beats of a bar. The high-hat is what you need to glom on to. The reason behind this is most drummers will put the kick only on certain beats of the bar. If you listen to that you have to extrapolate where the other beats are. Essentially your creating second hand information that can throw off the whole groove. If you listen to the high-hat your getting all the information with out having to translate missing info.

On that note, dig in a little harder when the drummer hits the snare and ease up in the open spaces. Use dynamics, and rehearse before you gig.

?

I must be going about this all wrong...

Gary Way · #12 02-26-2009, 03:13 PM

I would agree with funk man the high hat/ride is your rhythm. If you find the rhythm you'll find the kick. However most important is to find a consistant drummer that plays straight time. nothing worse than trying to play with a constant drum fill/solo. IMHO

Matt Dean · #13 02-26-2009, 04:57 PM

Well... I just listened to an hour of the Brand New Heavies.... listening specifically to the rhythm section and it sure sounded like the bass was keying more to the kick than the high hat/ride. The way the bass connected was just like I stated earlier not mimicked, but connected on one or more of the beats.

Now having stuck my neck out in this, what I really think is that the bass player has to listen to it all and make the groove a river that the rest of the band floats their boat on....

Edit: now listening to the Brooklyn Funk Essentials... same thing: the bass is keying on the kick. However, it's the emphasis that is keyed to the kick. If the bass is playing 8ths or 16ths, then that is often the same as the high hat or ride. But these are just straight 8s or 16s. But the emphasis beats are keyed to the kick and that's what creates the groove.

...FWIW.

Quote:

However most important is to find a consistant drummer that plays straight time. nothing worse than trying to play with a constant drum fill/solo. IMHO

+1!

Febs · #14 02-26-2009, 05:08 PM

The time will be on different places on the drum kit depending on the style and the drummer. If you were to come play with my big band, you would listen primarily to the high hat or ride; the bass drum and to some extent the snare are used more for kicks with the band than for keeping time. If you're playing certain styles of rock, the time might be on the bass drum, with strong backbeats on the snare.

Listen to what you're drummer is doing. Communicate with him, both musically and verbally, and you can't go wrong.

megadan · #15 02-26-2009, 05:08 PM

It's very hard to lock into just the kick after just one practice. IMHO, this is something that comes after years of playing (together and otherwise). Play along with the ride and hats first, and then try and get your emphasis in on the kicks. If he has a good kick pattern, use it, but don't sound sloppy just because his kick is.

doonbro4life · #16 02-26-2009, 05:10 PM

I know when I'm playing with my drummer, I try to accentuate with the kick drum while using the high hat as a guide to what I do with the rest of my bassline. And it cannot be understated the importance of being familiar with your drummer...when you starting being able to feel where he or she is going, that's when the real fun starts

Ampeg SVT · #17 02-26-2009, 05:15 PM

I would listen to both the kick and snare, my drummer has a habit of being pretty busy so I listen to what he does with the kick and snare so I can lock in with the drums.

Matt Dean · #18 02-26-2009, 05:32 PM

Quote:

I try to accentuate with the kick drum while using the high hat as a guide to what I do with the rest of my bassline

I think this is a good approach.

TrevorOfDoom · #19 02-26-2009, 05:37 PM

well, i think if you play the bass, and he plays the drums, and not the other way around, you'll be off to a good start

lindseyp · #20 02-26-2009, 05:55 PM

When I play guitar I lock with the high hat/snare. When I play bass it's definitely the kick. But then, I play Gospel, so the type of music you play will have something to do with it.
If I locked my bass with a high hat I'd get kicked off the stage.