Finding the pocket with my drummer

[Joshuadriller]

So I'm having troubles keeping

 

[Joshuadriller]

Up with my drummer. Im an experienced player, but I'm having a hard time keeping with his kick patterns.. Anybody have any tips or tricks????

 

[tabdog]

Just concentrate on the first and third beat.

Then try to figure out which are the main beats
that go with the melody lines.

A lot of short notes with rest.

My son likes his double bass and uses it constantly.

I never could break him of it,

Tabdog

 

[ksandvik]

If this is a drummer whose kick patterns are ad hoc rapid bursts, good luck. All you could do is to keep the main beat and have better discipline than the drummer.

 

[Joshuadriller]

I wouldn't say that his kick patterns are random or rapid. He's a solid drummer and I'm a solid bassist, but we can't seem to groove with each other.

 

[jmattbassplaya]

I wouldn't say that his kick patterns are random or rapid. He's a solid drummer and I'm a solid bassist, but we can't seem to groove with each other.

You guys just might not be meant for each other. Sounds weird even typing it, but honestly some musicians just don't work well together.

 

[Groove Doctor]

Maybe ask him to lock in with you.....
Here's a funny story:

I once told a drummer it sounded like he had Tourette's in his right foot... that we both need to listen to each other, and I didn't think he was listening to me.... that I thought he wasn't very creative with his hands and overcompensating with his right foot. Humble guy who took it very gracefully actually (though a little deflated).

So then I played a groove, asked him to listen and lock in the kick with bass first, THEN let him loose with his hands. In just 15 minutes he broke out of that rigid mindset, we were right in the pocket, and it sounded amazing. He said he loved it and he'd never played like that before.

It's like piano also - some play right hand on the beat and left (bass notes) dancing around. Others have left hand solid and free up right hand.
Learn to do both - it's great to mix it up, but they need to know when it's working and when it's not.

 

[bassistjoe93]

You guys just might not be meant for each other. Sounds weird even typing it, but honestly some musicians just don't work well together.

+1

Some of that might stem from different musical backgrounds if you two have them. I grew up listening to and playing jazz, funk, r&b, etc. A buddy of mine grew up listening and playing drums to metal, which I never listened to. He's a good metal drummer, but its kinda hard to lock in with him because I'm just not much of a metal bassist. I dunno if that's your issue you're struggling with or not, but that's just what came to my mind.