I'm always making tension
Do what sounds right. Most of my fills are one bar.
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How long should a bass FILL be?
- Thread starter Thebiggestjerk
- Start date
I'm always making tension
A lot depends on how awesome the bass player is.
When the composer/producer/songwriter/etc... wants you to play something else but grove, that's what you do, but...
The song you've posted reminded me some "good" wedding band where the bass player tries to play too much (and very few "groupies) are applauding it), but those notes are so trivial.
It's not my taste.
Now.
Let's try to place the bass player from your record on the Robin Thicke Ask myself track.
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Your dichotomous comment can be misinterpreted!
I love the following expression, "The more PRO you are, the MORE you know about the LIMITS of the use of your instrument."
..., then, start playing games or watch a movie.
N.B. I can't stand when a MUSICIAN complains about being BORING!
WHAT?
Go fishing!
Not having any first hand information, it's hard to tell.
Usually, when a convert from lead guitar grabs a bass and plays in such a way that bandmates deem it necessary to comment on busy playing, the convert has not yet understood the role of bass in a musical piece and plays lead guitar an octave lower.
That means the convert is not overplaying. It means the convert is OVERPLAYING!!!
Usually, when a convert from lead guitar grabs a bass and plays in such a way that bandmates deem it necessary to comment on busy playing, the convert has not yet understood the role of bass in a musical piece and plays lead guitar an octave lower.
That means the convert is not overplaying. It means the convert is OVERPLAYING!!!
In order to find that "tasty fill", I need to fast-forward the recording to 43:42.
What about all those 42 minutes of PLAYING?
I will repeat my personal statement,
"It's almost impossible to find any Bass Guitar course/tutorial about the true role of the bass guitar in any band."
That's why, we have those "strange" questions like,
"What other notes should I play?"
"How long should a bass fill be?", etc.
"It's almost impossible to find any Bass Guitar course/tutorial about the true role of the bass guitar in any band."
That's why, we have those "strange" questions like,
"What other notes should I play?"
"How long should a bass fill be?", etc.
1. That improvisational bass playing is EXPECTED in that particular style/genre of MUSIC.
2. It looks like some bass players' competition going on - check the other bass players in waiting.
It's about the music genre and what the CROWD is expecting from the bass player. The whole environment/background DEMANDS to play more embellishments.
Here is a similar bass line:
Joewaun -Bass- with Brian Culbertson live in Vegas.
Yes, Joewaun is a little bit "overplaying," (especially, around 1:40) but it's so beautiful, AND(!) the BL/Composer/Arranger Brian Culbertson likes(!) it.
Even Joewaun's solo is less "filling." LOL.
P.S. Joewaun's phrasing is less "trivial."
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kind of like asking "what color should a wall be?"
the desire for a concrete answer is a lost cause- lots of two note fills are incredible. some multi-measure events can be amazing.
more interesting can where those beats happen. stuff that ends in an unusual place can be really masterful and interesting. the beautiful simplicity of just beats 3 and 4 leading back to 1 can also be amazing.
so,
"it depends."
the desire for a concrete answer is a lost cause- lots of two note fills are incredible. some multi-measure events can be amazing.
more interesting can where those beats happen. stuff that ends in an unusual place can be really masterful and interesting. the beautiful simplicity of just beats 3 and 4 leading back to 1 can also be amazing.
so,
"it depends."
As long as we are niggling about words and their interpretation, I don't like the word "limits" here. It needlessly hinders the imaginative and implies there's nothing new to be expressed on the instrument.
I would say the better the bassist, the better their sense of taste of how to play busy without detracting from the rest of the music.
For example, someone posted a vid of Lee Sklar above. Now in his case the correct answer would be he can play whatever he damn well likes for as long as he likes because you know its going to be good and musical and pleasant even if it carries on a bit long. When he eventually finishes you will kinda wish he hadn't.
But if we are talking about Steve, the self-taught bassist from about 100 miles down south of Kansas City, the answer is about 2 to 4 beats. That'll be about enough from him.
Now, let's listen to the following track.
Bass: Joe Ayoub.
There are not a lot of other instruments playing; therefore, it's, kind of easy, to start talking/learning about the Bass player's job/role in the band.
