Playing songs with JUST a guitarist....

[Fassa Albrecht]

I'm supposed to be going on a church trip for a student retreat, and as part of this I've been asked to play bass for the services and meetings whilst we're there.

The problem is that I'm likely to only have a guitarist playing with me, and I'll be expected to also lead part of the service as well, which is something I've never done before.

Any advice for playing with just the guitarist and any leadership advice is appreciated.

[meev992]

Pretend you're playing jazz: use your notes to keep the count. Keep things simple and let the guitarist build off of your playing.

[BillMason]

The singer/acoustic guitar player from the band I am in does a duo act with me every once in a while - this is actually how our band formed. I found when we started out playing together, just he and I, my bass lines tended to be busy, to give the song a sense of motion and fill in the gaps where the drummer and lead guitar player would normally be. We had people dancing on a regular basis, just an acoustic guitar and a fretless bass!

You have to focus on stating a rhythm, or a beat, outlining the chord, and also complementing the melody. It can be challenging if you're not comfortable with any one of those aspects of playing, but it can also be a great time, and a great learning experience! Give it a whirl, and with time you will find your own path and voice.

When we added a drummer and a second guitar player, I had to completely redefine my role and play completely differently so as to not make things to muddy on the bottom - I have to give the drums and electric guitar space to make music too.

Two very different approaches to playing bass, thus why doing both is such a great experience!

[Howlin' Hanson]

Depending on your normal tone and the acoustics of the church, you may want to consider using a pick for a bit more percussive effect.

Or not. Just a thought.