How can I practice hearing the kick?

[Upandaway]

Started playing with a band recently for the first time

I read online that a good thing to do for bassists generally is to lock into the kick, but often when we're playing I can't specifically pick out the kick. Also even when listening to music myself at home I'd say I couldn't pick out the kick or even really specifically notice it when there's a lot of other musical stuff going on

Any tips for practicing? If I just listen to drum beats I can of course hear the kick but any further tips are much appreciated! thanks

 

[AGCurry]

Bass drum in recordings may be difficult to discern because the bassist's notes are coincident with the bass drum's. In that case, the drum serves to augment the attack of the bass notes.

In most genres, the bass drum will hit the downbeat, so that's where you want to listen. The only other piece of the drum set you'll hear on the downbeat is usually a cymbal. Once you've heard that, it might be easier to identify the bass-drum pattern. In modern jazz, the drummer will often "save" the bass drum for accents, so let's not consider that case.

Hearing the bass drum is not as important as knowing its pattern. If you're playing by trying to hear it, you'll be behind; but, if you know the pattern, you can, as they say, lock in.

 

[buldog5151bass]

I usually keep myself in a spot where I can see the foot. Watch as you learn where the accents are. They're you play and listen, the more you will learn patterns.

I've even had times on stage where I kept my foot up against the bassdrum peg so that I could feel the beat with the monitor on stage was a mess.

 

[Lobster11]

I think of my job as locking in with the drummer, rather than any particular part of the kit, in whatever way I can get there. Mostly I'm not conscious of what specifically I'm focusing on, if anything: I think it depends on how strong the drummer's kick is (I've played with some drummers with a weak foot, so the kick was barely audible), what the rest of the band is doing, and the groove of the particular song. In one of my bands we play a lot of songs with fat backbeats, so even though I'm playing on the downbeats I'm listening to the drummer's backbeat on the snare or whatever. Sometimes I focus on the hi-hat; my preferred spot is next to the hi-hat for that reason.

So my advice is that as long as you and the drummer are in synch, don't worry about it: You're doing it right.

 

[Malcolm35]

Can not hear the bass drum beat watch his foot pedal... If he/she keeps a steady beat, you just have to look over at the foot pedal a few times in each song.

 

[SoCal80s]

I think it's better to lock in with the high hat or ride cymbal and you'll be better locked in with the drummer. It's easier to hear too.

 

[Standalone]

I have a good ear and can pick out the kick.

But I also hear the whole kit and tend to lock to it overall. What I guess I wind up doing is locking to the kick AND the snare playing lots of grooves with fifths.

So my pointer finger becomes the kick on the root, while my middle finger is accenting with the snare to an extent.

This is my own personal style of playing, and not really accepted “technique” but it works for me, my band, and our audience, I think.

 

[mambo4]

Learn drums, learn those parts.
(only half - joking)

 

[g-dude]

Learn drums, learn those parts.
(only half - joking)

The problem then becomes “How do you fire yourself?”