|  | | 
11-15-2008, 10:48 AM
| | |  What is "the pocket" ?
Sign in to disble this ad
This is a jargon word I read and hear bassists and drummers say.
Apparently Jaco had a very big "pocket".
But what actually is it?   |
11-15-2008, 10:53 AM
|  | Registered User
Maker of HPF-Pre upright bass preamp | | Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Madison WI | | | Lots of definitions. I would say it's the ability to achieve the state where it seems like the players in the band are rhythmically locked together without effort. Primary responsibility for "pocket" falls on the bassist and drummer.
When I am playing in a band, "pocket" feels like nobody is struggling to keep the beat or stay on tempo. The beat is just there. Some players have a gift for being able to make this happen. |
11-15-2008, 01:08 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Folkestone | | | Ah, this term isn't always agreed on.
But this is my favourite explanation of it so far (not mine):
The phrase “in the pocket” is used to describe something or someone playing in such a way that the groove is very solid and with a great feel. When a drummer keeps a good metronomic pulse, often referred to as keeping time, and makes the groove feel really good, and maintains this feel for an extended period of time, never wavering, this is often referred to as a deep pocket…
Today, the term “in the pocket” has broadened a bit, suggesting that if two musicians (usually the bass player and the drummer) are feeling the downbeats together, feeling and placing beat “one” at the exact same time, they are said to be “in the pocket.”
Whether you are playing ahead (front) of the beat, or behind (back) of the beat, or right on top (middle) of the beat, as long as two musicians (ie. bassist and drummer) feel the downbeat at the same time, they’ll be in the pocket.
Many people feel that the question is not so much what the pocket is as much as how you know when you’ve achieved it. To the musician, it feels like the music is playing itself, as though everything has merged together … all the rhythmic parts being played by one instrument.
It goes deeper than that as well. It's the perfect place where everything is locked, and working perfect. It's also about the phrasing and tonality of the notes, but we can go on all day if we get into that!
Hope this is a good start for you... |
11-15-2008, 01:26 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Dmanlamius  Ah, this term isn't always agreed on.
But this is my favourite explanation of it so far (not mine):
The phrase “in the pocket” is used to describe something or someone playing in such a way that the groove is very solid and with a great feel. When a drummer keeps a good metronomic pulse, often referred to as keeping time, and makes the groove feel really good, and maintains this feel for an extended period of time, never wavering, this is often referred to as a deep pocket…
Today, the term “in the pocket” has broadened a bit, suggesting that if two musicians (usually the bass player and the drummer) are feeling the downbeats together, feeling and placing beat “one” at the exact same time, they are said to be “in the pocket.”
Whether you are playing ahead (front) of the beat, or behind (back) of the beat, or right on top (middle) of the beat, as long as two musicians (ie. bassist and drummer) feel the downbeat at the same time, they’ll be in the pocket.
Many people feel that the question is not so much what the pocket is as much as how you know when you’ve achieved it. To the musician, it feels like the music is playing itself, as though everything has merged together … all the rhythmic parts being played by one instrument.
It goes deeper than that as well. It's the perfect place where everything is locked, and working perfect. It's also about the phrasing and tonality of the notes, but we can go on all day if we get into that!
Hope this is a good start for you... | this is a total nerdy definition of pocket if you ask me. im sure if you asked bootsy what the pocket was, hed say "its the funk baby"
its when youve internalized the beat. its not just playing together, its grooving together.
__________________
"a man who counts his chickens before they hatch is wise..how can you count chickens the way they run amuck.."
|
11-15-2008, 04:07 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA | | | To me Pocket is about the band locking in to the groove. The time is solid and the band working together like they are one. It could be as simple as Blues and backbeats on 2 & 4 or Jazz Fusion. When you're playing with a great rhythm section and it locks in you will feel it, that is what music is all about.
As Victor Wooten sez. You can't hold no groove if you ain't got no pocket.
