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Playing a "lead bass style" if you will.....

#24
No Mel Schacher in this thread? Listen to Mel from Grand Funk RR. He played his ass off, still kept it in pocket....and melted faces. You'd be surpised how much one can do with root-fifth-octave stuff when you listen to Mel. And he did it all with a pick, which is even more impressive IMO.
 
#25
I am heavily influenced by Geddy and Rush in general, so I have just naturally played this way and IMO, its all about playing a melody but not dropping the bottom out. Geddy said he learned this from McCartney...even if you are playing a simple line, make it melodic...make it sing a little. I try to "connect" notes melodically, so If the chord progression is C for 4, then E for 4, then G for 4, I try to run the line down the scale from C to E, then back up to E, then back up to C (tastefully and simply) but even something as simple as that, really adds value to the music IMO.
 
#26
Study Paul McCartney if you want to know how to play 'lead' bass.

Actually, to furthur that: McCartney usually plays counter-point to the guitars. He doesn't fly all over the neck at 250 BPM shredding, tapping and slapping like a lot of 'virtuosos'. He finds a good hole to plug his bassline into and adds something tasteful.
 
#27
I agree with the comments regarding playing out of the pocket while keeping the bottom end tight. I do alot of that stuff but I really need my drummer to be on her toes when I do this. She always gives me that look when I lose her.
As for solos...I cant standthem...regardless of the instrument. When ever I am at a concert and someone starts a long solo thats when I head for the beer truck or the head. Spotlighting an artist for a verse or chorus is one thing but two or three minute solos (or often longer) not for me. And as I said I dont care what instrument is doing it.
 
#33
Stingray89 said:
I've been playing bass for alittle while now and I've always heard the term lead bass style, but when I ask what that means noone knows the answer. I did some research and I know that John Paul Jones, Geddy Lee, Cliff Burton and Lynyrd Skynyrd's bass player are known as lead style bass players. I want to be able to play "lead bass" but I'm trying to figure out how to do it. I would consider myself(although nowhere at his level) more of a Ron Blair type bass player(Tom Petty's bassist) I play the roots alot and try to play in the pocket alot. I move up the fretboard but try to hold down the bottom end at the same time, staying out of everyone's way and not trying to take away from the music. So I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with playing the way I do now, but I'm trying to play a different style. So can anyone give me tips on how to play more of a "lead bass" style?
Click to expand...


Stanley Clarke, Jaco Pastorius, Billy Sheehan, Tony Franklin are what I would call "smokin' bassists"

The word "lead" is so late 70's

Most of the soloing is usuelss however.

Holding it down is your main job.

All the other extra stuff isn't needed.

But if you want to learn how to do it....
 
#39
I forgot to mention James Jamerson. His basslines absolutley dominate the songs he plays in and yet allow the vocals and the song itself to shine through. Also, Adam Clayton really drives the U2 song 'Two Hearts Beat as One'.
 
#40
"Lead bassist" is actually code for "bass player that can't groove".

:hiding:

Seriously, you play appropriately for the song and then let everyone else categorize what kind of bass player you are or what kind of bass part it is you created. I'm almost certain that neither JPJ or Jamerson set out to play "lead bass". Of course, I could be wrong but I doubt it.
 

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