How do I get “it”?

[misterCRUSH]

Recording yourself is a great way to hear how you really sound/groove. It doesn't have to be a professional recording, I just use my phone...Just so that you can hear yourself and the other people or recording. I find I can hear more clearly when I am not playing. I notice the good and the bad and that helps me get better. You can also use this to work on specifics, like time for instance. I record myself playing with a metronome, trying to play just behind the clicks, or also making the clicks groove/swing. I then listen back to hear how I did. Besides, you can listen back to recordings from a few weeks ago, and hear how you are improving. It's been very valuable to me.

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

"It" as you're describing it, is about timing - you groove hard by being "on time" but not "robotic". A bassist and drummer who groove hard (it takes 2 to tango) understand, without having to discuss it, where to push and pull the beat - if the drummer is doing syncopated stuff, you put down a parade of dead on the beat quarter notes, so the syncopation stands out, and the rest of the band knows where the beat is. If you're pushing and pulling on the beat to deepen the groove, he's holding down the precise timing for you - it's a give and take thing (a rhythmic dance, really) that happens more or less automatically between two really good players.

Last weekend, I was playing with a less experienced drummer - she was decent, but when I pushed or pulled on the beat, she didn't dance - she followed me - I realized I had to play much straighter, or we'd wander off tempo. We (regardless of my experience) didn't have "it". Over time, maybe, but as of this point, not there. This weekend, the drummer I'm playing with - we're good. We'll have "it".

How do you get here? First off, you have to be able to play right on the beat - practicing with something with good timing helps here, whether it's tunes, a metronome, or whatever. The more precise you can be, the better - if you want to push and pull on the beat, you have to know where (actually when) the beat is. The rest is experience - it isn't going to happen the first time you play out somewhere, but if you play out enough (hundreds of gigs), and are paying attention, it's a skill that organically gets built.

On the beat, first.
Yup.
Love how the man hisself insists he always hears those quarter notes in his head when he's trickin around the rhythm.

 

[Bunk McNulty]

Stop thinking about what you're playing while playing it.

There's a time for thinking it out (practice) and a time to let all that go and just perform.

As for achieving "it", practice until not needing to think about what you're doing is second nature. Then play until it "clicks".

Sorry, that's probably not the clearest answer.

No, what you're saying is quite clear!: In the Galper video (see above) he talks about how hard it is for very intelligent people to get out of their heads, so to speak, and just play. He also says that you don't have trouble hearing things: You play exactly the way you hear. Which is a function of your level of concentration, and the vividness of your aural (not oral) intensity. OR, as Dizzy Gillespie put it when a high school kid asked him "What's going on in your head while you play?" He said "Most people think it's ba-doo-ba-doo-bop. But it's not! I'ts really
BA-DOO-BA-DOO-BOP."

 

[Stewie]

Or...there are 100 different pockets.

I wore Carhartt logger jeans for about twenty years. They had 9 pockets and a hammer loop. This confused even the best drummer I know, so I switched to normal five pocket jeans and life became instantly better. True story

 

[Smooth_bass88]

It's like mojo, you either have it or you don't!

huh, disagree with this 100%

Taste and feel can be acquired over time. Sure, some people seem to be born with it, but it absolutely can be developed if you feel it needs to be.

Just a lot of practicing, listening, and playing with lots of different folks will get you there. Also, try to play with players who you think are at a higher level than you. And just try to play 'laid back'. Learning and playing lots of walking basslines definitely helps too.

 

[kirkplunkett]

Played guitar in a wedding band for over 20 years and also in some original projects. Over the years I seem to end up on bass for more and more gigs. Either gigs that pay less and we don’t need guitar or the bass player can’t play. This has been going on for many years but over the past few months I’ve actually gotten more serious about bass and practicing it. I’m really loving it.

Our band leader who is also the drummer has told me he actually prefers me to the actual bassist because I’m tight and keep things simple. However, I hear other bassists who just seem to have “it”. The just make it feel really good and that’s what I’m striving for.

Once we played with a very awesome Prince tribute act (The Purple Experience”. We were in the middle of Fire by the Ohio Players and I noticed the bassist from the Prince band was watching. I quickly handed him my bass mid-song and he sounded so great. It wasn’t that he was playing something real technical but it grooved so hard.

So, what’s the best way to develop that? How do I get that feel? I can play on time but I want to get “it”.

When you practice, half the BPM on your metronome and play with the clicks on 2 and 4. It’s gonna be hard AF at first, but when you get it everyone you play with will notice your “swing” is DEEP and grooves like a mutha.

 

[TomB]

The following has been stated above several times, but it does show how important note length etc can be (the video is meant for beginners. intermediates but demos what others say may be the issue):

This was fun to watch even with 55 years under my belt (or over my shoulder ). Thanks!

 

[Nev375]

So, what’s the best way to develop that? How do I get that feel? I can play on time but I want to get “it”.

It's not something you can develop by any action or thought. In fact, even thinking about it gets you farther from it.

Simply listen ...and FEEL what you are listening to. Don't think, don't analyze. Just feel.

The more you hear and feel it, the more it will come to you unconciously.

 

[Paul New]

First, forget everything you’ve read in this thread.

Except this: It comes from listening to music. Take care of the mechanical parts with practice and thought, but the “it” is something that comes from listening and you just absorb it. Develop your taste.

