Jason newsted on the black album

[seanishi]

I was reading how on "...And Justice For All" by Metallica that Jason Newsted's basslines were pretty much doubling James Hetfield's guitar riffs, but for the black album, he apparently followed more with Lars' kick-drum. What exactly is the difference by playing along with the drums than guitar?

[Pinta]

Great Question!

When a bass line is doubling the guitar riff, the bassist is pretty much playing the same thing the guitarist does but limiting himself to root notes. A good example of this is the Nirvana song "Breed".


Although, when the Bass is following the Drums, the Bassist is usually playing along with the Drummer's Bass Drum. This makes a great rythm section, it gives a kind of wholeness feeling. A good example of this is the intro to the Incubus song "Stellar".


Ask again if you are still on doubt!

[Nev375]

Generally speaking...

Following the guitar will please the Beavis and Buttheads in the crowd.

Following the Kick will please the chicks and cause them to want to get up and move their booties.

...unless it's just metal and an onslaught of double bass drum stuff in which case there probably won't be many chicks anyway.

[runmikeyrun]

I like to do both. Some of our parts I need to follow the guitar for it to sound "right" but on others i like to stick with the drums to keep a solid foundation because the guitars are doing something a little more noodly. I like to deviate because 1) it keeps me entertained and 2) it adds to the music on a subconscious level. Most people never notice that it's what I'm doing, they just know the song sounds good. Like legions of Maiden fans who don't really realize Harris drives most of the songs, they just like what they hear.

In the band i'm in now, the drummer does a lot of snare roll fills at the end of parts. I've really gotten attached to speed picking and following his snare during those parts. I also follow his kick during stops, and ride open Bs when he's doing fast hardcore beats on the floor tom while the guitars are playing riffs rooted in B. It's fun to play them. If I just played quarter notes and copied everything the guitar did, where's the fun in that?

Honestly, I don't think it's good practice to stick to any one "type" of playing. Keep things interesting. Even though people won't consciously notice the way they notice a guitar solo they'll just feel that the song sounds "right"

[Pinta]

I agree you have to mix both styles to keep it interesting..

Just work with the song.

[Unrepresented]

Root notes following the guitars will relegated you to being an eq extension of the guitar. Following drums will allow you to contribute counter rhythms and melodies to the riffs that the guitars are playing. Musically, the latter allows for much more interesting material to listen to.

[Epitaph04]

You can definitely hear Newsted follow the drums more than the guitar in songs like Wherever I May Roam, The God that Failed, My Friend of Misery, and Of Wolf and Man. It's really nothing groundbreaking, but get yourself a good sound system (or good earphones at the least) and you'll hear it. Sounds cool.

[bmb73]

Originally Posted by Nev375

Generally speaking...

Following the guitar will please the Beavis and Buttheads in the crowd.

Following the Kick will please the chicks and cause them to want to get up and move their booties.

...unless it's just metal and an onslaught of double bass drum stuff in which case there probably won't be many chicks anyway.

Judging from your comments on the Cliff Burton thread also, I take it you are not a metal fan? Not everyone who is a fan of metal is a "Beavis and Butthead". Way to generalize!

[rockstarbassist]

well for one, they weren't playing thrash (or their version of such) anymore, so... was pretty easy to do