This is my new favorite internet musician.
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Is adhering to the kick drum pattern admired?
- Thread starter TheIndieKid
- Start date
This is my new favorite internet musician.
Very true. As long as the players are aware of the pulse of the music and each other’s part in it, a groove can be established with any instrumentation.
Coming soon...
Lars Ulrich's "friends" at Steinway send him a brand new piano, to see if it can be THRASHED on, like a drum kit.
OK, now I have a new favorite internet musician.
Actually, that Stevie kid is absolutely brilliant at playing and I find him hilarious. That vid he did called Guitar Does NOT Get Chicks is wild.
I'm sure Lars can play just as poorly on piano as he does on drums these days
I usually get lost in the first four bars, then stop playing.
If anyone questions me I respond with "listen to the notes I'm not playing"....ha ha ha.
I'm sure that would have sufficed for Becker & Fagen back in the day
If anyone questions me I respond with "listen to the notes I'm not playing"....ha ha ha.
I'm sure that would have sufficed for Becker & Fagen back in the day
Damn Right you are! I can play Lead and Melodic Bass all Night long too. But it's not Musical and it doesn’t fit. Learn all the walking Bass lines forward and backwards, you'll be a Better Bassist and in Demand much, much more. Popping, Tapping, Playing Arpeggios at lightning speed is cool, when called for just to Accentuate abilities. Otherwise, stick to the Groove, Musician!
No one has mentioned the Zone which I believe is almost a spiritual connection with all members of the band. For me it begins with locking in with the drummer of course and that ain’t happining unless you are some rhymic coherent pattern with the rhythm section. It does require discipline to a certain extent but listening to everyone will lead you to implement or compliment. Unless you are Jaco reincarnated, most cases it’s compliment.
That’s kind of how I see it. Maybe it’s from so many years of playing jazz as well as rock covers, but until I’d read it from others I never really focused on the bass drum. I’d just learn the part to the song or play my walking bass line that was 99% regular quarter notes.
Going even further away from focusing on a drummer, I was raised as a tuba player in the school band. I’d play the part on the stand in front of me, and percussion wasn’t always part of the music.
Anyone who thinks this is the signature of a novice clearly shouldn't be having any discussion about playing bass!
Although this is admittedly one of the first lessons you should learn, perfecting it should be a life long pursuit.
Every player (not just bass) needs to stay aware of what the other players, (especially the singers) are doing in every song, every genre, every tempo, etc....and not step all over the other parts....it’s called musicality...and it’s a sign of musical maturity.
Always play “for the song” not for your instrument.....less is more. What’s most important is knowing what NOT to play.
The bass is a very intrusive instrument...which is why, when we clam, it’s so noticeable.
You could have the best grooving drummer in the world and, if the bassist is all over the map, the groove will be totally lost.
So, I wouldn’t say “Always play the kick pattern”, because it may not be right for a particular song. But, I WOULD say “Always find a pattern that works for the song your playing and stick to that”
There are places for tasteful licks and fills. But, remember, groove is in the space between the notes.
Always play “for the song” not for your instrument.....less is more. What’s most important is knowing what NOT to play.
The bass is a very intrusive instrument...which is why, when we clam, it’s so noticeable.
You could have the best grooving drummer in the world and, if the bassist is all over the map, the groove will be totally lost.
So, I wouldn’t say “Always play the kick pattern”, because it may not be right for a particular song. But, I WOULD say “Always find a pattern that works for the song your playing and stick to that”
There are places for tasteful licks and fills. But, remember, groove is in the space between the notes.
When the drummer and bass player are locked together it is pure magic and few do it better than Jeff Pocaro and David Hungate.
Do whatever the song requires.....pumping 8ths, 4 on the floor, syncopated root octaves, full on slap, 1 - 2 notes per bar (think Bee Gees) whatever.....every style/method has it's place
in my last band me and the drummer got it pretty much in sync... except 1 song "Under the bridge" RHCP - he couldn't get the kick drum beat right in the verses as it is off beat? used to really annoy me because I was playing the bassline as per the original and he was doing something slightly different on the kick drum... that was about the only song it happened on really
Agreed, although there are exceptions, like reggae and latin American where you often skip the one.I think it depends on both the genre and the particular song being played. For the most part, locking in with the drummer will earn you lots of praise from the drummer and the other musicians. Jack Casady said in in an interview a while back, If you play on the one, you will get hired. Bootsy Collins said always play on the one, you can't go wrong. It's that simple. I have had songs where I simply play just on the one and it is sooooooooo effective, especially for dancers. Let the guitarist do the shredding. That is not what bass is for.
Whatever works for the song. There's nothing more boring than a bassist playing what they think sounds good on the bass rather than what sounds good for the song
Adhering to it religiously is boring. Some genres call for this (country styles) and it might be acceptable, but I personally don't find it musically interesting.
Make sure that you establish a rhythm and groove with your drummer. Many western forms of music - latin, funk, R&B, disco, soul, gospel, even rock - benefit from syncopation between the bass and the drums; this, coupled with an interesting rhythm guitar or keys, can really define the character of a song. Other genres, like afrobeat and calypso, rely upon it.
Even genres like jazz, where the bass is playing straight eighths often, don't marry the kick and bass much, if at all. In fact, the roles are reversed - the drums (bass and snare) comp over the bass, instead of the bass comping rhythms over a drum pulse.
The only genres that come to mind currently that marry the kick and the bass all the time are country (not my cuppa) and some forms of metal (quick riffs, double bass).
Is adhering to the kick drum pattern admired? Maybe. Always consider who is admiring, though, and why they are. Sometimes it makes sense, but often it's just a parroted line without any understanding why.
If you have musicians who really "get" it, hang on and don't let go (or send them my way, god, please). If you have musicians who just don't get rhythm, run away. If you have a drummer who follows your rhythm instead of continuing a groove when you try to build a syncopated line, fire the drummer.
Sorry for the long post, this is a bit of a sore point for me (current situation). I'm already grumbling under my breath and I need a beer...
Make sure that you establish a rhythm and groove with your drummer. Many western forms of music - latin, funk, R&B, disco, soul, gospel, even rock - benefit from syncopation between the bass and the drums; this, coupled with an interesting rhythm guitar or keys, can really define the character of a song. Other genres, like afrobeat and calypso, rely upon it.
Even genres like jazz, where the bass is playing straight eighths often, don't marry the kick and bass much, if at all. In fact, the roles are reversed - the drums (bass and snare) comp over the bass, instead of the bass comping rhythms over a drum pulse.
The only genres that come to mind currently that marry the kick and the bass all the time are country (not my cuppa) and some forms of metal (quick riffs, double bass).
Is adhering to the kick drum pattern admired? Maybe. Always consider who is admiring, though, and why they are. Sometimes it makes sense, but often it's just a parroted line without any understanding why.
If you have musicians who really "get" it, hang on and don't let go (or send them my way, god, please). If you have musicians who just don't get rhythm, run away. If you have a drummer who follows your rhythm instead of continuing a groove when you try to build a syncopated line, fire the drummer.
Sorry for the long post, this is a bit of a sore point for me (current situation). I'm already grumbling under my breath and I need a beer...
