Good question! Yes I do, infer the drums along with my basslines when percussion is not there. This happens often when we are hired out as a trio. (Piano. bass and reeds.)
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.
Do you change your playing when you have no drummer ?
- Thread starter CaribooBass
- Start date
Chet was correct!
Being totally honest, I hate it when that happens, but it happens from time to time on church teams. When I am asked to play, my first question is "do you have a drummer" because I find it very frustrating without one. I am at the point now where, unless there is some other factor, I decline playing without a drummer.
That said, when it happens, I typically play more simply. Stick to patterns that create a "beat" (quarters, eighths). Stick to roots. Play a little more staccato (sometimes). Only play fretted (to get as much attack as possible). Try to maintain tempo and keep other instruments from speeding up. I find it far less enjoyable than playing with a drummer (even one who tends to speed up as he gets excited).
I play in two bands, one always has a drummer (a really great one) and the other is all-acoustic. Main difference - in the drummerless band, its entirely up to me to keep the beat and to avoid speeding up/slowing down. Remember that you are the entire rhythm section. Its almost counter-intuitive, you'd think that without a drummer you have more space to fill but the opposite is true.
As someone posted, we use a beat buddy when the drummer calls off. Sometimes it's better this way as the beat buddy is really a glorified metronome.
You can't fire the drummer if he's not there...
You can't fire the drummer if he's not there...
On occasion at our church it is my wife singing and playing acoustic guitar, with me on bass. Sometimes there's other singers...sometimes it's just the two of us.
Some songs I play very simply...mostly roots and simple chord notes...almost as more of a bass "texture" underneath the guitar and vocals. Other songs I may play busier, taking on more of a melodic bass role. It's probably is similar to what I might play on trombone.
It all depends on how the song is coming out and what I feel in the moment.
Some songs I play very simply...mostly roots and simple chord notes...almost as more of a bass "texture" underneath the guitar and vocals. Other songs I may play busier, taking on more of a melodic bass role. It's probably is similar to what I might play on trombone.
It all depends on how the song is coming out and what I feel in the moment.
I’ve been playing in a guitar/bass duo for about 2 years and find myself playing more simply and at times, when called for and it makes sense, more melodically, but mostly more roots and 5ths.
this.
I think of it as “pulse”. Whatever I needed to do to help create this sense of pulse. lf for worship tunes, stuff like extra
Dotted quarter eights
Pick up note
Triplets leading to one.
Judicious change up from 2 feel to 4 feel, or 1 to waltz 3
Marking the verse feel and chorus feel differ
Moving eighth line that creates time in the open spots.
Break up steady whole and half notes with quarters and sometimes octave shift on two and four.
it’s not busy to be busy, but whatever is needed to create a pulse.
And not just time, but also making the structure of the songs clear.
And most importantly, I figure out who my ally is: Is there a keys or rhythm guitarist, and when our eyes meet, we just agree “ here is the time” ?
And actually, I do this with a drummer as well.
JeezyMcNuggles
Inactive
- Feb 23, 2018
- 14,723
- 20,970
- Disclosures
- I suck, but nobody really notices
Play the drums instead of bass. That's what I do when our drummer is out.
Drums are far more important than bass.
Thanks for all the replies Guys and it all has been very much appreciated. A couple of things to mention; this does not happen that often so we will make do.
Some of our most commented on times we have played is when we are short players.
So after our rehearsal tonight it should be all right you know.
That comfort came from using a lot of what was suggested here so thanks again.
No you do not want me to play drums as was mentioned in this post. My Dog has more rhythm in his hands and feet than I do.
Clayton
P.S I know if my Dog has more on the ball then ask him to play drums. I did….. he turned me down for wants a better bass player.
Some of our most commented on times we have played is when we are short players.
So after our rehearsal tonight it should be all right you know.
That comfort came from using a lot of what was suggested here so thanks again.
No you do not want me to play drums as was mentioned in this post. My Dog has more rhythm in his hands and feet than I do.
Clayton
P.S I know if my Dog has more on the ball then ask him to play drums. I did….. he turned me down for wants a better bass player.
Last edited:
"Basseux and hundred others don't like this post"
Yes. I play for an artist who sometimes has a drummer and bass, sometimes goes as a duo, and sometimes with me on bass as a trio. Without the drummer, I have more freedom to be more percussive in my playing because there's more space for that. Not adding slaps and pops and thumps, but just varying up the rhythms from what I might with a drummer there. Some ghost note, different patterns and such.
JeezyMcNuggles
Inactive
- Feb 23, 2018
- 14,723
- 20,970
- Disclosures
- I suck, but nobody really notices
Hahahahaha, it's true though. Like it or not"Basseux and hundred others don't like this post"
haha
Yes, I hate it but have to do it here sometimes, I play more simple and stay down low and play as steady as I can. I will often palm mute and play hard also to give a semblance of the missing drums. I'm not saying I won't take a few flights here and there but I try to hold it together.
Hahahahaha, it's true though. Like it or not
I don't think that's true.
You might manage to play punk or thrash metal with drums without a bass, because the guitars and bass are playing the same melodic function of the bass line, so you would lose only lower end frequencies.
But you have better chances playing jazz or funk without drums than without bass, because the melodic role of the bass line is important to the style and played only by the bass.
It could be played by other instruments though, lower end or not, but you can't do without the melodic function.
If you look at all music, there is more likely a bass with no drums that no bass with drums.
Last edited:
