• 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.

Dan Briggs playing style from BTBAM

#2
Well, the obvious starting place would be transcribing and practicing his bass lines. Viridian would be a good starting place, it's not really that difficult. Just take it in small enough chunks and you'll get the hang of it. Depends on your experience with transcribing, though. If you want to go deeper, try to find out, from interviews for example, what Dan has listened to and where he has taken his influences. I recall that he has studied jazz and classical during high school (?).
 
#3
xkmattx said:
Wondering what i can practice to try and be able to play like him. I try to play tabs to btbam songs and just get overwhelmed and give up quickly. Anyone have some exercises i can try?
thanks
Click to expand...

If you're wondering what to practice to "try and be able to play like [Dan Briggs]," then you need to continue working on what you've already tried and given up on: playing actual BtBaM songs.

If you want to learn how to play like Jaco, the best way isn't to work on generic exercises but to learn actual Jaco songs/bass lines. The same principle holds up here.

There is a book of sheet music for Colors available which includes tab and standard notation (I believe -- might want to fact-check me on that). If I were in your position, I would buy it, and then take songs and learn them in little chunks. Trying to sightread through an entire BtBaM song would be incredible overwhelming, I would think.

And I also wouldn't start with "Viridian," fwiw. That's not a great example of the standard role he plays in the band. Rather, that is a rare moment when he takes a straight-up solo. If you really want to learn to play like him as he does 95% of the time in the band, learn how he grooves so well in such a characteristically progressive metal context.

Just me 2 cents. :)
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back