 

[Father Gino]

I don’t know how to instruct anyone to “get it”, but I know when I’ve got it. I know when I don’t got it and I’ll strive (usually successfully) to fix it. I’d rather the song have a different feel than expected, than have it not locked up. I’ve heard a lot of cover bands where everyone plays (supposedly) note for note, but the song doesn’t flow because it’s not locked up.
Best advice is to listen, especially to the drummer. It’s a two way street, the drummer has to listen to the bass as well and there has to be a consensus as to what the “feel” is going to be.
Locking with the drummer is paramount. The whole band locking together is the goal of course, but that’s going to be a lot easier if the bass and drums are locked together. That’s why we rhythm section guys are all powerful. It’s the drums and bass that drive the song.
You can’t lock into an incompetent drummer which is why we fire them all the time. I’ve locked up with every drummer I’ve played with save one. That guy was puzzling to me. He was certainly not incompetent, but I guess we just didn’t share the idea of the song.

 

[coyote1]

When you practice, half the BPM on your metronome and play with the clicks on 2 and 4. It’s gonna be hard AF at first, but when you get it everyone you play with will notice your “swing” is DEEP and grooves like a mutha.

And one other crucial component: as you get more facile, your objective is to not hear the metronome. Lotsa beginners and even intermediates get freaked out by this…. but if your time is good, you’ll be playing your 2 and 4 at the same moment the metronome clicks. And so you will not hear the metronome! When that happens, you know you’re swinging.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Your BL/drummer prefers you - you gotta be doing something right.

Why not sit down with him over a beer or coffee and tell him you appreciate his words,but you want to get even better, and ask him what comments he may have.

 

[Mikrow]

Lots of good info shared here so far.

Know what it means to play on or around the beat for sure.

Nothing matters if you don’t know how to listen to the drummer.

I’ve been a drummer for almost 20 years, (now picking up bass because it is awesome), drumming in original bands, and heavy on the improvisation and free playing side of things, where listening is everything. The drummer dictates what’s happing weather we like it or not. That’s why y’all like to fire them, ha! The best bass players I’ve played with (and there have been some good ones) have all been great listeners.

The goodness happens when you know how to listen, to hear where and when you need to place your notes, when to push and when to swing back. No matter how good you are with a metronome, it doesn’t matter if you can’t place it in the moment with the group. OP referenced the Prince cover bassist and how good he made it, it’s because he knows how to play off of the drummer, to work his technique in the moment off of what’s happening. Listening and knowing how to cooperate with how the drummer is driving the music makes all the difference.

Once you have technique, the difference of having “it” or not is your ability to hear and react to the other players in the group. Knowing how you place and hang your notes in regard to drummer makes “it”.

just my 3 cents worth.

 

[squeally dan]

Know what it means to play on or around the beat for sure

I’m trying to get a better feel for this.

Lots of good info shared here so far.

Know what it means to play on or around the beat for sure.

Nothing matters if you don’t know how to listen to the drummer.

I’ve been a drummer for almost 20 years, (now picking up bass because it is awesome), drumming in original bands, and heavy on the improvisation and free playing side of things, where listening is everything. The drummer dictates what’s happing weather we like it or not. That’s why y’all like to fire them, ha! The best bass players I’ve played with (and there have been some good ones) have all been great listeners.

The goodness happens when you know how to listen, to hear where and when you need to place your notes, when to push and when to swing back. No matter how good you are with a metronome, it doesn’t matter if you can’t place it in the moment with the group. OP referenced the Prince cover bassist and how good he made it, it’s because he knows how to play off of the drummer, to work his technique in the moment off of what’s happening. Listening and knowing how to cooperate with how the drummer is driving the music makes all the difference.

Once you have technique, the difference of having “it” or not is your ability to hear and react to the other players in the group. Knowing how you place and hang your notes in regard to drummer makes “it”.

just my 3 cents worth.

 

[Tanner5382]

If you want, here it is. Come and get it. Make your mind up fast.

 

[Hypercaffium]

Just do bass faces and move around, you'll be blessed by the mojo gods instantly. For just 5 seconds though.

 

[tvbop]

Recognise the impact level of various notes within the key figure. There are notes that are meh and there are notes which thunder...its hard to explain cause all basses are different. Eg, low F on my P bass is real punchy and I will over exaggerate it now and again which creates super impact. Most instrument upper notes are full but soft...look for the ones which retain the mid punch.
Just been given Video Killed the Radio Star in a set and when the bass comes in I really slam that opening riff.....is that the type of thing were talking about?

 

[vindibona1]

Without getting too verbose, getting "it" is about understanding the role that you as a bass player has in the ensemble in every song and the MUSICALITY within the playing. As someone said earlier, the magic is in the plucking hand as that's largely where the musicality comes from, understanding the phrasing and accentuation that you have to produce as a bass player which is totally different than that of a guitar player. If you're working as a bass player you must have a lot of it down already. The rest is finesse and understanding your role within.

I too am working on "getting it" and find that indeed it is in my right hand and understanding what I can do to the music that is different as a guitar player, drummer or vocalist. The two quick things I can cite are 1) understanding the sound of the "rest stroke" and becoming more precise with how I slap, needing to have precision as to what I strike with my thumb as to get the desired sound in addition to becoming more adept at left hand hammers and pull offs.

 

[AceOfBassFace]

1) Practice as much as you can
2) Don't TRY to play with feel, just play how YOU feel the song
3) Listen to the whole band as if you're not in it, don't focus too much your own parts
4) Relax your body, especially your spine, move around, even if it's just nodding your head to the beat - if you're standing there stiff as a board, you're going to play stiffly

 

[MrLenny1]

Think like a bass player.