Trouble keeping time...

[j.a.e.r.i.p]

My band plays this original tune by our trumpet player which is in four and i pretty much play all of six notes through the song. It is a very easy bassline. However i get lost coming into the tune and during changes because the drummer is playing this really cool afrocuban beat with polyrhythms and the works, so i kind of have to fend for myself.

http://static.boomp3.com/player.swf?...840f98cc0&loop
(might take a second to load)

here is the tune, if you have time listen to the saxaphone solo, its ridiculous.
thanks.

[JimK]

I'm not sure how you are counting/feeling this...
To me, your drummer has a nice doubletime thing happenin'-

Your bass figure sounds like the "3" component of a Clave (1--&--4-)...

So-
Are you counting your figure as-

(1/8th note feel over 2 bars)
l1--&--4-l1--&--4-l

Or as-
(1/16th note feel over 1 bar)
l1--a--&-3--a--&-l

Either way, until you get the Clave totally ingrained...you may need to count.

Hope that helps.

Cool groove & horn line, BTW.

[j.a.e.r.i.p]

thanks i'll give that a try

[lowerclef]

Well, you do have the recording, so why don't you listen to the intro over and over again until you can internalize the drumbeat and count through it? Then you'll know exactly where to come in without having to think about it.

[j.a.e.r.i.p]

thanks lowerclef i think thats probably the best idea, its wierd that this song always gets me cause it's by far the easiest bass line out of any of our songs

[TFunkadelic]

Originally Posted by j.a.e.r.i.p

thanks lowerclef i think thats probably the best idea, its wierd that this song always gets me cause it's by far the easiest bass line out of any of our songs

Anyone else thinking Caravan?

[hunta]

its wierd that this song always gets me cause it's by far the easiest bass line out of any of our songs

It's not weird, it's latin!

If it was me, I'd "feel" it in halftime in comparison to the drums. If you're counting in 4 like this, the bass comes in on the and of 4 in measure 4. Then in the break where you're doing hits with the horns, your hits are on beats 1 and 3. Then you're back into your normal line on the and of 4.

Tap your foot while you're playing so you know where 1 is. You could feel this as a 3-2 clave, but it's not really necessary.

[j.a.e.r.i.p]

ya we all told the trumpet player it sounded like caravan and we just decided to play it anyways.

[JimmyM]

It's all about subdividing in your head. You have to be able to make three different counts in your head at the same time. The quarter note count, the 8th note count and the 16th note count. Much easier than it sounds. If you get a count in your head like "1-e-and-a-2-e-and-a-3-e-and-a-4-e-and-a..." you'll know your quarter notes hit on the numbers, your 8th notes hit on the ands, and the 16ths are everything. Above all else when you listen to the drums, you need to keep this subdivision going on so you can remember where the 1 is. Sounds to me like he's very clear where the one is, so it shouldn't take you long to get it down pat. You're very close right now. To be honest, I think you would come in on time but I don't think you trust yourself to do it every time yet. Get that subdivision down and have confidence in your ability to count through the drummer. You're a good player. Won't take long.