how to play "lead" bass??

[nate 0 jt]

I read a BP article a while back on Mike Gordan of Phish. He described playing "lead" bass. I dont quite understand, could someone please inform me? Thanks a lot

Nate M

 

[Pacman]

I think this refers to more of a melodic, contrapuntal style. Lines act more like a countermelody than a solid, simple bassline. You've got to have a solid grasp of theory, harmony, counterpoint, improvisation, style and groove to pull this off. Listen to Blues Traveler. The bassist for this band played very much "out of the box".

 

[agyeman]

Peter Hook from Joy Division (also new order) was like a lead bass player. In Joy Division, he played a lot of melodic stuff on the records. He played the bass like a guitar, more melody than rhythm.

 

[brewer9]

He was actually referring to the heavy weight of the instrument.

 

[agyeman]

 

[Captain Awesome]

Originally posted by brewer9
He was actually referring to the heavy weight of the instrument.

Lead bassists... they don't call 'em heavy metal bassists for no reason.

 

[furtim]

For playing proper heavy metal, you need a bass made of depleted uranium. Sure, it may slowly kill you, but after a gig, you can use it to blow up Iraqi tanks.

 

[brewer9]

a little plutonium always helps too.

 

[gweimer]

See also: Steve Harris

 

[purple_haze]

check out cliff burton on early metallica recordings.

and anything by primus.

 

[furtim]

Or Geddy Lee, for that matter. His basslines for Rush may not always be considered "lead bass", but Geddy surely knows how to think out of the box in a rock context and create rather complex lines while still maintaining that rock and roll bite. This is especially true of the later albums and of his solo work.

 

[Cat]

depleted uranium is no more harmless then iron or aluminum. it is quite dense though. that's why they use it for tank shells

cat-a bass playing nuclear engineer

 

[wynnguitars]

You can play lead on the bass in sections where the rest of the band has made a space for you (which rarely happens) but like Pacman said you have to have a grasp on the theory and harmony aspect of what your playing.Even though your soloing you have to keep time as well as be melodic and your still soloing over chord changes so your note choices would have to fit the particular chord you happen to be soloing over.Hope that helped.peace.

 

[chubby28081us]

all you do is like most guitar players play like hell even if ti does not fit the song

 

[bggeezer]

bit of a contradiction in terms my friend

there is nothing wrong with the odd fill or break
or even advanced bass lines like geddy or flea play
(or pastorious)etc

but remember what your "job" is.......to hold down the bottom end and groove with the drummer creating the rhythm . All music starts with the rhythm.

a song without rhythm is like icing with no cake
just a splodge on a plate!

keep on rockin

 

[bggeezer]

i sounded like a pompous patronising git in my last posting, sorry.
you play your bass any damn way you want too

 

[Josh Ryan]

What I do is get the rest of the band to actually hold a groove if I want to depart radically from a line I'm playing. It will never work, for example, if you play with some noodler of a guitarist who can't groove at all. (I would find a better guitarist in that case anyway.)

 

[*ToNeS*]

at the warehouse studios where our band practices every week is an ad up outside on the wall by another band, which reads as follows -

(... okay who was the smarmy moderator who got rid of my highly amusing quotation?? )

i believe someone got a little irritated with a frustrated guitarist and this was his reply... i must have laughed for hours until i realised that i totally overplay as well and should probably bend over and receive my dues the moral of this story ? bass is a rhythm instrument. RHYTHM I SAY ! lead bass ... pssssfffftttttttttt

 

[Rockinjc]

Got to hold the Groove! If you can play melody at the same time, and people like it, why not do it?

jc

 

[A Rock]

i think justin chancellor uses good melodic riffs