Is being a good bass player a dying art?

[4dog]

Originally Posted by fishtx

It's the "me, me, me" generation...They all just want to "slap" and play "lead bass" now, and don't understand what playing in the pocket is really all about.

Pockets hold stuff,, i like pockets.

[fmoore200]

I know this forum mostly talks About American music (rock, pop, jazz etc) but I've read a couple guys lamenting that bass groove is gone from popular music, and that music that was popular in the 70's put more emphasis on bass, and I'd just like to add that a very popular genre (especially with Dominicans in NYC) puts a great deal of importance on bass.

Bachata is played by a more typical set of instruments (at least for American ears): guitar, drum set,bass guitar and a couple different percussion instruments and keys. Guitar and drums play the rhythms that make bachata sound like bachata, which frees the bass to play almost a lead part.

I'm not saying you guys will love it, but if you focus on just the bass playing, you will see where 'bass playing isn't a dying art'

[JimmyM]

I take it some of you would like to see music become a museum piece where nobody ever changes anything or tries anything new. I think that's sad.

[jmattbassplaya]

Originally Posted by fmoore200

I know this forum mostly talks About American music (rock, pop, jazz etc) but I've read a couple guys lamenting that bass groove is gone from popular music, and that music that was popular in the 70's put more emphasis on bass, and I'd just like to add that a very popular genre (especially with Dominicans in NYC) puts a great deal of importance on bass.

Bachata is played by a more typical set of instruments (at least for American ears): guitar, drum set,bass guitar and a couple different percussion instruments and keys. Guitar and drums play the rhythms that make bachata sound like bachata, which frees the bass to play almost a lead part.

I'm not saying you guys will love it, but if you focus on just the bass playing, you will see where 'bass playing isn't a dying art'

Any links???

[fmoore200]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

I take it some of you would like to see music become a museum piece where nobody ever changes anything or tries anything new. I think that's sad.

+100

[fmoore200]

Originally Posted by jmattbassplaya

Any links???

Sure, when I get to my laptop lol

[jmattbassplaya]

Originally Posted by fmoore200

Sure, when I get to my laptop lol

Sweet lol.

[fmoore200]

Originally Posted by jmattbassplaya

Any links???

"obsesion" by Aventura - check out the slap and pop fills

http://youtu.be/KaVnA88oNTg

"por un segundo" by Aventura - double stops, scale runs, and the bass breakdown near 2:30, chordal playing towards the end & 61 million views, so I think it's pretty popular lol

http://youtu.be/GHLVjriwzFg

"Corazon Sin Cara" by Puerto Rican born Prince Royce - beautiful song about love not being about physical appearances, bass grooves throughout

http://youtu.be/4A8Zmv2lyyY

hope you enjoy!

[bass12]

Originally Posted by fmoore200

"obsesion" by Aventura - check out the slap and pop fills

http://youtu.be/KaVnA88oNTg

I'm a "slap fan" and I find that the slapping in that tune sounds totally out of place and not very solid musically.

[fmoore200]

Originally Posted by bass12

I'm a "slap fan" and I find that the slapping in that tune sounds totally out of place and not very solid musically.

That's cool. Maybe if you were involved in that style of music you would like it more, maybe not. All I would say is that millions of people like it, and it is music made by an actual band, which is what this thread kinda morphed into a discussion about..

[bass12]

Originally Posted by fmoore200

That's cool. Maybe if you were involved in that style of music you would like it more, maybe not. All I would say is that millions of people like it, and it is music made by an actual band, which is what this thread kinda morphed into a discussion about..

I appreciate the "live" aspect - I just find the slapping odd (kind of like slapping in bossa nova or scratching over reggae). But thanks for the links. I've heard bachata before (it gets played in certain clubs here in Montreal) but have not been familiar with the artists who represent the style.

[fmoore200]

Originally Posted by bass12

I appreciate the "live" aspect - I just find the slapping odd (kind of like slapping in bossa nova or scratching over reggae). But thanks for the links. I've heard bachata before (it gets played in certain clubs here in Montreal) but have not been familiar with the artists who represent the style.

