Any more than 1 bar, and it's a bass break.
Any more than 2 bars, and it's a bass solo.
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How long should a bass FILL be?
- Thread starter Thebiggestjerk
- Start date
Any more than 1 bar, and it's a bass break.
Any more than 2 bars, and it's a bass solo.
If you’re only going to do a 1 or 2 measure fill (a silly concept to begin with), make it start on the 3-and & end on the 3-and. At least it will be interesting.
Here is a very recent Scary Pockets cover with Leland Sklar.
It gives a solid perspective about a bass line played by one of the best studio bass players.
We have an established bass "template" or a rhythmic-melodic pattern, knowledge of this/that music style, DYNAMICS, articulation, clearly established and pronounced Parts of the song, a strong support for the Chord progression/HARMONY, a powerful sense of "BANDNESS," the song's texture, etc...
The bass track nicely shows the DEVELOPMENT of the bass-line.
The recording even has one of my favorites devices - I call them "staples". It's when the whole band does something simple but together like tutti, or an accent, or a rest.
It's around 1:29. We have a rest on Beat 1 followed by an accent on Beat 2.
As a bass player, I always pay attention how a good bass player is joining the chords of the harmony.
On this track, Sklar is using lots of "smooth" legato glissandi to move between chords.
A nice track to analyze.
Here is another Scary Pockets' track with a similar to "American Boy" rhythmic pattern I've posted above this comment.
But, we have a different bass player - Joe Ayoub.
One could easily discern how two bass players pronounce a very similar eighth-note bass pattern, how they articulate the dynamics of the pattern, the notes' lengths, how they move between the chords, how they develop the bass-line, etc...
Joe Ayoub changes right-hand technique (starts with the thumb's right side (a "pillow"), followed by the regular finger-style)in order to better dynamically articulate the bass-line.
At the end - around 3:15, we have a nice and short bass "fill."
But, we have a different bass player - Joe Ayoub.
One could easily discern how two bass players pronounce a very similar eighth-note bass pattern, how they articulate the dynamics of the pattern, the notes' lengths, how they move between the chords, how they develop the bass-line, etc...
Joe Ayoub changes right-hand technique (starts with the thumb's right side (a "pillow"), followed by the regular finger-style)in order to better dynamically articulate the bass-line.
At the end - around 3:15, we have a nice and short bass "fill."
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Because it’s silly. The entire question of such a rule is silly. I’ve played fills that last one beat and I’ve played fills that lasted half the bridge and they always groove and are in the pocket. To suggest a fill must last one measure and always land on the 1 is shortsighted and boring. Plus, ‘silly’ is a kinder word than other options.
Yeah man. It’s music. It’s gotta flow (not a reference to the poopie).Ah, that makes sense. Also, you can always use, "poopie"
Agree, the entire concert is well worth watching just for T Bone's playing alone, which is as good as it gets, but that particular fill he rips in METHOD is the one that always springs to mind.
IMO he was truly one of the greats.
I really like that fill.
The whole bass-line is very well structured - riff, riff, and nothing but riff.
There was a minute fill around 1:24 but the rest of the bass-line is just unwavering riff.
Not too much any kind of development - just plowing that rhythmic pattern.
About that fill around 2:24.
I like it. It's a little bit unusual but COOL.
Just my personal speculation(only) on the origin of that, kind of, fill.
It sounds - to me - like during the recording session, somehow, the bass-line got displaced by two Beats.
It's more, like the bass is playing an end of the cadence.
And everybody said, "What's going on?"
And later, probably, everybody said, "Hey, it's really cool."
Yeah man. It’s music. It’s gotta flow (not a reference to the poopie).
as affirmed by AJ from 3:26 on (2) Grover Washington Jr. - Let It Flow (for ''Dr. J.'') - YouTube
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Yes, it's a very solid bass player.
Here is the same but studio-recorded track.
That fill is around 3:09.
The live version fill sounds more interesting to me, even though, the notes melodically and rhythmically are the same.
Also, the song's tempo in that LIVE version is much faster.
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Yes, it is a little slower.
I love how the palm muted pick tone comes through on this particular track.
I like Thicke's pop songs.
The following track had Sean Hurley on the bass.
It's a nice bass-line.
The following short (and slower) soundclip is of a 1-measure bass fill - it's the end of cadence.
It's around 0:34
(By listening at a slow/er tempo, I've found some interesting - for my taste - things of that bass line.)
https://www.talkbass.com/attachment...4/?temp_hash=a3fc2fb32dbe3c8a45b9212c090dd597
The following track had Sean Hurley on the bass.
It's a nice bass-line.
The following short (and slower) soundclip is of a 1-measure bass fill - it's the end of cadence.
It's around 0:34
(By listening at a slow/er tempo, I've found some interesting - for my taste - things of that bass line.)
https://www.talkbass.com/attachment...4/?temp_hash=a3fc2fb32dbe3c8a45b9212c090dd597
A very good drummer once told me that he plays the spaces between the notes.
Much of Little Feats work emphasizes this. Let the music breathe. Play the rests.
