Is this busy/over-playing? [video]

[The Expendable Clay]

I don't typically post things like this but I'm genuinely curious...

Yesterday, I played bass at my church. I'm thankful for playing at church because it's been the only consistent gig most of us have had during the shutdowns (even if what we mostly play is some variation of I IV vi V... lol).

Due to a fun little bout with COVID-19, I haven't played in about a month. This Sunday was my first week back.

I noticed, after we were done playing, I got a lot of compliments on my playing... things like "Man! You were going for it!" of "Those runs were tasty!" While I am appreciative, comments like that immediately make me paranoid... like I was overplaying.

I've always had a tendency to lock in at the beginning of a song and save the 'flairs' for the end of the tunes, especially in church songs where the builds/emotions are pretty significant. Granted, I cut my teeth playing gospel, where there's almost no such thing as overplaying. But I still want to be in the pocket.

So here's a song from yesterday. I'm curious to hear from other bass players if you think I'm doing too much??? (Also, you get to hear how good my Fano JM-4 sounds. I love that bass!)

fyi- this is probably a 'headphones-in' mix to hear the bass.

my thoughts, being a worship bassist is that an upbeat song or instrumentals are the place to do that. So no worries.

 

[Robscott]

Good job, well done!

 

[tb-player]

On a sidebar, your sound engineer does really nice work.

With quarantine, the church made some massive improvements with sound. Here’s a couple photos of the upgraded video and sound room.

The live-stream soundboard is nice. I run sound there on weeks I’m not on-stage. Those are usually good weeks for whoever is playing bass bc he is SURE to be in the mix.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

My church is still using anolog....

 

[QORC]

at least the song is 1. upbeat (so much worship music is ballads and boring), and 2. can actually hear you (can't hear the guy at my church. I don't even know why they bother using a bassist if you're going to keep him so far down in the mix). Sounds good to me what you're doing

 

[Beersurgeon]

Sounds solid to me, man. Nice job!

@Winslow says it perfectly! And I think your playing makes the song great!

 

[QORC]

I've witnessed absurd, self-absorbed bassist overplaying. and I've observed, especially in church groups, root-note only bassist UNDER-playing. I think you are doing a great job on this song. Don't change a thing

 

[tb-player]

I've witnessed absurd, self-absorbed bassist overplaying. and I've observed, especially in church groups, root-note only bassist UNDER-playing.

I’ve been both of those, at one time or another.

 

[QORC]

I tend to be the "play it as close to how it was recorded as possible" kinda bass player, with maybe, sometimes, occasionally a tasty riff thrown in at my own discretion. I don't think I'm interested, or even talented enough, to be an over-player anyway.

 

[Fretless1!]

I don't typically post things like this but I'm genuinely curious...

Yesterday, I played bass at my church. I'm thankful for playing at church because it's been the only consistent gig most of us have had during the shutdowns (even if what we mostly play is some variation of I IV vi V... lol).

Due to a fun little bout with COVID-19, I haven't played in about a month. This Sunday was my first week back.

I noticed, after we were done playing, I got a lot of compliments on my playing... things like "Man! You were going for it!" of "Those runs were tasty!" While I am appreciative, comments like that immediately make me paranoid... like I was overplaying.

I've always had a tendency to lock in at the beginning of a song and save the 'flairs' for the end of the tunes, especially in church songs where the builds/emotions are pretty significant. Granted, I cut my teeth playing gospel, where there's almost no such thing as overplaying. But I still want to be in the pocket.

So here's a song from yesterday. I'm curious to hear from other bass players if you think I'm doing too much??? (Also, you get to hear how good my Fano JM-4 sounds. I love that bass!)

fyi- this is probably a 'headphones-in' mix to hear the bass.

Nope. No overplaying here. I commend you for making what could have been a bland, mediocre, pedestrian bass line and making it interesting. Kudos.

 

[tb-player]

I tend to be the "play it as close to how it was recorded as possible" kinda bass player, with maybe, sometimes, occasionally a tasty riff thrown in at my own discretion.

Same here. Unfortunately most church/worship music is fairly basic, with regard to the bass parts. I get bored pretty quickly with the same old vi IV V I patterns. That’s when I have tendency to start fiddling about. That’s when it’s easy to overplay or at least get a little too free with the runs. I guess finding the balance is the key.

 

[Clark Dark]

You said it in your 4th paragraph OP. In gospel there's no such thing as overplaying.