Playing behind the bear

[Forrest Thump]

This is sort of a sister thread to a thread I posted about learning to groove. I was advised to learn to play behind the beat. It sure would be swell if you folks would help me compile a list of songs in which the beat is being dragged so I can study the feel. Much obliged.

 

[Nev375]

Just play dead. The bear will leave you alone. I saw it in a movie.

 

[GoLeafsGo]

You don't have to outrun the bear, you just have to outrun your friend.

 

[Element Zero]

Can't go wrong with most of Jamiroquai's catalog. Especially the first few albums that had Zender on bass. Magical. Check out Janek Gwizdala was well. He's played with a ton of people. Mostly jazz but some rock and ambient stuff. His work with Bon Reynolds is amazeballs. Can't think of an individual song for ya. Dave Weckles Synergy album is a great bass listen too.

 

[BassFishingInAmerica]

Better to play behind the bear than to play with a bare behind.

 

[ThunderFox]

Don't mess with bears, they're big, scary, and smell of fish. Us foxes avoid them and just stick to our own and eat rabbits...

 

[Oddly]

I saw the thread title and just had to visit, and indeed, the TB sense of humour is alive and well.


Here's a video that might help ... skip to 2.40 to get to the actual topic. Hope it helps.

 

[MonetBass]

First thing that popped into my head:

 

[woodyng2]

 

[two fingers]

Always, in front of the bear.

Seriously, lots of walking bass lines will be in the back of the groove. Most (good) funk bass players hang back a little as well.

Don't try to teach yourself the timing. It won't work. It's like trying to learn to surf from a book.

It's an attitude. It's a feeling. It's more of a "You guys go ahead. I'll get there when I get there. And there's nothing you can do about it." attitude. You will never learn it. You will never "perfect" it. You have to feel it and let that feeling dictate your playing.

 

[Spin Doctor]

Here's one for you. It's so freakin tight. I don't agree that you can't be taught to play in any particular way. I've read that D'Angelo actually had to teach Pino Pallidino to play this far behind the beat... You can be taught anything, since nobody is born knowing this stuff. But if you can do this, then you should be able to play any style behind the beat. They are not all slugged like this groove is...

 

[Gorn]

 

[interp]

Be careful not to think of playing behind the beat as "dragging" the beat. There is a huge difference.

 

[Bob_Ross]

Here's one for you. It's so freakin tight. ...[snip]... I've read that D'Angelo actually had to teach Pino Pallidino to play this far behind the beat...

I gotta say, I do not find that particularly (much less freakin') tight; it just sounds like the rhythm section is a bit sloppy, flamming about on the spectrum from Behind The Beat to Late.
I'm not saying it's necessarily bad because of that, and it certainly demonstrates to OP what happens when someone plays way behind the beat...but it would never occur to me to call that example "tight"

 

[Spin Doctor]

I gotta say, I do not find that particularly (much less freakin') tight; it just sounds like the rhythm section is a bit sloppy, flamming about on the spectrum from Behind The Beat to Late.
I'm not saying it's necessarily bad because of that, and it certainly demonstrates to OP what happens when someone plays way behind the beat...but it would never occur to me to call that example "tight"

"Tight" meaning good/nice/slick. From a Hip Hop/Neo Soul standpoint, young man. Like "bad" used to mean good. But I'm pretty sure you are not into hip hop... It's all a bit different now... Check out drummers like Chris "daddy" Dave, bassist Derric Hodge or pianist Robert Glasper if you want to see where the rhythm sections are currently headed.

 

[robd]

And the bear said "you don't really come here for the hunting, do you?"

 

[Bob_Ross]

"Tight" meaning good. From a Hip Hop standpoint, young man. Like "bad" used to mean good.

Ah, okay, got it. Day-um, these kids today have a different word for everything!

But I'm pretty sure you are not into hip hop...

Really? Are ya sure?

 

[Thumb n Fingers]

Dark (and bright) side of the beat is how I learned it. Dark side is sort of anticipating the beat and holding off to the last possible millisecond to drop your contribution. More common feel in jazz. Bright side is when you're almost leading the beat, again by only a nearly imperceptable millisecond.

It's all about feeling the groove, not a perceptable rest written into the music or anything.

 

[eJake]

I hear beartolini "pups" are the best for playing behind the beat.

Imo just keep listening to groovy music, Let one or two records soak in for weeks.

Put these bands in your ears
The Meters
Earth Wind and Fire
Sly and the Family Stone

Groove central station from square city all the way to funkytown. Wadatah my damie.

 

[BassFishingInAmerica]

Umm ... You think it might be too late to go back and change the title of this thread?