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Most important lessons you have learned about bass
- Thread starter JordyLegend
- Start date
I learned one tonight at rehearsal. One I should have already remembered: Do not try to recreate spontaneity.
Playing behind the beat means you're listening to the drummer. Playing in front of the beat means everyone's listening to you.
But I like listening to my drummer
then we do this really cool thing where we double each others' fills and it sounds tight lolBut I like listening to my drummer
Of course, that's why most styles of music sound better with the bass behind the beat. The drummer isn't a machine. He can adjust what he is gonna play based on what you just play.
Exceptions in my mind include metal.
Tone and time are everything. People will hire a jerk if he if never misses a note and his tone is record perfect.
*Small but recent lesson*
Bandleaders can be intimidated by bass players that carry a pedalboard.
Ironic huh?
*Small but recent lesson*
Bandleaders can be intimidated by bass players that carry a pedalboard.
Ironic huh?
You are the bridge between the rhythm and melody of the music. Also, embrace the fact that you are a bassist. Learn to groove and make the tune move. Bond with the drummer! Oh, and work on singing and playing. It will get you much work if you do it well!!!!
To feel the tempo and rhythm in myself and be able to resist the temptation to speed up or slow down.
You never know when you'll have to play with no drummer--or worse--play with a drummer who sucks.
One more:
Befriend, or at least get along with, the sound engineer. He controls how you sound to the audience!
Befriend, or at least get along with, the sound engineer. He controls how you sound to the audience!
Bass is very creative and cool. If you ever get a chance to hear someone else play your gig you'll be surprised at how differently they play it. It is subtle in that small differences in note length and articulation can have a big impact on a song, but you can also kind of pound the crap out of it and drive the whole band wild, which is fun every so often. Your volume sets the dynamics for the band.
I'm still fairly new, but I've already learned some stuff.
1. Allow yourself to make mistakes. I was focusing so much on what I was playing wrong that I missed out on the enjoyment of what I was playing right. That, in turn, drew my attention from playing to 'getting it right' and I then lost the beat. Just keep moving.
2. Push yourself. I spend most of my practice playing songs I'm good at, but then part of it practicing stuff I'm nowhere near good enough to nail. The hard stuff gives me a good gauge of my progress as I get closer to correct timing or fingering.
3. Improvise. I spend another leg of my practice just doing a freestyle improvisation, with no intention of writing or any of that, just enjoying that particular moment. If it's something I really like, I may jot it down, but this freestyling really gets my creative juices flowing and inspires me to practice more.
4. read talkbass stickies.
1. Allow yourself to make mistakes. I was focusing so much on what I was playing wrong that I missed out on the enjoyment of what I was playing right. That, in turn, drew my attention from playing to 'getting it right' and I then lost the beat. Just keep moving.
2. Push yourself. I spend most of my practice playing songs I'm good at, but then part of it practicing stuff I'm nowhere near good enough to nail. The hard stuff gives me a good gauge of my progress as I get closer to correct timing or fingering.
3. Improvise. I spend another leg of my practice just doing a freestyle improvisation, with no intention of writing or any of that, just enjoying that particular moment. If it's something I really like, I may jot it down, but this freestyling really gets my creative juices flowing and inspires me to practice more.
4. read talkbass stickies.
Setup of my own personal action! Damn important for motivation and for learning new technics the right way. Slapping for instance
Don't play your Fodera at a rock gig. No. You're wrong.
Pot does not equal coke, and as a professional musician with epilepsy, I'd like to those who think it is okay to drink (in any amount) but not smoke weed at a gig are hypocrites.
Pot does not equal coke, and as a professional musician with epilepsy, I'd like to those who think it is okay to drink (in any amount) but not smoke weed at a gig are hypocrites.
just don't ever stop playing. even if you don't feel like practicing, pick up your axe anyway and play something, ANYTHING, even if only for a minute or two. You might find you all of the sudden feel like it. Oh yeah, and it's not the bass you play, it's what you play on the bass that counts, IMO.
What I've learned after playing bass for more than 35 years....
1. Lock in with the drummer....if you can't, find another drummer
2. know the music better than anyone else in the band....it may come in handy
3. Less isn't more....it's just less...and that may be what is needed for a particular song.
4. Have a good time, jump around the stage if necessary and always be "positively" noticed by the audience.
1. Lock in with the drummer....if you can't, find another drummer
2. know the music better than anyone else in the band....it may come in handy
3. Less isn't more....it's just less...and that may be what is needed for a particular song.
4. Have a good time, jump around the stage if necessary and always be "positively" noticed by the audience.
