How long should a bass FILL be?

[Tom Bomb]

Fill 101


​

 

[Whousedtoplay]

Just an example of how I used to approach the bass-line, starting with its rhythmic template.

Let's use the same "Brand New Jones" track.
Here is the drum pattern from the song just slower (set to 70%.)
Listen carefully how the drum player is dynamically articulating that pattern.
It's our Rhythmic foundation that we are going to build a rhythmic bass pattern/template.


https://www.talkbass.com/attachment...3/?temp_hash=3bc3574a1704da0eca399d94f35928ff

Here is the same soundclip - the same measures - but with the bass-line added just slower.
https://www.talkbass.com/attachment...3/?temp_hash=3bc3574a1704da0eca399d94f35928ff

 

[Whousedtoplay]

Sometimes that means filling an eighth note rest. Which means I probably pop the G string...for an 8th note.

Your comment has produced a question for me - "filling an eighth note rest."
When do we have a bass "FILL" and when do we have "the third part of a great groove is the groove tail?"

How do we separate/discern the bass "fill" from the groove tail, or from some "moving/walking" to the next target note on Beat 1?

Building Blocks Of A Groove: The Groove Tail

https://bassmagazine.com/lessons/beginner-bass-base-building-blocks-of-a-groove-the-groove-tail