Howdy y'all! I'm new to the group and wanted to introduce myself. I'm new to playing bass, but I've played guitar for 6 years now. I'm having a tough time with phrasing though. I seem to like "riffy" base-lines but I stick out like a sore thumb when I record my own bass tracks. Any advice?
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New user full of questions.
- Thread starter Pino-no-no
- Start date
You're playing bass like it's a guitar, which tends to happen when guitar players pick up the bass. I don't know what to suggest to help with that, but that's probably what's happening. You are there for groove, not to riff and play flashy. Less is more.
Yeah, this is a tough one to explain in text. Billy Sheehan once said in an interview that he tells new bass players this one line and it usually blows them away.
"Listen to the drummer. You hear every time he hits that really big bass drum? You need to be playing a note every time he does that. Every time, no matter what."
It's all about locking in to the groove and providing the foundation for the song. I think a lot of players forget that, because flashy stuff looks really cool on social media and it gets all the "likes". But at the end of the day, it doesn't help the song.
"Listen to the drummer. You hear every time he hits that really big bass drum? You need to be playing a note every time he does that. Every time, no matter what."
It's all about locking in to the groove and providing the foundation for the song. I think a lot of players forget that, because flashy stuff looks really cool on social media and it gets all the "likes". But at the end of the day, it doesn't help the song.
This is all solid advice. I find myself playing scales a lot and it just doesn't have the right voice most of the time. I can hear it in my head better than I can translate it to my hands if that makes sense.
Greetings from the North,
Welcome to TalkBass and the Grand Thump. Playing bass is indeed all about feeling and setting the groove. There are times to riff here n there but don't ever lose the groove.
Rezdog
Welcome to TalkBass and the Grand Thump. Playing bass is indeed all about feeling and setting the groove. There are times to riff here n there but don't ever lose the groove.
Rezdog
The biggest thing I can say, coming from a bass player to someone who is used to playing guitar, is this -
Remember when you listened to the drummer and bassist because they laid down the rhythm for you to voice your solos over? Well, now it's your job to lay down that rhythm. You wouldn't want to try to compose a solo over a bunch of riffs, right?
Like I said, it's a tough thing to explain.
Some of my favorite bass players and biggest influences are guys who never played "flash". They just served the song and held the groove. Guys like Eddie Jackson from Queensryche, or Rudy Sarzo from Whitesnake. No flash, just hold the groove. You get no major credit or notoriety. But when you're solid, the song is solid. When you're not, neither is the song.
Remember when you listened to the drummer and bassist because they laid down the rhythm for you to voice your solos over? Well, now it's your job to lay down that rhythm. You wouldn't want to try to compose a solo over a bunch of riffs, right?
Like I said, it's a tough thing to explain.
Some of my favorite bass players and biggest influences are guys who never played "flash". They just served the song and held the groove. Guys like Eddie Jackson from Queensryche, or Rudy Sarzo from Whitesnake. No flash, just hold the groove. You get no major credit or notoriety. But when you're solid, the song is solid. When you're not, neither is the song.
I’m sorry, but that is terrible advice from Billy Sheehan.
It's tough to unlearn a behavior and realistically, I don't have enough hours logged to find a voice in a band yet anyway. I'll keep thumpin' away and seeing what I can do. I can play Rage Against the Machine and Foo Fighters stuff and a handful of random country tunes; anything you think I should try?
Well, I can give you one of my favorites, but it may not suit your musical taste, so YMMV. For me, I learned a lot from (don't laugh!) Little River Band in the 70's when George McArdle was the bassist. The album "Sleeper Catcher" is one of my favorites. The thing about McArdle was that he seemed to have a knack of playing just what was called for. He had plenty of skills, but when it was needed, he would lock in with just a simple line. Take the song "Light Of Day"... The whole beginning section is real straightforward and locked in. Then it goes to a guitar solo section where he opens to just a bit of slap/pop as the song builds. At the end, he takes a full blown solo and that's his chance to go wild. So he could do everything, he just adapted to the need of the song.
Hold down the low end. Don't worry about being flashy. Remember, YOU are the guy that is making them shake their booties.
My advice is play the bass guitar the way you like to, come up with your own style, I myself are not a typical bass player, I play more like a rhythm bass, like Cliff Burton, or Lemmy Kilmister. No matter what people say, Play the way it makes you feel happy.....
that's my take on this too, if one is good at it then it's as viable as 'real' bass and I'm all for good and different styles / music. riffy rock has always been a favorite of mine from all decades and the op will find his stride eventually especially since he's likely mostly there now as a guitarist, lead bass is way cool.
This is very true, I respect and like all kinds of bassist playing and how they play there bass.
I started out playing rhythm guitar in my first band and no one wanted to play the bass guitar? So I said, hey I will play the bass guitar and never looked back. That is why I have my own style of playing, fast and furious...
I started out playing rhythm guitar in my first band and no one wanted to play the bass guitar? So I said, hey I will play the bass guitar and never looked back. That is why I have my own style of playing, fast and furious...
Smooth_bass88
vaxx!
- Oct 31, 2006
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Locking in with the kick drum is terrible advice?? Really??
It's about the feel & the groove--just listen.
And practice.
Keep it simple--and if later you get better & can do it more tricky & it fits--cool.
But there is a limit to how simple I like it on bass.
When I was younger it was like there were only two types of bass players people wanted in their bands.
1) Play real simple--primarily root notes played as whole notes
2) Over the top fancy playing (Sometimes it fit the song, sometimes not)
I prefer it in between on bass.
So that was one of the reasons I normally stuck to playing guitar.
It was more fun than the first option and easier than the second.
But I also knew guys that loved to play only one note per measure.
For me it puts me to sleep.
But I'm not a fancy bass player either.
Sometimes matching the melody line rhythm is a good thing, sometimes it isn't.
But that's one thing I do sometimes to keep things interesting.
And practice.
Keep it simple--and if later you get better & can do it more tricky & it fits--cool.
But there is a limit to how simple I like it on bass.
When I was younger it was like there were only two types of bass players people wanted in their bands.
1) Play real simple--primarily root notes played as whole notes
2) Over the top fancy playing (Sometimes it fit the song, sometimes not)
I prefer it in between on bass.
So that was one of the reasons I normally stuck to playing guitar.
It was more fun than the first option and easier than the second.
But I also knew guys that loved to play only one note per measure.
For me it puts me to sleep.
But I'm not a fancy bass player either.
Sometimes matching the melody line rhythm is a good thing, sometimes it isn't.
But that's one thing I do sometimes to keep things interesting.
Locking in with the kick drum is the same as playing every time the kick drum plays, regardless of what the song calls for?? Really?
