THIS!
The most important thing. Keep it simple and lock in with the drummer and you will be fine. Just play what the song NEEDS for now, nothing more.
Enjoy the experience!
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THIS!
The most important thing. Keep it simple and lock in with the drummer and you will be fine. Just play what the song NEEDS for now, nothing more.
Enjoy the experience!
Seems to me you are at a "crossroads" (pun intended).
With only a week to prepare, you could study music theory and the blues, try to understand how to create your own improvised walking bass lines, how to connect from one chord to the next, etc.
Or you could just memorize the bass lines to the songs and not worry about "why" just yet. You mentioned you have a good ear, so this might be the path of least resistance for this audition.
I played in a blues band for about 2 years and I had no prior experience playing the blues before hand. My situation was similar to yours, a local gigging blues band needed a bass player... Before I auditioned, I met with the BL and he gave me a copy of their album and their set lists that included originals and covers. I spent the week learning every song on their album and as much of their set list as possible. I think I got the gig because I was so prepared with knowing all the songs on their album whereas every other guy that auditioned just went in, without prepping the material, and was just resting on their years of "playing the blues" experience.
Like most of the other comments say, blues is a feel, lock in with the drummer and have fun! Learn the Nashville number system if you don't already know it, it can be a big help in jamming songs on the fly.
I know some serious blues guys that like to make this out to be more that what it is and maybe there is more to it, but I found it not so challenging but definitely some of the funnest live shows that I have ever been involved in (also the highest paying gigs)! Best of luck to you, I hope you have a great time working with these guys.
Like most of the other comments say, blues is a feel, lock in with the drummer and have fun! Learn the Nashville number system if you don't already know it, it can be a big help in jamming songs on the fly.
I know some serious blues guys that like to make this out to be more that what it is and maybe there is more to it, but I found it not so challenging but definitely some of the funnest live shows that I have ever been involved in (also the highest paying gigs)! Best of luck to you, I hope you have a great time working with these guys.
We got a guy around here who looks, acts, and talks like a really great blues harp player. He's got the modded green bullet, ancient tweed Champ, a custom matching distressed tweed harp case, and knows all the right lingo and phrases. Only problem is, as one of the better blues guitarists around here said about him, "he really wants to be a great blues harp player, but he's just too white to pull it off." First thing is to relax, don't get hung up on the genre and serve the music
Don't concern yourself with extrainous details. Load up your playlist with blues tunes, preferably their set list, and cram that 24/7 and set aside as much time as possible to translate what you've heard to music. Concentrate on being on time for changes. Stick to the basics for a minute until they come without thinking.
Once you get the job, work hard on your on stage communication skills and become an observer of the left hand of your guitar player. If they are a serious blues band they will follow the advice Lightning Hopkins gave Dusty Hill when Hill complained about having trouble following Lightning through the chord changes "Lightnin change when Lightnin wanna change". Having been lucky enough to have played with the late great Willie King, i can assure you this is sound advice. Concentrate on your fellow band member's "tells", that and prearranged cues will make or break a blues band. You can be the most technically competent band on the planet but if your product is nothing more than pre measured portions of notes and words, you are just another sterile blues-like product and your audience will feel it and will cut you lose to chat and prattle rather than bear witness to y'all testifying.
My first job with a blues band was a call from a drummer i'd been working with for a while. He called from a club and said their bass player bailed at the last minute, could i come down and fill in. I told him i'd never played much blues and he said no problem, just follow him and watch the guitar players left hand.
I know you will pull this off no problem, but blues is much more fun if you can just relax and flow with the music rather than try to force things.
Don't concern yourself with extrainous details. Load up your playlist with blues tunes, preferably their set list, and cram that 24/7 and set aside as much time as possible to translate what you've heard to music. Concentrate on being on time for changes. Stick to the basics for a minute until they come without thinking.
Once you get the job, work hard on your on stage communication skills and become an observer of the left hand of your guitar player. If they are a serious blues band they will follow the advice Lightning Hopkins gave Dusty Hill when Hill complained about having trouble following Lightning through the chord changes "Lightnin change when Lightnin wanna change". Having been lucky enough to have played with the late great Willie King, i can assure you this is sound advice. Concentrate on your fellow band member's "tells", that and prearranged cues will make or break a blues band. You can be the most technically competent band on the planet but if your product is nothing more than pre measured portions of notes and words, you are just another sterile blues-like product and your audience will feel it and will cut you lose to chat and prattle rather than bear witness to y'all testifying.
My first job with a blues band was a call from a drummer i'd been working with for a while. He called from a club and said their bass player bailed at the last minute, could i come down and fill in. I told him i'd never played much blues and he said no problem, just follow him and watch the guitar players left hand.
I know you will pull this off no problem, but blues is much more fun if you can just relax and flow with the music rather than try to force things.