A bass player - like a COMPOSER - creates a TEMPLATE of the bass-line for this/that track and its sections(!).
There are a lot of requirements (even for a simple pop song) what the bass line must accomplish for this/that song/track.
When a bass player writes a TEMPLATE, that TEMPLATE must have all the MELODY requirements - dynamics, articulation, note length, etc...
And that template must be DEVELOPED - like any COMPOSERS do, etc...
It's such a LONG TOPIC, with so many NUANCES - it's a VERY LONG STUDY!
My biggest pet peeve about some bass players.
First measures - the bass line is "Breathing," but (let's say, in Verse 2 and further) the bass player is already BORED, the drum player or rhythm guitar player starts "exercising."
In short, every MEASURE requires the bass player to MAKE/to weave that "carpet."
Bass: Joe Ayoub.
There are not a lot of other instruments playing; therefore, it's, kind of easy, to start talking/learning about the Bass player's job/role in the band.
A bass player - like a COMPOSER - creates a TEMPLATE of the bass-line for this/that track and its sections(!).
There are a lot of requirements (even for a simple pop song) what the bass line must accomplish for this/that song/track.
When a bass player writes a TEMPLATE, that TEMPLATE must have all the MELODY requirements - dynamics, articulation, note length, etc...
And that template must be DEVELOPED - like any COMPOSERS do, etc...
It's such a LONG TOPIC, with so many NUANCES - it's a VERY LONG STUDY!
My biggest pet peeve about some bass players.
First measures - the bass line is "Breathing," but (let's say, in Verse 2 and further) the bass player is already BORED, the drum player or rhythm guitar player starts "exercising."
In short, every MEASURE requires the bass player to MAKE/to weave that "carpet."
Tell me you don’t play gospel music without telling me you don’t play gospel music
There’s a ton of safe advice here, some very good advice, and a fair amount of bad or overly simplistic advice.
it can be short or long, and it needs to be entirely dictated by what is happening in the song- here are my key tips without making it a 6 hour lecture
a) it’s a FILL. If you want a glass of water, you can only FILL as large of a container as you’re given. You also may not want to fill the glass all the way to the brim, but perhaps the music is occasionally just that thirsty
b) less metaphorically, a good rule of thumb is that with vocals, you will usually want the full to be between the last word of the line and the beginning of the next line. Use your ears- if while you play bass, you can ‘zoom out’ and focus on the singer or the band writ large, your taste and instincts will provide you with not only the appropriate spots to fill, but for better basslines and licks generally.
I don’t agree that you can’t play over the one with a fill etc, nor do I agree with just about any prescriptive ‘rules’ in music; they bely an utterly unimaginative approach and understanding of the artform. That being said, following some basic ‘rules’ like landing on the 1 is a good way to offload the mental expenditure in a way that allows you to make safe decisions in scenarios where your playing / band / environment have perhaps outpaced your mental skill. Knowing how to land on the one is a great step for knowing how to not land on the 1
it can be short or long, and it needs to be entirely dictated by what is happening in the song- here are my key tips without making it a 6 hour lecture
a) it’s a FILL. If you want a glass of water, you can only FILL as large of a container as you’re given. You also may not want to fill the glass all the way to the brim, but perhaps the music is occasionally just that thirsty
b) less metaphorically, a good rule of thumb is that with vocals, you will usually want the full to be between the last word of the line and the beginning of the next line. Use your ears- if while you play bass, you can ‘zoom out’ and focus on the singer or the band writ large, your taste and instincts will provide you with not only the appropriate spots to fill, but for better basslines and licks generally.
I don’t agree that you can’t play over the one with a fill etc, nor do I agree with just about any prescriptive ‘rules’ in music; they bely an utterly unimaginative approach and understanding of the artform. That being said, following some basic ‘rules’ like landing on the 1 is a good way to offload the mental expenditure in a way that allows you to make safe decisions in scenarios where your playing / band / environment have perhaps outpaced your mental skill. Knowing how to land on the one is a great step for knowing how to not land on the 1
I'll be performing my longest one ever tonight doing "bad motor scooter" with the extended solo section....I'll let you know 
