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being groovy

#21
Groove can be taught to some extent because there are specific ways of playing notes that make them sound a particular way, and someone who knows can show you what they're doing. A groovy teacher could teach the subtleties of how to make a note jump or stick or dig in or whatever.

I think a really good way to improve your groove is to learn to tap your foot solidly to the beat (or the offbeat) no matter what you're doing. Rhythm is quite a bodily thing, and when you keep time with your body by stomping or tapping your foot, it can influence the way you play.
 
#22
Good advise.......bass drum.....and high hat, think simple.....let the guitars, vocals.....etc get the foundation solid.

Plus a good pair of purple bell bottoms and a pasley orange shirt open, and don't forget a good Austin powers pair of glasses......

willieG
 
#23
oh man, i don't know if I will ever get it completely. when I'm jamming, especially if the drums and bass (me) start, then I can get a good groove going, and can feel it. but on songs where it is a quick c#m, B, A, A (4 bars, one chord each bar - for instance) and is fairly quick, i just find myself droning out the lines to support the guitar, but the drummer is on his own, which is not good. maybe I need some more syncopation or something.

is this true: I need to have a beat in my head of what the song is going to sound like on the bass. and I need to slave that to the drummer, on pain of death. it may be a different rhythm than the guitars are playing (hopefully complementary), but as long as it fits what the drums are playing, that works. please advise.

thanks!
 
#24
willieG said:
Good advise.......bass drum.....and high hat, think simple.....let the guitars, vocals.....etc get the foundation solid.

Plus a good pair of purple bell bottoms and a pasley orange shirt open, and don't forget a good Austin powers pair of glasses......

willieG
Click to expand...

but I don't have to wear pants without any ass, do I?
 
#27
well, on friday i left the pick in the case, and just played with my fingers. I've played with a pick (on guitar) for so long, and have used it a lot on bass.... but I'm definitely groovier with my fingers. went really well actually, i don't know why putting the pick down did that, but I just felt more control with the fingers than with the pick. and playing simple and focused on the drumming and the groove of the song instead of my melodic input was huge.

thanks for all the help!
 
#28
meta said:
well, on friday i left the pick in the case, and just played with my fingers. I've played with a pick (on guitar) for so long, and have used it a lot on bass.... but I'm definitely groovier with my fingers. went really well actually, i don't know why putting the pick down did that, but I just felt more control with the fingers than with the pick. and playing simple and focused on the drumming and the groove of the song instead of my melodic input was huge.

thanks for all the help!
Click to expand...

Most excellent.....sometimes the fingers can be funny.......especially when they don't agree to play like they are suppose too.....oddly enough that slight hesitation between the 2nd and third finger creates an "and of 2 feeling".......a "Groove"......and when you miss it and create a slight thug.....even better.

JUST PRIDE YOURSELF WHN YOU SEE ALL THE YOUNG BOOTYS SHAKING IT UP AT ON THE DANCE FLOOR.....

"MISSION ACCOMPLISHED"........

The groove do have a motivation.......

WillieG
 
#29
meta said:
the band I'm in has asked me if I can be more groovy. I'm fairly new to the bass, so this isn't a complete surprise to me. I've played more guitar than anything, so figure I am just playing too much - ie. I'm playing interesting lines on the bass, but am over-playing. I went back to playing with a pick after starting the bass with fingers, and I think I might just be over-doing the picking... I am hit the notes in time, and sometimes pull the beat a little bit... but I think to really be groovy I have to let the spaces between notes (ie. silence) be as important as the lines I'm playing.

does that sound right?
Click to expand...

When I saw the your post's title, I guessed you were/are a guitar player trying out the bass.

Treat your bass as a percussive instrument that can play notes. How would you play a percussive instrument? You wouldn't play it like the guitar or the violin, would you? No, you'd focus on the beat, the drums, the overall movement of the song. You'd want to compliment the drums. Yes, silence is important but it's also important that you play clear, well defined notes. (In fact, silence is one way to add definition to your style.)

Also, throw away the pick. Play with your fingers. :hiding:
 
#30
meta said:
the band I'm in has asked me if I can be more groovy. I'm fairly new to the bass, so this isn't a complete surprise to me. I've played more guitar than anything, so figure I am just playing too much - ie. I'm playing interesting lines on the bass, but am over-playing. I went back to playing with a pick after starting the bass with fingers, and I think I might just be over-doing the picking... I am hit the notes in time, and sometimes pull the beat a little bit... but I think to really be groovy I have to let the spaces between notes (ie. silence) be as important as the lines I'm playing.

does that sound right?
Click to expand...

