what does it mean when a bass player says to lock the drummer? i've never got the real meaning of it. is there someting i can listen and check it out?
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locking the drummer
- Thread starter Deluxe3dition
- Start date
locking with the drummer means to synchronise your bass with the kick drum...so if he/she is 'kicking' like:
Beat: 1 2 3 4
Kick: kick - kick -
Bass: dom - dom -
...hence, youir 'locking' with the beat of the kick - of course, you can vary it a little if you want...
Beat: 1 2 3 4
Kick: kick - kick -
Bass: dom - dom -
...hence, youir 'locking' with the beat of the kick - of course, you can vary it a little if you want...
Ok it works like this in it's most simple way of explaining it.
In a typical 4/4 time sig. Which is what 75% of songs are written in. It will go 1 2 3 4.
The drummer is playing the kick drum on 1 & 3. The bass player will be on the root note on the 1 & 3. They stay locked in together through the song and drive it a long.
Of course there are dozens of variations on this but that is the most basic explanation.
I like to say that this combination allows the drummer to keep the beat and the bass player will create the groove.
In a typical 4/4 time sig. Which is what 75% of songs are written in. It will go 1 2 3 4.
The drummer is playing the kick drum on 1 & 3. The bass player will be on the root note on the 1 & 3. They stay locked in together through the song and drive it a long.
Of course there are dozens of variations on this but that is the most basic explanation.
I like to say that this combination allows the drummer to keep the beat and the bass player will create the groove.
the technique has already been explained.. for examples listen to some pink flloyd. roger waters plays like this alot and it works and grooves really well. 
Peace love and funk
Chips
Peace love and funk
Chips
"Locking the drummer" is in reference to his or her chastity belt.
It's important to make sure that these creatures never procreate ...
It's important to make sure that these creatures never procreate ...
The bass and drums are the rhythm section in most bands. Locking in together means playling compatible rhythm in the same tempo. If the bassist or the drummer speeds up or lags behind, the whole backbone of the music will stink. It is important to stay together.
The term generally means to sync-up and play literally with the kick and/or snare drum, but not always. There is really no such thing as "proper terminology" in many forms of popular music and nothing is really standard. This is because the players may come from different musical backrounds, classical, jazz, the street, etc. I have heard "lock" and all it's derivatives used in reference to bass and drums in funk, roots, jazz, and other styles of music where the bass and drums don't mime each other rythmically at all. If I was told to "lock" , unless there was some obvious body language pointing toward the Kick drum, I would ask for clarification,"is there a tempo problem, or do you want me to play more with the Kick?"
