Playing Bass "correctly" with guitar

[Bassitudes]

Woah woah woah. No we are not a cover band, All originals we just happen to have 3 songs that are cover songs. We cover Danzigs "Mother" and we play it similar to the original but it's different. Song 2 though is a simple enough song theres no real need to change anything. Just had to make that clear. I'm going to try and pick up a peddle I'm hoping when I play it with distortion that may help it sound more like the original.

If your combo has a gain and a volume knob just crank the gain up all the way then set the volume to where you're loud enough, that SHOULD get you a nice grimy distortion to work with.

 

[Shimmi]

Well your original example is now removed from the thread,
so discussion won't enlighten any others , but since you ask, here's my opinion:

The part of your bass line that was fighting the guitar was in those first three notes of each phrase.
specifically the third, If I remember correctly
you bass line landed and eight note or so behind the guitar's note
It kind of 'smears' the rhythm of the phrase
it would have been better to match those first 3 notes
And build a more coherent rhythm

Alternately have another instrument (drums probly)
double the bass rhythm so at least one of the two ideas presents as the 'main' rhtyhm,
leaving the guitar phrase to be a counterpoint
but with only 2 competing rhythms going on, there is a loss of rhythmic identity

Just like when 'Locking with the kick'
You don't need to mimic the whole guitar(drum) part
But you should match enough beats to present a coherent rhythmic idea.

I actually understand what you are saying thank-you! The way we changed it is my 3 notes match up identically with the guitar. Chorus we kept, but today at work when listening to the CD I got what you mean by doubling the bass rhythm it's kind of off and slow. I'm going to try to add that in at practice next time. I want to use the new method but try doubling once it gets into the verse(singing part) and just have the intro match up with guitar so it sounds good but I can also have a bit of the original line in only corrected. Your reply got me thinking a lot about pace and how different or improved it would have sounded if I added a tiny bit more rather than let those notes play out.

 

[the harp unstrung]

I'm sorry...you lost me at "correctly".

 

[Shimmi]

I'm sorry...you lost me at "correctly".

Kinda making fun of my guitarists, he wanted me to play a lot of beats mirroring what he was playing.

 

[boomtisk]

BTW, there are times the guitar and bass together really does work:

That's a case in point for the "wall of sound" phenomenon. What that heavy, crushing overall sound? That's the only way to get it. If there were no doubling going on, the vibe would be quite different.