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Playing Bass "correctly" with guitar

Shimmi

Shimmi

Guest
Jan 28, 2015
331
137
#1
Okay first off I am an amateur Bassist, that just means I love what I do although technically I'm "pro" if only by the most technical definition of getting compensated for shows.

Anyway recently Many of my bass lines I've been reworking in accordance with my guitarist who insists that many of my bass lines aren't going along with what he is playing. Which I understand I am a bit "fresh" so I've made some adjustments... however I noticed almost every new song we've been working on they have me play the EXACT same thing as the guitarist... Is this just what a bass player is suppose to do? Don't get me wrong makes my job easier but I figured you can play a whole variety of things that will go with the guitar.

Most recently which made me question my "mentor" is we cover Song 2 by the blur and he insists I change my bass... There is only bass in the chorus of that song, I looked up the tabs watched the video and played it exactly like the original but he says "I dont care they played it wrong" And is now having me follow him...which to my untrained ears just makes the song waaaay boring. Anyway is there a way to figure this out? I have an open mind and most of my bass lines have been sounding more "with it" after the "adjustments" but recently one of my favorite songs to play (one of the only ones where I actually play more than 2 strings lol) came under question and I really dont want to change the way I play it, he says I have to to go along with him and im like then you change what your playing he says he cant or hell have to rewrite the song which is basically what hes asking me to do... is there a way to find out if my guitarist is just anal, is there a radius you can drift from what the guitarist is playing or is it really just playing what the guitarist is playing?
 
#2
With an ego like that it's time to find a new band, sure there's times where it sounds right for the guitar & bass to play the same part but not all the time, play with guys like that is goinv to drive you crazy. Matt Freeman (Rancid) is a good example, he doubles the guitars when it fits but also plays parts where the bass plays something completely different to the guitars.
 
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#3
Most guitarists (especially the not very good ones) seem to think bass and an octave pedal are interchangeable. Humor him some, but don't just play the roots in the low register all the time. Add in fills, make your own line, etc. If he can't handle it then you have to agree to disagree or agree to be in different bands.

Song 2 has bass only in the chorus, it's what makes the chorus. You are likely playing it exactly right. Ignore his opinions on this one. Also, overdrive the hell out of your bass for that song (most guitarists think only they should have overdrive or distortion so this should make him happy as well). ;)
 
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#5
I find it's often pretty boring and redundant to just do what the guitar is doing. Sometimes, particularly during a "rockin' " part, it's fine, but always? Yikes. They make octave-down pedals for guitars for that dude. What a waste of a musician and a whole frequency range to just do what's already going on... Not to mention most of my preferred music has the bass doing something different or at least mildly interesting, which is how I became curious about learning to play bass instead of guitar. /shrug YMMW but judging by your post you don't feel too differently, you're just looking for someone to back you up on the idea ;)
 
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#6
Yeah I notice he grinds me the most when he's singing poorly or messed up, like super obvious projection LOL but no I'm really happy with this band sometimes it just gets super annoying and since I don't have as much experience in music as him or the drummer I can't really defend myself other than say I think it sounds fine. But this latest song he wants me to change I just dont know if I can do it. But anyone listen to my song sample? Both him and the drummer agreed that the bass is wrong for the song and had to change(to the exact thing the guitar player is playing) I'm not butthurt about it because its not that different but I just want to know if I need to change it to actually fit or go with the band or if he's just anal.
 
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#13
Shimmi said:
Okay first off I am an amateur Bassist, that just means I love what I do although technically I'm "pro" if only by the most technical definition of getting compensated for shows.

Anyway recently Many of my bass lines I've been reworking in accordance with my guitarist who insists that many of my bass lines aren't going along with what he is playing. Which I understand I am a bit "fresh" so I've made some adjustments... however I noticed almost every new song we've been working on they have me play the EXACT same thing as the guitarist... Is this just what a bass player is suppose to do? Don't get me wrong makes my job easier but I figured you can play a whole variety of things that will go with the guitar.