__________________
Steve Barnette
The Dojo of Cool :ninja:
------------------------------------------------------------
Practice is the best of all instructors - Publilius Syrus
|
11-15-2008, 05:24 PM
| | | | |
11-15-2008, 05:32 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Folkestone | | Quote:
Originally Posted by tomvelsor this is a total nerdy definition of pocket if you ask me. im sure if you asked bootsy what the pocket was, hed say "its the funk baby"
its when youve internalized the beat. its not just playing together, its grooving together. | He asked a question, so I answered it in a way with as much detail to help him understand it.
Sorry. |
11-15-2008, 05:41 PM
| | | | BTW DocBop is right on, pocket can be found in any style. |
11-15-2008, 05:47 PM
| | | If you have never experienced it before once you feel it everything will become clear.  |
11-15-2008, 05:54 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Texas | | | No apology needed for the answer you gave.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dmanlamius He asked a question, so I answered it in a way with as much detail to help him understand it.
Sorry. | If you've ever played with a drummer who is consistently playing at the front of the beat, you can understand why the pocket is so appreciated by a bass player. When the drummer is on the front of the beat, the bass player is working to keep the tempo from rushing, and it's not enjoyable. I can appreciate the explanation here Dmanlamius.
__________________
US Masters EP52 Ampeg Jet12 bass preamp Keeley Compressor Aphex 204 Crest LT1000 Avatar Neo 210 Furman AR-15 II Official Ampeg member 70
Christian P&W member 191 Avatar member 122
MXR member 45 |
11-15-2008, 06:49 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: New Hampshire | | | I've always considered "the pocket" to be a rhythmic availability created by the other instruments in which what you play won't be "too much" or offbeat. |
11-15-2008, 07:18 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Montréal,Qc,Canada | | | The best definition I've heard came from one of the best drummer in the world: Steve Gadd. His definition is very simple : IT IS AN AGREEMENT OF WHERE THE 1 IS ! It makes a lot of sense, there is nothing esotheric about it,
SB |
11-15-2008, 07:23 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Columbus, Ohio | | | The pocket is not just being locked in with each other but being able to feel each other and move back and forth within the groove (but not going out of the groove). You can play behind the beat or ahead of the beat but still be on beat; that's the pocket. |
11-15-2008, 07:30 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2008 Location: Indy | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Bassman126 If you have never experienced it before once you feel it everything will become clear. | +1
__________________
RIP, Etta James.
|
11-15-2008, 11:04 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: New Hampshire | | Quote:
Originally Posted by kirkm24 The pocket is not just being locked in with each other but being able to feel each other and move back and forth within the groove (but not going out of the groove). You can play behind the beat or ahead of the beat but still be on beat; that's the pocket. | Funny, my definitions of "groove" and "pocket" have the terms completely reversed in those sentences.
Not that it really matters |
11-15-2008, 11:11 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Brooklyn, NY | | | The pocket is playing pentatonic slap bass with a wailing pentatonic smooth jazz tenor sax. Yeahhhh! |
11-15-2008, 11:22 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2007 Location: Atlanta, Georgia | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Moving Target This is a jargon word I read and hear bassists and drummers say.
Apparently Jaco had a very big "pocket".
But what actually is it? | The pocket is when nobody notices you, but the booties are wigglin' and the boobies are jigglin'.
Ox.
__________________ Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Shevlin But then again, I'm sitting in the middle of Las Vegas on a Saturday nite with no chick, no truck, no gun, no beer, it IS raining & I farted a few minutes ago. | |
11-15-2008, 11:45 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Spotsylvania VA | | To me The Pocket is a simultaneous telepathic connection not just between all the musicians on stage, but with your audience as well. Usually this phenomenon starts with the bassist and the drummer, then the rest of the band. When your feelin it, the crowd feels it and that makes the Pocket even sweeter.  |
11-15-2008, 11:49 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Boston | | | lock with the drums and stay down there. |
11-16-2008, 12:49 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Seattle, WA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by nickmo007 The pocket is playing pentatonic slap bass with a wailing pentatonic smooth jazz tenor sax. Yeahhhh! | awesome! | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off | | | |
