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What's the recipe to be a great blues bassist?

pmaraziti

pmaraziti

Feb 12, 2006
1,106
43
51
Singapore
#1
Folks,

Blues and Blues-Rock as genre moved since I was young, but my relationship to them was mainly as listener. I love much of the blues "standard" but then expanded into blues-rock. I lately enjoy a lot Bonamassa and John Mayer Trio for instance.

I passed an audition for a blues band last weekend (yes! :bassist:) and at the moment they cover several blues standards. I wish I will be able also to transmit some enthusiasm for blues-rock. The band is made of a main guitar, second-guitar/hammond/voice, drummer and myself.

Now, I honestly didn't prepare too much for the audition that resulted in a kind of jam which was fun. I recognise though that my blues vocabulary is quite limited. It seems it got the job done at the audition, but I would love to be able to diversify more, enrich my blues phrasing, and give that feel to the listeners that I so much enjoy when I listen to blues and blues rock.

Is there any reccommendation that you could give to a blues newbie bass player that wants to get great at playing these wonderful styles?

Thanks a lot, Paolo
 
#2
just listen to as much blues as you can..all knd, chicargo, memphis, texas, New Orleans, Blues rock, any and all blues listen listen listen then listen more and try to emulate the feel and phrasing those players use.

tommy shannon and pino are great examples of the feel but also check out guys like Berry Oakley fro the allman brother and willie Dixon ( old blues bass legend played with muddy waters)

peace
Dan
 
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#4
ZENBASSGUY said:
just listen to as much blues as you can..all knd, chicargo, memphis, texas, New Orleans, Blues rock, any and all blues listen listen listen then listen more and try to emulate the feel and phrasing those players use.

tommy shannon and pino are great examples of the feel but also check out guys like Berry Oakley fro the allman brother and willie Dixon ( old blues bass legend played with muddy waters)

peace
Dan
Click to expand...

Thanks Dan, listening to blues is an easy cure for me! what would you reccommend of Pino in a blues context? Got "Try!" with the John Mayer Trio and love it....

EDIT: ... just downloading from iTune the "Road To Escondido" with JJ Cale and Eric Clapton... I bought it without listening, I'm sure it's a good investment... any other suggestion with Pino on Bass is more than welcome
 
#10
I suggest you learn all the standard blues progressions(chords) and turn-arounds. Listen to some older blues tunes that have very simple lines that carry the song, kinda like a rhythm instrument, simple yet effective. You don't have to play that many notes to be a great blues bassist. "Walking Bass" is def. something you'll need to have your chops together for. Check out Harvey Brooks on the Super Session CD with Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper. Here's a link: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Here are some other links you may want to check out:

~Getting creative
Where does creativity come from?

Creating bass lines
Target Approach
Walking bass line examples
Ed Friedland on walking bass lines

For a jam
Jammin'

Playing scales

Playing behind/ahead of the beat
"Feel"
Playing "in the pocket"

5. STYLES
~Blues
Blues progressions explained w/ audio samples
Link Removed
Getting into the blues
Slow blues

blues jam terms/progressions
Ice Cream Changes
Backdoor Progression
ii-V-I
more blues
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

1 First jam
2
3
Gig coming up

Blues bass player's club

Influential musicians (mostly) pre-1959
History and styles
20 important blues recordings & more

Link Removed
Ed Friedland's Essential Styles and Techniques
Blues books
"Complete Rhythm Guitar Guide for Blues Bands" by Larry McCabe
"101 Blues Bass Patterns by Larry McCabe
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Also check out the links in my sig. below for more great TB info.
 
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#13
Playing the blues as a bassist, is more about knowing your role. This genre as a bassist is more of a backbone style of playing. You wanna get familiar with following shuffle beats and staying with the root note(as you should with any band). Also, country style walks come into play here as well, but only when you switch to the 4th and the 5th. Not my preference of music, personally. I'm a punk and rock guy.
 
#15
Great ideas above--You must also find the time to go hear live music. If you live near a blues bar, become a regular. Go hear some current "stars" live, too. Also, learn Jazz. LOL....so easy to say that, isn't it?

Jump bands like early Roomful of Blues had some fine bassists, like Preston Hubbard and Rory McCloud, two old buds of mine from Providence, RI. Check those guys out!
 
#16
When I was in a blues band for a couple of years, it was wholly about the interaction between the musicians, to help get that feeling out. You had to ebb and flow with the soloist to help build with them, and then when they were done, drop it back down. You'll hear that in a lot of recordings, but it didn't sink in to our drummer until we took him to a blues bar and he "saw" it and got to hang with the band's drummer.
 
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#17
Thanks for all suggestions!

Yeah, I think listening, transcrabing and rehearsing with the band to creat that emotional layer going (but this I think it's common to all styles) seems to be the main ingredients.

As well, as I tested in my audition, there're some type of fills that if done simoultaneously with drummer (one emphasizing what the other does), seem to sound real nice.

I don't know yet if I'll will love playing standard blues as bassist yet (for sure blues-rock it's my thing), but I will give it a serious try. As I was studying at home, it wasn't so much fun... but when I played with those gusy, the fun was huge... this always happens with any style, but this time with blues , it seemed a real revolution playing with the band...
 
#18
To all the great suggestions so far, I would just add that it helps to *play along* with recordings. When I was learning to play blues, I played along and tried to "become one" with the bassist on a given recording. I tried to get so close that I would disappear. This really helps you develop essential skills like good time, tone, feel, and also an understanding of note choices (very important).
Listening without playing is good, but playing along is even better.
Enjoy!
:hyper:
 
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#19
Here's a link to a list of instructional books and DVD's. [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] (Some of this is available online.) Not all are strictly blues, of course, so you'll have to check out the reviews and see which ones apply to you and the styles you want to focus on.

+1 for the artist refernce list provided in previous posts. I would add that in addition to studying the foundation artists listed check out guys like Willie Weeks and Johnny B. Gayden for thier versitility and contemporary approach to the bass as well as the respect they bring to playing blues music.

I've been backing up blues players for a long time (30+ yrs)and am amazed at the number of different bassists (pro and amatuer) and styles that can be draw from to develop solid technique and eventually a style of your own.

Good luck. Hope you enjoy your journey as much as I've enjoyed mine.

tr
 
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