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Covering a kick drum with a bass note

Anglerfish

Anglerfish

Guest
Dec 1, 2015
74
88
Moscow
#1
Should I always cover a kick drum with a bass note or may I leave it "naked" sometimes?

When I was making music on my computer I felt like it is better to not leave a kick drum alone without a bass played over it. Exceptions could be drum fills including a kick drum or some parts where drums play alone with no bass at all. But in a regular groove I always tried to keep kick covered.

But when after joining an originals band I started doubting if it's really that necessary. Are there any articles on this topic? What is your experience and opinion? Can you give any examples of songs with a groove where bass sometimes let kick play alone and it sounds good?
 
#2
I have some books on rhythm, however they bo not get into following the bass kick drum. Google will call up some videos on the subject.

I try to cover his pattern best I can. I do not worry about covering his fills, just keep the beat going, giving him something to come home to.

If he brings out his brushes I back off and play one root note at the chord change -- only. And there are some slow vocals where we both just lay out for the entire song.

It depends on the song, but, count on following his kick. After awhile you will feel when not to... I know, I hate when the old guys say to feel it.
 
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#5
Whousedtoplay said:
No rules can only produce anarchy, amateur mess , etc... which helps to separate serious musicians from begginer ones.
Groove Music is based on rhythm patterns. It could be a 1 or 2-bar pattern with some development variations skillfully added by knowledgeable musicians.
A 4-bar drum pattern could satisfy complexity-loving arrangers.
What's more, with a property written bass-line and other rhythm group participants correctly weaved into the groove texture of any song, even a 2- bar rhythm pattern could be interesting enough for serious musicians.
Click to expand...

Breaking those rules has usually produced something new and exciting. If every "serious musician" played by the "rules" we would all still be doing gregorian chants.
;)
 
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#7
Whousedtoplay said:
No rules can only produce anarchy, amateur mess , etc... which helps to separate serious musicians from begginer ones.
Groove Music is based on rhythm patterns. It could be a 1 or 2-bar pattern with some development variations skillfully added by knowledgeable musicians.
A 4-bar drum pattern could satisfy complexity-loving arrangers.
What's more, with a property written bass-line and other rhythm group participants correctly weaved into the groove texture of any song, even a 2- bar rhythm pattern could be interesting enough for serious musicians.
Click to expand...

I've taken two years of music theory. I know there are rules - my point is that if a part works, it works. As others have said, there are plenty of tunes where the bass does not mimic the kick drum. In addition to reggae, it often occurs in jazz.
 
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#9
As a drummer myself, I love setting up a groove with the bass. But I really don't want the bass playing over every bass drum note. Just like the bassist doesn't want me kicking on every bass note. Neither is the right way to go unless, perhaps, you play country or polkas all day long.

Note that I'm also primarily a metal drummer. So I'd be seriously amazed if the bassist can actually cover all of my double bass notes!
 
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#11
My practice is to cover the primary elements of the groove and then let there be some *conversation* between the bass and kick. Agree on an eighth note or sixteenth note feel. That will determine where the accents and pushes occur. Of course there are situations where you would want to line up perfectly with the kick to create a hypnotic groove. It all comes down to what the song calls for.
 
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#13
Anglerfish said:
Should I always cover a kick drum with a bass note or may I leave it "naked" sometimes?

When I was making music on my computer I felt like it is better to not leave a kick drum alone without a bass played over it. Exceptions could be drum fills including a kick drum or some parts where drums play alone with no bass at all. But in a regular groove I always tried to keep kick covered.

But when after joining an originals band I started doubting if it's really that necessary. Are there any articles on this topic? What is your experience and opinion? Can you give any examples of songs with a groove where bass sometimes let kick play alone and it sounds good?
Click to expand...

There is no "always" in music: if it sounds good, it is good.
 
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#15
Whousedtoplay said:
That's how "stoms" start here at TB.
Reggae is a complete Style with Very specific requirements for the bass, drum, guitar players.
The Music Style Dictates the rules.
What's more, there are different types, schools of reggae, or any other Music styles.
About rules killing musicians' creativity- Noncence!!!
Please provide any examples of the Groove Music that do not follow some kind of pattern Unless,
We're talking about Jamming.
Also, I am not talking about Jazz.
Click to expand...

Calm down. I don't think any of us are suggesting that there simply aren't any "norms" in various style of music. In fact, those norms literally define the styles themselves. However, you seem to have a very rigid attitude toward something that is, first and foremost, art. All forms of art have norms but they are far from rules. Impressionist painter literally became Impressionists because they broke from the style that was considered the norm before Impressionist painting became the norm.

Short version: You seem to take the "rules" so seriously that I have to wonder what the experience of writing a song would be like with you.

Perhaps your writing style (much like mine) gets you misunderstood in some cases. My apologies if it seemed as though we were piling on there.
 
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#16
IMG_0242.JPG
Rules?
 
#19
Right. There aren't "rules" in music like THOU SHALT NOT PLAY A PERFECT FOURTH AND A ROOT AT THE SAME TIME, there are "facts" of music which can be used as a guideline to create whatever you want. A "fact" is that a minor third is an interval of three half steps but there's no "rule" that says you have to always play it at a certain time.

It always comes down to what sounds good - creating tension, and how that tension is released. A bass line that follows in line with what the drummer is doing pretty much always sounds good, but that doesn't mean it won't sound good if the bass DIDN'T do that. People either like something or they don't and there's no songwriting formula that will produce a smash hit every time. It's about tapping in to people's emotions. You gotta hit them right in the nuts or it'll just be background music. Bass lines that sync up with the drummer usually hit people right in the nuts.
 
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#20
In real life the relationship between drummer and bass player in jazz/blues/rock etc. is a fluid agreement between individuals of where the time is played in relation to the center of the beat. Particular genres may be defined by certain conventions but nothing is absolute. The answer to the OP's question isn't so much in a discussion forum thread rather it's to be found in the music. Go forth and listen your ass off for the rest of your life.

If you're not sure where to start this is as good a place as any.
 
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