I mostly play just back up for the Celtic and Old Time session we have, and in the band, but I plan on changing that. For me, it's a question of actually getting to know where the scales fit and finding the techniques I've neglected all these years.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Double Bass Celtic and Old Time Fiddle Tunes on the DB
- Thread starter LeslieD
- Start date
Forgot about this thread, so posted it elsewhere - see this post for a prime example of the bass doing more than 'thmp...thump' on a reel.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?p=5815557
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?p=5815557
Thanks for bringing back this thread - I missed it the first time around and old-time, celtic, and fiddle tunes are mainly what I play. Good to meet like-minded TB'ers and get more leads on people to listen to.
BassAxe nailed it on the head with what I strive for when playing with celtic and old-time groups...
The other players are counting on you to provide a steady rhythm so you can't get too far from the beat, but I can sometimes sneak in extra beats or runs in the spaces where the fiddles are holding a note or between phrases or on the "and of 3" in 3/4 time You can't go off like with a jazz solo is a setting like that, but if you are careful to be tasteful and not over do it you can be creative, keep yourself from getting in a rut, and make the music more interesting (maybe just for you if your bandmates don't understand why a bass player would play anything but the 1 and 5, but that's important too)
You are right anniemcu, the key to it is knowing the scales, also modes and quirks of particular tunes ie are they major in the A part and minor in the B. Throwing in a third of a chord or minor third if its minor can make for a good passing tone or add some variety. I started on guitar so can read treble clef and that's what all the fiddle music is in, so for me it's harder to read bass clef and I have to transpose the other way by mentally drawing another line under the bass staff
Sometimes I will also look to hit melody notes on the beat or double melody notes for short phrases. I saw a good oldtime band at Folklife Festival in Seattle on Memorial Day weekend - the Watertower Band - i think they're from Oregon and on myspace. Anyway the other players were leaving room for the bass player to put in melody phrases and sometimes even whole scale runs over two measures. He was also seemed to be putting in chromatic notes from a step above or below the root moving into chord changes the way a jazz player would and would double the melody with the other players at times. But the I think what impressed me most was he never seemed to overplay and how the players all left space for each other.
Jason Sypher also has more tunes up on myspace since this thread went around the first time... Link Removed
Very impressive bowing and really getting that fiddle drive.
BassAxe nailed it on the head with what I strive for when playing with celtic and old-time groups...
The other players are counting on you to provide a steady rhythm so you can't get too far from the beat, but I can sometimes sneak in extra beats or runs in the spaces where the fiddles are holding a note or between phrases or on the "and of 3" in 3/4 time You can't go off like with a jazz solo is a setting like that, but if you are careful to be tasteful and not over do it you can be creative, keep yourself from getting in a rut, and make the music more interesting (maybe just for you if your bandmates don't understand why a bass player would play anything but the 1 and 5, but that's important too)
You are right anniemcu, the key to it is knowing the scales, also modes and quirks of particular tunes ie are they major in the A part and minor in the B. Throwing in a third of a chord or minor third if its minor can make for a good passing tone or add some variety. I started on guitar so can read treble clef and that's what all the fiddle music is in, so for me it's harder to read bass clef and I have to transpose the other way by mentally drawing another line under the bass staff
Sometimes I will also look to hit melody notes on the beat or double melody notes for short phrases. I saw a good oldtime band at Folklife Festival in Seattle on Memorial Day weekend - the Watertower Band - i think they're from Oregon and on myspace. Anyway the other players were leaving room for the bass player to put in melody phrases and sometimes even whole scale runs over two measures. He was also seemed to be putting in chromatic notes from a step above or below the root moving into chord changes the way a jazz player would and would double the melody with the other players at times. But the I think what impressed me most was he never seemed to overplay and how the players all left space for each other.
Jason Sypher also has more tunes up on myspace since this thread went around the first time... Link Removed
Very impressive bowing and really getting that fiddle drive.
Most of the time the best thing to play in traditional music is the root. Then the 5, the rest is icing to be used sparsely, which means it can get boring.
So actually playing fiddle tunes is great, I do it, you just can't go to a jam and play all the melodies on the bass and expect that people like it. But there is always some time for it, you can even start a jam by playing tunes (which I do often), but once you attracted a handful of fiddles, banjos, time to go back to 1 5 (or switch instruments).
Jason's vids feature great playing (not the video effects though). He rips them at full hoedown speed, especially Fortune. I haven't found any others, though, so maybe I put some up myself.
So actually playing fiddle tunes is great, I do it, you just can't go to a jam and play all the melodies on the bass and expect that people like it. But there is always some time for it, you can even start a jam by playing tunes (which I do often), but once you attracted a handful of fiddles, banjos, time to go back to 1 5 (or switch instruments).
Jason's vids feature great playing (not the video effects though). He rips them at full hoedown speed, especially Fortune. I haven't found any others, though, so maybe I put some up myself.
