Am I "In the Pocket"?

[Whousedtoplay]

really good example of playing right on the beat, simple bass line but perfect time and tone.

I've developed my (!) approach towards any bass-lines.

No#1: Get a rhythmic-melodic template (or create) of the bass-line.
In our case, "Blue on Black," it would be a 2-measure template.

Be comfortable playing that template with a metronome (starting it slower/really slower). Feel your "issues" while playing it - "I'm rushing the third note," "I'm lagging behind on the first note of Beat 1," etc...
Learn how to properly articulate it - staccato, legato, any sliding, any hammer-ons/pull-offs, any ghost notes, notes' dynamics, its lengths, etc... Try to play it in different keys.
It would be nice to know the drum's rhythmic pattern, especially, the kick pattern.

No#2: Any changes in that "template" during different sections of the song's form - how the bass line changes variates during Intro, Verse, Chorus, Bridge, etc.?
Can you hear any rhythmic-melodic changes in the bass-line?
N.B. Follow the given - or created - bass template within one song's section. Don't start changing the "template" during this/that section of the form, unless...
(Unless, the composer or arranger specifically instructs you to do so. It rarely happens.)

Is the bass player developing the "TEMPLATE" of the same section along the song - is the bass player adding something/anything more to the existing Verse template in Verse 2, or Chorus 3?


No#3. Applying "ornaments," "runs," fill-ins, etc... How often? What kind of ornaments? Once again, practice those "nuances" with the metronome.
Any "it's-a-must" ornaments?
Are you comfortable playing those "ornaments" and getting back to playing the template on-time?

I can go on and on, but "time is of the essence."

 

[mambo4]

I've found a Live rendition of "Blue on Black."

Here is the bass-line played along with the drums.
I've removed any talking from that track - just Music.


View attachment 7212109

And here is the video.

In places you can hear both lock with the kick and leave space for the snare happening
Also notable how much more sparse and consistent the kick drum pattern is vs the OP's cut.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

In places you can hear both lock with the kick and leave space for the snare happening
Also notable how much more sparse and consistent the kick drum pattern is vs the OP's cut.

My previous bass-line posting was from a live concert. Our TB members, usually, emphasize that during the live performance, the bass players tend to add this/that "run," fill-in, or even slightly change the original (studio) bass line.
Therefore, I've decided to check the original (studio) bass line of the song, "Blue On Black" for any "discrepancies.

(For the sake of entertainment only.)

Immediately, I've noticed at least 3 "discrepancies" the way the bass was played on the original track.
Here are a few snapshots of the highly promoted on the Internet the bass transcription of Blue on Black.

Here is what I've heard (It's what I've heard!) of the bass-line on the original studio track.
The bass on the original track does not play those last two notes of A and B like in Measure 1.
The original bass-line has the last two notes as D and A, sometimes the bass has a rest, but the bass never plays A and B - it's only played by the GUITARS.
The bass never plays the note of A like in Measure 2.
Sometimes the bass plays G# (not A) or E (open E), or C (like from the video posted below) sometimes nothing, but I did not hear A.

Here is the bass-line with the drums from the original studio track.

I've listened to a different song's version.
And the bass follows my previous comments of the bass-line.




Here is the bass line from the video above.

 

[Elmstreet]

So what's the key to locking with a drummer like mine that rushes on fills and adds a lot to the kick pattern of each song? Just listen and adapt?

 

[Whousedtoplay]

So what's the key to locking with a drummer like mine that rushes on fills and adds a lot to the kick pattern of each song? Just listen and adapt?

You start with helping/showing the drummer how to interpret/notate the main rhythmic pattern in every section of the song's form.
You both listen to the track and try to figure out the pattern and any nuances, "embellishments" recorded in that song.
Nowadays, it's should be easy for any musicians who want to be "better."
(Just use a cheap but good quality Moises app/web-site.)

About "the drummer who is rushing on fills."

As AngelCrusher has mentioned earlier, the correct answer is this, "Just use the click."
Practice with the click, play with the click, record yourself while playing with the click.
If this/that musician is "rushing" during any fills, runs, or any embellishments, verify it with the click.
From my experience, musicians have very "powerful" egos, and tend to "impose" it on other musicians, and that argument about a "timing issue," is almost always on the top of any "accusations while "criticizing any other musician"; therefore,
in order to be impartial, always verify the musician's timing "issues" with the click, metronome.

(Who knows, maybe that drummer is posting similar comments about "the bass player who is rushing" at some Drum Players forum?)

If the drummer decides to change the song's drum pattern, it would be nice to learn about it in advance. If the band agrees to it, then, the bass player (as the "more flexible" musician) needs to adapt to it.
It's not wrong for the drum player (or any other musician) to bring some new, fresh ideas of rearranging the song. It's just the musician needs to inform the rest of the band about it and be consistent with the new arrangement.

About overplaying - adding a lot to the kick pattern.

How "disturbing," how loud are those additions to the kick pattern?
Do those additions change the rhythmic pattern?
Usually, any "overload" additions are being noticed by other musicians of the band, and the musicians, sooner or later, start expressing their opinions about that overplaying.
The more professional band is, the sooner the "reaction" occurs.