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Moving your body with your playing

#21
As much as I would like to model my style after the late John Entwhistle, I have a tendency to sway, bounce, and turn when I practice with my band mates. It happens more when I'm excited about learning a new riff or song.

Even when I'm concentrating on my fingers, I tap my foot or bounce from the knees.
When we do eventually play our first gig, (I hope we'll be ready and get booked in June) I sort of expect that I will do all that and some more when I really get into the rhythm of an up-tempo song.
 
#24
I can't stop moving when I play. I gotta pace around at the very least.

One trick I learned is to watch concert or music video youtubes and watch the movement of the bass player. If you've got trouble catching the beat of a song, just move like the bass player does, and the beat will come to you naturally.
 
#25
Using your body while playing can not only help you keep your tempo and timing, but it can make things funky and you can play on the up beat to change things up using your body for the down beat!! Now, you can go too far as well.
 
#26
Dusty89 said:
I've never seen it discussed in any instructional book, but I feel that moving your body as you play is very beneficial. I used to be very static and focused on nothing, but what I was playing. It wasn't until I started to sway back and forth and learn some classic stage moves that my playing became more consistent. The bass is definitely an extension of the body. It feels much more natural when I move around. Am I making any sense or have others experienced this as well? I wished my beginner instructional books had at least pointed this out. When I used to watch musicians moving around I thought it was just for show, but it now is started to make sense. How many of you love groovy dancing with the tones?
Click to expand...


Yea I like bobbing my head back and forth. Helps me stay in rhythm
 
#27
the principle was explained to me a long time ago as "playing bass with your butt". i think of it as keeping time with your whole body.
 
#28
One should move to the groove. Always. It's not about exaggeration - some folks might move their whole body a lot, even looking silly to outsiders; some will just nod their heads - to each what feels right and natural. Still, the rythm, timekeeping and grove has to be achieved by the body _and_ mind/soul. Music is simply a very trancending sort of thing.

We westeners make this weird separation of body, mind and spirit often. It's all related and one. Sometimes I see bassists (or any other instrumentalists) totally seeming to neglegt the body side of music. They usually lack and you hear it.

Some nights ago, I saw a trio (keyboard, drums, bass) playing for two rappers. They played nice funky and soul stuff. The pianist and bassist were groving their asses off, just the drummer sat there like a robot. He played correct, no mistake, correct time, but there was no groove or feel at all. The band rocked, but only due to the keys and bass feel. It would have rocked so much more if the drummer had just felt it. He was mind only, they could have used a drum machine, and it wouldn't have changed a thing. It was a shame really.
 
#29
It is of paramount importance that you select the appropriate physical movements for the music you are playing.

For example, if you are playing James Taylor covers (like "Fire and Rain" for example), you will want to employ these head movements:

YouTube - Behemoth LIVE Slaves Shall Serve - Graz, Austria 2007

Please note that the drummer participates as well, and is carefully synchronized with the other performers.
 

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