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When in doubt, simplify. Playing R-5 or walking R-3-5-6-8-6-5-3 through the songs, which are mostly I-IV-V, and locking in with the drummer will do the job just fine. Overplaying takes you quickly away from the blues feel. Blues is minimum technique/maximum feeling, nothing flowery.
The easiest way to make a good impression is to play the R-5 through the verses and learn a few good turnarounds. Google "blues turnarounds" to get dozens of quickie examples of varying quality. Listen for them in the songs you're going to play. Since you already play, you'll easily recognize what works.
The easiest way to make a good impression is to play the R-5 through the verses and learn a few good turnarounds. Google "blues turnarounds" to get dozens of quickie examples of varying quality. Listen for them in the songs you're going to play. Since you already play, you'll easily recognize what works.
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Chicago... visit Rosa`s or Kingston Mines... that will get ya schooled and humbled in a hurry.
Disclaimer: Sorry if it sounds that way not trying to be sarcastic, just the players downtown there have it!
Disclaimer: Sorry if it sounds that way not trying to be sarcastic, just the players downtown there have it!
First, Drive from Memphis to Vicksburg through the MS delta. This is the perfect time of year.
Then listen to some blues. You'll hear that a ton of delta blues bass is a walking type riff, repeated over and over, with the changes and with slight variations by song. learn a few of those, apply as fits the groove, stay in pocket and nail the changes and you will be loved. Some of the Chicago stuff uses the Howlin' Wuff/Bo Diddley type riff over and over and over. You cannot get bored or try to rewrite what has worked for a hundred years. Stay true and you will be loved.
It is not hard but requires the bassist to play a lot of repetitive stuff to sound correct.
Then listen to some blues. You'll hear that a ton of delta blues bass is a walking type riff, repeated over and over, with the changes and with slight variations by song. learn a few of those, apply as fits the groove, stay in pocket and nail the changes and you will be loved. Some of the Chicago stuff uses the Howlin' Wuff/Bo Diddley type riff over and over and over. You cannot get bored or try to rewrite what has worked for a hundred years. Stay true and you will be loved.
It is not hard but requires the bassist to play a lot of repetitive stuff to sound correct.
devnulljp
Supporting Member
As seen above, Blues advice often gravitates to 'basics+simplicity+locking/syncing+Feel'. I'm 6 months in to learning Classic Country, and playing the bull fiddle. Advice there is the same recipe.
So, to focus on 'Feel' beyond the subjective, creative, etc, I am paying attention to these things:
- timing (pushing vs. dead-on vs. dragging)
- attack, & decay
- duration
- space between the sounds
- volume dynamics
- tone via 'neck' position
- if I worry that I'm falling short on 'feel' ... I try to remember to toss in some basic left hand 'effects' : hammer ons and offs, slides, vibrato etc
- and: when in doubt/lost: I mute the strings & just hit 'em on time
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
It's not rocket science. Learn I-IV-V and see if they do other songs with other changes in the turnaround.
Think Pentatonic and stick to chord tones you know will work. Don't try to be too fancy. Practice and do some lessons on youtube, I like Scotts Bass Lessons personally.
I find it hard to believe in all the time you have been playing bass you have not ran some blues scales or walks on bass. Many songs in rock and even country walk the chords.
listen closely and play along with Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble ... !!!! over and over and over .. !
then think about my poor dog that got cancer and died way tooooo young ...
now you got's the blues .. !
then think about my poor dog that got cancer and died way tooooo young ...
now you got's the blues .. !
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
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Blues is not about scales ... it is about playing with feeling and emotion ... also dynamics
you need to groove with the drummer ... don't play too many notes but don't be too repetitive
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
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- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
back in the 80s I played a few years with Dave Griggs who is now in the Cleveland Blues hall of fame ... before I played with his band I was just a rocker ... but if you know rock you can learn blues ...
Dumb it down to get "blues" out of your head.
If you think you do something you will have it sticking in the back of your head.
Go listen to the local top 40 hip hop station.
Pick a couple tracks that make your head want to play into out of the basic bass line into a vocal/beat/etc.
R&B and hip hop is simple, like blues.
If you lose the bounce, or talk too much outside of the track, go back.
Work your way out of the root playing to the vocal tracks.
If you can't feel it, locking in with a bunch of guys that play Weezer covers is just as wooden as jump blues.
If you think you do something you will have it sticking in the back of your head.
Go listen to the local top 40 hip hop station.
Pick a couple tracks that make your head want to play into out of the basic bass line into a vocal/beat/etc.
R&B and hip hop is simple, like blues.
If you lose the bounce, or talk too much outside of the track, go back.
Work your way out of the root playing to the vocal tracks.
If you can't feel it, locking in with a bunch of guys that play Weezer covers is just as wooden as jump blues.