Most recently which made me question my "mentor" is we cover Song 2 by the blur and he insists I change my bass... There is only bass in the chorus of that song, I looked up the tabs watched the video and played it exactly like the original but he says "I dont care they played it wrong" And is now having me follow him...which to my untrained ears just makes the song waaaay boring. Anyway is there a way to figure this out? I have an open mind and most of my bass lines have been sounding more "with it" after the "adjustments" but recently one of my favorite songs to play (one of the only ones where I actually play more than 2 strings lol) came under question and I really dont want to change the way I play it, he says I have to to go along with him and im like then you change what your playing he says he cant or hell have to rewrite the song which is basically what hes asking me to do... is there a way to find out if my guitarist is just anal, is there a radius you can drift from what the guitarist is playing or is it really just playing what the guitarist is playing?
Click to expand...
The less ego, the more time & focus spent on learning & practicing the instrument(s), music (as general) and the song (arrangement), the better.
And that's not only for the guitarist, ..that is for you too..(and anyone in the band).

Then later, everybody will know better,..in this case - whether in particular (part(s) of the) song(s) the bass would be better to be played in unison with the guitar or not, and if not, how... etc.

But even if you (two) are better in arranging songs, doesn't mean there'll be no difference opinion. That's what normally happen in a band, right?

BTW listen to your soundcloud tune, IMHO, there are spots that'd be good for bass & guitar unison (especially to add the more 'dramatic effect' of the song/arrangement), and also there are spots where different lines of bass & guitar would be better.
YMMV.
 
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#14
I'm by no means a pro, but I wouldn't put up with that. I would find that boring to listen to...therefore I wouldn't play it.

There are times when being in unison with the guitar sounds cool. But, it is more impactful when it is used sparingly. I've been playing in a group where we cover Baby Blue by Badfinger. During that song the guitar player and I play all of the riffs in unison. There are a couple other tunes where we play intro or outros in unison. But if we did it all of the time on every song it would be boring as hell.

In general I try to play a role that supports the overall song. That can often mean being very simple, or it could mean being very busy. I like to listen to what the other members are doing and fill in a need, or play counterpoint to what they are doing. My long-winded point is simply to say, no, that isn't what bass players "do."
 
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#15
Wow man, its time to find a new band.

Bass is certainly not just root notes of whatever the guitar is playing. If you listen to pretty much every song and really listen for the bassline you will find that sometimes it follows guitar but then breaks back off into its own thing, just to join back up, just to break back off etc..

The bass is what bridges the gap between the drummer and guitar, but also what adds feeling to the song. Bass should drive the way a song feels. You should accent the guitar, and the drums while driving the groove!

Think of it like anatomy - the drums are the heart and organs of the songs, and the guitar is the skin - the face if you will. Between them is the bass, the bones of the song. It adds the structure while allowing the guitar something to grow from. Yada Yada.. don't listen to the guitarist.

I'm willing to be he writes the songs himself, on guitar, and when you play your own bassline it 'changes' his songs, and makes him angry cause he doesn't like it... Well HE'S wrong lol
 
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#16
Your guitarist is a moron. Any guitarist who is worth anything understands that in a good band, you have multiple instruments interacting, playing off each other in different ways. Unison is a good device to use for effect from time to time, sure, but gets tired real fast if overused. I suspect he isn't good enough to keep track of his own part while you're playing something different so he's trying to get you to play what he plays. The bit about Song 2 is a pretty clear sign of that.

recreate.me said:
Think of it like anatomy - the drums are the heart and organs of the songs, and the guitar is the skin - the face if you will. Between them is the bass, the bones of the song. It adds the structure while allowing the guitar something to grow from. Yada Yada.. don't listen to the guitarist.
Click to expand...

Funny, I use the anatomy metaphor too, but a little differently - I like to say the drums are the skeleton of the song that give it structure, bass is the muscle that makes the bones move and creates a groove, guitar and vocals and keys and horns and whatever are the organs and skin that create all the outward stuff that people tend to notice first. Whatever works.
 
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#18
recreate.me said:
@hrodbert696 Well at least we both agree on what the skin is lol

I can see the skeleton being drums as well. I think i like your simile better then mine lol
Click to expand...

Meh, doesn't matter. Drumbeat = heartbeat, makes sense too. I just thought it was funny we'd both arrived at similar metaphors independently.
 
#20
That dude doesn't have a clue what he's talking about.... if bassists followed the guitard all the time then bands like Rush, Primus, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Animals as Leaders, ect, ect, ect wouldn't exist. I'm not saying that it's always a bad thing to follow the guitar (bands like Boston have done it very successfully) but changing a COVER so that the bass just follows the guitar is completely ridiculous and boring.
 
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