3 piece band bassist tips, tricks for filling the void.

[Stinsok]

Recently, there was a thread on how to play "Sweet Home Alabama" with only 3 pieces. I wanted to get input from other 3 pc. guys on bass lines they have altered, etc. in order to make the song fuller (sometimes just playing louder isn't the key.)

[heroincredible]

Play octaves, use an octave pedal or overdrive, double and triple stops (I've started using these more often, if done in the right spot it works wonders).

[Lonnybass]

Agreed on the octaves - especially if you have 5-banger, you can pretty much turn out a walking line all the way into the bottom register. Between bouncing between lower and high and throwing in some syncopation, you'll make the basic 3-bar progression much more interesting.

Lonnybass

[IanStephenson]

Originally Posted by heroincredible

Play octaves, use an octave pedal or overdrive, double and triple stops (I've started using these more often, if done in the right spot it works wonders).

+1

when you're pedaling a root, then put the octave in on the snare to kick everything up a notch. Also try simple 1/5/8 arpegios to keep thing moving.

Overdrive sounds awfull on it's own in rehersal, but when the whole band is rocking out it sounds great. What sounds like way too much actually just becomes a huge fat sound. I've recently started pushing it even further during guitar solo's when I've got to fill out the whole sound, and dropping it back when the vocals come back in.

[bonzo4880]

octaves, double/triple stops, sustaining notes, open string octaves and double stops with open strings, strumming


i am currently in a three piece band and have been figuring out all different ways of filling out the sound...it can be a challenge but it is sweet indeed

[thefruitfarmer]

I used to play in a 3 piece in the late 80's, it was good to only have the one guitar player rather than 2 or more competing for the solos.

I did n't use effects to get a fatter sound, although I would now.

The way we made the music work was using dynamic variation, having the song sections with obviously different drum paterns and avoiding noodling. There's less going on in the sound of the smaller band so we found changing things more often during the song was the way to keep the listener's interest.

[Deacon_Blues]

IMO, it's also a lot up to the guitarist and drummer to fill up the holes.

[Phalex]

Originally Posted by Deacon_Blues

IMO, it's also a lot up to the guitarist and drummer to fill up the holes.

An excellent point!

My own experience with having just three instruments is that space is a good thing. I play fatter than I did with more guitars, but you don't want to clutter up the space.

A large, lush, verdant lawn can be a thing of beauty all on it's own if you maintain it properly. Don't go crazy with the garden gnomes and plastic flamingos.

[jomahu]

Originally Posted by Deacon_Blues

IMO, it's also a lot up to the guitarist and drummer to fill up the holes.

+1 having played in a trio, it really depends on all of your styles and how to create music that isn't too cluttered or too...uh, sparse (bad sparse, not good sparse).

just thinking about some of the trios i dig - the police, rush, primus, etc - all of the guitarists have one thing in common - space. and all the drummers have one thing in common - 45,000 drums and cymbals.

[anechoic]

Split the signal, and run a distorted signal to a guitar amp (keeping the bass amp clean). If you can find one for a non ridiculous price, pick up an Akai Unibass, which will generate an octave + 5th up (essentially like someone playing power chords in unison with the bass). The EHX HOG (or POG, if you don't need the 5th) would also be a good option.

An 8 or 12 string bass works well in a 3 piece. Something like a Bass VI would also be a good option, since chords tend to work well on these.

I sometimes use a set of synth pedals to play simple keyboard parts.

Also, your have guitarist listen to some Husker Du. (I realize some of this may be of limited use trying to play "Sweet Home Alabama", but that's my standard answer to the "how do I fill up space in a 3 piece question).

[MoD_Scotty]

Definitely take advance of the opportunity to fill in the gaps. Lots of fills, a solo or two, copious amounts of slide, whatever you want. If it's a heavier band, I agree that some distortion is in order, especially during solos. A good effects processor is definitely your friend.

With 6 people in my band now, there are definitlely times when I miss playing in a 3-piece. One last thing you can really take advantage of: room on stage! Get a wireless and move around on that mofo!

[Zuhzuhzombie!!]

Get a good drummer!

Also listen to a ton of Cream.

[RED5]

Originally Posted by Zuhzuhzombie!!

Get a good drummer!

Also listen to a ton of Cream.

And Hendrix, Police ,Who (they were a trio with a singer after all) Jam. I'd think thick broad strokes as opposed to loads of fills. fills take you from the fundamentals sometimes and thin it out.

[Depth_Charge]

Originally Posted by RED5

And Hendrix, Police ,Who (they were a trio with a singer after all) Jam. I'd think thick broad strokes as opposed to loads of fills. fills take you from the fundamentals sometimes and thin it out.

Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Rush, Nirvana, Rage Against The Machine, System of a Down, Mudvayne are also good examples of trio's (musically).

[Honk'n_down-low]

Get two Hot Go Go Dancers - dress them in skimpy outfits and put them on either side of your vocalist. Trust me no one will care when the drop out occurs during the solo's. There is also Midi devices you can program to fill - but you need to match them to the songs and stay in time with whatever additional sounds that are programmed - I believe you can even have something like this follow your drummer's time.

We used to just turn up : )

[Wally Malone]

I've done alot of trio work over the years. It pays to know and understand chords. I don't mean playing chords but playing lines that contain the chordal notes and imply the chord to the listener. This is particularly favorable when the guitar player is soloing. Again, use with taste since it isn't always necessary to play any differently with a smaller group.

Wally

[The Golden Boy]

In the "rock/pop" context within a 3 piece band- being the bass player is filling in the holes.

I had been playing for well over 10 years, and I thought I had a pretty good handle on what I was doing. And then I started playing with a 3 piece band. I went from a pedestrian player to a decent player. What I learned to do within that band is something I've carried with me to every other playing situation.

Be percussive. Be rhythmic. Be melodic. Don't overpower everything else. If there's a rhythm guitar part that's missing- do what you can do to combine the rhythm part and the bass line- if it doesn't work- play the rhythm part and throw in the "keys" in the bass line, or just play the rhythm part. Listen to the whole band. Listen to the band with you in it. You might have to dumb down your parts. You might have to complicate your parts.

The whole deal is to listen to what's going on- what's missing or what does your ear tell you isn't there? Fill that hole.

Don't get hung up on being "the bassist" or really cool parts- worry about creating the best whole piece of music that your band can put out there.

[winston]

Originally Posted by Phalex

An excellent point!

My own experience with having just three instruments is that space is a good thing. I play fatter than I did with more guitars, but you don't want to clutter up the space.

A large, lush, verdant lawn can be a thing of beauty all on it's own if you maintain it properly. Don't go crazy with the garden gnomes and plastic flamingos.

I agree with you on this. IMO The Police sounded huge because they left a lot of space in their music. A song like "Voices Inside My Head" is a great example of this, with a fairly simple drum beat and sort of a call-and-response between the bass and guitar.

Other examples of big-sounding trios are King's X, Medeski, Martin & Wood, The Minutemen, Firehose, and the Meat Puppets ("Up On the Sun" has great interlocking bass and guitar parts).

Of course, sometimes you just gotta fill in as much space as possible. FX like fuzz, octavers, and synth are great for this. Also 12 string basses (with extra octave strings) can really take up sonic space.