That kind of reminds me of why Jimmy said earlier, IMO. You (the general "you" not you specifically) can't complain about artists doing something different and then complain when artists do something different. Rock & Roll music was different at one time, iirc.

[lfmn16]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

I take it some of you would like to see music become a museum piece where nobody ever changes anything or tries anything new. I think that's sad.

+1

There is a group that trots out the same old cliches as if there is only one agreed on way to play the bass. That's why I want to puke every time someone says you have to "serve the song." Why do they think the way they want to serve the song is more correct than the way I want to? It's just another way to say, "I'm right and you are wrong." They just dress it up a little to try to make it sound more legitimate.

[metalstorm]

Originally Posted by Clef_de_fa

How it is possible to make 8th note sound bad when you are playing the right note ... no matter the style of music, 8th note are the same ... they don't magically change because you do 8th in a samba compared to rock. If you are playing note that fit the key/chords I don't see/hear how it could go wrong ...

I would argue that this sort of attitude may be part of the problem. I'm not talking about you directly, but I feel that 8th notes are one of the fundamental skills and worthy of study. You can make them sound bad by playing them either too far ahead or too far behind of the beat. Many young players, including myself, have dismissed them as being easy and not spent any serious amount of time practicing them. I am now having to go back and really work on them so that they sit properly in the groove. It's harder than most people think.

Here is one of my favorite examples of perfectly placed 8th notes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...Ob8v_BrI#t=38s

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by metalstorm

Many young players, including myself, have dismissed them as being easy and not spent any serious amount of time practicing them.]

Nothing is easy.

I'll even go further to the metal genre which I know nothing about except for the fact that you have to have incredible chops to play it, if your going to play it right.

Blue

[bass12]

Originally Posted by metalstorm

I would argue that this sort of attitude may be part of the problem. I'm not talking about you directly, but I feel that 8th notes are one of the fundamental skills and worthy of study. You can make them sound bad by playing them either too far ahead or too far behind of the beat. Many young players, including myself, have dismissed them as being easy and not spent any serious amount of time practicing them. I am now having to go back and really work on them so that they sit properly in the groove. It's harder than most people think.

Here is one of my favorite examples of perfectly placed 8th notes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...Ob8v_BrI#t=38s

That was tasty.

[J Dean]

This is a good post. I have been a guitarist for about 40yrs. Swiched to bass about 18months ago. I am a good solid rhythm player but felt that I was never going to be anything more than that. I wanted to get more opportunities to play. I found the bass to be much more stimulative. I also started playing in a duo with another guitarist.

My son has been playing bass for about 20 years. I asked him for some pointers. He said,

1) Remember, if you are in a duo, you are the rhythm section. Timing is very important.

2) Guitar players switching to bass want be too busy. Keep it simple.

So far I am I am keeping it in tune, on time, uncomplicated & most of all, FUN.

[Clef_de_fa]

Originally Posted by metalstorm

I would argue that this sort of attitude may be part of the problem. I'm not talking about you directly, but I feel that 8th notes are one of the fundamental skills and worthy of study. You can make them sound bad by playing them either too far ahead or too far behind of the beat. Many young players, including myself, have dismissed them as being easy and not spent any serious amount of time practicing them. I am now having to go back and really work on them so that they sit properly in the groove. It's harder than most people think.

Here is one of my favorite examples of perfectly placed 8th notes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...Ob8v_BrI#t=38s

If you can't play 8th note straight or with a swing ( which is more of a triplet composed by a 4th and a 8th) ... it may be a good thing to go back to the basic. I

If you play them before or after or keeping them too long ... you aren't playing 8th ... it may be in reallity a doted 8th or a doted 16th ...

[metalstorm]

Originally Posted by Clef_de_fa

If you can't play 8th note straight or with a swing ( which is more of a triplet composed by a 4th and a 8th) ... it may be a good thing to go back to the basic. I

If you play them before or after or keeping them too long ... you aren't playing 8th ... it may be in reallity a doted 8th or a doted 16th ...

I'm not talking about different rhythms. I'm talking about beat placement. It's a fundamental skill that people brush over. Ask a jazz player if it's possible to make quarter notes sound bad.

[MarkMgibson]

8th notes are for wimps. You should be aiming for 256th notes - that's the future!