Excellent advice from Billy Sheehan

[BazzaBass]

Billy Sheehan's 6 top tips for bass players: “Listen to any great band and think about how the bass and drums work together, like Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, Geddy Lee and Neil Peart, or Steve Harris and Nicko McBrain"

 

[TN WOODMAN]

Solid advice. Most of us at this awhile don’t even need Billy to give it.

 

[mambo4]

His point about knowing exactly what the drummer is doing
Is something I learned myself from my Salsa days
And It can be expanded to the whole rhythm section - and the whole band
That is why you need to listen instead of hyperfocusing n your own part

 

[RattleSnack]

In good bands, it was always about rhytm section, not how this guy plays bass or drums.
One more thing I noticed, there are great drummers there that just don't cooperate with bass players (also vice versa).
I remember reading Tony Levin saying that it isn't easy to play with Manu Kache since he doesn't leave much space for bassist.

 

[Sam Evans]

I married my drummer, so I always think about what she's doing ...

 

[Killing Floor]

I married my drummer, so I always think about what she's doing ...

How do you square that with the need to fire her?

 

[Sam Evans]

How do you square that with the need to fire her?

I'm in a terrible bargaining position. She's way too good for me, as a spouse and a drummer.

 

[ElectroVibe]

Let's both agree to play on downbeat.

 

[P. Aaron]

We have a drummer who's in her first band. She's metronomic and I'm trying to get her to swing a bit. Being a former Irish dance instructor, her timing is excellent but musically, there need to be a slight pendulum effect between beats.

I always follow what she's playing. If I'm bangin' on and it ain't working quite right, I remind myself to just back the drums and let all the high-note guys up front use their own damn ears.

Our guitar player has no swing or backbeat.