I'm kind of naturally a busy player too - I gigged in 3-piece bands for a long time and had to provide a fair bit of er, melodic support when the music called for it. So sometimes it's hard to restrain myself.

What I do is think of the bass in the rhythm role as monophonic (play only one note at a time rather than many like on the guitar) and more of a percussion instrument.

Even if you don't play a slap style, you can think of the bass as part of the percussion section rather than melody (until it's time to play melody that is). I.e. don't pay as much attention to the guitar (he's out of tune and soloing all the time anyway ;)) but listen to the percussion (drums) and let that guide your playing instead.

That's what I do when I'm trying to sit on my hands, so to speak. I.e. follow the bass drum and/or the general rhythm of what the drummer is doing.

When I was gigging I'd basically go park myself next to the drum kit and listen mostly to the bass drum and kind of go from there. Like I said, the guitarist was somewhere else trying to impress the chicks so I didn't really have to worry about him too much ;). The drummer and I would sort of jam together, which helped me get into more of a groove mode.

LS
 
#31
unclejane said:
I'm kind of naturally a busy player too - I gigged in 3-piece bands for a long time and had to provide a fair bit of er, melodic support when the music called for it. So sometimes it's hard to restrain myself.

What I do is think of the bass in the rhythm role as monophonic (play only one note at a time rather than many like on the guitar) and more of a percussion instrument.

Even if you don't play a slap style, you can think of the bass as part of the percussion section rather than melody (until it's time to play melody that is). I.e. don't pay as much attention to the guitar (he's out of tune and soloing all the time anyway ;)) but listen to the percussion (drums) and let that guide your playing instead.

That's what I do when I'm trying to sit on my hands, so to speak. I.e. follow the bass drum and/or the general rhythm of what the drummer is doing.

When I was gigging I'd basically go park myself next to the drum kit and listen mostly to the bass drum and kind of go from there. Like I said, the guitarist was somewhere else trying to impress the chicks so I didn't really have to worry about him too much ;). The drummer and I would sort of jam together, which helped me get into more of a groove mode.

LS
Click to expand...

That's what I wanted to say.....

PS....maybe the guitar player gets a lot of attention......but trust me he just gets the riff raff.....the bass players put it in the pocket and shakes the butts, and somehow the girls in the know......gravatite towards that.....besides your index finger moving at the speed of sound for 2 hours straight might have something to do with it...maybe they figure you'll be fun.....

WillieG
 
#32
willieG said:
That's what I wanted to say.....

PS....maybe the guitar player gets a lot of attention......but trust me he just gets the riff raff.....the bass players put it in the pocket and shakes the butts, and somehow the girls in the know......gravatite towards that.....besides your index finger moving at the speed of sound for 2 hours straight might have something to do with it...maybe they figure you'll be fun.....

WillieG
Click to expand...

Interesting... never worked for me, the guitarist got 75% of the chicks, the drummer the other 25%.

So I figured, guess I should just be in it for the music. Well... that attitude pretty much killed my professional career and I've been an amateur woodshedder ever since.

Wish I had a real drummer from time to time tho, at least until I learn to program drums or something.

BTW, I wouldn't let the pick interfere either if it's more comfortable. Grooving is equally possible playing with a pick since you can use the attack to aid in the rhythm. The guitarist in one of my bands played bass for Ian Moore for a short period back in the late 80's/early 90's and he used a pick the entire time I believe. He was a great bass player as well and the pick sounded fine...

LS
 
#33
willieG said:
Most excellent.....sometimes the fingers can be funny.......especially when they don't agree to play like they are suppose too.....oddly enough that slight hesitation between the 2nd and third finger creates an "and of 2 feeling".......a "Groove"......and when you miss it and create a slight thug.....even better.

JUST PRIDE YOURSELF WHN YOU SEE ALL THE YOUNG BOOTYS SHAKING IT UP AT ON THE DANCE FLOOR.....

"MISSION ACCOMPLISHED"........

The groove do have a motivation.......

WillieG
Click to expand...


ahh... that hesitation between the 2nd and 3rd finger does create a sort of built-in groove to work with. that is exactly why. good thought! on a pick that isn't there, there is no natural intrinsic link between two notes picked
 

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